Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Antiracism Resources (DEIA)

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines racism as "a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race." A question then arises, what is the difference between the -ism of racism and racial prejudices? This appears to be lacking in the above definition. Simply put, racism is prejudice plus power. While any person can harbor a racial prejudice, systems and institutions of power in the United States are dominated by white people and those very systems have been built by centuries of oppression, enslavement, and forced labor of non-white people to the advantage of white people. This leads us to our next definition.

Systemic racism brings together internal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural racism, all based in power and privilege, to create and perpetuate a system within society a particular racial/ethnic group are favored over others, leading to further systems of oppression. In the United States, this shows in a variety of ways, including police violence, incarceration, civilian violence,and discriminator practices in housing, lending, and healthcare. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. 

Let's Get to the Root of Racial Injustice - Megan Ming Francis, TEDxRainier

Three Myths about Racism - Candis Watts Smith, TEDxPSU

What White People Can Do To Move Race Conversations Forward - Caprice Hollins, TEDxSeattle

How the Church Can Combat Racism and White Privilege - An Interview with Fr. Bryan Massingale