Day 8 Theme: Internalized Racism

As the levels of racism we learned about last week show, internalized racism is one way in which oppression plays out and is perpetuated and exacerbated. To learn more about internalized racism, consider the website linked below (Internalizations) and especially focus on the sections providing more detail about “internalized racial inferiority” and “internalized white superiority.”

We invite you to read the Salon piece (linked below) about how internalized racial superiority promotes entitlement and inhibits psychological and emotional development among White people.

Reflect & Respond:

As you read about the features, manifestations and consequences of internalized inferiority and internalized white superiority, what comes up for you? How does this connect with what you experience and/or observe in your work, studies and community? In what ways and to what extent do you feel you have internalized racism?

OR

Do you currently focus on healing from internalized racism in your work, studies or activities? If so, what does that look like? If not, how might you begin? What steps can you take to help shift consciousness and support transformation around the traumatizing impacts of racism?