A recent NBC News article discussed the removal of the J. Marion Sims statue in New York City. It talked about how symbolic actions, while important, represent only the smallest step society owes to Black communities harmed by medical racism. Beginning with this moment makes it clear how deeply rooted these issues are: taking down a statue may acknowledge past harm, but it does not repair the systems that continue to cause harm today. It …
To understand whiteness is to understand the gap between what America says it stands for and what it actually is. Whiteness is a system of cultural norms and advantages that positions white people as the default, the “normal,” and the most protected group in society. It sets whiteness as the standard for what it means to be human and creates rules based on personal biases about how society should operate. Anything that isn’t white or …
Racial disparities and discriminatory practices targeted at people of color remain a significant and deeply concerning issue in the United States. Built on hundreds of years of entrenched racism, the U.S. continues to show how both systemic and individual acts of bias shape institutions, influence public policy, and reinforce unequal outcomes across generations of marginalized communities. These racial disparities show up across nearly every domain of life, but the criminal justice system stands out as …
How do you feel about the police? Do you see them as people who are there to protect you from crime? Can you depend on them? This should be the standard and in some areas, it is. I’m sure you can guess as to what I will bring up. You know because it is a huge issue. You know because in 2020, George Floyd was murdered by police officers and it sparked a huge outrage …
As a Hispanic White woman, I can recall multiple times where I have not been “Hispanic” enough for White people and Hispanic people. One time in particular, in the sixth grade I was shown a picture of a darker Hispanic person and was told that if I was actually Hispanic I would look like them. I thought of my experience when I read the study Applying intersectionality to explore the relations between gendered racism and …
Something that has left me frustrated lately is how society is still using the G-word, a slur that is racist toward Roma and Sinti people, both of whom are different ethnic groups within the larger Romani people who share similar roots. I learned in my genocide class at high school that this word was offensive and when people mention that Roma and Sinti people were victims of the Holocaust in addition to Jewish people and …
Ever wonder about when you were taught about slavery in your history class in high school or middle school? Well, what if the curriculum was flawed? The answer is yes, that history about slavery is not being taught accurately in classes. When I was in elementary school and middle school, we discussed the founding fathers such as George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. We learned about how these men were inspirational and admirable leaders, …
In recent times, sharing an opinion online can feel a little scary. It’s not like having a casual chat with a friend, where words fade once the conversation ends. On the internet, what you post can stick around forever. There’s no real “rough draft” online once you hit publish, that draft becomes permanent. This has reshaped the way people express themselves. Many hold back, worried about being misunderstood or judged years down the line. Others …
It’s become clear to me that there’s an increasingly rising tension “between White and Black people.” I’m sure you might be accustomed to hearing this a lot by now if you live in the U.S. There is a caste system that places White people on top and Black people on the bottom. But what about all of the others that fall in between? How are they affected by this? Well, the Supreme Court recently allowed …
Healthcare is the organized system of services aimed at improving the health of an individual, treating the sick, and supporting recovery. Sounds important, right? It sounds like something that everyone should have access to, right? Yet the reality of healthcare in the United States is a different story. Access to healthcare is a common struggle for millions of Americans, particularly those of communities of color. This unequal access is known as a disparity, an unfair …
What is it about colorblindness that makes it feel so natural in our perception of others? I believe it is the normalization of online sources that shapes it to be the standard for how we view race to perpetuate colorblindness. In this way, choosing to be colorblind acts as an ‘eye prescription’; that frame of mind is normalized and idolized by society, which leads us to forget why race is important to discuss and recognize. …
One thing that has caught my attention through research is the idea that, despite efforts made by white institutions to create inclusion and equal access opportunities, people of color still feel unrepresented and marginalized. This raises the question of whether it is even possible for people of color to feel welcomed in white institutions. Belonging is defined as a deep sense of connection and feeling of community within a given space, and to feel welcomed …