Unpacking Race 2013 • Part 3: Institutional Racism

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5

In our third session of the Unpacking Race workshop series we identify cultural and institutional advantages attached to "Whiteness," and how institutional racism within housing, education, labor, media, and the criminal justice system target people of color.  We also identify the myth of "post-racial institutions."

Readings:

This week we feature readings about different aspects of institutional racism:

• A history of institutional racism in the U.S.: “Doubly Divided: The Racial Wealth Gap” by Meizhu Lui.
• On Race and Criminal Justice:  "Fourteen Examples of Systemic Racism in the US Criminal Justice System" by Bill Quigley.
• On Race and Education.  "Institutional Racism Not Obvious" by Dan Whisenhunt.
• On Race and Housing: "Racial Preferences for Whites: The Houses that Racism Built" by Larry Adelman.
• On Race and Labor: "America’s Food Sweatshops" by Yvonne Yen Liu.

Writing Assignment:

Keep a race journal:  Whenever you notice something in your life that relates to race, write about it.  We learn so much from reading about race and racism, from talking about race and racism, and in these workshops we also create images and theatre about race and racism.  Making time for self-reflection is also very powerful.  When journaling about race, take a look at the following chart.  How does this Cycle of Socialization relate to your own experiences with race and racism throughout your life—this week, last year, growing up and possibly in the future?

Cycle of Socialization, developed by Bobbie Harro