Address the Disconnect Series 1: Systemic Racism in Healthcare

It’s Worse Than You Think:

 The Fierce Spread of Covid-19 in Black Communities

The data came too late, the relief took too long, the word “essential” proved interchangeable with the words poor and desperate. Covid-19 unveiled the depths of systemic racism that cost Black communities profoundly.

By: Ally Christiani

Creator: Caroline Brehman | Credit: CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

In 2020, I started listening to podcasts, like everyone else, a new way to kill time. In my pursuit to uncover more truths on American history, I came across the 1619 podcast by New York Times writer Nikole Hannah Jones. It is the audio version of her famous 1619 journalism project released by the NYT in 2019, documenting the long suffering of African Americans since being transported to America 402 years ago. One of her episodes speaks explicitly on healthcare; its inception, errors, and biases.

She begins the episode with a personal story about the loss of her beloved Uncle to cancer. She explained how her Uncle was in pain for a while but could only afford to be seen by free clinics who misdiagnosed his pain. Free clinics are most Americans only option if they’re unemployed and therefore, do not have health insurance. After a while, he finally visits an ER where a doctor makes the decision to give him the X-Ray and CAT scan he needed. Those revealed the tumors that had been growing throughout his back. They learned he had Stage 4 terminal cancer.

With this diagnosis, he qualified for government provided disability aid that pays for medical treatment when your physical health is so bad you cannot work.

“It took my Uncle getting a death sentence before he was able to get health insurance.”

This story made me think about the poverty in this country. The way the poor are cast into this cycle that spins so uncontrollably; it appears built to be impossible to escape.

Not having access to adequate healthcare, education and housing, as well as unemployment, and the growing wealth gap are all bi-products of the poverty cycle. Unsurprisingly, implicit bias and racist antecedents are immersed in these determinants; and that is where we begin to understand the horrific realities that black communities have been facing in the age of COVID-19.

The “profile” Azar speaks of concerns the idea that there are certain underlying conditions that are more predominant in those dying from COVID-19. The conditions are hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. Research has shown that black people develop these diseases at a greater rate and at a younger age.  In a study by the CDC, 90% of the hospitalizations with severe COVID-19 had at least one of these underlying conditions.

The reasons for the prevalence of these health conditions in the black community involve several factors. Studies have shown stress is related to immunity and black people have increased stress in their life that has a physiological effect on the body’s ability to defend itself. Stressors include; income inequality, discrimination, violence, and institutional racism. This type of stress has actually been identified by the medical community with a term called “weathering,” which concludes that “the stress of living as a member of a minority in itself takes a toll on the body, weakening one’s cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and immune systems.”

In addition to a higher rate of disease, when they develop the disease it is harder to get adequate healthcare. The hospitals in black communities are commonly underfunded—mainly based on the fact that the hospitals located in these particular communities are impoverished as a result of housing discrimination from the age of red-lining.  Red-lining originated in the aftermath of The Great Depression when the federal government set out to evaluate the riskiness of mortgages in major metropolitan areas of the country—black people were deemed by the housing market as high-risk buyers. This process of systemic racism in housing trapped black communities in underfunded, polluted, and unhealthier areas to reside. I will provide more on red-lining and housing discrimination in subsequent articles.

Past research also revealed the disparities in receiving medical treatment. In 2002, the Institute of Medicine’s report, Unequal Treatment, revealed this fact. “According to the report, minorities were less likely to be given appropriate cardiac medications or to undergo bypass surgery, and were less likely to receive kidney dialysis or transplants, compared with their white counterparts.” In addition, when modern medicine became more reliant on the use of technology in the 20^th century, racial biases engrained themselves into the coding.

“In 2019, an algorithm that helps manage healthcare for 200 million people in the US was found to systematically discriminate against black people. According to research published in the Journal Science, people who self-identified as black were given lower risk scores by the computer than white counterparts, leading to fewer referrals for medical care.”

Despite the black patients being sicker, the computer calculated that black people will receive fewer referrals for care because the costs on average were less over a year than white patients.

Some States including Michigan and California have taken action to decrease implicit bias in the medical field by making it mandatory to earn a State licensure on implicit bias training. Michigan approved the measure after analysing the data of COVID-19 in their black counties and taking note of the disparities that are apparent in their health system.

When it comes to employment and COVID-19, the black community is struck with a double-edged sword. Black people have higher rates of both unemployment and employment in jobs that do not include health insurance in their benefits package. The jobs deemed “essential” by society in this pandemic disproportionately affect black people who find themselves on the spectrum of these lower paying jobs including: fast food servers, grocery store clerks, nurses, teachers, and public transportation.

“In the U.S., according to the CDC nearly 25% of employed Hispanic and Black or African Americans work in the service industry, compared with 16% of non-Hispanic white workers. Black or African Americans also account for 30% of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.”

These occupations cannot be done remotely and require public interaction. They are considered “necessary” to allow other members of society to stay at home in an attempt to “flatten the curve.” These workers often travel either by car-pool or via public transportation; all of which increasing their exposure to the virus. Systematically, those working these types of jobs have less job options due to inequities in access to higher levels of education. According to the Census, 10.8% of the country lives in poverty (median yearly household income is $23,500 for a family of 4). Black people account for 20.8% of that figure.  A 2015 income report found that for every dollar a white household makes, a black family receives 59 cents. Anyone making that amount of money a year, is not afforded the comfort of taking time off work, even if they are not feeling well.

These disparities were already widely known, especially in the counties that are most affected; however, the data explaining how these conditions blend to create these spreading zones in communities of color came very late in the containment.

This delayed data, consequently, delayed aid. Andi Egbert, a senior researcher at APM Research Lab said: “We are in the midst of this tremendous crisis, and data is the best way of knowing who is suffering and how.” Egbert was one of the authors of the APM report that criticized the federal government for their inaction with collecting and categorizing data based on race. Some researchers believe that they could have gotten a better grip of decreasing spread in these communities if the data became available sooner and resources allocated appropriately. Necessary hospitals would have gotten the first flow of more funding and PPE like masks, gloves, Purell, would have been more fairly distributed to all essential workers.

               Egberts is skeptical of the now former administrations intention behind this lag, “I won’t speculate about motive, but I can’t believe in a modern economy that we don’t have a mandated, uniform way of reporting the data across States.”

               Researchers are anticipating changes in policies that can limit these disparities in society that are causing the poor to suffer unequivocally. A handful of States are already working towards mending this tear. Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, was put in charge of specifically handling the racial disparities with COVID-19 in the State. Once Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was alerted of the disproportionate spread of COVID-19 in their predominately black counties, she sent a taskforce to go directly into the communities and provide mobile testing in hotspots and PPE distributed in nursing homes and homeless shelters. She also committed to testing all the incarcerated in her State.  New York, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland have made similar commitments.

The rise of racial justice awareness in this country last year could not have come at a more pressing time for black communities. As COVID-19 destroyed families and social injustices played out on our screens, society began to recognize the unequal suffering a large portion of our society endures. Acknowledging the connection of race and economic inequality as a vital explanation for why the virus is attacking black communities disproportionately, will hopefully continue to lead to constructive conversations of racism on a larger scale and therefore, new policy implementation. Understanding healthcare, as a basic human right, is what I hope this country will learn and evolve from this relentless pandemic.

Sources:

1. www.ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305290
2. www.povertyusa.org/facts
3. www.secure.jbs.elsevierhealth.com/action/getSharedSiteSession?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelancet.com%2Fjournals%2Flancet%2Farticle%2FPIIS0140-6736%2820%2932032-8%2Ffulltext&rc=0
4. www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/racial-differences-doctors.html
5. www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/medical-racism-history-covid-19/
6. www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/medical-racism-history-covid-19/
7. www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32032-8/fulltext
8. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4194634/
9. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/race-ethnicity.html
10. www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/expert-answers/coronavirus-infection-by-race/faq-20488802
11. www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/racial-inequalities-in-covid-19-the-impact-on-black-communities#Making-sense-of-incomplete-data
12. www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/population-care/why-african-american-communities-are-being-hit-hard-covid-19
13. www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/podcast/2020/jun/why-are-more-black-americans-dying-covid-19
14. www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/covid19-racial-disparities
15. www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2020/05/27/covid-19-is-crushing-black-communities-some-states-are-paying-attention
16. www.cnbc.com/2021/01/12/factors-affecting-covid-19-spread-among-lower-income-communities.html
17. www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-01-14/racial-bias-in-medicine-a-barrier-to-covid-health-equity
18. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047279720301769
19. Spotify: 1619 Project Episode 2: How The Bad Blood Started

The Legacy We Leave

The federal government has been executing federal inmates at an alarming rate. This article explores the racial bias that plagues this system and the history that it was built on.

An opinion piece by Ally Christiani

In college, my favorite part when it came to essay assignments was writing the introduction and conclusion. The introduction was like a palette cleanser, it prepared my reader for what was sure to be a lengthy argument.

I was taught to always make the conclusion powerful, encapsulating, and memorable. The word memorable is obviously subjective with its connotations.

After 4 years of divisive speech, erratic behavior, and misogynistic actions, we land on the question of the conclusion. President Trump has managed to at least prove consistency in the need to demonstrate power over responsibility. Sadly, the easiest way one can show power is through the oppression of the most vulnerable in society. He will exercise, without question, all the powers the Presidency entitles him to have, despite the moral consequences and declare it as the needs of the people.

President Trump broke a 130-year-old precedent of pausing federal executions during the transition period to a new President. Despite the voices of the people (A 2020 Gallup poll cited in the report shows the highest level of opposition to the death penalty among Americans since 1966, with 43% against it and 55% in favor of it.) and a global pandemic  (some States issued stays and no State-level executions took place past July 8)  10 executions have taken place so far in the past 5 month period with 3 remaining. President-elect Joe Biden (who opposes the death penalty) is scheduled to be inaugurated on January 20^th, President Trump has an execution scheduled for January 15^th.

In July 2019, now former US Attorney William Barr announced the administrations decision to resume federal executions after a 17-year pause. The federal death penalty was re-established by the Supreme Court in 1988, and since then only three federal executions have taken place, all of which occurred under the Bush Administration. Barr announced they would oversee 13 executions in 2020, the most in a year by any president since 1896.

Although the death penalty falls under the literal meaning of law, it is far from law and order. Capital punishment in America is amongst the most flawed system in the criminal justice system. Since its re-establishment, it has consistently been used disproportionately against African Americans.

“African Americans make up 42% of people on death row and 34% of those executed, but only 13% of the US population is black.” (as per the Equal Justice Imitative report on the death penalty).

The explanation for this racial disparity can be traced back to the Reconstruction Era (1865-1876), where its predecessor lynching was first introduced.  During this period, almost 2,000 African Americans were killed, with an additional 4,400 documented lynching’s post-Reconstruction (1877-1950). In 1972, Furman vs. Georgia, the Supreme Court first struck down the death penalty calling it “lynch law,” and said in their decision: “of these few to be sentenced to die…it is the constitutionally impermissible basis of race.” As attitudes and consequently, government evolved, new ways to oppress and discriminate hid themselves in legislation and precedents.

This years’ executions followed the trend of inherit bias and systemic discrimination that evolved from the past, and ingrained itself into the criminal justice system. Almost half of the defendants executed are people of color and 76% of the executions are for the deaths of white victims.

“As of October 2002, 12 people have been executed where the defendant was white and the murder victim black, compared with 178 black defendants executed for murders with white victims.” (as per as an ACLU report on the death penalty).

One of the more concerning flaws when it comes to the death penalty, is the number of inmates that are exonerated yearly after spending sometimes decades sitting on death row, awaiting an execution date, for a crime they did not commit. This error again, affects African Americans disproportionately.

The blockbuster movie Just Mercy brought death row stories to the big screen and forced people to face the widespread bias that reaches deep into the system. In death penalty cases, the rate of exonerations has steadily increased with 172 people being exonerated since 1973. 1,529 people have been executed in the US since 1973, 502 of those (including those this year) were African American. The Equal Justice Initiative reports that for every 9 people executed, one person on death row has been exonerated.52% of exonerees, were African American.

Despite public outcry, letters from victims’ families urging the administration to stop the executions, and activists tying up the phone lines of the White House, nothing has managed to slow down the Trump Administration’s agenda to exhaust the use of the death penalty. President- elect Joe Biden has vowed to eliminate the use of the federal death penalty and create incentives for the states who follow suit once he is sworn into office.

The death penalty in this country is nothing more than vengeance hidden through the idea of justice—an eye for an eye. It is possible that soon to be former President Trump is seeking his own vengeance, using these executions as his vessel.

Miriam Krinsky, a former federal prosecutor and executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution, said the busy execution schedule in the last days of an administration is “a sad legacy to leave.”

But I am sure, this is the exact conclusion Mr. Trump wanted to write.

Sources:

1. www.cnn.com/2020/12/17/politics/federal-death-penalty-2020-trnd/index.html
2. www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/upcoming-executions
3. www.eji.org/issues/death-penalty/
4. www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55236260
5. www.aclu.org/other/race-and-death-penalty
6. www.nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/12/trump-cranks-up-executions-on-his-way-out-of-the-white-house.html
7. www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/03/law-officers-call-halt-executions-trumps-final-weeks/3806399001/
8. www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/stories/dpic-and-black-history-month

The Truth Behind Microaggressions Including Ones Your Child Might be Facing In the Classroom

Microaggressions are extremely dangerous because in most cases people are unintentionally projecting them unto others. At the same time, microaggressions can also be intentional and used as a passive-aggressive way to spread bias or stereotype about a specific group without coming off too hateful. This includes “hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward stigmatized or culturally marginalized groups.” In other words they can be instances of racism, homophopia, sexism, etc. masked as innocent comments, gestures, jokes, etc. They also be often masked as back-handed compliments that compliment you, but bashes the community you belong to. They can cause people to feel slightly uncomfortable. Nonetheless, whether intentional or not, microaggressions are not cool and can cause a lot of damage. Let’s take a look at some variations of microaggressions and what they look like.

Racism	Sexism	Homophobia
You don’t talk like a black person.	Act more like a lady.	It’s just a phase.
You must be good at math.	Women are bad drivers.	You don’t act gay.
Are you the new diversity hire?	Stop being so emotional.	Who’s the man/woman in the relationship?
You all look alike.	Men don’t cry.	You’re too pretty to be gay.
Can I touch your hair?		What are you?
You’re pretty for a black girl.

Microaggressions can also be found in the classroom. According to Derald Wing Sue, Ph.D., these are the microaggressions to watch out for in the classrooms:

 Failing to learn to pronounce or continuing to mispronounce the names of students after they
have corrected you.
 Scheduling tests and project due dates on religious or cultural holidays.
 Disregarding religious traditions or their details. (Ex. Impacts of fasting)
 Setting low expectations for students from particular groups, neighborhoods, or feeder
patterns.
 Calling on, engaging and validating one gender, class, or race of students while ignoring other
students during class.
 Assigning student tasks or roles that reinforce particular gender roles or don’t allow all students
flexibility across roles and responses.
 Anticipating students’ emotional responses based on gender, sexual orientation, race or
ethnicity.
 Using inappropriate humor in class that degrades students from different groups.
 Expressing racially charged political opinions in class assuming that the targets of those opinions
do not exist in class.
 Using the term “illegals” to reference undocumented students.
 Hosting debates in class that place students from groups who may represent a minority opinion
in class in a difficult position.
 Singling students out in class because of their backgrounds.
 Expecting students of any particular group to ‘represent’ the perspectives of others of their race,
gender, etc. in class discussions or debates.
 Denying the experiences of students by questioning the credibility and validity of their stories.
 Assigning class projects or creating classroom or school procedures that are heterosexist, sexist,
racist, or promote other oppressions, even inadvertently.
 Using sexist language.
 Using heteronormative metaphors or examples in class.
 Assuming the gender of any student.
 Continuing to misuse pronouns even after a student, transgender or not, indicates their
preferred gender pronoun.
 Assigning projects that ignore differences in socioeconomic class status and inadvertently
penalize students with fewer financial resources.
 Excluding students from accessing student activities due to high financial costs.
 Assuming all students have access to and are proficient in the use of computers and applications
for communications about school activities and academic work.
 Assuming that students of particular ethnicities must speak another language or must not speak
English.
 Complimenting non-white students on their use of “good English.”
 Discouraging students from working on projects that explore their own social identities.
 Asking people with hidden disabilities to identify themselves in class.
 Forcing students with non‐obvious disabilities to “out” themselves or discuss them publically.
 Ignoring student‐to‐student microaggressions, even when the interaction is not course‐related.
 Making assumptions about students and their backgrounds.
 Featuring pictures of students of only one ethnicity or gender on the school website.
 Having students engage in required reading where the protagonists are always white

Now that you know exactly what microaggressions are, I’m sure majority of you can say you’ve experienced it at least once. So, how do you react the next time someone hits you with one? How you respond is up to you. You can either let it go if you decide it isn’t that big of a deal or if you feel the person meant no harm or you can decide to address it. If you do decide to address it, you have the power to decide how and how much time you want to spend on it. You can simply tell them not to do that anymore or you can decide to challenge and educate them. The point is to not allow these microaggressions to consume you and take up your life, but to use them as a teaching point especially in a time when race relations and conversations are so pivotal.

8 Ways to Keep your Mental Health in Order While Dealing With Racial Injustice

These past few weeks have been trying. We’ve had to see countless black people killed (George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, etc.) We’ve had to deal with the racist comments and overall ignorance of others, one of them being the President of the United States. We’ve had to deal with this all while fighting for justice in our own way, whether it be through protesting, donating, educating, etc. We’ve had to deal with the backlash of peaceful protesting, be sprayed with tear gas, rubber bullets, etc. All of this has been very painful, but at the core of it all; the lives lost and lives we are continuing to lose as I write this serve as a reminder of all the lives we’ve lost in the past that have not gotten the justice they deserve. It also serves a reminder that we’ve been dealing with oppression for over 400 years and it goes much deeper than racism and white privilege. It lies withing our justice system as well. Despite what some may think, America has never been great for us and we’ve been fighting for as long as we’ve been alive and before that it was our parents and our parents’ parents.

We know all this can be heavy and weigh down on many people’s mental as people try to find the right balance between doing their part and taking a much needed break to decompress. Here are some ways you can keep your mental health in order right now:

 

1. Self-care

We’ve heard the phrase you can’t help anyone if you don’t take care of yourself first. That phrase is just as relevant now. Take the time for yourself to just be, relax and do what makes you happy.

 

 2. Connect with other Black people

During these times it’s important that you have someone to talk to that understands what you are going through and how you feel.

 

3. Limit your Social Media Intake

It’s okay to turn your social media off or choose to not watch or engage in certain things you may see. You may also seek to follow more lighthearted or upbeat pages as well.

 

4. Blocking/Unfollowing

We live in a society where cancel-culture can be overbearing, but at this time give yourself permission to distance yourself from anyone who you feel isn’t behind you without worrying about what others may say. This applies to both social media and real life.

 

5. Celebrate your culture/Support other Black people

Now is the time more than ever to celebrate how great black culture is. It’s also important to stick together as a community. One of the best ways of doing that is supporting black artists and creators, buying black, etc.

 

6. Remind yourself that you don’t have to discuss things when it gets too heavy nor is it your job to educate others.

 

7. Mantras

It’s important to remind yourself that you matter in a world that on a daily is trying to convince us otherwise. Mantras/positive affirmations are a great way to do that. Find one that’s good for you and repeat it daily.

 

8. Let yourself have feelings. Everyone is going to react in different ways. There is no right or wrong way. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

 

Know of any other ways to protect your mental health during difficult times? List them below.

White Privilege And How it Can Be Used to Help the Black Community

In the wake of everything that is going in on the country right now, white privilege is at the helm of it. Everything from the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor to the calling of the police on members of the black community for simply bird watching, working out or going about their day-to-day business relate back to white privilege. Yes, we know all cops aren’t bad. Yes, we know all white people aren’t racist. But the thing we need white people to understand now more than ever is that whether they are racist or not, they have white privilege. Their skin tone does not warrant the level of fear for their lives that black people have had to deal with for far too long. Right now what we need is for white people to understand the white privilege, accept it, speak on it and use it to become allies to the black community so that change can be made. Now is not the time to be silent or mutual. Now is the time to take action and if you don’t know how to take action, learn, research, ask questions, etc. At this point it is not enough to simply not be racist, if you aren’t on the front line with the black community helping to make change and putting your white privilege to good use, you aren’t helping create change. If you question what white privilege has to do with all the recent events, look at Amy Cooper and how she deliberately lied on Christian Cooper when calling the cops and made sure to mention his race. Those actions could of led to the same thing that happened to George Floyd. In fact it did, back in the 50s with Emmett Till. This is the kind of harm white privilege does, especially if people like Amy Cooper are using it in the way they are and putting black people in even more danger than they are on the daily. Black people have been fighting for years, it’s time members of other communities join us. And for those that have, we see you and we thank you. But make sure to ask yourself how can I take it further than social media?

For those looking to learn more about white privilege and address the issue, check out girlupcampaign’s post on Instagram.

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Or theconsciouskid’s post

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAx4-8GpHvK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

What You Should Teach Your Children About Black Culture Ahead of Black History Month

With January quickly coming to an end, that can only mean one thing: Black History Month is approaching. Of course we celebrate our culture and our people year round, but February gives us a chance to really reflect and bask in our accomplishments a little more than usual. It’s also a good time to celebrate with your kids and teach them about our history as well as why February is an important month. Here are a list of things you should talk to your child about to prepare them for Black History Month:

1. Jim Crow laws
2. Ancestry
3. Important black leaders
4. The history of black artists/musicians/actors/authors, etc.
5. Black scientists
6. Slavery
7. The history of racism
8. Civil Rights Movement
9. The Black Panthers
10. Africa
11. HBCU’s
12. Black Lives Matters
13. Black Veterans
14. African Americans and politics
15. Juneteenth
16. Thurgood Marshall/Supreme Court Cases that helped African Americans secure rights

Know of any more things that are important to teach children about Black History? Share them below.

Hair Discrimination and Why Stylists Should Be Trained For All Hair Types

By now many people have heard about the salon in New York that prohibited workers from wearing natural hairstyles such as braids and afros. Of course this sparked a huge debate and shed light on the many other instances of hair discrimination. It also led to an investigation into the biased practices of the salon after a former white manager claimed that they were forced to place stricter dress codes on black employees.

Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger has now reached an agreement with the New York City Commission on Human Rights, who updated a pre-exisiting law to ban hair discrimination in February. The salon that once prohibited workers from wearing such hairstyles will now work to teach employees how to style black hair that will serve as an initiative to help the career advancement of black stylists. The salon will also have to pay a $70,000 fine, partner with a New York City styling school that serves as an authority on Black hair, start an internship program for minority groups and complete community service with a racial justice group that fights hair discrimination.

While this is great progress that has been made as well as a teaching moment, we have to think about the fact that this is one salon in one city of a very large country. The issue of stylists not knowing how to do black hair is an issue that affects many. It affects celebrities, it affects jobs, it affects photo shoots etc. Just recently Tyra Banks discussed how she initially missed out on the opportunity to work for Victoria’s Secret because the stylist didn’t know how to do her hair. We’ve also seen less than flattering photo shoots of African Americans simply because a stylist didn’t know what to do with their hair. There’s also a large number of women that have had their hair damaged by stylist who didn’t know what they were doing.

In 2019, it’s ridiculous that we have to miss out on job opportunities, not because of our own incompetence but because of the incompetence of companies/stylist to diversify their staff/skills. It’s also ridiculous to have to bring in your own stylist separate from everyone else, much like Tyra did when she eventually landed another opportunity to work with Victoria’s Secret.

As a stylist, or in any job for that matter it’s important to perfect your craft as much as you possibly can. This means learning about all different types of hair/styles. In 2019, almost 2020, we must do better as a community to insure that no one is discriminated for simply being them and certainly not for choosing to rock what grows out of their heads in it’s natural state.

Have thoughts on the issue of hair discrimination and stylists not knowing how to work with black hair? Share them below.

Transracial Adoption: How to Raise a Child of a Different Race

Transracial adoption isn’t something new. In fact, it’s something we see a lot, especially among celebrities. But, when we look at the climate of today’s world involving race related issues; it’s important that these adopted children understand their background and don’t grow up feeling a way because they look different than their parents. It is equally as important that those looking to adopt a child of a different race understand the challenges that come along with it and are open to taking whatever steps may be necessary to teach them about their culture.

Actress Kristen Davis recently went on the “Red Table Talk” to discuss her challenges with raising black children and recently in the news we’ve seen support groups for multiracial families such as teaching parents how to do their black child’s hair. No matter how big or small, every detail plays a part in a child’s confidence and sense of identity and the type of person they will grow to become.

Here are some of the side effects of transracial adoption and what you can do to help your child move past them:

1. Racial Identity Crisis 

When a child is growing up around not many people that look like them, it is likely that they will question why and want to know where they came from. While you may not have all the answers (if you don’t know anything about their biological parents), you can still teach them about the history of their culture. This requires being as open and honest as possible about the differences in races and the treatment of other races so that if they encounter any type of racism they will understand why. This will also teach them self acceptance and loving the skin they’re in. For parents, it can be a good way to learn about other cultures through teaching their children and in turn allow them to empathize and see things through the eyes of other races.

2. Cultural Appropriation

Some adoption agencies provide future parents with programs to teach them about the culture of the child they are adopting. While this is a good start, it’s important to remember that it’s just that, a start. The real work starts when the children come home. Some parents may get so caught up in wanting to embrace their child’s culture, that they may not understand they are helping to perpetuate a negative stereotype. That’s why education is so important. A good way of doing this is making sure your child is around people that look like them as much as possible. So if it can’t be at home, make sure they make friends of the same race at school or take them to public hangouts where people of their race hangs out a lot. This allows a natural process of learning about themselves rather than forcing it on the child and getting it wrong. For parents, the same can be done by making friends with parents who are the same race as your child and asking questions and learning from them. It is okay to admit that you can never 100 percent step into your child’s shoes and know how they feel. This is where the phrase, “it takes a village to raise a child” comes in handy. Parents can also talk to other transracial parents and discuss how they get through certain challenges and what works for them.

3. Choosing Not to See Color

This can be detrimental to the child because while you don’t see color, others do. Once they get older and began to witness the racial inequality, they won’t be prepared for it and won’t know how to handle it. This involves a very tough conversation about racial bias and privilege, which is often a tough conversation for many to have or to accept that they have privilege at all, but it must be done. It’s understandable that some parents may want to protect their kids from these tough conversations, but in the end it will be much better that a kid, especially one from a multiracial family with people that may not have to deal with the same things they have to deal, with is educated on race. At the end of the day, if you are doing nothing to understand racism/privilege and/or sitting by and watching it happen, you are doing your child a disservice.

 

The bottom line when thinking about transracial adoption and/or raising children of different races is are you ready to educate yourself and have tough conversations? Because if you aren’t, you will be playing a part in the self-identity crisis and lack of confidence your child has as they grow up. Transracial adoption is something that is beautiful and something that both parties can benefit from, but only when everyone is willing to get out of their comfort zones and do the work.

Have any tips or advice for multiracial families? Leave them below.

7 Ways You Can Prevent Your Child From Being the Next Shooter

With mass shootings happening way too often and back to back in the case of the two most recent ones in El Paso and Dayton, it is obviously apparent to everyone but the people in power that something needs to be done about gun laws. But with the realization that many of the shooters are what the media likes to label “troubled” or “mentally ill” teens or young adults, the question should be posed as to whether or not there is anything parents can do to prevent their children from being the next shooter? The short answer to that question is yes. Although as we know some things are beyond the parents’ control, especially as their children grow older and make their own decisions; it’s still important that they try to make a positive impact on their kids while they still can.

Parents are more times than not the first people who will be able to notice a behavioral change in their children. It is important that when you do notice this, you take the necessary measures to get to the bottom of what has caused a shift in your child’s behavior. You can decide which steps work best for your children depending on their age. Here are some ways you can do that:

 

1. Monitor Your Child’s Social Media/Screen Time
Social Media is a big cause for depression among youth because it opens the door to internet trolls/internet bullying. It can also expose children to tons of online violent content. While some children may not be affected by this, others may be influenced to mimic what they see. So it is important for children to determine what is best for their child.

 

2. Keep Track of Your Child’s Relationships

Who’s around your child that could negatively affect their behavior and expose them to negative things? This could be friends, family friends, family members, etc. It’s also equally important for children who may not have many friends as well because this can be a sign that there may be things happening in school beyond your knowledge such as bullying that are causing them to have a hard time making friends.

 

3. Talk With Your Child

It might sound obvious, but some parents don’t take the time to do this. Ask them how their day was. Talk about serious issues with them. Ask them how they feel about all the mass shootings and other acts of violence they might see on the news. Obviously as they get older, some kids don’t want to share much with their parents, but don’t let that deter you. You should still ask questions and show interest because it is a sign you care. Children feeling neglected or not cared for can lead to further issues.

 

4. Work With Your Child on Self-Esteem

 If you see your child having issues with low self-esteem, it’s important to address it head on and work with them on loving themselves. A good way to do this with young children is through daily affirmations.

 

5. Watch Your Behavior

 Children often learn their behavior from their parents, so it’s important to limit the amount of violence you expose them to. Teach them to express themselves calmly and patiently through words instead of resorting to violence.

 

6. Discuss Gun Safety

Teach your kids about all the gun protocols, the dangers of them and how to stay safe. Also make sure if you have a gun in the house that it is completely out of reach of the kids. It is also a good idea that the gun is stored unloaded and locked separate from the ammunition.

 

7. Teach Your Children Acceptance of All

Because so many of the mass shootings fall under the category of hate crimes whether it’s against a certain race, religion or the LGBTQ community; it’s important that you talk to your children at an early age and teach them about the importance of accepting people for who they are.

 

Know of some more ways to help prevent gun violence? Let us know below.

Understanding Institutional Racism

Racism has been a complex topic for years now because despite the belief of many, there isn’t just one type of racism. In fact, there are many with many different names including: individual racism, interpersonal racism, cultural racism, structural racism and institutional racism, etc. In order for progress to be made, people must first be educated on racism as a whole to gain a knowledge on what can be done fix the injustices placed upon people of color.

 

On Saturday Aug 10., Evanston Live TV and BLACK put together Community Conversations: Understanding Institutional Racism with panelist/speakers: Pat Quinn, Devon Reid, Bennett Johnson, Lisa Disch, Dino Robinson, Christopher Shuttlesworth and Baxter Swilley. Melika Gardner was the moderator for the event.

 

The event was all about action with emphases on voting, getting signatures and asking important questions of the people who are in power to make change.

 

So what exactly is institutional racism? Institutional racism is one of the most important forms of racism because it has a much greater impact than individual racism and can be harder to fight. It is described as discrimination in social and political institutions. Factors of institutional racism include: wealth, income, criminal justice, employment, housing, health care, political power and education.

 

Some great examples of the biggest forms of institutional racism we have had to face are the Jim Crow segregation laws and more recently how the police department handles Black and Latino males. New York police directed officers to stop Black and Latino males between the ages of 14 and 20. These types of encounters often cause people to lose hope instead of fighting for change, but the panelists (many of who have also faced institutional racism themselves) are proof that overcoming is both possible and important.

 

Gardner: You all have this movement that’s actually making change. Usually it’s hitting those first couple roadblocks people go back to being comfortable. No one wants to get down in the grass and make things happen. What did you all do, what did you tell yourself, what actions did you take to get over those over those roadblocks?

 

Bennett Johnson has dedicated his life to the power of the black community through three areas: political, business and literary. He’s done this through his work in the civils rights era and his publishing company Path Press Inc. He also helped found the Chicago League of Negro Voters in 1958, which is an independent political organization designed to support black candidates in Chicago elections.

 
Johnson: The obstacles is just like anything in life. You don’t grow unless you have obstacles and you don’t succeed unless you get over those obstacles. So an obstacle isn’t something you should be intimidated by it’s a challenge.

 
Former IL Governor Pat Quinn has dedicated his time to progressive policies and fighting for everyday people. He is adamant about taking down Donald Trump and his hateful policies.

 
Quinn: If you don’t vote, you don’t count so it really is important what Devon said to get everybody you can to vote in the upcoming elections of 2020. One of the reasons I’m committed to this whole power of petition and referendum is that it encourages people to understand that I’m not only voting for candidates, but there are issues. We heard some of the issues here today that’s important, whether it’s making sure people get a fair share of government money and construction dollars or making sure people have decent schools and raising minimum wage. The whole movement of raising minimum wage began with a petition drive.

 

Devon Reid is an Evanston City Clerk. He dedicates much of his time informing/educating people about the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

 

Reid: Here in Evanston I work to bring a voice to the table that isn’t traditionally at the table. I started to face a lot of pushback from our city council and folks within the city. One of the ways that I am overcoming is that I rely on you folks to be educated, to understand what’s going on in the government and to vote. Right now, we’re sitting in the Fleetwood Jourdain Center and what we know is that in 1931- Mr. Jourdain won the election in 1931. He was the first African American elected to the Evanston city council. The city council then voted to dismiss him from the council based on trumped up charges of voter fraud. They found a few cases where people were living in storefronts or places that weren’t properly zoned as housing and they used that to say well your whole election was fraud and they kicked him out of office. Mr. Jourdain came back a year later and won the election again. He came back and became a strong voice for the African American community here in Evanston and for the entire city, advocating for the construction of this community center, advocating for desegregating our communities and parks. So what I hold onto and what helps me get over the hurdle is knowing that we have smart, dedicated people in the community and that I am ultimately accountable to you and that is what will help us keep this movement going forward.

 

Dino Robinson spends his time educating people on the history of African Americans through the Shorefront Legacy Center, which he founded.

 

Robinson: I think we all have points in our lives that make us woke. My key point started in kindergarten and I saw the system of hierarchy about leadership and lack of leadership. And so I was living in Michigan as early as kindergarten that I borrowed from the sports apparel Nike “Just Do It”. That’s my motivation, every time somebody said no, I just did it. So in kindergarten, when I was woke up a peer of mine as I was playing with this toy- actually it’s clay, making my car out of clay. This kid came up to me and said “niggers are not aloud to play with toys” and the teacher was maybe three feet away. She looked at me and looked at him and turned away. I had a moment in that time as I thought about it that this kid did not learn it on his own, he learned it from his parents. And I had a chance to either become violent or be assertive. At that moment in my live, even though I was in kindergarten, the thing I realized is no one can tell me what I can and can’t do.

 

Lisa Disch is a political science professor at The University of Michigan. She discusses contemporary continental political thought, with an emphasis on the feminist theory, political ecology, and theories of democracy in both the US and France.

 

Disch: Information is one of the best ways of getting over obstacles. All of these problems that we think are astronomical, they’re not. The more we know about issues, the more likely we are to find solutions. It takes digging and it takes looking on social media. It takes information and information opens up points of action that you didn’t know existed.

 

Christopher Shuttlesworth works towards solving the issues surrounding systemic poverty and economic morality through The Illinois Poor People’s Campaign.

 

Shuttlesworth: I’ve had a few obstacles, but one in particular is a story. My youngest sister was having a quintillion and everyone- the family was dressed really nice. It’s a beautiful time, I wanted to leave though. So my wife at the time, my younger brother we’re leaving, it’s downtown Chicago. So as we’re crossing the street police cars cross the corner. So they get out and call me over to the car, they say put your hands on the car. They put me in the car in handcuffs and drive me to a McDonald’s and waited for the manager to come out and identify me. So of course the manager couldn’t identify me because I didn’t rob the McDonald’s so they arrested me for disorderly conduct. That’s just one of the things that really helped me to keep going- to persevere, to really get involved and join people that are doing things to really change and dismantle this society. It’s going to take all of us. It’s not a color issue, it’s a human issue. It’s going to take humans.

 

Gardner: I love these stories because I think everybody in the room has been met with an obstacle when you felt passionate about something and you just stopped- these people didn’t stop and I know there’s people out there who are fighting and doing things, but a lot of us stop. We let the obstacle overwhelm us and we just go back to comfort.

 

As the event wrapped up and the audience got to ask their own questions it was stressed that simply coming to the event to attain the knowledge, but not using the knowledge to evoke change wasn’t going to be much help. The purpose of the event was to provide residents with knowledge of what institutional racism is so they can recognize it and do their part to change it. Now that you have the resources what are you going to do?

 

Tell us what obstacles you’ve had to overcome institutional racism and what you are doing to fight it.