Stopping Racism Starts Here
Five-Minute Entry Points
by Megan Lietz, EGC Race & Christian Community Initiative
Busy? We get that. Troubled by racism? Good. Here are five resources you can explore in under five minutes about racism in America today.
The current face of racism
Some forms of racism—the legalized segregation in Jim Crow laws, for example—are thankfully behind us. But other forms of systemic racism—such as the mass incarceration of Black men—still create inequitable experiences for people of color to this day.
The Racism is Real video by Brave New Films explores some everyday ways racism creates different experiences for White and Black people today.
Racism is Real
April 29, 2015
How RacisT History Impacts Today
Do you live in a pretty homogeneous neighborhood? Most people in the US do. While we may like to think that where we call home is shaped by our personal preferences or “just the way things are," the racially segregated neighborhoods we live in today are the product of our history.
Play around on PBS’ Race: The Power of Illusion website to learn how housing policies in the 20th century have had a profound impact on today’s neighborhoods and the resources that are available to them.
Race: The Power of Illusion
Implicit Bias
No one likes to think they’re biased. The six brief Who, Me? Biased? videos from the New York Times explore how we have all been unconsciously shaped to have biases. When we recognize this, we can see that even good, well-intentioned people can contribute to inequality. We’re all part of the problem.
The good news is that, with education and exposure, we can all take steps to be less biased. We can take intentional action towards equality.
Who, Me? Biased?
Color-Blind
One thing that I often hear among White people is that they are “color-blind.” This is intended as a positive comment, implying that they don’t treat people differently based on the color of their skin. While well-intentioned, this lens can be counterproductive. This article by Jon Greenberg explains why.
Greenberg, Jon. “7 Reasons Why ‘Colorblindness’ Contributes to Racism Instead of Solves It.” Everyday Feminism. N.p., 20 July 2016.
Microaggressions
Microaggressions are day-to-day things we may say or do that can hurt people of color, sometimes without our intending or realizing it. Check out this Buzzfeed photo journal for some examples of microaggressions.
21 Racial Microaggressions You Hear On a Daily Basis
To explore a broader list of microaggressions, what they can subtly communicate, and why they are problematic, check out this chart:
Microaggressions
What do you think is the next step in dismantling racism?
