Here, Kids Help Phone shares information about cultural and systemic racism. We also discuss how everyone can strengthen their cultural awareness to help reduce racism in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n
A person experiences racism when they\u2019re treated unfairly<\/a> because of their race (or perceived race), ethnicity and\/or culture. When one person directs their negative attitudes toward a person or group, we generally refer to it as individual racism. However, racism can also take shape in more subtle, unconscious and collective ways. Cultural and systemic forms of racism include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These things tend to represent and celebrate the values of a privileged group (e.g. white people, etc.) and negatively affect the safety and well-being of historically oppressed groups (e.g. Black folks, Indigenous peoples, People of Colour, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n People may experience racism and discrimination based on different aspects of who they are. These experiences may also lead to negative impacts on self-esteem, opportunities, relationships, quality of life and more.<\/p>\n\n\n Cultural and systemic racism are complex phenomena. They began in the history of colonialism, slavery and the domination of white people upon racialized groups. Privileged citizens in the dominant group took unearned power and defined the rules of society. As a result, people in the non-dominant groups were oppressed<\/a>, stigmatized and underrepresented. This system is still in place in our society today, where stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination continue to be a part of how our society is set up.<\/p>\n\n\n Cultural and systemic racism are everywhere. They can be tricky to recognize if you don\u2019t know what to look for, or don\u2019t experience them. And sometimes, the things people hear, say and\/or do can be hurtful to people \u2014 whether the person doing it realizes it or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To spot cultural and systemic racism, you can strengthen your cultural awareness. Cultural awareness is like a muscle you can train to learn about and recognize things you may not have noticed before. These things include the diverse perspectives and experiences everyone in the world has, which contribute to a more equitable society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some things you can try to strengthen your cultural awareness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \n
\n What are the origins of cultural and systemic racism?<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n How can I recognize cultural and systemic racism?<\/h2>\n\n\n
How can I strengthen my cultural awareness?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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