How do race and ethnicity fundamentally differ in shaping social identities?

Race and ethnicity are important ideas that help us understand how people identify themselves and connect with others. Race usually refers to physical characteristics like skin color, hair type, and facial features, which are often used to categorize people into different groups. In contrast, ethnicity relates to shared cultural traits, such as language, traditions, and beliefs that people from the same background might have. For example, someone might be racially categorized as Black but identify ethnically as African American, which includes specific cultural practices and a shared history. Understanding these differences helps us see how people experience the world and how their identities are shaped by both their racial background and their cultural heritage.