Picture this: a woman in a grocery store, tottering on four-inch heels wearing a new outfit. Trailing her are five children debating which sugar-packed cereal they can place into the cart. The children, attired for arctic winter although it is well above 80 degrees outside, create an uproar and bring unwanted attention to the woman, who is furious about their behavior. As she tugs two carts full of items to the register, she pulls her method of payment from her designer handbag and checks out. The children skip to the parking lot, where the group rides away in a late-model Cadillac.
As you read the account above, did you assume the woman was African-American? That the children belonged to her? You may be wrong. Did you assume that she doesn’t have her priorities in line because the children were dressed out of season and she was dressed from an expensive store, you may be incorrect. Did you assume her method of payment was an EBT card?
If so, you aren’t alone. The above scenario was adapted from an exercise hosted by Child Advocates, an organization that engages community volunteers and staff to protect children who are victims of child abuse.
During a recent workshop hosted by the group, titled “Undoing Racism,” leaders from around the city joined the conversation on institutional racism.
Workshop facilitator Joyce James, who has 35 years of experience as a social worker, said society should strive for racial equity more than equality.
“A lot of times we have a cookie cutter approach (to solving racism) and we pride ourselves on the fact that we treat everyone equal,” said James. “We want to examine how that may not be the right response to the issues we are dealing with.”
There are a number of acts that can count as racism, however because someone expresses a racist thought, does that automatically qualify them as a racist person? The government stresses Americans have equal rights, but are we all presented identical opportunities? James advocates a systematic approach to the act of undoing racism and it ultimately begins with the individual and how society, no matter the race, has been socialized to believe certain messages.
“History’s perspective is told from majority populations and white supremacy. We’ve all been taught that same history,” said James. “People often say history is told in the perspective of the winners, but if we think the winners are all white, what does that say about the others not mentioned? We have been socialized to believe the other people are the losers.”
James adds that racism is ultimately not about individual deficiencies, but society as a whole. Many racist behaviors result from societal conditioning, rather than racist thinking.
In the case of the grocery store shopper, the workshop offered an alternate scenario. For example, the woman might be a daycare owner with her students. She may be purchasing food for her business and may hold a prestigious title in her career. Because of stereotypes, one could automatically assume she’s on food stamps and the mother of five badly behaved children.
“It’s not malicious action, but socialization is so powerful it shapes the lens in which we view certain populations and communities. If society doesn’t equip people to look through their lens in a new way, it doesn’t matter how many programs you put in place to fix the system, you will not experience a change because it’s still broken,” explains James.
Inequitable institutional policies can affect a child’s odds of long-term success.
A study titled “Breaking Schools’ Rules: A Statewide Study of How School Discipline Relates to Students’ Success and Juvenile Justice Involvement” discovered there is a disproportionate amount of African-Americans, males specifically, being punished in a school setting.
“The great majority of African-American male students had at least one discretionary violation (83 percent), compared to 74 percent for Hispanic male students and 59 percent for white male students,” according to the study. “African-American students had a 31 percent higher likelihood of school discretionary action, compared to otherwise identical white and Hispanic students.”
As a result of institutional racism and the lack of equity, this is the type of data that impacts the community, said Wendy Hill, assistant to James.
“If you don’t look at data by race and ethnicity, you may miss some key factors that play into our society,” said Hill. “You must look at sub categories to see how everyone is doing or you might be making policies and procedures to serve the wrong demographic. It’s about thinking outside of the box because (African-Americans) aren’t able to get ahead due to stereotypes and the stress of being perceived in a negative light.”
James believes African-Americans are twice as likely to have poor outcomes in every system, including child welfare and education when compared to Hispanics and whites and this is a result of institutional racism and society’s thought process as it relates to socialization.
If African-American students are disciplined more often than their white counterparts in a school setting, they will miss key lessons and material. As a result, the students’ future is hindered when it comes to attending college and being prepared educationally. Later on, it affects the communities they live in, what jobs they get, and ultimately how much money they earn, all because individuals have gotten the message that African-American males are dangerous. In the state of Indiana the highest percentage of household median income for African-Americans is less than $10,000 at 17.7 percent while the highest percentage income bracket for whites is $60,000 to $74,000 at 11.7 percent according to the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
Some may claim that African-American students don’t strive as much as other ethnic groups, however studies show otherwise. For example, 83 percent of African-American students believe they have the talent they need for their intended careers and want to succeed, according to the Indiana Youth Institute. In their report called “High Hopes, Long Odds,” it is stated, “In spite of successful efforts to desegregate Indiana schools, Hoosier minority students are not assured equal opportunity as they pursue their education and career goals.”
Ultimately, whether in the classroom or grocery store, undoing racism begins with changing attitudes and socialization.
