Wakefield said "everyday discrimination" is discrimination that occurs regularly to people as they participate in common everyday activities such as shopping, going to the movies and going to a restaurant.

Earlier research in the project found that many young people who are members of an ethnic minority group feel that they are discriminated against on a regular basis.

"For example, many African American and Latino boys feel they are looked upon as suspicious and followed by store personnel in such places as shopping malls and are falsely accused of shoplifting. And they note that this does not happen to their white peers," Wakefield said. "These type of negative experiences may influence some young people's attitudes and orientation to school.

"As a result," he said, "this research will be helpful to parents, teachers and professionals in finding ways to facilitate and promote the healthy development of all young people by paying attention to and better understanding the experiences of ethnic minority youth."

With the funding from the foundation, Wakefield, a graduate student and several undergraduate students will be working with Los Angeles area high school students in their "Life Skills" courses. The team will talk with the students about their experiences, ideas and concerns regarding "everyday discrimination" and discuss ways to promote positive intercultural interactions.

California State University, Northridge has more than 30,000 full- and part-time students and offers 63 bachelor's and 51 master's degrees. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the third largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges recently said CSUN "stands as a model to other public urban institutions of higher education." ###