Step Foward with Anti-racism

By Mel Maendel

Podcast Anti-racist Portion summary

Alicia and Christian in the middle of the podcast jumped into the anti-racist conversation. Alicia told her story of when she first moved here from outside of the United States from another country and how she took notice to the division on the topic of race. She also pointed out that race is so much more spoken about here than in other places in the world but more in a negative light than a positive one. Christian joins the conversation stating that when a person of color specifically a black person comes into the US from a different country, they are always surprised at how much the topic of race is talked about and brought up into the conversation. This segway then leads to the topic of being anti-racist. Christian describes being anti-racist as being able to look at racism and call it out. He also makes the point that race is a social/power construct to manipulate people. Along with being created to justify the enslavement and abuse of people of color. He goes on saying that people focus too much on this construct. How can we ever get out of the construct if we always are latched onto it but at the same time it is a double edge sword because it does affect the people around us in many ways. It is important to be aware of this. Alicia then jumps in again to add that when she first came to the US it was hard to adjust because of the pushed social identity and label of her being African American when in fact she was neither American nor African. Saying how people only acknowledge the black in her instead of both sides. As people did focus on the black side, they did it more in a negative viewpoint. She said that it did and does not make sense to her and it brings about a lot of self-hate because of this unnecessary social construct. Christian then states that everyone does not fit cleanly into the boxes that are created and that we are all just human in the end. Alicia challenges us to listen and learn about every human’s history.  She ends the conversation by saying that we all have our different views of ourselves and our ethnicity and the only way to move forward is to learn, share and listen to others. We can end the division by actively doing these things in order to unite all of us. 

Reflection

Alicia and Christian make excellent points throughout this whole podcast. Our society in America is always constantly focused on race and debating it as if it is something to be debated. We are divided in so many ways from people living in ignorance to people not wanting to put down their privilege. We use racism to justify the action taken toward the people of color. Racism is not something of the past as it is current and ongoing. This division is keeping us from achieving a better society for all as Alicia said we are all human in the end. I think the first step is to learn about being actively anti racist. One definition of anti-racism that I like is 

Alicia and Christian make excellent points throughout this whole podcast. Our society in America is always constantly focused on race and debating it as if it is something to be debated. We are divided in so many ways from people living in ignorance to people not wanting to put down their privilege. We use racism to justify the action taken toward the people of color. Racism is not something of the past as it is current and ongoing. This division is keeping us from achieving a better society for all as Alicia said we are all human in the end. I think the first step is to learn about being actively anti racist. One definition of anti-racism that I like is:

“Anti-racism is the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices and attitudes, so that power is redistributed and shared equitably.” – NAC International Perspectives: Women and Global Solidarity

This definition covers most of what being anti-racist entails. Here is also a link to a blog to many videos, articles and resources about what anti-racism is, privilege and history of it all.

Anti-racism | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Blog (umsl.edu)

Another good point made by Alicia and Christian is that people of color are always pushed into a social identity that does not correctly reflect them. We also use labels to keep the ongoing racism active as pushing the label of black onto someone when some of society views it in a negative light is harmful to one’s sense of self. As Alicia points out it does not make sense as everyone should be able to choose who they are and what they identify as. We all have our own culture, ethnicity and uniqueness and being labeled and pushed into one identity will never be okay or non harmful. Christian make a very good point that not everyone can fit into the boxes that are created. Race is a social construct that pushes the people of color in our society to the edge. We need to educate and bring awareness to this while actively becoming anti-racist. Here is an article address the issues of race and racial identities being constructed:

Race and Racial Identity Are Social Constructs – NYTimes.com

As put from the above article:

“Race is not biological. It is a social construct. There is no gene or cluster of genes common to all blacks or all whites. Were race “real” in the genetic sense, racial classifications for individuals would remain constant across boundaries.”

This shows that race is just a social construct in order for those in power to keep their privilege. It is important to know how this construct affects its people. It is also important to be aware that we are all humans in the end who need to end the division. The first step In order to move forward as social workers, society members and humans is to always actively be anti-racist. People of color are more than those checked boxes, we are all more than the check boxes. We all need to learn, grow and listen to those around us, especially people of color who have to experience racism and disparities on a daily basis.