14 How to Be an Anti-Racist

We know from our definitions of anti-racism that the word is an active word. Anti-racism requires deliberate, conscientious decision making to eliminate and oppose racism. To be an anti-racist requires: acknowledgment, reflection and commitment to action.

Acknowledgment

• We must acknowledge this country’s complicated history as it relates to covert and overt policies and systems which perpetuate inequities among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
• Wrestle with feelings of guilt, shame, and/or internalized white supremacy.
• According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, racism is perpetuated in a myriad of ways, including:
  • Individual racism – “beliefs, attitudes, and actions of individuals that support or perpetuate racism in conscious and unconscious ways”
  • Interpersonal racism – public declarations such as slurs or actions between individuals
  • Institutional racism – “discriminatory treatments, unfair policies, or biased practices based on race that result in inequitable outcomes for whites over people of color and extend considerably beyond prejudice. These institutional policies often never mention any racial group, but the intent is to create advantages”
  • Structural racism – “overarching system of racial bias across institutions and society”

Reflection

• Consider the ways in which racism has impacted your life.
• Examine the biases you hold.
• Ask yourself, “In what ways do I consciously or unconsciously uphold racist values or contribute to racist systems?”

Commitment to Action

Determine how you will commit yourself to opposing racism. This may look different for each of us and is also a continual process of examining our feelings, actions, and making actionable change.

Putting Anti-Racism into Practice

What does being anti-racist look like? There is no singular way to be anti-racist, but the following are examples:

• Educate yourself. Participating in this course and engaging in the reading will help you recognize the ways in which racism functions.
• Be courageous. Being courageous is much easier said than done. When we defined anti-racism, we discussed leaning into the feelings of discomfort, anger, guilt, and shame requires vulnerability. And to be vulnerable is to be courageous. Choosing to sit with the discomfort is to be courageous and compassionate.
• Hold yourself and others around you accountable when racist practices or systems are being upheld. It can be uncomfortable to call others out and hold ourselves accountable, but silence is complicity.
• Lead the charge. Creating actionable change on our campuses takes courageous leadership. Seek ways to involve yourself in efforts to call out racism and promote anti-racism.
• But also, seek ways to support. Supporting and listening is how we learn but also how we can amplify the voices of others.