Although it’s pretty hard to ignore extreme, overt racism when it’s manifested as the violent killing of unarmed black people, the more subtle forms of injustice that permeate our lives and shorten our lifespans have largely long gone unacknowledged. How do we go about combating the countless forms of discrimination and microagressions that people of color are confronted with on a daily basis?
We do it by speaking up, lobbying our political power and refusing to be silenced on issues that matter and by voting for candidates that are committed to taking the tactical actions necessary to tackle the issues that affect us. It’s this kind of strategic action that has changed the tone of the political conversation, compelling our democratic presidential candidates to confront the more covert forms of racism.
In nationally televised debates and on the campaign trail, Bernie Sanders has frequently spoken to the structural racism that plagues people of color socially, economically and politically. In addition to urging white people to recognize their privilege, Hillary Clinton has addressed the issue of systemic racism structured into institutions and organizations that discriminate against people of color and deprive them of equal rights. Semantics aside, the reality of unequal opportunity has become a politicized issue, at least within the democratic party.
Still, there are many who would ignore or deny the discrimination deeply embedded into the social, economic and political fiber of this country and the effect that it has on the lives of minorities. The following short film, commissioned in 2010 by the African American Policy Forum (AAPF), provides the perfect metaphorical depiction of the systemic racism that people of color face in this country on a daily basis and the tangible effects it has on our lives. It also serves as a visual reminder of why — to paraphrase Daddy Pope, we have to be twice as good to get half as far.
