THE CHALLENGE IS REAL

What is Internalized Racism?

In order to properly address racism around us, we need to develop an understanding of what goes on in our own heads first. It is only after this that we will be able to transfer our efforts outward and make a true difference in the lives of those around us. First, review our definition of internalized racism for the day.

Internalized Racism: A set of privately held beliefs, prejudices, and ideas about the superiority of whites and the inferiority of people of color. Among people of color, it manifests as internalized oppression. Among whites, it manifests as internalized racial superiority.

What is Internalized Racism (11 Minutes)

Video Description: What is internalized racism, how does it affect racialized communities and how does it continue a structural advantage of privilege?

Host Farah Nasser chats with University of Toronto professor Girish Daswani, as well as writer and communications professional, Gelek Badheytsang about internalized racism, how some people of colour can develop self-hate for their own community, and how to unlearn it. Click here to watch.

The Battle to Be Me: How Internalized Racism Impacts People of Color in America (15 Minute Read)

This article explores the messages people of color receive from the dominant culture and the negative impact it has on self-conceptualization.

Lessons on Internalized Racism (9 Minutes)

Video Description Via YouTube:  Community leader, activist and educator Jabari Lyles discusses his personal journey to understanding and loving himself as a Black man, in spite of growing up among a predominantly white community. Jabari Lyles is an educator, nonprofit leader and community leader in Baltimore, Maryland. His work focuses on positive outcomes for youth and the LGBTQ community, especially LGBTQ youth of color. He is currently Director of the Maryland chapter of GLSEN, the leading national organization championing LGBTQ issues in K-12 schools. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

After learning about what internalized racism is, it is time to take the next step of considering what internalized biases we may each hold. To do this, we ask everyone to take the implicit bias test below if you have not already. Following this, please utilize the resources provided to learn more about your biases.

It’s About Time We Challenge our Unconscious Biases (15:41)

Watch this video to listen to a call to action from Juliette Powell, a highly accomplished entrepreneur, community catalyst, and author, as she discusses the need to challenge our unconscious biases.

*Implicit Bias Test* (Approximately 12 Minutes)

Take the “Race IAT” test from Harvard University to learn what your own implicit biases may be, and what they can mean.

White People: Let’s Start by Understanding our Own Biases (7 Minute Read)

Read this article from UC Berkeley grad and former CNN writer Sara Grossman, as she discusses biases that White People can experience, and how to address them.

Dismantle Bias (3 Minute Read)

Read this article to learn how to spot and break down harmful bias in yourself and your community.

Responding to Racism During the COVID-19 Outbreak (5 Minute Read)

This article details methods of responding to racism during the COVID-19 outbreak, a time of heightened anxiety for many.

Three Starting Principles in the Dismantling Racism Process (4-minute Read)

Read this piece to see how personal identities and values can play into the role of developing basic principles for dismantling racism, through a Christian perspective.

How to Outsmart Your Own Unconscious Bias (17:23)

Excerpt from Video Description via YouTube: Author, speaker and CEO, Valerie Alexander, explains how the human brain instinctively reacts when encountering the unexpected, like saber-toothed tigers or female tech execs, and proposes that if we have the courage to examine our own behavior when faced with the unfamiliar, we can take control of our expectations, and by doing so, change the world. Click here to watch.

Strategies to Address Unconscious Bias (1 Minute Read & 2 Minute Video)

Read this article to get insight into individual and institutional strategies to address unconscious bias, as well as a video providing further explanation.