Racial justice — or racial equity — goes beyond “anti-racism.” It is not just the absence of discrimination and inequities, but also the presence of deliberate systems and supports to achieve and sustain racial equity through proactive and preventative measures.
-National Education AssociationRacial injustices have been a serious problem for centuries, and as an ever-improving nation, it is part of our duty to improve this aspect of life as well. People of color face many injustices--from racist jokes and slurs to poor treatment in jobs and education. Every little bit of progress is a step in the right direction, and one of the best ways to make progress is to educate yourself on the issues that people of color face and how to help. Let's all work together to make the world a better, more inclusive place.
For me personally, I don't think I was aware of racial justice as an issue until I turned about 10. It was at that time that my father married my stepmother, a woman who had immigrated to the United States from the Philippines. After that, I got to see first hand how cruel people can be, and it only became worse when my younger brother-- a half-Filipino, half-American boy with autism-- was born. Since then, racial justice has meant a lot to me. I don't want to see my family or anyone else struggle to find a place in this world for something that is neither a problem nor something they can control.