This letter is in response to Deana Capecci's letter, "We're all Americans." I have five points I would like to raise:

-- Why should I, as an African-American woman, worry about discrimination? Because it affects every facet of my life. Unfortunately, I cannot ignore it. Let's look at one of the facets that affects me -- employment. I have a tougher task of gaining employment based on my race. Of course, you will not believe this, but based on statistics (and not emotions or unfounded opinions) from the 1990 Census, African Americans are unemployed at a higher rate than white people.

But of course, I should not worry. I should be satisfied when I find employment and only make $807 for every $1,000 that a white woman makes in this country. No need to be alarmed if I am at a greater risk of being poverty-stricken than my white counterparts with the same credentials. Thanks to Capecci for telling me I should be thinking about other things. I guess I should concentrate on whether we are going to the Rose Bowl and not worry about little petty things such as gainful employment.

-- Capecci, are you a clairvoyant? You must be to "know" how we react about any issue (i.e. your belief that minorities will be upset if our enrollment was not reported). Please can you tell me what's in my future? Will I be rich or famous? Never mind, I'll just call Dionne's psychic network. I'm sure I will reach you. To set the sarcasm aside for the moment, you have demonstrated in your letter that you don't know anything about my community. In the future, please refrain from telling us and others how we would act until you know more about me and my community. It is obvious that you don't.

-- We are not the only group given scholarships, grants and loans. In case you haven't noticed, we are less than 3 percent of the student population. Therefore, we must all live in condos and drive luxury cars if we are the only "regular people" to receive financial aid. Also, contrary to popular belief, not all African-American students receive aid. Some of our parents can finance our education and some of our parents can't. Why is that? Reread point one. But again, why should I worry? To make it plain and simple, if you and I pay the same for tuition but my mother has to finance my education with $807 to your mother's $1,000, who needs aid more? Please don't be so gullible as to believe that 3 percent (minus those whose parents who can afford to pay tuition) of the student population is getting all of the aid. It is numerically impossible and before I forget, white people receive financial aid at this university, too.

-- You contradict yourself by writing an article crying about minorities to say how much we cry and complain about discrimination. In case you have not heard of the term "reverse discrimination" or the U.S. Supreme Court case Bakke v. California, white people do cry and complain about discrimination. Please know your facts, and in your next letter, present some. Trust me, it will do wonders for your argument.

-- If you chose not to call yourself Italian American and I chose to call myself African American, why should either one of us condemn the other? As you said, we are all Americans. Well, as an American of African descent, I choose to exercise my First Amendment right to define myself and choose my own title whether it be African American, black or whatever.

Furthermore, you need to examine how you feel subconsciously about the continent of Africa. I know it is undisputably the cradle of civilization. Obviously, you must also, if you feel that using the term connotates something superior. Is that what upsets you? If so, deal with it on your own. I am an American of African descent who is proud of my heritage. If being proud of my heritage is considered believing I am superior (and there is no logical reason to believe that it is), too bad. I will not deny my heritage, my people or my culture to make anyone in this country comfortable or feel less inferior.