“All of us - who might have probed space, or cured cancer, or built industries - were, instead, Black victims of the white man's American social system.”
- Malcolm X
DAY EIGHT
Institutional Racism
 
For this next portion of our challenge, we will be studying institutional racism. To pursue and develop a more just society, we need to acknowledge the presence of barriers within institutions, and how they can reinforce racist biases within society, perpetuating racism. We will be providing a broad overview of what institutional racism is, alongside what it can look like in historical and current day contexts.
 
Institutional Racism: Discriminatory treatment, unfair policies and practices, inequitable opportunities and impacts within organizations and institutions, all based on race, that routinely produce racially inequitable outcomes for people of color and advantages for white people. Individuals within institutions take on the power of the institution when they reinforce racial inequities.
READ
Read this article to gain a glimpse into five prominent examples of institutional racism.
 
Please read this article to get a better understanding of what institutional racism is, its history, and current-day examples of it.
LISTEN
A podcast interview with sociologist, David Embrick, about structural and institutional racism and diversity ideology.
 
Our recommended selection for today from UWPC's "Soundtrack 4 Justice" playlist
"Black America Again"* by Common & Stevie Wonder (6:05) *contains explicit content.
WATCH
KING 5 examines ways to fight institutional racism through legislative action and changes to policies in the workplace. Nate Miles, vice president of strategic initiatives at Eli Lilly, shares where he thinks corporations are going wrong regarding diversity and how they can fix it.
 
Race: The Power of an Illusion (three 1-hour episodes)
Three-part, three-hour film by California Newsreel exploring the biology of skin color, the concept of assimilation, and the history of institutional racism.
 
Getting into college for disadvantaged students is only half the battle. Anthony Abraham Jack, Assistant Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, reveals how and why they struggle and explains what schools can do differently if these students are to thrive. He urges us to grapple with a simple fact: Access is not inclusion.
CONNECT
Who's in your feed?
Follow Racial Justice activists, educators, organizations, and movements on social media. Consider connecting with any of the people/organizations you learn about in the daily resources. We'll provide some suggestions to widen the circle of who you follow.
 
Antiracism Center - Antiracism Center | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
PUT IT TO USE!
Engage - Speaking about, emailing and posting articles, blogs, or videos from the 21-day Challenge that you find impactful.
 
Act - If you are a parent of young children, you can subscribe to Emerald Creative's Little World Changers monthly learning box to support a BIPOC-owned business and receive tools to encourage social emotional wellness, activism, and empowerment for children.
 
Reflect - How is institutional racism operating around you? In your organizational culture? In your neighborhood? In other areas?
United Way of Thurston County solves complicated issues by convening community stakeholders and collaborating to develop short and long-term strategies. United Way is an excellent steward of donor dollars and is committed to transparency, accountability and sound fiscal management. United Way mobilizes the caring power of our community. Learn more: https://www.unitedway-thurston.org/

United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. We have one life. To live better, we must LIVE UNITED®.