Does Race Determine Opportunity

After talking in class about how race determines one's opportunities, this is something that I have been thinking about a lot. Does race, in fact, have an impact on an individual's opportunities?

Personally, in a way, I think that this is true. When one is of a minority race, it seems as though society places a burden on them, making it harder for them to get a job, find housing, etc. Even the schools and educational opportunities are different. Within St. Louis, the inner city is minority dominated, and the schooling system is not really comparable to that of the county, which are predominantly white. I think that this is important because an individuals education has a lot of emphasis on the opportunities that they receive throughout the rest of their life.

I feel that stereotypes play a major role in this as well. For example, the stereotype that "all Asians are smart" plays a role in the opportunities that they are given. Not to mention all of the stereotypes about whites and blacks. Despite the fact that these stereotypes may not be true, many people still base their decisions off of them.

Although I understand that this happens, I think that it is unfair. I think that everyone should be given the same opportunities. I don't think that it is fair to base an individuals opportunities off of where they grew up and the opportunities they were given as a child. After all, I don't think that it is someone's fault how or where they were raised, sometimes this is just outside of an individuals control.

Any thoughts?