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Exploration of Racism in The United States of America

Wilson Felipe Marin

Human Development 1500

Professor Porter Macey

April 3, 2021
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Perceived Racism, Discrimination, and Acculturation in Suicidal Ideation

and Suicide Attempts Among Black Young Adults

Generally, the suicide rate of the black community in the United States is practically low,

however, that is not the case during young adulthood, as the rate increases dramatically and

reaches its peak. In fact, suicide accounts for only 10% of the causes of death in Black people

ages 15-24 (Castle, et al., 2011). So what the authors of this study did was to proceed with a

research using a cross‐sectional design. The authors of this study examined the associations

between perceived discrimination, racism, and acculturation with suicide ideation (SI) and

suicide attemps (SA) in Black young adults. They hypothesized a positive association between

each of these variables and they found that perceptions of discrimination and racism may

increase risk for SI and SA as these events increase feelings of stress, anger, and depression,

which are factors that influence people to commit suicide (Castle, et al., 2011). They recruited

350 Black young adults aged 18 to 24 years. The research was assessed with the questions “Have

you ever thought about killing yourself?” and “Have you ever tried to kill yourself or attempt

suicide?”. Although 250 was the original number of participants, 12 of them were expelled from

the research due to lack of data. 80 people said yes to SI, and of those 80 people, 29 people

reported a history of SA story.

Reflection

There are several limitations for this specific study. The authors did a cross‐sectional

research and the analyses focused on SI and SA where suicide death factors are very widespread

and unclear. The data was obtained from a very specific area, actually a medium-sized

metropolitan area in a northeastern city in the United States. Therefore, the results cannot be 100

percent accurate when geographically more diverse participants are not taken into account. To
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get to recruit people they used advertisements offering $30 dollars to those volunteers, a method

of convenience, so it is not representative of the community, and the use of volunteers makes the

study vulnerable to the suicidal young people under-surveyed. Therefore, these ideas are

certainly speculative, and overall this is insufficient research that requires further study. Putting

aside the research, it should be noted that definitely psychological abuse by racism, acculturation

and discrimination greatly influence the victim to have suicidal thoughts. Therefore,

collaborations between experts in public health, minority health, and suicide research and

prevention should be more fruitful and more focused on educating and helping not only people

the Black community but any adult or child who is a victim in any way of emotional and

physical abuse.

The Fear of Multiple Truths: On Teaching About Racism in

A Predominantly White School

Antony Farag bases his arguments on a survey research he made of high school teachers

at the school where he works and also the article is a case study on. Antony Farag is a professor

of social studies at Westfield College in NJ, he and some of his colleagues designed a program

based on the study of CRT (Critical Race Theory), where he claimed that the program would

help students to have a better understanding regarding racial oppression (Farag, 2021). When

presenting the project to different authorities and teachers, many were against, arguing that the

program offers a biased perspective, and others supported the project, arguing that the story is

always told from someone's perspective and that the purpose of the course is to bring voices

previously marginalized to the conversation. Farag surveyed 104 social studies teachers in

predominantly white public high schools in New Jersey. The results showed that most of the

teachers of white students are also white who grew up in predominantly white towns and never
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had a Black social studies teacher and that the reason why white teachers show disinterest in

implementing the project (Farag, 2021). According to some CRT critics, instead of reducing the

self-esteem of white students, it would help them build their identity. When students receive

different teachings or misrepresented theories regarding race, educational institutions run the risk

of becoming complicit in further dividing the country along racial lines. Farag says that critical

race theory can help make educational institutions a unifying and constructive force that fosters

productive citizenship in an increasingly divided and complicated world.

Reflection

The teaching of race and the fight for respect for races and ethnicities in the United States

is definitely a topic that should be more deeply discussed in schools. Educating people from a

young age and even more so in schools is a way of helping society to end racial inequality and

indifference when it and the globalized world move in an inversely proportional way. Although

many people have compared CRT to Marxism, it turns out that they are actually two separate

ideas; CRT seeks the removal of any racial supremacy and Marxism the removal of capitalism

(Farag, 2021). If every school in the United States teaches its own way and its own version of

racial history, then it will be increasingly difficult to build a truth-consciously and impartially

informed society. However, we must also look ahead and not get stuck in the past, as doing so

will only recall the influence of white supremacy and further highlight racial divisions. Also,

there is a lot of people thinking that the CRT program would demean the white race and that

students may develop self-esteem issues, however, the CRT program will allow white students

and other races to critically examine how they have come to be labeled as white, Black, latino,

etc, and thus will help to further develop their identities.

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How To Unlearn Racism

This article is a personal narrative by Abigail Libers. She enrolled in a workshop that was

organized by the Popular Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB) on how to undo racism, an

anti-racist training that lasted two and a half days where the racial and power structures in the

countries were analyzed. America’s recent experiences where black people were publicly

attacked provided a small window into the reality of violence and racial oppression in America.

PISAB describes how individual and systemic racism are linked, when the prejudices are based

solely on race (Libers, 2020). But what differentiates racism from individual prejudice is that

institutional power supports them. Research shows that undoing racism must begin with an

understanding of what race and racism really are. It should be understood that race is a cultural

construction, not biological. Historically, classifications of "races" began in the 16th and 17th

centuries with Christian clergy questioning whether "blacks" and "Indians" were human.

Eventually the "science" was that justified the enslavement of Africans, and worst of all, that

legacy of "scientific" racism lives on today. Libers says that to unlearn racism, whites must first

examine their racial identity emphasizing that part of what it means to unlearn racism is to

disengage stereotypes from identities and absolute truths. Workshops like PISAB conducted are

to empower people to be "guardians", linking knowledge with action, to make leaders who can

affect change anywhere (Libers, 2020). Finally, Libers concluded that there must be a motivation

to break the habit of prejudices by being aware of our biases, by worrying about the

consequences of our biases in order to eliminate them (Libers, 2020). The hopes are that we all

come to understand that with the end of racism we can get our lives back and that anti-racism is a

lifelong practice.
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Reflection

Something that seemed important to me is that the conflict of racism begins with the

ignorance that people have as to what race means. Some important world leaders in the history of

the United States began to make legal distinctions between "white" and "black" people,

therefore, racism and white superiority was firmly cemented by the law, thus giving birth to the

social and political power of whiteness. How could people fight against the law? How could

Black people ask for respect and freedom when the actual government oppressed them?. On the

other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic further highlights the racial disparities that people are

protesting against, with Black, latino, indigenous, and other communities being

disproportionately affected by COVID-19. We need to erase misconceptions based on racial

categories from our heads and this should be taught in schools and in different social

organizations like PISAB. Although these types of workshops can be very powerful and have a

great influence in many ways, it is not clear to what extent they are effective, but the most

important thing is that everything learned is put into action.

Slavery, Work, and Racism in America: A Review of Four Books

This is a case study based on four books written by the American historian, Alfredo

Morabia. The first book called Jamestown and the Forging of American Democracy begins with

the story of the first enslaved people that were transported to America during 250 years.The

Virginia Company, a group whose main objective was to generate profits for its shareholders as

well as to establish an English colony in the New World, sold a big group of Black people as

slaves, who were coming from a Portuguese slave ship. Virginia was also the first region to

enslave Native Americans Indians as Virginians needed slaves so they could work in the tobacco

field. James Horn, the author of the book, said that 1619 was an important part of the United
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States history since the rise of the political development of democracy is based on slavery

(Morabia, 2019). 1619 is an important part for african american people too since Black people at

the time started to fight against their masters so that the future Black people generations could

have rights like white people did; In King Cotton, Sven Beckert says that cotton was one of the

main factors that promoted slavery in America. Slaves were the best option since they were not

paid and the supervision of their exploited work was done with violence and abuse. The

expansion of cotton cultivation became so great that the United States expropriated many

important lands from indigenous tribes in different parts of the United States. The demand for

slave labor was so great that in 1830, 1 million people out of 13 million americans were

producing cotton in the United States, most of them slaves (Morabia, 2019). Just as Saudi Arabia

has been a generation of wealth from oil in the 20th century, the Yazoo-Mississippi delta became

the production of cotton and the generation of wealth in the first half of the 19th century;

Workers on Arrival describes how African slaves brought to America had to adapt to industrial

work under extreme conditions making american economy succeed. The process began

immediately after what had happened in Jamestown and was followed by events such as the

American Revolution or World War II, when the United States became the arsenal of democracy.

The Modern Black Freedom struggle defeated the Jim Crow order, making significant changes to

equal opportunities for Black families in 1970. After decades of fighting for their rights, Black

population began to hold important positions as strike partners, however, intractable institutional

racism kept Black workers constantly fighting for their basic rights. Between 1950 and 1960 the

industrial working class in general prospered until more mass production industries arrived that

practically wiped out the Black industrial working class by 1990; In The Definitive History of

Racist Ideas in America, Kendi rejects the positive idea that racism is being eradicated as he sees
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two processes unfolding at the same time: racial progress and racism progress. Even with the

supposed progress, the superiority of races will always find a way out under any circumstance.

The author of this book says that in reality there are no differences between skin colors, culture,

and others, but that everything is the same. Even the health, political and other systems set

different indicators due to race such as who is most likely to have chronic diseases or life

expectancy based on misconceptions created by men, however Kendi says that it is something

that can be modified (Morabia, 2019).

Reflection

Racism in America has been a serious problem since centuries ago and some people use

this social problem as an excuse, covering the violence and abuse to argue the progress and result

of what democracy in America means now. However, wanting to achieve democracy while

systematically depriving some human beings of their rights is irony personified. We can notice

how ambition and the pursuit of wealth can corrupt anyone. The main point of slavery came with

forced laber by white people who wanted to produce more commercial crops by taking Black

people who were physcially strong and emotionally weak people. If the economic growth that

America had at the time due to Black people labor, then they should have been rewarded slaves

with at least the basic human rights and freedom. I agree with Kendi, the author of In The

Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, when he said that we shouldn’t celebrate the

progress of racism since it’s evidently a current problem not only in America but all over the

world. The biggest mistake of people is to label the Black community. People are not only

thinking that there are better races but pointing out who is most likely to-. Thinking that a person

is most likely to become a criminal or to get sick for an illness is completely blameworthy. We

need to stop assuming misconceptions and being part of a misleading social construction. We
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have to let people progress and live their lives. Anyone can be from a president or a lawyer to a

rapper or basketball player, no matter what race or culture that person comes from.

We must focus on what really influences a person to become a criminal or a rapist which is not

only nature but the nurture. Instead of labeling people by their skin color, we must ask ourselves

what we can do for that person's life so that together we can be part of a change in the world.

Structural Racism and The Urban Geography of Education

Pedro Noguera says in his study that the recent racial incidents that have captivated the

world have moved many people and our society has constantly sought schools to solve complex

social problems. Noguera says that structural racism is not necessarily based on the actions,

motivations or beliefs of individuals, but rather that the term refers directly to an urban term that

has come to refer to a social and cultural construction used to describe certain people and places.

(Noguera & Alicea, 2020). Structural racism is based on the large migrations of Black

communities that moved to larger and richer cities in search of a better quality of life, where

those cities later became home to a poor and mostly non-white population. In this way,

geographic boundaries and socioeconomic structures were created that reinforced racial

disparities. In Chicago, for example, some schools were closed and this shows how this is linked

to gentrification, where Black students were the most affected. The racism here is structural,

disguised as policies that were said to be racially neutral, but which led to the dispossession of

Black residents. Another example is New Orleans, where the city was transformed into a

completely different place after the post-Katrina reforms. On the one hand, it has become

significantly more prosperous, as New Orleans has become richer, it has also become

significantly whiter as it lost thousands of Black residents. In Los Angeles, this accumulation of

disadvantages has contributed significantly to poor performance in schools. Many school

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reformers continue to focus exclusively on what is happening within the same schools without

paying attention to the structural changes that students find themselves outside of the school.

Structural racism shapes and reshapes many of our urban environments, with major

consequences for children and schools affecting the neighborhoods, cities and towns where they

live.

Reflection

This article makes me think how many times government leaders care more about

satisfying upper-class families and turning places into beautiful spaces by putting underneath

much more important elements such as education and the eradication of violence and poverty.

Many poor Black families were practically abandoned and had to leave New Orleans as the

government focused on other issues, leaving aside the vulnerability of Black communities

entirely. Students should be instructed in these matters, as many students are ready for

intellectually honest conversations about racism in America. But educators aren't ready to lead

these conversations just yet. Many districts have adopted implicit bias training to address

race-related issues. However, to say that the word Black and other racist terms are issues of

prejudice and labels is ineffective these days. When teachers and individuals learn and inform

themselves impartially and completely, they are better equipped to help improve the lives of their

most vulnerable students so that later these young people are much better equipped to lead this

discussion as well.
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Five Major Aspects Learned From The Articles

1. Suicide: Emotional violence has a powerful influence on people's lives. Many victims of

racism have decided to commit suicide or at least have planned to commit suicide due to

the constant discrimination and rejection they receive. While suicide is not the leading

cause of death among the black community, it is still a serious problem that must be

resolved as the victims are primarily young, this means that racial abuse can come from

their peers in their schools.

2. Acculturation: Because prejudice is a phenomenon that is constantly developing in

societies and that is acquiring new nuances, acculturation begins to flourish. Individuals

begin to have a series of changes in attitudes, behaviors, ways of life, and identity in

order to "fit in" with society, in this case, black people leaving behind their identity to be

accepted among white people.

3. A Racist Government: The great mistake of history and the reason why it is so difficult

today to uproot ourselves from racism is due to the active participation of the government

against people of different races, especially blacks. For example, not surprisingly,

previous government efforts designed projects to provide housing primarily for white,

middle-class, and lower-middle-class families. The African-American community and

other non-white people were left out of the new suburban communities and were instead

pushed into urban housing projects.

4. Education: Educators do not know how to address issues of racism and sometimes the

subject becomes a taboo when in reality it should be a subject that must be discussed in

each classroom of each school so that each child is instructed with the truth and thus help

them understand their identity and appreciate racial diversity. Educators are not only
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unprepared to lead these conversations but also the actual schools do not provide any

training for them, showing indifference and disinterest about this matter.

5. Racial Identity: Another major reason why everyone is in conflict is because we do not

know where we come from. We do not know our identity, therefore, we cannot claim to

be a superior race when we don’t even know who we really are.

What I Learned

Since I’m from Colombia I did not know much about the American history before. This

project opened my eyes and helped me understand better how racism and racial classification

was created in this country. It is a shame that African slaves were mistreated and used so that

white families could get rich by forcing them to work for them. The same happened in Colombia,

but the difference is that Black people in America still have to face misstreatment and

discrimination in every area of their lifes, while in Colombia we have learned to treat Black

people as they’re really are: humans, like everyone else. There is a very wide gap between what

it means to be non-white in America. The white poverty rate has remained relatively stable, with

white families having many times more wealth on average than non-white families. Something I

learned from all of these articles is that we need to learn about true and unbiased racial history in

America, get to know our real identity, and that racism is a lifetime's work.

Questions

1. Is the contemporary social problem caused by the environment?

Yes, in fact, there is not only one cause, but many that are hidden behind racial

discrimination such as prejudices, poverty or socio-economic circumstances. On many

occasions, these reasons intermingle, even unconsciously, and give rise to racist attitudes

that violate human rights.

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2. How does the contemporary social problem relate to the Micro (direct environment)

and affect the relationships in the Meso Systems?

Racism is directly related to microsystem since every individual affected by

discrimination influence in every decision that the victim takes. In this way, all forms of

social interaction and stimulation (mesosystem) would be affected from the microsystem.

For example, a young black man who decides to commit suicide would affect his family

tremendously, or a young black student who is constantly discriminated against and lives

in a violent neighborhood will likely have trouble at his school.

3. What conclusions can you draw between the problem and the Macro System

(general culture)?

This is not only a contemporary social problem, but an important part of the American

history. Like a domino effect, racism affects from a single individual to political

philosophy, economic situation in the country, social conditions, and cultural values.

4. Is your problem culturally dependent?

Yes, but racism is a worldwide problem. However, the level of racism a person has

depends largely on their culture. Schools, families, the media, and even the government

itself influence what a person from a specific area (country or family) thinks about Black

people.

5. Is it handled differently in dissimilar cultures?

As mentioned before, racism is a variable of the culture in different ways. In Colombia,

for example, Black people are typically admired because their culture revolves around

some of the highest and most admired aspects of Colombian culture. Some of these
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aspects include music, dance, food, and sports. Black Colombians are often known to

excel in these areas, which relates to how they are seen in my country.

6. Is the Chrono System (transitions across the lifespan of self and other generations)

affected, and how?

Racism affects every aspect of life. When a black person is born, will be automatically

labeled and the child will grow trying to find where they can fit in the society.

Discrimination can damage their brain development and destroy their understanding of

their race and identity. These people’s needs can’t be met in a racist culture and they will

most likely live in poverty with disabilities and even behavioral issues unable to survive

in the world. That is why any type of abuse and racial discrimination has to be treated and

eradicated so we can literally save lifes.

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References

Castle, K., Conner, K., Kaukeinen, K., & T, X. (2011, May 2). Perceived Racism,

Discrimination, and Acculturation in Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts

among Black Young Adults. Wiley Online Library.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1943-278X.2011.00033.x

Farag, A. (2021, January 25). The fear of multiple truths: On teaching about racism in a

predominantly white school. EBSCO.

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hvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=148414983&db=f6h

Libers, A. (2020, October). How To Unlearn Racism. EBSCO.

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Whvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=145973459&db=buh

Morabia, A. (2019, October). Slavery, Work, and Racism in America: A Review of Four

Books. EBSCO.

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ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=138432121&db=asn

Noguera, P., & Alicea, J. (2020, November). Structural Racism and The Urban

Geography of Education. EBSCO.

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