How do we stop racism

Cultivating an anti-racist mindfulness practice is essential to doing and sustaining this work. Challenge participants say The AntiRacist Table Mindfulness Practices incorporated in the Challenge provided a space for them to face hard emotions and to find compassion. Just as denial is the heart of racism, so seeing humanity in others is at the heart of anti-racism. Martin Luther King Jr. To be anti-racist, one must actively work to create anti-racist policies.

One must engage the world seeing all racial groups as equals and intentionally promote equity. Anti-racists support policies that reduce racial inequity, such as:. One must hold all groups of people—a color, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, ability, age, and any combination of those—as equal. To champion equality is to fight for equity.

It is to understand that corrective action is needed to create equity. Cultivating empathy is key to rehumanizing the dehumanized. But empathy has another benefit to anti-racists: It helps to build the ability to bounce back from shame, a critical tool in this work.

Empathy increases shame resilience because it moves us toward connection, compassion, and courage—the opposite of the fear, blame, and disconnection that result from shame. Staying stuck in shame means one is not working to be anti-racist. To be an ally is to take on this struggle as if it is your own. It means that you do what is uncomfortable. You are committed to taking a risk, sharing any privilege you have to center marginalized Black and brown people. When you see something, you say something.

You imagine and act as if you do not have a choice. You fight to dismantle injustice. Allies get into good trouble. Learn more about the many types of privilege. What messages did you receive as a kid about people who are different from you? Why do you think that was the case?

These experiences produce and reinforce bias, stereotypes, and prejudice, which can lead to discrimination. Examining our own biases can help us work to ensure equality for all.

Another way to address bias and recognize privilege is to support the experiences of other people and engage in tough conversations about race and injustice. For example, by watching documentaries, such as 13th , or reading books, such as Americanah or Hidden Figures. As advocates, we learn about domestic violence by listening to survivors of domestic violence. Similarly, the best way to understand racial injustice is by listening to people of color.

When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This world view led to colonisation of the world by White Europeans, slavery of Africans in their homeland, elsewhere and in America, and to the horror of the National Socialism of the German Nazis, which happened in Europe only 75 years ago.

They used this to justify the systematic and industrial killing of around 11 million people from National Socialism, commonly known as Nazism, exploited and extended such eugenicist logic. The fact that we rarely hear about the killing of millions of other victimised groups may reflect the structural racism of our world. It is thus a painful irony that the US, part of the Allied forces that defeated the Nazis and spurred denazification, only gave black Americans universal voting rights in the s.

Structural racism against African Americans continued. Meanwhile, around the world, post-colonial nations continue to struggle with white hegemony. In the Asia-Pacific region, in countries that were formerly European colonies, people still consciously or unconsciously continue to use racial logic in their everyday realities. Dark complexions are associated with menial labour, while fairness or lighter skin is associated with higher social status and cultural refinement.

If you see racist behaviour you can: Speak up — call it out as racism, let the perpetrator know it is not acceptable Support the victim — stand next to the person being targeted and ask them if they are ok Take evidence — record the incident on your phone, take a photo of the perpetrator and report it to authorities View the Australian Human Rights Commission tips on how to respond to racism. Racial discrimination and your rights In Australia it is against the law to do something in public based on the race, colour, national or ethnic origin of a person or group of people which is likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate.

This type of behaviour is classified as racial hatred. Examples of racial hatred may include racially offensive material on the internet, including eforums, blogs, social networking sites and video sharing sites racially offensive comments or images in a newspaper, magazine or other publication such as a leaflet or flyer racially offensive speeches at a public rally racially abusive comments in a public place, such as a shop, workplace, park, on public transport or at school racially abusive comments at sporting events by players, spectators, coaches or officials.

National Information Service. The NIS can: give you information about your rights and responsibilities under federal human rights and anti-discrimination law discuss whether you may be able to make a complaint to the Commission or how the law might apply to your situation give you information about how to make a complaint, respond to a complaint or deal with specific discrimination issues refer you to another organisation that may be able to help you Please note that the NIS is unable to provide legal advice.

Translating and Interpreting Service.