How To Tackle Racism

Racism is considered the social cancer of the present time, and rightly so. It gnaws away and gradually invades the entire social fabric of society. Turkish-German author Birol Bahadir pens in his heartbreaking memoir Between Two Worlds the racist encounters he had while moving to and settling in the United States. If you’re inclined toward tackling racism, this book is the perfect read for you.

Eradicating racism from society is indeed a mammoth task. However, that doesn’t mean there’s no way out of it.

Learning To Recognize Your Privilege

One of the primary steps to eliminating racial discrimination is learning to determine your privilege. Racial privilege is present throughout cultural, political, and economic environments. Moreover, religion, gender, and language can also add to your privilege level. Checking your privilege and using it to address systemic racism are essential to begin this complex process.

Examining Your Biases

You must have picked up specific messages about different groups of people while growing up. Most of that information is based on prejudices and isn’t accurate. How did those make you feel about those different from you and your kin? What was the ethnic and racial makeup of your neighborhood, school, or community? Exploring your own biases will help you work towards achieving equality in society.

Validating The Experiences Of People Of Color

Another effective way to address racial prejudice is to validate the feelings of people of color and engage in difficult conversations with them. You can’t be scared to discuss challenging topics such as systemic oppression and racial injustice just because you don’t want to get it wrong. Take action by learning about the different ways through which racism continues to prevail in society. Read Bahadir’s book, for instance, and understand how he struggled with racism in the United States.

Challenging The Colorblind Theory

It’s indeed a myth that we have moved into a ‘post-racial’ society where people somehow don’t see color anymore. Upholding a colorblind ideology is as dangerous as perpetuating racial discrimination. After all, it’s impossible to eradicate racism without first recognizing race. When you say that you don’t see color, you’re stripping a person of their identity and dismissing the challenges they face.

Calling Out Racist Jokes

Actively calling out racist jokes is an essential step in the fight against racism. Bahadir recalls in his book how he felt so empowered when someone would call out another person for their racist jokes in Bahadir’s support. Don’t be afraid to point out your loved ones, colleagues, or friends microaggressions. This will help those around you struggling with prejudice feel supported.

Summing It All Up

Racism is a pervasive problem and will not go away on its own until we take small, meaningful actions. Between The Worlds is an inspirational story that offers an intimate insight into the lives of immigrants torn between two starkly different realities. Bahadir has condensed his life journey to inspire people and actively participate in the battle against racism. So, don’t wait up. Grab your copy now.