The older we get, the more obvious racism becomes. But not everyone can see racism, and that makes some people doubt whether it’s as obvious as it seems to us, or even if it exists. In case you had doubts, let me be clear: Racism is alive and well in this country. Why should you take my word for it? Because I’m Black, period!
People who don’t experience racism can’t always see it, but it’s here. It’s in the DNA of the United States because this country was built on racism. Racism is a systemic structure that is designed to oppress a group of people, which results in having a high poverty rate, high unemployment rate, high incarceration rate, and plenty more. Just think about it: African-American/Black people have some of the highest poverty rates in all 50 states in this country, and white people have some of the lowest. In 2019, the African-American/Black overall poverty rate was 18.7 percent, while the white poverty rate was 7.3 percent. The median household income for African-American/Black people was $46,073, whereas for white people it’s $76,057. That’s not all: The U.S. incarcerates its people at a higher rate than any other country in the world, and Black people are far more likely to be in prison than white people. There’s no denying that racism exists in the U.S., but getting people to understand it is the problem.
The effects of the pandemic have impacted the Black community tremendously, which is another example of systemic racism. Black people are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. Black people are three times more likely than whites to get COVID-19, more likely to have preexisting conditions, less likely to have health insurance, and more likely to work at a job that doesn’t accommodate remote work, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
Black people have been fighting for equality in this country since walking off the slave boats. We never played on a level playing field and because of that, we must work harder than our white counterparts to succeed. We have made progress, but we still have a long way to go. Black people are still being killed by police officers while sleeping in their bed, during traffic stops, and playing with a toy outside — and the police officers can go home the same day and almost nothing is done about it.
The reason why changes aren’t happening fast enough is that it’s not happening to white folks. People typically don’t care much about something if it’s not affecting them. We need more people to care about racism, because whenever it’s raining in the white community, it’s storming in the Black community.
Stop arguing with Black people about racism, just listen and learn. There’s no reason for people who don’t experience racism and refuse to read books, articles or watch documentaries to have a counterargument against someone who’s studied it and experienced it their entire life. It’s rude and offensive. Arguing with Black people about racism, when you’ve never experienced it, is foolish.
Kenrick Thomas is the communications and events manager for Bread for the City.
