Decoloniality and Racism

I found the concept of decoloniality and racism in chapter 7 most useful as I consider my

role as a helper. According to Monk et al. (2020), racism is an ideology that can be traced back

to European colonization in the 16th century. Hence, all people, including helpers need to

understand the history of colonization to effectively minimize racism. Currently, there exists a

boundary between the advantaged and the disadvantaged creating a social structure that supports

discrimination against others. As a future helper, the concept of decoloniality and racism allowed

me to comprehend that as long as institutional racism persists, discrimination against various

groups will also exist. The only way to eliminate racism among communities is to ensure

institutions do not legitimize discriminatory practices.

Racism within communities can be associated to various factors stereotypes, prejudices

and biases (Monk et al, 2020). As a future helper, it is vital for me to learn about these factors to

help reduce the formation of superior and inferior groups. With that knowledge, I can draw

attention to institutional racism and the effects of discrimination against African Americans and

other minority groups. This is because most social structures can be linked to decolonial racism

associated with institutional power that oppresses certain groups and not others.

There are particular ideas identified in the module reading that would be useful in my

friend’s situation. My friend, C.K, recently discovered that he earns less as compared to fellow

colleagues for the same job despite having same qualifications. After further investigation, C.K

discovered that all black people at his workplace were earning less compared to the whites.

C.K’s research indicates a racial wage gap within the organization. My friend’s situation reminds

me of institutional racism and the effects of discrimination against people of color. From a

decolonial perspective and it is true that some communities are discriminated against based on
the idea of race. C.K’s situation can be resolved through means of protests to fight racism and

other forms of discriminatory practices in the community.

Institutional racism entails discrimination of individuals based on their backgrounds, and

as a result, these individuals tend to be treated differently to white people. According to Bridges

(2020), there is a racial order in the United States where minority groups, especially the blacks

are ranked last. Bridges’ article outlines how most black people are unable to access quality

health care because either they lack medical insurance or there no quality hospitals available to

them. In other words, black people cannot access essential services easily because they are more

likely to encounter issues such as inaccessible or biased health care providers. Also, the article

outlines that police brutality is more predominant against people of color. Instead of the criminal

justice system caring and protecting all its people, it puts a target on black people. As a result,

more black people are incarcerated and others killed. An indication of institutionalized racism

that has resulted in racial hierarchy.

Bridges’ article endorses the concept of decoloniality and racism in the chapter reading.

The article recognizes that black people are treated differently as compared to the whites.

Societal resources have been unfairly distributed leaving the minority groups vulnerable to harm

and with little resources to counter the problem. Due to institutionalized racism, racial hierarchy

has been established in the United States, where people of color are consistently penalized and

exploited. The article also validates the concept in the textbook by outlining that social structures

in the United States have been hierarchically created around the superior or the inferior. These

differences in categorization have resulted in institutionalized racism hindering access to

resources to certain groups.

Question: What is the best way to eradicate institutional racism?

 References

Bridges, K. (2020). The Many Ways Institutional Racism Kills Black People. Retrieved from

https://time.com/5851864/institutional-racism-america/

Monk, G., Winslade, J., Sinclair, S., & Polanco, M. (2020). Intercultural Counseling. San Diego,

CA: Cognella, Inc.