Anti-racism is purposeful. It challenges and counters racism and race-based inequalities, prejudices, and discrimination through actions, theories, and conscious practices.
Marlon James, author of Brief History of Seven Killings, explains the difference between being anti-racist and being non-racist in the video below:
Source: Are you racist? 'No' isn't a good enough answer, Marlon James, The Guardian
Art credit @maxinesarahart via Twitter
The goal of this guide is to provide resources that give an introduction to the issues of race, racism, and privilege. Resources included will also provide information regarding privilege, being an ally to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and the practice of being actively anti-racist. We hope that the information found in these pages educate, encourage, and inspire you on your journey towards anti-racism.
The resources found within these pages are meant for students and faculty to utilize, as well as the entire PC community. We hope the information found here inspires you to start engaging, civil conversations about race and social injustice in the classroom, workplace, or at home.
This guide is ever evolving and not exhaustive by any means! We will continue to add resources and welcome your suggestions.
Racism is prejudice plus power; anyone of any race can have/exhibit racial prejudice, but in North America, white people have the institutional power, therefore racism is a systematized discrimination or antagonism directed against people of color based on the belief that whiteness is superior. It is insidious, systemic, devastating, and integral to understanding both the history of the United States and the everyday experiences of those of us living in this country.
Note: A common, incorrect definition of racism is the colloquial definition: “racism is prejudice against someone based on their skin color or ethnicity and can be committed by anyone.” This is NOT an accurate definition nor the one used in most anti-racist circles. It highlights individuals' thinking and actions but ignores embedded institutional and cultural systems.
People of color can be agents of racism as well (particularly when acting as representatives of white-dominated systems, such as higher education) by perpetuating the notion of white superiority and using it to discriminate against other people of color. For example, a black manager at a company may insist that a black employee's natural hair looks "unprofessional," or an Asian professor may knock points off the presentation grade of a Latinx student who speaks with an accent.
