Racism can be a sensitive and difficult topic to talk about or even think about for many people. However, it is critical that we all do our part to help reduce racism and make the world a better and more inclusive place. Even if you feel overwhelmed or powerless when it comes to fighting racism, there are many things you can do. Whether in your environment or in your personal life, eradicating racism is an important task and you can make a difference.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Make changes in your community
Step 1. Learn more about the people in your community
A good understanding of your community will help you identify the best approaches to reducing racism. Read a local newspaper, magazine, or website for some background information. What groups of people live in your community? Do these groups live and work together? Are the neighborhoods segregated? Have there been any incidents of racism between different groups?
Step 2. Welcome newcomers to the neighborhood
Make your neighborhood a welcoming place for anyone of color or minority moving to the area. Introduce yourself and tell them a bit about the area so they feel welcome.
- For example, you can tell them where the best local restaurants are or invite them home for dinner sometime.
- You could also go to a newcomer's home with a gift (for example, a fruit basket or a homemade meal) so that you can introduce yourself and welcome them to the neighborhood.
Step 3. Say something if you see racism in action
In case you hear someone use racist slurs, make a racially insensitive joke, or mistreat someone because of their race, step in and say something. You may fear someone who is overtly hostile, but think about how the other person feels. In case you fear for your safety or that of the other person, feel free to seek out an authority figure (for example, the police or an adult if you are a child or adolescent).
- For example, if someone says, "All _____ are criminals," ask them, "Why do you say that?" or "Where do these beliefs come from?"
- Try saying "That was inappropriate" or "How would you feel if someone said something like that about you?"
- Address the behavior or comment and not the person. Avoid resorting to name calling or telling someone "You're a racist." This will only offend and anger you.
Step 4. Cultivate friendships with people of other races around you
Make an effort to talk to people of other ethnicities and races who live or work around you. If you get along with someone, try to arrange a meeting or a night out so that you can get to know them better and foster a healthy friendship.
- At the same time, it is important to respect someone's space. Avoid being too aggressive or imposing your friendship on someone.
- For example, you could have a cup of coffee with a neighbor or just spend a few minutes chatting with him every time you pass him.
Step 5. Attend local events that celebrate different cultures
Most cities have festivals and events that celebrate different cultures and heritages. These events are a great place to learn about different cultures and interact with people from that culture. Also invite your friends and relatives to come with you.
- Experiencing and celebrating other cultures is a great way to foster positive attitudes towards them.
- Events are typically held around larger celebrations (for example, Black History Month, Asia Pacific Heritage Month in the US, or National Hispanic Heritage Month).
Step 6. Identify and change racist or exclusivist policies in your area
If you come across a nightclub, bar, restaurant, or group that excludes minorities or has racist policies, you shouldn't tolerate it. He points out racism and demands that it be changed. Be a voice for others and don't wait for other people to identify a racist policy or attitude.
For example, if your local pool discourages people of color from joining in, ask them to work hard to make their facilities more inclusive
Step 7. Organize a vigil or protest against racist incidents
Protests and demonstrations are powerful ways to combat racism in your community. In the event of a racist event or incident in your neighborhood or city, organize a protest against injustice. If a hate group is going to town or is harassing people, start a petition to stop it.
- For example, if someone is writing racial graffiti on a building, you could get together with a few people to paint on it.
- Even if you can't organize something on your own, the very act of raising your voice and presenting the idea helps.
- To get started, get in touch with your friends, relatives, classmates, and neighbors.
Method 2 of 4: Promote minority rights
Step 1. Join a group that advocates for minority rights
Find a local group dedicated to advocating for minority rights and fighting racism. Volunteer your time to help the group or donate money to support their cause. Meet people with whom you have things in common and work to make changes in your community, the country and the world.
- Get involved with a local, national or international organization.
- Among the best known anti-racism groups are the International Committee Against Racism, Life After Hate, and United to End Racism.
- If you live in the US, you can find organizations around you that work to reduce racism by visiting the Resource Guide for Racial Equality here.
Step 2. Share articles, videos and information about human rights
Use your social networks to post videos and articles that talk about human rights so that others can see them and learn more about it. Talk about human rights with your friends, relatives and people you know and offer to share articles and videos with them.
Visit the multilingual video collection of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights here
Step 3. Lobby and fight for nondiscriminatory laws
Racism occurs at the individual level and also at the institutional level. Local and federal laws can encourage racism. Look for laws that promote equitable pay and equal opportunity. Petition your elected officials to support laws and policies that combat discrimination. Write to elected officials or newspapers or contact community organizers about the policies.
You can write or call elected officials to ask them to change discriminatory laws
Step 4. Support minority candidates running for local government
One of the best ways to enact legislative and policy changes is to have more races and ethnicities represented in local government. Find a minority candidate you support, vote for him, and spread the word about his campaign to help elect him.
You could volunteer for their campaign or make a donation to support minority candidates
Method 3 of 4: Addressing Racism in School or the Workplace
Step 1. Talk to people of color at work about the prejudices they face
Get in touch with your colleagues or employees and ask if they feel comfortable talking to you about the racism and prejudice they face at work or in their profession. Use their experiences to make changes and end discriminatory practices and behaviors.
- Avoid pressuring anyone to talk to you about their feelings about the racism they have experienced. Respect their wishes in case they are uncomfortable.
- For example, if your colleagues tell you that they do not celebrate certain holidays and that they are not comfortable with participating in festivities, you should not force them.
- If a colleague tells you that a joke seems offensive, stop telling it to make him feel more comfortable.
Step 2. Identify the racist policies that need to be changed
If there are discriminatory policies at your work or school, point them out. Acknowledge them and draw attention to them. Ask for them to be changed or change them yourself if possible.
- For example, if your school has a haircut policy that discriminates against someone's culture or religion, try to change it to be more inclusive.
- If your job doesn't recognize a specific holiday that is important to someone's culture, ask management to change their policy.
Step 3. Incorporate anti-racist education and policies
Anti-racist policies seek to actively oppose racism and promote tolerance and inclusion. Add more anti-racist policies and discussions to your classes or your workplace as a way to help educate and make the environment more inclusive for minorities.
An example of an anti-racism policy would be promoting or hiring people of color as employees based more on their work experience rather than hiring white employees based on their education or personal connections
Step 4. Recruit and hire racially diverse people
Whether you're in a school or an office, one of the best ways to help reduce racism is to hire a racially diverse staff. A work or learning environment that is inclusive and open and is multi-ethnic can help foster understanding and tolerance.
Method 4 of 4: Change Your Personal Feelings About Race
Step 1. Examine your own conscious and subconscious feelings
Everyone has stereotypes and biases about people of other races. Think about the stereotypes you may have and the ways in which you may discriminate. Understanding your feelings can help you address them.
- For example, you may not realize that you have exaggerated beliefs, negative images, or distorted truths about a person or group.
- Take Project Implicit's hidden bias tests here. You may become defensive or upset when reading your results. Just take a deep breath and remember that you can change your attitudes and beliefs.
- Consider the racism you have witnessed or experienced or contributed to.
Step 2. Take note of your stereotypes and biases
Choose groups about which you have generalizations and write your opinions about each of them. You must be completely honest with yourself when writing. After taking notes of everything, write down where those ideas came from. Was it from your parents? Did you have a personal experience? You may not even know where those ideas came from.
Share your findings with someone from the same racial group if you feel comfortable. This can allow you to talk about your feelings without offending anyone else
Step 3. Educate yourself about racism
Read as much as you can about race relations, white privilege, and ways to reduce racism. Learn about the history of culture and current events. Listen to other people talk about their experiences with racism.
- Some examples of great books you can read to better understand race are So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo, Race and Racisms: A Critical Approach by Tanya Maria Golash-Boza, and La white supremacy and me from Layla Saad.
- Talk to people within your racial group about your attitudes and beliefs before having cross-cultural conversations. Look for conferences and alliances with which you can work out your own feelings before starting to work.
- Educating yourself is the best way to change your attitudes and beliefs.
Step 4. Recognize the differences between communities of color
People are grouped into large racial and ethnic groups (for example, white, Indian, black, or Latino). However, each group has internal differences and cultural variations. Ask people questions about where they grew up, what holidays they celebrate, or what kind of food they like to eat.
For example, avoid assuming that all black people have the same culture. The black race can include people from Jamaica, North Carolina, and Nigeria
Step 5. Read authors of other races to get different perspectives
Read novels by authors of a different background and ethnicity than your own to gain insights into their experience. Diversify the stories you read to help inform yourself about other people's personal experiences.
- Look online for recommendations of novels by authors of other races.
- Also, watch TV shows and movies made and written by people of color to help inform your perspective as well.
Step 6. Celebrate differences instead of "not seeing the color."
While it might seem like a good idea to pretend they all have the same color, you will get lost in how the differences are natural and good. Value diversity rather than ignore it. Race is often linked to cultural differences (for example, language, holidays, or clothing) that influence the way a person experiences the world. If you "don't see the color," you don't recognize these differences.
Ignoring a person's race could be offensive to them. They may feel like you are ignoring an important aspect of who they are
Step 7. Be kind to yourself as you learn more about racism
Everyone has racist thoughts and it's actually good to be upset. Thinking about racism and talking about it will be uncomfortable. However, don't feel sad or ashamed but instead devote your energy to change and learn as much as you can.
Advice
- You may be surprised by how many subconscious biases you have. Do not bother yourself. Learning is a lifelong endeavor, and improvement is always possible.
- Reach out to friends you have who are people of color and ask if they have any resources or recommended reading that you can explore to learn more about their experience.