Dreaming of an anti-racist world

We didn’t choose to live in a world where we are unfairly judged because of our skin colour.

I’d love to live in an anti-racist world. Don’t get me wrong; this is not a world where we say we are ‘not racist’ and go about our day. It’s a world where we actively fight against ours and other’s racist beliefs and actions. Racism is any behaviour that prejudices or discriminates against individuals based on their racial or ethnic identities. Here are some ways in which we can foster an anti-racist world.

We treat everyone we encounter the same

regardless of whether they look or sound ‘different’ to us. We don’t let racial differences cloud our judgements, or make harmful assumptions about others.

If we do find ourselves stereotyping others based on race,

we take a step back to think about these racist beliefs, even if this makes us uncomfortable. Racial stereotypes lead to disparities that negatively impact an individual’s life experience, whether it’s through schooling, applying for jobs, or dealing with the authorities.

We call out our mates for racist behaviour,

including a racial slur shared amongst friends, a harmful ‘joke’, or disrespecting a person of colour to their face.

We are anti-racist with authenticity.

Being anti-racist is not the same as posting a quote on Instagram about anti-racism because all our friends are doing it. It’s also not about including a single person of colour on your board or committee ‘for the diversity thing’.

If you don’t agree with or care about the above, perhaps because you aren’t affected by racism, I urge you to put yourself in the shoes of a person of colour. Believe me when I say that we didn’t choose to live in a world where we are unfairly judged because of our skin colours, our names, and our cultures.

And if you still don’t agree or care, how about this: racially diverse communities and workplaces foster better creativity and innovation than their counterparts. All I’m saying is, don’t be afraid of the unknown. I promise you that an anti-racist world is better for all.