Countering Racism and Prejudice
The Goals of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Having been formed in 1909, NAACP has been leading the fight of racism from the front line. NAACP was primarily created in response to targeted violence against African Americans. It has since grown well enough to fight the rights of other minority groups in the US. Its primary objective is to fight for the social, educational, economic, and political equality for all citizens. Besides, NAACP strives to eradicate racial discrimination through democratic processes. Moreover, it advocates for the enactment and full enforcement of state, federal, and local laws safeguarding civil rights. It also seeks to enlighten the public effects of racial segregation and pleads for everyone’s contribution to the fight of this vice. Besides, NAACP educates all US citizens on their constitutional rights with the hope that they can take legal action if they find themselves discriminated against or violated because of their race.
NAACP strategies, its resources and how they can be accessed
NAACP has designed several strategies which they believe them achieve their strategic goals. On top of that list is economic stability. Notably, NAACP thinks that all Americans deserve a fair chance to live the American dream regardless of their race affiliation. As a result, it advocates for a nation where every citizen has an equal opportunity to attain economic success, financial stability, and sustainability. With this in mind, the NAACP Economic Department strives to improve African Americans’ industrial capabilities and other disadvantaged races through financial education. They also strive to ensure that there are diversity and openness in business hiring, procurement, as well as career advancement. Luckily, NAACP acquires its resources through financial support from civil-minded organizations such as Wells Fargo. On the other hand, anyone who wishes to access NAACP either for services or contributions can do so through their different online mediums uploaded on their official website visit them in their various offices.
Importance of fighting against Racial Discrimination
Despite the numerous effort from civil rights activists to curb this vice, racial discrimination is still rampant in the workplaces, hospitals, schools, and the criminal justice system. As a result, the whole of society has been negatively affected either directly or indirectly. Importantly, doing away with systematic racism benefits both the victims and the perpetrators tremendously. Economically, fighting racial discrimination helps the whole nation prosper. For instance, at the time of the Civil Rights era and the highest performing economy of the 1990s, all US citizens benefited from African Americans’ economic gains. Moreover, ending funding disparities in the education sector can help raise the education standards of US education globally. In fact, taking young children through diversity tends to make them learn harder and smarter. On the other hand, denying anyone to vote coyly affects everyone, and the entire nation suffers when the voices of many are not heard.
Intersectionality
All US citizens deserve to have their voices heard, their faces, and experiences respected in all sectors and their needs addressed through proper policies. However, when we are unable to apply intersectionality in our daily lives, some disadvantaged communities are left behind. Since the tern intersectionality came on the surface, it has been used and quoted by different activists in the fight against racism and prejudice. However, the term has been in use in recent days. Luckily, there are several ways in which the intersectional approach can be used in the search for racial justice. The first step in adopting the intersectionality approach in this fight involves recognizing the barriers to chance and numerous forms of prejudice. Afterward, we should listen to and respect the voices the most affected. Moreover, we should incorporate various views and ideas from within a movement. In the end, there is a need to collaborate with willing people from different communities ready to join hands in the fight against this vice.
My contributions to the fight against racism
Ending racism and prejudice requires everyone’s unwavering support and input. On my side, I will not shy away or fear calling out racist policies, comments, and power dynamics at any given time. Although this may not have an immediate impact in this fight, it can open conversations that bring change. Similarly, I will relentlessly challenge those who post racists posts on social media. Besides, online engagements can enlighten silent bystanders. Moreover, I will choose and share articles, books, and arts on anti-racism written by victims of racial discrimination. These reading materials can be useful in educating against racism since they were written and created from experience and an emotional point of view. Additionally, I will urge and even pressure leaders to increase accountability among police officers and punish those who commit these immoral acts. In the end, I will request the local and national government increases their financial support on social initiatives aimed at helping racialized communities thrive.
Importance of learning about race and racism
Racism is a hot topic in the US that most parents avoid talking about. However, they need to know that when they say nothing about race, a lot is being fed to their kids from the outside world. In fact, children are always learning and deriving the meaning of the daily happenings regardless of the source. As a result, parents must ensure that the more significant portion of that information comes from them. Biologically, a six-month kid can note distinctions in different skin tones and stare more at unfamiliar faces on those who look different from her race. As the kid grows older, he or she might start to develop biases related to race. Given this, parents should begin race discussions with their children as early as possible. In schools, teachers should also teach their pupils and students and the dangers of race discrimination. Churches, news bulletins, and workshop seminars should also educate the adults that racial discrimination can hurt the victim and the perpetrator.
How to talk to children about race
Race-related conversations need to occur quite often and altered as the child grows. As the children become older, the complexity of racial segregation needs to get explored deeply. For instance, parents and guardians can initiate discussions about race in relation to the kid’s social group or school setting. While asking these questions, the parent should apply some curiosity instead of criticism. The questions should aim to determine who their kids hang out with during lunch breaks and whether they have friends of a different race. Also, the parent should seek to find out the racial tone of the school. Importantly, as the kids grow, the talks should include the advantages of cultural differences and enlighten them on racial discrimination, prejudice, and racial inequality. Ideally, the most appropriate way to teach children about racial discrimination is through natural examples that they see every day.