WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ELIMINATE RACISM

Try to do these things repeatedly with many people.

Ask people with the same racial background as you about their experiences with race, racism, and being that race.  Ask where they grew up; what the racial situation was in their childhood; what they heard from their families about people of other races; their relationships with people of other races; what’s difficult or confusing for them on this topic; their hopes, etc.

Tell people your life story with regard to race, racism, and being the race you are.   Where do you feel sad, confused, angry, scared, discouraged, determined, privileged, separated, etc. about any of this? 

Keep learning.  See movies and read books that have anything to do with people of different races, etc.  Listen whenever people of other races speak about their experiences and views.  Learn the histories of people of different races and ethnicities and of those who have stood up against racism.  Read about white privilege and racial justice.  Explore your own ethnic heritage(s).

Make friends with people of races other than your own.  These don’t have to be about race, just make friends.

Decide to speak up whenever someone says or does something that seems racist.  Even if you can’t do this as skillfully as you would wish, speak anyway.  Try to connect with the person and build an ally to oppose racism, rather than attack them, but speak up in whatever way you can.   Silence allows racism to continue and spread.

Notice examples of racism in the news and entertainment media.  Notice whose story is not being told.  Notice who’s being portrayed as “other” in some way, and where whiteness is portrayed as the “norm”.   Notice where news that supports racial stereotypes is over-reported and news that counters stereotypes is under-reported.

Bring up the topic of race, racism, and anti-racism often.  Our society has no chance of moving forward on these issues until we can talk about them widely.  It’s more important to get people talking and thinking on this topic than it is to say just the right thing or quickly win people over to your point of view.

Notice where white people have privileges or advantages because of their skin color, that people of color don’t have.  Notice, too, that racism and white privilege are not actually good for white people in any human sense.  While the primary effect of racism is the horrible oppression of people of color, white people are dehumanized, disconnected, and made to feel guilty, fearful, and/or unable to bring about meaningful change.

Ask other people what they think about race, racism, whiteness, anti-racism, etc.   Also ask what they think their lives would be like without racism; or what they think needs to happen to eliminate racism.  Being a good listener first, even when you disagree, can often move things forward.

Find other people (of both your own race and of other races) who care about these issues and become allies for eliminating racism.