Office for Justice and Peace
What To Do About Racism?
Obviously, there are no easy answers to that question. What follows are some beginning suggestions about actions within the family and within the school and/or congregation. The resources listed at the end contain more ideas. The specter of racism is very real in our society. It is easy to be overwhelmed. The challenge for all of us is to do something. We cannot do everything, but we can and must do something.What Can Families Do?
- Inform yourself about racism
Two classics about institution racism are Institutional Racism in America by Louis L. Knowles and Kenneth Prewitt (Prentice-Hall, 1969) and Blaming the Victim by William Ryan (Vintage Books, 1976). For more regular updating, subscribe to the "Civil Rights Journal," a news service of the United Church of Christ Commission on Racial Justice, 700 Prospect, Cleveland, OH 44115 (weekly 3-page bulletin, no charge). Subscribe to an African-American, Hispanic, Asian, or other ethnic newspaper in your community. - Talk about current events
Talk within your family specifically about events that have racial implications. Encourage children to ask questions and draw conclusions. - Celebrate racial justice heroes
Lift up for yourselves and your children the lives of people of color, past and present, who have fought and continue to fight for racial justice. Enjoy the learning by surrounding it with a party or other enjoyable event (for example, a birthday party for Martin Luther King). Suggested heroes: Rosa Parks, Chief Joseph, Cesar Chavez, Jesse Jackson, Harriet Tubman. - Utilize holiday and cultural events
Many communities have cultural events (dance, theater, art) that provide information as well as real insights into the culture, history, and life of different racial groups. Holidays (for example, Martin Luther King�s birthday, Kwanza, Cinco de Mayo, Chanukah) can also be times for us to learn more about the values of other peoples. - Never use or allow racially derogatory terms
Children need to know that comments and/or jokes that belittle or insult the racial ancestry of any person or group are absolutely unacceptable in our homes. It is also important for them to see us confront other adults about their language. - Check TV programming
Children can be brought into our discussions about TV show. We can look at the simple question of numbers: how many TV series have African-Americans? Hispanics? Asians? Native Americans? We can also discuss the kinds of roles: are people of color shown in positive or in stereotypyic ways? (For example, are African-Americans shown in warm, loving family situations or as perpetrators of crimes?) - Look at your voting patterns
Political candidates at all levels need to be evaluated in terms of their stance and activity against racism in all forms. Children can be part of discussions about these candidates, about our voting decisions and the reasons for those decisions. In some communities, working on voter registration drives is a concrete way of putting into practice concern about the ability of all people to participate in the political system. - Write letters to the editor
In every community there are racial incidents that occur as well as ever-present economic and political realities that reflect the institutional dimensions of racism (for example, high unemployment, infant mortality, difficulties in voter registration). Families can let their opinions be known in the community through letters that could be signed by the whole family. - Involve yourself in community projects
It is important for both adults and children to be involved in projects in which the leaders are people of color. - Stand with the victims
Even though the circumstances vary from one community to another, there are always opportunities to add our voices to those fighting against the impact of racism, whether at school board meetings, city council hearings, court procedures, or vigils. At times these situations may be appropriate for the participation of children. - Visuals
The pictures and other visual representations in our homes should be truly multiracial. Children learn a lot from what they see in their home environment. It is also important to check for racial stereotyping in any of the visuals in our homes.
