How to Become Proactive Against Racists and Racism
Recognize the different levels of racism., Acknowledge your privilege., Look at examples of racism in history., Think about your own experiences of racism., Talk to others about their experiences of racism.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Recognize the different levels of racism.
There are several different levels of racism that occur in our society that can be grouped under the larger idea of “racism”.
It may be helpful for you to understand the different levels of racism so you can be aware of which level(s) you are engaging with.
This can help to strengthen your protest against a certain level of racism and give you the education necessary to make a change.
The different levels of racism include:
Structural racism:
Structural racism refers to a system of hierarchy and inequity that is ongoing, where white people are given preferential treatment over people of color.
This level of racism is wide-ranging and promotes the power and privilege of whites over Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Arab, and other races.
Due to structural racism, there may be inequalities between whites and other races, where white people have more access, opportunity, and power, intentionally or unintentionally.
All other forms of racism come out of structural racism.
Institutional racism:
This level of racism occurs between institutions in society, such as education, health care, mass media, law enforcement and business.
Institutional racism occurs when there is discrimination in the workplace, the classroom, the courtroom, or the media, where individuals in institutions create unfair policies and rules based on race.
Racial bias often comes into play in institutional racism, where a person in a position of power, such as a police officer, treats someone differently or negatively because of their race.
Individual racism:
This level of racism occurs between individuals and within individuals.
Individual racism often occurs due to individual prejudice, individual privilege, and individual beliefs about race that are influenced by the dominant culture. -
Step 2: Acknowledge your privilege.
Another key step to being an ally for anti-racism is to take a step back and think about your own privilege.
A privilege is a right, favor, or advantage that is granted to one individual or group, and withheld from another individual or group.
As a person in the world, you are born with a certain level of privilege, based on your race.
This means that based on your privilege, you may be given more opportunities and access, or you may be given fewer opportunities or access.
Acknowledging your privilege will allow you to approach anti-racism with a good sense of where you stand and where you are coming from.
A white person, for example, will have more privilege than someone who is Asian or Latino.
This can be unintentionally, but is nevertheless a fact of the system of structural racism we live in.
If you have white privilege as a white person, this does not mean you cannot engage in anti-racism actions.
On the contrary, as someone with white privilege, you should focus on what you can do to be an ally and a supporter of people who have less privilege than you. , To get a better sense of how structural racism, institutional racism, and individual racism came to be, you should study up on the history of racism in your country.
Doing this will give you a better understanding of why racism is a systematic and ongoing problem.You may consult historical texts on specific events, such as the evolution of slavery in the United States or the internment camps for the Japanese in Canada.
You may also do a web search on recent events that have occurred, such as the refugee crisis in Syria or the police shootings of unarmed Black men in Ferguson, Missouri.
Once you find more information on a racial event in history, you should look more closely at the role of racism in the event.
Ask yourself several questions, including:
Who had the power and highest amount of privilege in this situation? Were there racial reasons that caused this event? Did structural, institutional, or individual racism come into play, and if so, how? , To get a more personal sense of racism, you should consider if you have experienced racism in your life and in what circumstances.
This could be a moment where you were discriminated against due to your race or where you witnessed someone else being discriminated against due to their race.
Even small moments of racism, known as microaggressions, such as a casual racist joke or an unintentional racist comment, can lead to larger issues of injustice and bias.Being conscious of your own experiences of racism will also make you more aware of when it is occurring and more conscious of your own understanding of racism.
If you are a white person, for example, you may not have experiences of racism in the same way as a person of color.
Often, white privilege means that white people have more power in a situation and are not subject to racism at the same level as someone with very little privilege., Starting a dialogue with others about racism is one way you can educate yourself about how and why racism still exists today.
Talk to friends and family about their experiences of racism.
Ask them why they think they were discriminated against and how it made them feel.
Listen and discuss the meaning of racism with others to get a better sense of how it affects individuals on a personal level.Though it may be painful to discuss experiences of racism with others, know that by talking about these issues, we can learn and grow.
Staying silent and not saying anything or sharing your thoughts and feelings will only reinforce the system of racism that we all deal with every day.
Discussion and dialogue are positive steps towards working against racism, even if they can be difficult or uncomfortable. -
Step 3: Look at examples of racism in history.
-
Step 4: Think about your own experiences of racism.
-
Step 5: Talk to others about their experiences of racism.
Detailed Guide
There are several different levels of racism that occur in our society that can be grouped under the larger idea of “racism”.
It may be helpful for you to understand the different levels of racism so you can be aware of which level(s) you are engaging with.
This can help to strengthen your protest against a certain level of racism and give you the education necessary to make a change.
The different levels of racism include:
Structural racism:
Structural racism refers to a system of hierarchy and inequity that is ongoing, where white people are given preferential treatment over people of color.
This level of racism is wide-ranging and promotes the power and privilege of whites over Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Arab, and other races.
Due to structural racism, there may be inequalities between whites and other races, where white people have more access, opportunity, and power, intentionally or unintentionally.
All other forms of racism come out of structural racism.
Institutional racism:
This level of racism occurs between institutions in society, such as education, health care, mass media, law enforcement and business.
Institutional racism occurs when there is discrimination in the workplace, the classroom, the courtroom, or the media, where individuals in institutions create unfair policies and rules based on race.
Racial bias often comes into play in institutional racism, where a person in a position of power, such as a police officer, treats someone differently or negatively because of their race.
Individual racism:
This level of racism occurs between individuals and within individuals.
Individual racism often occurs due to individual prejudice, individual privilege, and individual beliefs about race that are influenced by the dominant culture.
Another key step to being an ally for anti-racism is to take a step back and think about your own privilege.
A privilege is a right, favor, or advantage that is granted to one individual or group, and withheld from another individual or group.
As a person in the world, you are born with a certain level of privilege, based on your race.
This means that based on your privilege, you may be given more opportunities and access, or you may be given fewer opportunities or access.
Acknowledging your privilege will allow you to approach anti-racism with a good sense of where you stand and where you are coming from.
A white person, for example, will have more privilege than someone who is Asian or Latino.
This can be unintentionally, but is nevertheless a fact of the system of structural racism we live in.
If you have white privilege as a white person, this does not mean you cannot engage in anti-racism actions.
On the contrary, as someone with white privilege, you should focus on what you can do to be an ally and a supporter of people who have less privilege than you. , To get a better sense of how structural racism, institutional racism, and individual racism came to be, you should study up on the history of racism in your country.
Doing this will give you a better understanding of why racism is a systematic and ongoing problem.You may consult historical texts on specific events, such as the evolution of slavery in the United States or the internment camps for the Japanese in Canada.
You may also do a web search on recent events that have occurred, such as the refugee crisis in Syria or the police shootings of unarmed Black men in Ferguson, Missouri.
Once you find more information on a racial event in history, you should look more closely at the role of racism in the event.
Ask yourself several questions, including:
Who had the power and highest amount of privilege in this situation? Were there racial reasons that caused this event? Did structural, institutional, or individual racism come into play, and if so, how? , To get a more personal sense of racism, you should consider if you have experienced racism in your life and in what circumstances.
This could be a moment where you were discriminated against due to your race or where you witnessed someone else being discriminated against due to their race.
Even small moments of racism, known as microaggressions, such as a casual racist joke or an unintentional racist comment, can lead to larger issues of injustice and bias.Being conscious of your own experiences of racism will also make you more aware of when it is occurring and more conscious of your own understanding of racism.
If you are a white person, for example, you may not have experiences of racism in the same way as a person of color.
Often, white privilege means that white people have more power in a situation and are not subject to racism at the same level as someone with very little privilege., Starting a dialogue with others about racism is one way you can educate yourself about how and why racism still exists today.
Talk to friends and family about their experiences of racism.
Ask them why they think they were discriminated against and how it made them feel.
Listen and discuss the meaning of racism with others to get a better sense of how it affects individuals on a personal level.Though it may be painful to discuss experiences of racism with others, know that by talking about these issues, we can learn and grow.
Staying silent and not saying anything or sharing your thoughts and feelings will only reinforce the system of racism that we all deal with every day.
Discussion and dialogue are positive steps towards working against racism, even if they can be difficult or uncomfortable.
About the Author
Diane Ford
Experienced content creator specializing in pet care guides and tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: