I’d like to preface by saying… publishing this article took a lot of kahunas on my part. I know that when you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you will see my picture with my blond hair and white skin on display. “How could you possibly understand,” will be what some people will ask me. My “white privilege” will be screaming at readers, while the rest of my text takes a back seat.

Alas, that’s why I’ve got to speak up. I don’t want to feel the need to shut up because society deems my opinion invalid based on the color of my skin. Isn’t that, after all, what we’re fighting to reverse?

I’d also like to note that I am incredibly blessed to have grown up in such a culturally diverse city. More than 1 million Houstonians were born outside of the U.S., so I do know that my personal experience is skewed from many places in the nation.

I’ve spoken with my friends of various ethnic backgrounds (Black, Asian, Hispanic, Middle-eastern, and White) who say, yes, racism does seem more prevalent today. It’s very clear to us young adults that it’s an issue that hasn’t gone away and seems to be getting worse. But when asked if they actually felt it in their daily lives – offline – the answer was overwhelmingly…. No.

So why is it that my peers and myself aren't experiencing these issues in real life, yet it still feels so prevailing? The answer is actually obvious when you think about it. Our news feed is doing just that... feeding us stories of hatred, divide and bigotry. That's what we're consuming and digesting. Our daily social-sustenance.

I cannot and will not deny that racism exists in many people’s communities and even homes. But that is an issue that lies within a person, and we should pay no mind to these close-minded fools. Instead, the media takes these individuals, pumps them through our social platforms, and we’re left feeling like each race hates each other.

Let’s face it… we interact largely through social media in today’s society. When you’ve had a nice lunch, there’s a chance you’ve either Tweeted, Snapchatted, or Instagrammed the event. When Miley Cyrus has a new music video come out, it’s all you can see in your Facebook feed.

Don’t get me wrong -- social media is often used for good causes. The “ice bucket challenge” was a great example of raising awareness about ALS, a disease that affected many, but was going on unnoticed by many more. Now, virtually every American has some knowledge about ALS and its ramifications.

But to put this into perspective… The U.S. population consists of over 300 million people, while ALS exists in about only 30,000 of those citizens.

It’s, of course, no less important to proactively seek a cure, just because it affects a small portion of our population. But it’s the same thing that the media has done with the issue of racism. It takes a small population of Americans who have issues with race, and streams it to 300 million of us, making us believe it’s much more prominent than it is.

Is there still an issue? Yes. Should the individuals with said issue be addressed? Absolutely. But the frequency of these individuals making news in social media is climbing. Because it’s getting the individuals who were ready to move on, ready to fight a war on racism that shouldn’t still exist. It's an eye for an eye mentality.

Thanks to the parasite that is racism and the host that is the Internet… it does exist. So much so, that even an issue like an overly white Oscars is making big news. How is this an issue that is important to an average American? (First of all… Are any of us in the same social class as those attending the Oscars? C’mon. Let's not pretend for an instant that Hollywood is representative of the rest of the nation. I’d rather be focusing on the Laquan McDonalds and the Darren Goforths if we’re going to be talking about race issues).

Let's not forget... America, for now, is a predominately white nation. How is it shocking that the movie industry is also predominately white? Do we want to believe that, because an award show lacks diversity, that the entire industry (and nation) is filled with white-supremacists? Or is that just what the media tells us? More than half of the population is white, and Hollywood will reflect this.

However, the ratios are changing, and white Americans are slowly but surely moving toward becoming the minority. I guarantee you'll see this shift being represented on-screen. Because, unfortunately, the Hollywood execs (the people with the deep pockets, not the actors, producers and directors) do not care about each individual's longing to be represented. They care about making money, which means that they will cater to (and try to relate to) the group who will be able to produce the most of it, which is… the majority.

Conversely, how are white people angry about the existence of the BET awards? They were created to recognize individuals in a minority group, and rightfully so! And to the white people offended by an all-black dating site: Why? Having a preference to date within your own culture isn’t racist. And minority groups may have a harder time shuffling through sites laden with white people in order to find their preferred mate. I only see reason to be offended if the site is called www.ihatewhitepeople.com (which, by the way, I have no idea if this site exists, and I don't recommend typing it into your browser to find out).

Ultimately, the job of this type of media is not to report a fair side to each story. It is not to give you the most accurate information, and they couldn't care less if you are the most or least informed person in the world. They want your click, they want your share.

Luckily, my friends and I have learned to accept each other for who we are, and not who social media proclaims we are. I wish the same for you.

Even if the media tells us that all white people are racist – my friends and I know better than to believe it. Even if the media tells us that all black people are gangsters – my friends and I know better than to believe it. Even if the media tells us that all Islamic people are violent – my friends and I know better than to believe it.

Additionally, it comes with a bit of humbling yourself. I know that these assumptions exist. I do not think so highly of myself that I expect everyone I meet to automatically consider me a delightful individual.

I understand I cannot stop someone from seeing me and assuming I’m racist. There’s a lot of history that could work against me. However, there’s a lot of history being made that’s working for me, and the media leaves that alone.

You can bet your bottom dollar that every person I meet, I'll treat with the same respect and kindness regardless of the color of their skin, their socioeconomic status or their religion. From then on, what they think of me is in their hands. If they can't see past my skin, that's an issue in their soul that I can't fix, and the only way I'll try is by continuing my quest for kindness. And I think that's the only way it will work.

Talking about how much we hate people who hate us does nothing except dig our proverbial heels deeper into this social-soot.

So, the next time you see a post about someone being ostracized for their race, why don’t you, instead, share the story of diverse cultures coming together. Let’s make that the forefront of our news feed, and cultivate change in a positive manner.