Stand against hate crimes.

We were victims of a home burglary in 2018. By the attending officers’ own admission, we were singled out, “…targeted since you are from India.” Burglars had watched our house, learned our routines, and identified when we wouldn't be home. Officers admitted that our region, metro Atlanta was plagued with ethnically profiled burglaries for more than a decade, as was America. Their apathy and lack of urgency horrified us.

Happy Sunday, and welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily. Today, Nandita joins us to emphasize the importance of recognizing crimes as hate crimes when they happen, particularly against the South Asian community. The lack of correlation between crimes and their potential racial motivations contributes to the bias that allows this violence to persist.

We've recently launched a referral program where you can unlock some ARD products when you bring more of your community to the conversation. This work takes everyone, and we'd love your help in spreading the word. And thank you to everyone that has been doing this from day one! You can join here >

Thank you to everyone that makes this newsletter possible! Support our work by making a one-time contribution on our website or PayPal, or giving monthly on Patreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go to antiracismdaily.com. You can share this newsletter and unlock some fun rewards by signing up here. I'm grateful for each one of you that's with me on this journey.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Support victims’ mental health. Use resources in South Asian Mental Health Initiative & Network, Mental Health America, especially BIPOC resources for community-specific needs.
Engage with local branches of nonprofits like South Asians Americans Leading Together (SAALT: https://saalt.org/about/) and the Anti-Defamation League (www.adl.org) for safer and healthier communities.
Reflect: do what hate crimes look like to you? Increase your awareness and perception to protect communities of color. The Mental Health America’s Racial Trauma Resources can guide both the community and victims of racial trauma.

GET EDUCATED

By Nandita Godbole (she/her)

The Jury Expert explains a hate crime as one where a perpetrator may “choose” a victim based on recognizable characteristics (such as race or ethnicity) (The Jury Expert). Additionally, crimes, including burglaries, targeting ethnic minorities are considered hate crimes, a federal offense (Uniform Crime Reporting Program, FBI). Hate crimes carry a minimum sentence of ten years to life and a large fine. Instead, a burglary sentence is one to five years in a county jail or state prison, and a fine (criminaldefenselawyer.com.)

Local investigating authorities bear the sole onus of qualifying a hate crime, reporting to the FBI based on “criminal activity” and “indication of hatred” - eg. graffiti or destruction of religious spaces. Though the victims’ ethnicity likely motivated criminal intent, overlooking it reduces the burden of reporting. Incorrectly classified racially targeted burglaries mean burglars only face a short jail stint if convicted. This emboldens criminals, makes South Asian communities more vulnerable, discounts their trauma, and denies justice.

Home burglaries targeting people from South Asia are often meticulously planned, and not crimes of convenience. As one of two South Asians in our neighborhood, we were profiled and targeted. The other family was burgled some years prior in Florida. In addition to being burgled, our two prayer altars were rifled, prayer books thrown and trampled upon, religious artifacts stolen or destroyed. Yet, the burglary was never investigated as a hate crime.

In 2017, more cities saw more burglaries targeting Asians and South Asians. In 2018, Cobb County, Georgia, (Metro Atlanta) reported 47.6% of burglaries targeted Asians (Cobb County Courier) and are widespread across the U.S. (NBC News). Despite FBI laws, underreporting is often caused by cultural unfamiliarity, lack of sensitivity training, and unconscious bias (community event coverage). Victims are frequently shamed for their lifestyles, though local public records offer unhindered public access to information including homeowner identities (Freedom of Information Act). At a South Asian community event in Metro Atlanta in 2018, a Fulton County District Attorney (Georgia) publicly dismissed community concerns (Khabar Magazine), calling victims needlessly hysterical (Video of ‘Just Chai & Chat’ Event). Although he amended his statement later, this characterizes racial gaslighting and rampant complacency towards South Asian victims.

Underreporting Perpetuates The Problem

Until April 2020, Georgia and four other states in the US had no laws to protect victims of ethnically targeted crimes (Anti-Defamation League). Furthermore, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) quoted ProPublica’s report, that in 2017, 120 federal agencies had not complied with FBI mandates to submit hate crime data. In 2017, crime data missed crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, nearly 10% of America’s population (Urban Institute). Elsewhere, UI noted a 34% increase in crimes targeting South Asians, informing that local laws offer disproportionate victim support, reluctance in reporting, and lack of community support (Urban Institute). Despite the surge in hate crimes, in 2019, federal agents processed fewer cases than before (Voice of America).

In 2017, according to the FBI, burglary related losses exceeded 3.14 billion dollars, with 62% residential burglaries or 2 billion dollars of individual financial losses. That same year, London taxpayers lost upwards of 67 million dollars (BBC) in similar burglaries. Our own property damages exceeded $30,000, and property loss exceeded $25,000 in stolen family heirlooms and religious artifacts.

Victims experience financial losses, property damages, increased homeowners insurance, health insurance, and more security measures. But a South Asians’ trauma is compounded by the loss of irreplaceable family heirlooms, emotional trauma from victimization, gaslighting, and being denied justice. Since 2018, our family works every day to chip away at the racial trauma of a burglary motivated solely by our ethnicity. Victims like us carry long-lasting scars; ordinary events trigger ailments (SAALT) like anxiety, sleep or eating disorders, depression, PTSD, sometimes escalating into serious concerns. Psychological suffering significantly exacerbates mental health issues in teens and young adults. Their day-to-day struggles are a traumatizing reminder of being culturally different and excluded. More than 40% of crime victims experience depression, feel unsafe, lose confidence in community resources and law enforcement, and their family relationships suffer (Research Gate). One in eight victims never recovers from the trauma (CABA). Although resources may be available via the FBI and through the National Center for Victims of Crime – underreporting skews data and access to recovery.

The “whitewashing” of crimes targeting ethnic minorities and people of color perpetuate trauma. It also discounts racially targeted home burglaries as mere burglaries and not hate crimes. Communities must demand action. Hate crimes against people of color are more than the burden of the two words. Victims did not get to choose. Neither should authorities. And until we reckon with this harm, our work towards a more equitable future is not complete.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Hate crimes are calculated crimes, yet are frequently under-reported and inadequately investigated.
Understand the nuances of a hate-crime: when an individual is profiled for their ethnicity, and their person or property is willfully harmed to victimize them, it is a hate crime. It must be investigated and prosecuted as such.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.

Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza

Nicole Cardoza 11/21/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/21/20

Study Hall: Recognizing complicity and making investments.

Happy Saturday! Welcome to our weekly Study Hall. Each week I answer questions and share insights from each of you in our community. I hope this week's content illuminates more on the topics we unpacked this week.

If you subscribe to just the weekly digest, this is the only email you will receive (hi Saturday readers 👋🏾) You can click through to read all original pieces on the archives and get this recap, too. Change your email preferences by updating your profile information here.

As always, your support is greatly appreciated. You can give one-time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe for $7/mo on our Patreon. Thank you to everyone that shares, donates, and puts this content into action, and sends well-wishes.

Nicole

If this email was forwarded to you, welcome to the Anti-Racism Daily. You can subscribe on our website at antiracismdaily.com.

TAKE ACTION

1. Reflect on the questions prompted by our community.

2. Discuss with a friend: what did you uncover this week that you never heard of before? What power and privilege may have protected you from unpacking this concept? Or, which trauma(s) may have shielded you from learning more?

GET EDUCATED

We've published 170 newsletters on racism over the past 170 days. Here are the newsletters we published this week.

11/20/2020 | Honor Transgender Day of Remembrance.

11/19/2020 | Decolonize your reading habits.

11/18/2020 | Advocate for missing Black women.

11/17/2020 | Cancel student debt.

11/16/2020 | Understand your local law enforcement.

11/15/2020 | Learn the key terminology.

Read all previously published newsletters on our archives >

Q+A

Would you be in favor of canceling student loan debts incurred by a wealthy family whose student will be a high earning professional after graduating? I’m more in favor of canceling student loan debt for those who are struggling with repayment. If someone took hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans to get a high paying job, why should that be forgiven? We could help many people with smaller debts or bail out a few of the top 5%. Which would you choose?

From Cancel student debt, published 11/17/2020.

This is a common narrative when talking about this work and, quite frankly, a bit exhausting. Many people feel that equitable initiatives may support people that "don't deserve it as much." But we have to remember that solving an inequitable system isn't perfect. If some people gain that already have wealth, sure, it's not ideal. But pausing an initiative that could help thousands that could really need it, just because a few lucky others may benefit, is far worse. I think it's also important to note that Biden's proposed plan caps forgiveness for undergraduate tuition and people making up to $125,000. Learn more >

And that kind of zero-sum thinking is how we got here in the first place. Remember that, generally speaking, a privileged few almost always benefitted at the cost of many others. Applying the same logic with the players in different positions doesn't change the game. It just rearranges the pawns and protects the status quo in the process.

We need to change the game entirely – in this case, reimagining an inequitable education system. And that can start with (but certainly doesn't end with) eliminating debt for all people, regardless of where they're positioned on the board.

Lastly, I don't think anyone should be penalized for trying to become a high-earning professional. There are many reasons why someone would take hundreds of thousands of dollars to get a high-paying job: maybe because they will be the main breadwinner of their family. Or maybe their family sacrificed everything to bring them to this country to be successful. And maybe they did ALL of that and still found themselves out of a job because of COVID-19, or had to leave the profession because of an illness, or were wrongly terminated and can't find a job again. I went to school to study finance because I knew how much it meant for my family to go to college. I didn't end up working there, but does that make my debt unforgivable?

When you're thinking about issues like this, consider: what part of my decision-making process supports how we got here? How am I protecting an inequitable system? Am I looking for equality or equity? What is the difference between fairness and justice?

Q+A

I try buying from Black-owned bookstores, but they're not as fast, cheap, or reliable or Amazon. How do I find a Black-owned business that I can depend on?

From Decolonize your reading habits, published 11/19/2020.

Oftentimes, shopping at local businesses, small businesses etc, means unlearning the unrealistic expectations these big box businesses have created when it comes to commerce. Since when did we need everything delivered in less than 24 hours? Unlimited access to every product on the planet at our fingertips? Prices that are cheap only because they exploit the people that make it possible?

Doing this work sometimes means taking our comfort out of the equation. And if that means investing time to make a purchase, doing research, waiting longer, and paying more, then so be it. I know it may not be possible to do this for every purchase, but I think we can when we're talking about buying a book.

Also, the only way that a Black-owned business could compete with Amazon is if more people committed to buying there, especially when it's hard. If you want to see stronger locally-owned businesses, invest in them.

Q+A

What are your thoughts on bringing yoga to law enforcement and police?

I've grappled a lot with this as a yoga teacher, and was contacted by my local police department to offer yoga to officers (due to scheduling it never happened) because it's obviously not a be all, end all, measure.

But I'm struggling with the idea of whether this helps officers cope with and manage stress (thereby theoretically reducing the use of force), or whether it falls into the category of "more training" and thereby doesn't actually work to deconstruct the current system as it looks now.

I worry that this will become an acceptable "solution" to the issue of police brutality and excessive use of force, when in reality, it may do more harm than good?

From Understand your local law enforcement, published 11/16/2020.

I think that's a call you have to make for yourself. I think you're trying to decide which of your two points is the "right" one, but I think the real answer is both: you could both help officers reduce and manage stress and add "more training" that doesn't deconstruct the current system.

There's a lot of "boths" in this work when you're operating within a system and trying to dismantle it. I'm not the right person to tell you which to do, but I think it's important that we all recognize where we may be complicit, even as we do work we deem as necessary and productive.

Q+A

I read a LOT but find it difficult to travel with physical books for lack of space. Enter >> my Kindle. This year I've made it a point to buy books written by Black authors no matter the genre but I'm still buying from Amazon because that's what the Kindle is linked to. Are there other alternatives or recommendations for me? How can I avoid Amazon in this scenario or are the authors still benefiting from my purchase?

From Decolonize your reading habits, published 11/19/2020.

This is a match-making Q+A! I'm copying/pasting a helpful recommendation from another newsletter reader below as a response:

I just wanted to share a reading resource (at least for those living in the U.S); Libby and OverDrive are both free apps offered by the public library.

They are essentially digital libraries where you can check out audiobooks and ebooks straight to your phone/tablet, and all you need is a library card to access them. (perfect for social distancing—no human contact woo!)

Unfortunately, the selections are very limited, especially when it comes to diverse authors (at least in my county. The selections offered vary from county to county, as the apps link up directly with your local library branch)

But, you can recommend titles for your library to purchase that will become part of your library’s circulation. (Recommendations can be made both in physical libraries and on OverDrive, Libby doesn't have a place to make recommendations yet, but apparently, they are working towards making it a feature) And I figure, the more people who use these apps and make recommendations for more diverse books, the better access readers will have in the future.

You can find both apps on OverDrive.com. Also, in looking through OverDrive.com to make sure I had all my information straight, I found out that they also offer an app for public-school students that can be accessed with a student ID.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The federal government offered a series of treaties to Indigenous communities across the U.S., but broke nearly all of the agreements
The forceable removal of Native communities from their lands has stripped people of their culture and connection to their ancestors
Initiatives to return stolen lands aren't just reparations, but a clear way to disamantle white supremacy and center Indigenous communities in climate justice

11/15/2020 | Learn the key terminology.

10/21/2020 | Change racist sports team names.

10/12/2020 | Honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

7/5/2020 | Support the Navajo Nation through COVID-19.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/20/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/20/20

Honor Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual observance on November 20 that honors transgender people. The observance was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a Black transgender woman who was killed in 1998 (GLAAD). The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester's death, sparking an important tradition that especially resonates in 2020, when COVID-19, police brutality, and discrimination politically has all exacerbated the violence and oppression this community experiences. To this day, Rita Hester’s murder hasn’t been solved. Read more in NBC News.

Happy Friday! Welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily. Today we're honoring Transgender Day of Remembrance, and hope you are too. Learn about the historical significance of this date, more information on those murdered and missing, and commit to taking daily action to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Tomorrow is Study Hall, our weekly newsletter where – instead of introducing a new topic – I answer questions and share insights from the community. Reply to this email with any thoughts.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, a daily newsletter with tangible ways to dismantle racism and white supremacy. Support our work by making a one-time contribution on ourwebsiteorPayPal, or giving monthly onPatreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go toantiracismdaily.com.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

If you are employed, learn how your company specifically stands for transgender rights, both within your company itself and in relationship to the broader community.
Share your pronouns everywhere you can to normalize using the right pronouns. This includes your email signature and your Zoom name when joining virtual calls. Learn more >
Do research to support organizations centering trans people in your community, like Black Trans Travel Fund in NY/NJ, Brave Space Alliance in Chicago, and Solutions Not Punishment Co. in Atlanta.
If you identify as cisgender, consider: what privilege(s) does that come with? How does that influence my worldview? What can I actively do with my power and privilege to dismantle the norms?

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

"
Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people -- sometimes in the most brutal ways possible -- it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice.
Gwendolyn Ann Smith, founder of Transgender Day of Remembrance, via GLAAD.

In NCTE’s U.S. Transgender Survey, which included more than 28,000 respondents, nearly half (47%) of all Black respondents and 30% of all Latino respondents reported being denied equal treatment, verbally harassed, and/or physically attacked in the previous year because of being transgender. Nearly one in ten (9%) were physically attacked in the past year because of being transgender. Transgender women of color were more likely to be physically attacked in the previous year because of being transgender, compared to non-binary people of color and transgender men of color (Trans Equality).

And these attacks are often perpetrated or tolerated by law enforcement, emphasizing the need to reimagine our notion of safety in the U.S. Nearly 57% of all respondents said they were afraid to go to the police when they needed help. And 58% of transgender people who interacted with law enforcement reported experiences of harassment, abuse, or other mistreatment. More than 60% reported being physically assaulted, and 64% reporting being sexually assaulted. We discussed police violence against the Trans community in a previous newsletter >

Because of the deep distrust in law enforcement, paired with frequent misreporting and unreporting by local law enforcement, it’s incredibly difficult to discern how many transgender or gender non-conforming people are murdered in the U.S. The racial and gender bias in missing persons cases also exists in the LGBTQ community. According to Kylar Broadus, executive director of the Trans People of Color Coalition, a non-profit social justice organization, “A white trans* person is far more likely to get press than a trans* person of color” (The Missing). He explains that transgender people of color experience the most pervasive forms of discrimination because they are both people of color and identify as transgender.

"
Transgender people – and particularly Black and Latina transgender women – are marginalized, stigmatized and criminalized in our country. They face violence every day, and they fear turning to the police for help.

Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality

Nevertheless, reported cases are higher than ever before. The HRC has a list of 37 individuals in the U.S., and Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide has names of 350 individuals from all around the world (The Trans Murder Monitoring Report). This is a national and global issue; the stigma and bias against transgender people cause violence worldwide. It is still illegal to be transgender in 14 countries (them).

Honoring Transgender Day of Remembrance, of course, isn’t the only way to support the transgender community. We must do more to dismantle our own biases and advocate for this community’s safety and security. In the U.S., a significant focus will be on the political landscape; Trump’s administration persistently attacked the rights of LGBTQ+ people, and although many were challenged in court, those efforts made a lasting adverse impact, both politically and socially (The Guardian). We need to keep issues related to LGBTQ+ people – housing, employment, education, healthcare – centered when we show up in future elections and stand adamant that the Biden administration holds up to its promises.

It’s also one of many reasons to acknowledge, honor, and uplift the contributions of the transgender community in our everyday lives that we – particularly those of us that benefit from the gender binary – take for granted. Recognize how the transgender community shapes our history, politics and culture. Listen to transgender advocates, particularly the youth, on how to support the future they envision. And, as we discussed in yesterday’s newsletter, diversify the books you read and the media you consume. Remember to center the transgender community every day, not just today.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of transgender people.
Transgender people, particularly those of color, disproportionately experience violence – including police brutality.
Beyond honoring today, it's critical to center the needs of the transgender and gender non conforming community in all of your efforts.

RELATED ISSUES

6/13/2020 | Center Black trans lives.

9/25/2020 | Decriminalize sex work.

8/26/2020 | Be an active bystander.

9/17/2020 | Abolish ICE.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/19/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/19/20

Decolonize your reading habits.

Until recently, I worked for a public library. Part of my department’s job was recommending books to patrons who wanted suggestions of what to read next. Unfortunately, our staff often only recommended books by writers of color if the patron asked for it specifically— if they asked for books about racism or for Black History Month or about “the immigrant experience.”

It's Thursday! Welcome back to the ARD. As we enter the holiday season and plan to spend more time indoors, book sales spike. If you're looking to gift yourself or a loved one with a new book, make it a new tale from a diverse writer. Today, Jami explains the significance of broadening your reading habits and pitfalls of the publishing industry.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, a daily newsletter with tangible ways to dismantle racism and white supremacy. Support our work by making a one-time contribution on our website or PayPal, or giving monthly onPatreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go to antiracismdaily.com.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Browse through your bookshelves or think about the books you’ve read this year.
Reflect: How many books are by people of color? By Black writers? Are all those books only focused on trauma or pain? Are all the books you read for fun or pleasure all by white writers?
Ensure that your anti-racism reading translates off the page. After you read a book, ask yourself: what actions or steps are you taking in response?
Divest from Amazon. Buy from Black-owned bookstores.

GET EDUCATED

By Jami Nakamura Lin (she/her)

But people didn’t ask those questions very often. They asked for thrillers. For books like Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. For a book with a good love story. And in those cases, our staff would often suggest white author after white author.

My experience at the library is mirrored in our reading habits across the nation. In the wake of George Floyd, people talked a lot about how anti-racist reading was on the rise, and pointed to the number of Black authors on the bestsellers’ lists (NYTimes). But with one or two notable exceptions, those authors were writing nonfiction explicitly about racism. Meanwhile, the lists were full of white writers writing about everything (Publisher’s Weekly).

Unfortunately, we have a tendency to read Black authors or authors of color only when they write about very specific topics—and it’s a problem deeply entrenched in publishing. “In the industry, stories about police brutality, the struggle, poverty, etc. have been dubbed “issue” books, and it’s a not-so-secret secret that if your book doesn’t fall into this category, it won’t get any real push or marketing,” says L.L. McKinney, author of the fantasy series The Nightmare-Verse (Tor.com). The industry, she explains, focuses predominantly on Black pain.

The results of such pigeonholing are far-reaching. Often, these are the only books about Black people assigned in school— an example of how curriculum can unintentionally result in racial trauma (Teaching Tolerance). Meanwhile, McKinney argues that “there’s the exploitative aspect of non-Black readers taking in this story and somehow feeling they’ve accomplished something. They’ve managed activism by bearing witness to the events of the book, but then don’t follow up with seeking change in the real world. Reading then becomes performative” (Tor.com).

This happens against the backdrop of a publishing industry with a huge diversity problem across the board. Editors are 85% white, sales representatives are 81% white, agents are 80% white, book reviewers are 80% white (Lee & Low). (Interns, however, are only 51% white, a statistic that comforts me not at all.) The viral Twitter campaign #publishingpaidme (started by McKinney and YA author Tochi Onyebuchi) exposed the enormous pay discrepancies between Black writers and non-Black writers (Buzzfeed News). Black writers like N.K. Jemisin, whose amazing Broken Earth trilogy won basically every fantasy and sci-fi award, was paid an $25,000 advance for her book; Roxane Gay got a $15,000 advance for Bad Feminist (NPR). Meanwhile, white authors with less experience in the same genre were pulling in six-figure advances.

So it’s not that reading books about “issues” is problematic. It’s problematic when those are the only books by Black authors (or authors of color) you read. It’s problematic when you turn to writers of color when you want to be educated, but white writers the rest of the time. Instead, we should also be reaching for authors of color when we want a lighthearted, fluffy book. When we want to read something to decompress from our months of election anxiety. When we want to travel to a different world. We shouldn’t have our “race/racism bookshelf”, crammed with writers of color, and have every other shelf filled with white writers.

It can be hard to know where to start—especially when major publications and newspapers don’t make much space for these kinds of books. Luckily, the Internet is chock-full of so many reviewers and book bloggers of color who have collected so many resources for all sorts of genres. Lists like 8 Great Books Celebrating Black Joy by Enobong Essien, 5 Indigenous Speculative Fiction Authors You Should Be Reading by Rebecca Roanhorse, and The Asian Detective Novel: From Racist Caricature to Authentic Representation by Pooja Makhijani show that there’s no excuse for ignorance. (For parents [and other people who love reading YA or kidlit] check out the organization We Need Diverse Books and their wonderful Instagram.)

And when you choose to buy, purchase from Black-owned, Indigenous-owned, or other POC-owned bookstores, many of which have been hit hard by COVID. Most importantly: don’t buy from Amazon. I know, I know—I too have been seduced by their low, low prices, especially when compared to an indie bookstore. But I’m trying to remember that the $5 or $6 dollars I save buying at Amazon is possible because of their exploitative, unethical practices (which we covered in a previous newsletter). The company can offer cheaper books because “they are cutting other costs: taxes, publisher payments, author payments, and safe-labor practices” (Social Justice Books). (For more on Amazon pricing and problems, check out The Nation.)

We need to imagine a different future. Books can point us there—but only if what we’re reading also helps us imagine and understand a world full of the fullness of Black lives, of the joy in Indigenous community, in the mundane and the silly and the vastness of experience of people of color. It’s important to educate ourselves about the painful reality of racism, but we can’t stop at trauma. Instead, we need to incorporate books by writers of color into all of our reading, and ensure that what we read translates into our actions.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

he publishing industry promotes books about Black pain and trauma more than books by Black writers in other topics or in other genres, like fantasy and romance (Tor.com).
It’s important for us to read books by Black writers and writers of color not only when we want to read about racism or want to be educated, but also for leisure—mysteries, romance, thrillers, literary fiction, etc.
The publishing industry is predominantly white. Editors are 85% white, sales representatives are 81% white, agents are 80% white, and book reviewers are 80% white (Lee & Low).

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/18/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/18/20

Advocate for missing Black women.

The following is an excerpt from Janelle Harris Dixon's article "When a Black Woman Disappears, Who Is Trying to Find Her?" published on ZORA, a Medium publication centering stories of women of color. Visit ZORA to read the full article >

Research indicates that cases involving African Americans remain open and unresolved four times longer than cases involving White and Hispanic people. So missing Black women, like Unique, are twice victimized: once by the crime that ripped them from their lives in the first place, and again by ineffective law enforcement processes and a media largely indifferent about their disappearances. It’s what journalist Gwen Ifill identified as the “missing White woman syndrome,” an indictment of the press’ coverage of stories that only check the standard boxes for public interest and sympathy (see: Natalee Holloway and Chandra Levy).

Happy Wednesday and welcome back. Our next series of storytelling will focus on people of color that go missing. Hundreds of thousands of people of color are reported missing each year, and COVID-19 can make those most vulnerable even more so. Today, Janelle shares her powerful essay on the estimated 64,000 Black women gone missing.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, a daily newsletter with tangible ways to dismantle racism and white supremacy. Support our work by making a one-time contribution on our website or PayPal, or giving monthly on Patreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go to antiracismdaily.com.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Find the information for the missing persons department in your city. Visit it regularly so you can be more helpful in finding them.
Support the work of the Black & Missing Foundation, which aims to bring awareness to missing people of color
Share stories of missing persons that are local to you to raise awareness

GET EDUCATED

By Janelle Harris Dixon (she/her)

The following is an excerpt from Janelle Harris Dixon's article "When a Black Woman Disappears, Who Is Trying to Find Her?" published on ZORA, a Medium publication centering stories of women of color. Visit ZORA to read the full article >

That puts a premium on social media as the go-to resource to put the Black community on alert about a case, says Natalie Wilson, co-founder and chief operating officer of the Black and Missing Foundation, a national nonprofit that advocates for missing persons and supports their families.

“Many times when our women go missing, they’re believed to be involved in some type of criminal activity and that’s not true,” she explains, referring to the case of Anthony Sowell who, in 2011, was convicted of murdering 11 women — all of them Black — and hiding their bodies in and around his Cleveland, Ohio, home. “I remember family members contacting us saying, ‘Hey, we reached out to law enforcement and they didn’t take us seriously. They said that our loved one is on drugs and the drugs will wear off, or they’re involved in some type of promiscuous behavior.’ Basically, blowing them off,” Wilson said. “So we have to be vigilant about these cases. We have to take them seriously.”

Last year, more than 205,000 Black Americans were reported missing, according to the National Crime Information Center, and Black women, who make up less than 7% of the U.S. population, comprised nearly 10% of that number. A 2019 report compiled by the Congressional Research Service reveals that African Americans are overrepresented in the number of missing persons cases compared to the population as a whole. The FBI estimates that some 64,000 Black women and girls are currently missing. The urgency to understand what’s happening to so many sisters is obvious when it’s laid out in numbers.

Toni Jacobs sensed something was wrong on September 26, 2016, when her then 21-year-old daughter, Keeshae, hadn’t called or texted by her lunch break. They were close — Keeshae even has a tattoo of her mama’s name on her shoulder — and daily communication has been part of their routine. By the time Jacobs got home from work, nearly 16 hours since she’d last spoken to her child, she was in a full-blown worry. By 1 a.m., she was knocking on the doors of friends’ homes where she thought Keeshae could possibly be. But when Jacobs went to police in Richmond, Virginia, to complete the fearful task of filing a missing person report, she says officers didn’t match her concern.

“The first thing they said was, ‘How do you know she’s missing? She just could just not want to be found.’ I literally had to show the police officer my phone like, this girl texts me every day, all day, and I haven’t heard from her,” Jacobs said. “If that was the case, she could’ve said, ‘Hey Mom, look I’m going to so and so. I’m chilling. I’ll contact you.’ But that’s not what happened. Her last message said, ‘Mom, I’ll see you in the morning.’ And morning came and I ain’t seen my daughter.’” Even following her explanation, Jacobs says Richmond police didn’t start investigating until a week later.

Then in January 2017, just three and a half months after Keeshae vanished, Jacobs’ 25-year-old son, Deavon, was shot to death. Headlines read “Missing woman’s brother murdered at Richmond motel.” Finally, the public was paying attention to Keeshae’s case. It took the killing of her only sibling and her mother’s only son to elevate media interest and investigative action.

“Trust and believe, if she was a White girl, they would’ve been on it within the first 24 hours. When it’s women with children and husbands, they’ll be on the news. I literally had to fight to get Keeshae on the news,” said Jacobs. “People have this misconception when somebody goes missing that they ran away, they had problems at home, they probably was abused. My daughter was not abused. She didn’t run away. She held my hand and hugged me before she walked out my door.”

It just takes one regular, everyday Samaritan to come forward with the information or tip that can help find a missing person.

In December 2018, as one of his last presidential moves of the year, Trump signed the Ashanti Alert Act into federal law. The new nationwide system dispatches notifications about missing people between the ages of 18 and 64 — too old for an Amber Alert, designed to make the public aware of child abductions, and too young for a Silver Alert, which similarly dispenses information about missing seniors. It is the legislative namesake of Ashanti Billie, a young, Black woman and aspiring chef who moved from Maryland to Virginia Beach to study culinary arts. On September 3, 2017, Ashanti was kidnapped on her way to work. Because she was 19, no be-on-the-lookout alerts went out about her abduction. Then 11 days later, her body was discovered near a church in Charlotte. Her parents, Meltony and Brandy Billie, and lawmakers pushed the act to help expedite searches for missing and endangered adults so Ashanti’s senseless death could save another life.

For years, Harris and Jacobs have been a mutual support for each other, part of a sorority of nightmarish circumstances they never wanted to be initiated into, each carrying a daily anguish that is raw and unrelenting, each vigilant in her belief that her child is alive until there is a body to prove her wrong. Unique and Keeshae have lives waiting for them to rejoin. In December, Unique’s oldest son will be 16 years old; her youngest is now 14. She has a nephew she hasn’t met yet, born a few years after she disappeared, and she had just been accepted to an academic program. Keeshae is a hard worker and would be excelling at whatever job she’s doing. Her mother just bought a home and jokes that Keeshae would be there every weekend, centering herself in the tight-knit family she loves and loves her back.

Even when the media is indifferent and law enforcement is underperforming or uncommunicative or both, it just takes one regular, everyday Samaritan to come forward with the information or tip that can help find a missing person or provide closure for their loved ones, says Wilson.

“
We ask families to just hold onto hope. Whether it’s the first day or an anniversary, if you have new information about an individual, share it. They are mothers and fathers, they are sisters and brothers and grandparents and cousins and nieces and aunts and uncles. They’re not faceless. They’re important to their community.”

Janelle Harris Dixon is a Washington, DC-based writer and editor covering race, gender, culture and class. Read more of her work on Medium and her website.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Cases involving African Americans remain open and unresolved four times longer than cases involving White and Hispanic people.
The FBI estimates that some 64,000 Black women and girls are currently missing.
Missing Black women are twice victimized: once by the crime that ripped them from their lives in the first place, and again by ineffective law enforcement processes and an indifferent media.

RELATED ISSUES

9/11/2020 | Protect Black women.

6/13/2020 | Center Black trans lives.

8/26/2020 | Be an active bystander.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/17/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/17/20

Cancel student debt.

Conversations on student loan forgiveness sparked again Monday when President-elect Joe Biden mentioned he has plans to cancel student debt when he takes office (NYTimes). During a Q&A post-speech, Biden acknowledged how many people struggle with student loans’ burden but didn’t give specifics on his political agenda. Hopeful citizens are referencing an interview where Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, stated that Biden could cancel $50,000 in student loan debt in his first 100 days (The Ink).

This topic hits home for me, as I just paid off the last of my student loans after struggling with defaults and delinquencies. It’s heartbreaking to feel policed for trying to get a good education, but that’s part of the system we live in. Today we’re looking at the opportunities that cancel student debt can have on the immediate future and generations to come.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, a daily newsletter with tangible ways to dismantle racism and white supremacy. You can support our work by making a one-time contribution on ourwebsiteorPayPal, or giving monthly onPatreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go to antiracismdaily.com.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Tell Congress to cancel student debt and stimulate the economy.
Donate to the #BuyBackBlackDebt initiative, a way to help Black people pay off debt, started by Sonya Renee Taylor.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

Although there’s likely a lot of stipulations on the exact number and no promises, it’s no surprise that many people are excited. There’s a record number of 45 million borrowers who collectively owe nearly $1.6 trillion in student loan debt in the U.S. (Forbes). Before COVID-19, one in five federal student loan accounts were in default (Pew Trust). And although many student loan accounts are in forbearance until December 31, there’s no indication that an extension will be granted by the current administration (Washington Post).

And the burden of student debt isn’t equally distributed. Student loans weigh more heavily, on average, on communities of color. According to a 2016 analysis, over 90% of African American and 72% of Latino students take out loans to attend college compared to 66% of white students. Asian-American students who need to borrow more than $30,000 may be more likely to rely on private student loans that offer fewer consumer protections for borrowers (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). Payback is also an issue: borrowers that identify as white pay down almost 95% of their loans 20 years after starting college. But their Black peers will still owe 95% of their original balance after the same period. Within six years of beginning college, one-third of all Black or African American borrowers who had entered repayment defaulted on their loans, compared to just 13 percent of their white peers (American Progress).

Under-regulated loan servicing makes it more difficult for anyone to pay back student loans, making it easier for people to fall into debt than a basic credit card or mortgage (CNBC). But we can’t blame this disparity on student loans alone. Like many that we cover in our newsletter, this issue is exacerbated by the myriad of systemic inequities that impact communities of color: the wealth gap between white and non-white communities, employment discrimination, and the challenges students of color face to receive scholarships. We also have to account that tuition costs are steadily rising, outpacing the average family income (CNBC).

And consequently, student loans also contribute to the same inequities, fueling a never-ending cycle. About 13%- 23% of the wealth gap between Black and white Americans is attributed to student loan debt. Because white people with student loan debt can statistically pay it off more quickly, they can start saving and spending while communities of color are still paying down debt (EdTrust). Plus, defaulting on a student loan payment can ruin credit scores and make future financial decisions more difficult, only exacerbating the difference.

I don’t want to speculate for everyone how their lives would be different if they didn’t have student loans. But for me, it would’ve been transformative. I paid $800 – $1000/mo to pay down student loan debt and defaulted multiple times while juggling several jobs and a meager salary after college. It prevented me from getting an apartment and often forced me to overdraft my bank account to keep up. Until I paid them off, I couldn’t fathom having my own space or even considering having children of my own. And I felt the constant shame of not making enough or doing enough to pay it down. While also feeling so grateful and lucky to be the first kid in my family to graduate with a degree. Now that I don’t have that burden, I feel like I can actually invest – financially and emotionally – into the future I want.

And there’s a similar sentiment among other people, and economists, too. Many believe it can boost our GPD, rally the housing market, and bolster entrepreneurship (NPR). Others center student loan debt as a reproductive rights issue, noting that more people would feel more empowered to start families without this looming debt. Of course, there’s also challenges, too – who will pay for this broad deficit, and how could it impact taxes in the future (NPR). But amid a global pandemic and a grim economic forecast, others believe this could be the infusion of capital our country needs.

You could argue that if I had waited (instead of reshuffling my debt payments because of COVID-19 so I could drive down this debt), my student loans could have been forgiven next year. But I don’t regret paying them off for a single second. I think I breathe easier each moment. And that is a gift I’d grant to anyone and everyone I can, as soon as possible, without an ounce of hesitation.

Canceling student debt needs to be the start of a broader conversation – on reforming higher education, creating more tuition-free public colleges, and disrupting the notion that college is the only path to success. But it’s a start, one that can be implemented quickly, make an immediate economic impact, and reverberate for generations to come.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Student loan is disproportionately impacting communities of color
Not only does systemic racism cause differences in student loan debt burdens, it contributes to the same issues
Canceling student debt offers more than financial ease, but a way to boost the economy in the short and long term

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/16/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/16/20

Understand your local law enforcement.

As we mentioned back in June, the term “defund the police” became a critical part of this election season. Moderate Democrats argue that it discouraged people from supporting candidates (Time). Progressive Democrats disagree, noting that efforts to change policing were passed in several states (Vox). While reading these conversations, remember that this work needs to persevere far beyond the phrase’s sentiment. Here’s an updated FAQ on the work at hand.

Happy Monday and welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily! Right now, Democrats are debating how the phrase "defund the police" played out at the polls this month. Today, we're revisiting what defund the police means and how you can take action. Unlike before when we centered takeaways around the national discourse, today we're encouraging you to unpack how it affects your community locally.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, a daily newsletter with tangible ways to dismantle racism and white supremacy. You can support our work by making a one-time contribution on our website or PayPal, or giving monthly on Patreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go to antiracismdaily.com.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Learn the talking points on defunding the police offered by the Movement for Black Lives to host conversations in your community.
Attend your next city council meeting to learn how they invest in local law enforcement (many are hosting virtually). You may also find transcripts or archives of previous meetings online.
Use this toolkit created by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights to effectively advocate for divestment.
Tell your Congressperson to support the BREATHE Act, which advocates for divestment in order to reimagine public safety.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

What does “defund the police” even mean?

The rally to defund the police is a call-to-action for communities to change the law enforcement by re-allocating funding spent on police departments to other necessary infrastructure, including violence prevention programs, public housing, health care, mental health care, and education. These efforts challenge longstanding notions that directly correlate police to safety, one that has been proven ineffective for protecting non-white people, particularly Black and queer people in the U.S. (Neighborhood Funders Group).

"
It’s not just about taking away money from the police, it’s about reinvesting those dollars into Black communities. Communities that have been deeply divested from, communities that, some have never felt the impact of having true resources. And so we have to reconsider what we’re resourcing. I've been saying we have an economy of punishment over an economy of care.

― Patrisse Cullors in a conversation on WBUR Here & Now

This terminology was created by abolitionist doing the work. It was not created to be a rallying cry for any political party during an election. The current debate about whether the term was “friendly” enough misses a key point – that the Democratic party was not prepared to take a solid stance on this issue; powerful community organizers have carried this conversation into the spotlight.

What does “abolish the police” mean?

This is a more long-term and radical call for not just divesting from law enforcement but completing re-imagining the entire criminal justice system. For some, defunding the police is a start to transforming the system as a whole (NYTimes).

What is the difference between abolition and reform?

Generally, “reformists” believe that the current system can be changed if there’s more effort in changing it. When it comes to police reform vs. abolition, reformists often argue for more investment into law enforcement to create further accountability, like training, body cameras, etc. You can view a chart of the key differences between the two stances here (Critical Resistance).

Does defunding the police mean getting rid of police officers entirely?

No. Defunding the police means "shrinking the scope of police responsibilities and shifting most of what government does to keep us safe to entities that are better equipped to meet that need,” says Christy E. Lopez, a Georgetown Law professor and co-director of the school’s Innovative Policing Program (Washington Post).

MPD150, a Minneapolis-based initiative by organizers aiming to bring "meaningful structural change" to police in the city, focuses on who responds when someone calls 911. Instead of sending a police officer, they're advocating that we could send social workers, mental health care providers, and victim/survivor advocates, among others.

By doing so, we can decrease the burden placed on police officers, who are currently tasked to respond to a wide range of requests from their community (USA Today).

But not all police are bad! Why change everything over bad apples?

Yes, not every police officer is racist. Not all police officers kill Black people. But this is not the argument. This isn't a conversation about bad apples, but a poisoned orchard. Remember that the police system has systemically hurt Black communities throughout time because it's built on a system of racism and white supremacy. Consider:

1 in every 1,000 black men can expect to be killed by police (PNAS)
The Minneapolis police use force against Black people at 7x the rate of white people (NYTimes)
Policing in southern slave-holding states had roots in slave patrols – groups of white volunteers empowered to use vigilante tactics to enforce laws related to slavery (The Conversation)

The "bad apples" argument is an incredibly harmful refrain. It doesn’t just prevent conversations from moving forward. It protects white supremacy and systemic oppression and completely discredits the pain, suffering, and grief these "bad apples" have caused to individual families and entire communities impacted by their actions.

But won't there be more crime if there's less law enforcement?

Unlikely. Many citizens are concerned that a decrease in law enforcement will increase crime. But by investing in other systems of support, advocates of defunding the police find this unlikely. Also, studies have shown that more police doesn't equal less crime (USA Today). Some police chiefs, including Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham in DC, have warned that decreasing police budgets can create inadequate training resources, which can increase bad policing (read more at DCist). But by re-investing appropriately, this isn’t likely.

How can I help?

The most critical way to move this work forward is to see beyond public perception. Get to know the local community organizers that are pushing for this work in your community. Review conversations your city council has had on this topic. And move past how people feel about “defund the police” generally to how it impacts your community specifically: your local schools, sidewalks, and city centers. It may mean analyzing how your privilege defines your relationship with law enforcement and how your experience differs from those around you. This work is not easeful or comfortable but necessary for creating a more equitable future.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Defunding the police allows communities to re-invest in other forms of community support
The police system is inherently inequitable, and deeply rooted in racism and white supremacy
It's important to take this work into your local community, while supporting the community organizers fighting for change

9/3/2020 | Support mental health response services.

8/24/2020 | Demand justice for Jacob Blake.

7/15/2020 | End racial bias in school discipline.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/15/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/15/20

Learn the key terminology.

If you’re active in social justice work (or have just been on the internet in the last 20 years), you’ve probably seen some of the terms, acronyms, and phrases used to describe ethnic and racial minorities in the US. You’ve probably used them too. Language has never been known to sit still, and so as our culture changes, the words change with it. More often than not, people are trying to hurry up and find the new “right” inoffensive words and move on without taking the time to learn the significance behind each term or, more importantly, learning when to use it (Vox).

Happy Sunday and welcome back. Thanks for being such an engaged, committed group of readers. Today, Charlie walks us through the terminology and definitions you read frequently in anti-racism work; terms that we use often in our newsletters! We're expanding key concepts we've discussed here into a glossary over the next few weeks, and these will be included. As you read, remember: definitions and how people relate to them are two different things. There is never just one answer or one perception, and how we each choose to identify ourselves is the correct answer, regardless of what the masses say. We must read, listen, and do our best to treat each other with kindness and respect.

TAKE ACTION

Avoid using groupings like BIPOC if referring to specific ethnic or racial groups: If you mean Black, say Black.
Read this Vox comic by illustrator/writer Richard Blas for a visual explanation of the debates behind Latino/x/e.

GET EDUCATED

By Charlie Lahud-Zahner (he/him)

Recently, discussions about naming and the effectiveness of POC and BIPOC have been evolving (NPR). So, with this in mind, now is as good a time as ever to explore and learn the histories, meanings, and debates of the cultural vernacular.

POC

Today POC (person of color) can be a useful term because, unlike “non-white,” it defines Brown, Black, Indigenous, and Asian people as what they are, not what they aren’t (NPR). The term POC was initially developed by people of color themselves: Loretta Ross traces the term “women of color” to the 1977 National Women’s Conference in Houston when the phrase was used as a symbol of solidarity between different minority groups at the conference (Western States Center).

But some linguists and activists today worry that the original meaning has lost its teeth, now that POC is the fallback catchall word used by white people trying to be “not racist” (Vox). Many have also criticized how generally the term is used, as “person of color” fails to account that a Black woman’s experienced reality may be wholly different from that of an Asian or Latina woman (LA Times).

Some Americans remain confused by the differences between “of color” and “colored” and make the mistake of using them interchangeably (Chicago Tribune). The definition of “colored” has changed over time (NPR), but the predominant connotation of the word is a racial pejorative used toward Black Americans in the mid-20th century (PBS).

BIPOC

First mentioned on Twitter in 2013, the term BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) highlights the words “Black” and “Indigenous” in an attempt to acknowledge differences between Black and Indigenous people versus other people of color. Recognizing Indigenous identities as distinct reminds us that Indigenous Americans are not ethnic minorities or immigrants, they are this land’s original inhabitants (AICL). However, the term BIPOC still runs the risk of Black erasure, particularly in discussions of police violence (NY Times). Black Americans, especially Black men, are more likely to be killed by police than any other racial group, and more than twice as likely as white Americans (Washington Post). Hispanic children may be three times more likely than white children to have a parent in prison, but Black children are nine times as likely; Black women make up only 13% of the female US population, yet account for 30% of all females incarcerated (The Sentencing Project).To refer to Breonna Taylor and George Floyd as BIPOC glosses over the reality that the adversity Black Americans face is unique from any other racial group. Don’t use BIPOC if you mean Black or if you mean Indigenous; use BIPOC if you mean to include every identity in the acronym.

Latinx and Hispanic

The differences between Latinx and Hispanic can be really technical (NAS). But, for simplicity’s sake, the primary thing to know is that Hispanic more or less refers to descendants of Spanish speaking populations, while Latinx folk more or less refers to descendants of people from Latin America (ThoughtCo). However, for some individuals, identifying either as Latinx or Hispanic can be a matter of preference (Pew Research). Many have deferred to the term Latinx, as it distances itself from the colonial history of Spain in Latin America (Dictionary.com). (Side note: Neither Hispanic nor Latinx are racial categories – Latinx/Hispanic people can belong to any race.)

Latino, Latinx, Latine

Because Spanish is a gendered language, plural nouns that refer to groups including at least one male use the -o suffix. But critics have pointed to the -o in Latino and the rule of deferring to male pronouns as examples of embedded sexism in the Spanish language (Latina.com). Instead, they proposed the term Latinx, a way to acknowledge genders beyond the binary with the handy gender-neutral -x ending.

Opponents of this new word (which has been popularly used since around 2015 (Mother Jones) and was added to Webster’s Dictionary in 2018) claim that the term is an example of “linguistic imperialism” (The Phoenix): an instance of English speakers in the United States imposing norms on Latin America. Now, Latine is the latest alternative introduced to the modern lexicon. Much like Latinx, Latine is a gender-neutral alternative, but has been adopted by some because the ending -e, unlike -x, occurs more naturally after a consonant in Spanish. The word is also a lot easier to say (mitú).

Chicano/x

In the early 20th century, it was not uncommon for Mexican-Americans to want to be categorized as white to gain civil rights and respectability (NCBI). This choice was (and still is) less about skin color and other racial characteristics but economic status and perception of social inequalities (Pew Research). For this reason, the Chicano Movement in the 1960s was distinctive; it celebrated a Mexican-American identity rooted in social activism and celebrated Indigenous and African heritage as opposed to white European descendants (History.com).

With all this being said, identity can get complicated. Despite sharing genetic material, the last name, and a similar melanin count, my dad and I identify differently. He considers himself more Hispanic than Latino(let alone Latinx/e) and would emphasize his regional identity (Veracruz) above his racial/ethnic identity. Alternatively, I prefer Latinx/e to Hispanic to try and commit to gender-neutral language and as a way to show a preference for Mexico’s Indigenous identity. I feel comfortable with BIPOC as a term of community, but if you asked Ricardo Lahud-Zahner about that word, he’d say, “What?”

Our differences exemplify how what we call ourselves is both a sensitive and powerful topic. So when trying to decide what to write or say, use the terms the person uses to self-identify. When in doubt, err on the side of specificity (APA). It might seem like a small thing, but just like learning gender pronouns (or even someone’s name), it’s worth it for us to understand these terms--and to learn what someone wants to be called.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

POC stands for “Person of Color.” BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, People of Color.
When used indiscriminately, acronyms like BIPOC and POC can ignore differences between Black, Indigenous, and other people of color.
There is not always a default “right” word when referring to ethnic/racial groups. Take the time to use the most appropriate term for the situation. Defer how a person self-identifies, and be specific.

RELATED ISSUES

9/18/2020 | Reject racial gaslighting.

8/28/2020 | Start seeing color.

7/14/2020 | Embrace your race privilege.

7/9/2020 | Acknowledge the harm of microaggressions.

7/7/2020 | Honor the biracial / multiracial experience.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/13/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/13/20

Use emoji respectfully.

Last week, the latest software update on iOS included over 100 new emoji, many of which aimed to make this form of digital communication more inclusive. The collection includes a slew of gender-inclusive symbols, like a male emoji holding babies, the Transgender Pride Flag, and genderfluid wedding emoji (Mashable). It also has a range of "disability-themed" emojis, including a new guide dog, an ear with a hearing aid, wheelchairs, a prosthetic arm, and a prosthetic leg. And, it allows users more options to apply skin color, particularly in emoji that show two or more people and the holding hands emoji 🤝 (Paper Magazine).

Happy Friday! If I could, I’d communicate online only using emoji. It’s short, simple, and to the point. I write about 6,000 words each week, so I could use the break. Besides, all this year, I’ve felt like 🥴– my most frequently used emoji at the moment. That’s much shorter than “overwhelmed, angry, frustrated, happy, exhausted, and kinda hungry?”

But, in all seriousness, emoji is part of our digital lexicon, which means it’s a part of our language. And whether it’s written prose or a poop emoji, language matters. Especially when it comes to race. Today we’re looking at why it’s essential to respect the racial and cultural significance of using emoji. If you haven’t already, I recommend reading our post on digital blackface for more context.

TAKE ACTION

Consider how you use emoji and other forms of visual communication online. How may it uphold racial stereotypes?
Have a conversation with a friend, colleague, brand, etc. who uses emoji out of context.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

Surprisingly, the diversity of emoji has come a long way in a relatively short period. Emoji are a modern interpretation of emoticons, a pictorial representation of facial expressions using characters typed on a digital device. These are part of Unicode, a standardized set of symbols used across nearly all modern computing systems (The Atlantic). Although emoji were popularized in 2010 with the rise of smartphones, it wasn’t until 2015 when users were allowed to toggle to chose from a set of five skin tones. Despite the push for racial and ethnic representation, these tones weren’t designed around specific people. Instead, Unicode used the “Fitzpatrick scale,” a framework developed in the ’70s to describe how different skin tones respond to ultraviolet light (Washington Post). Since then, emoji representation has grown quickly to represent a wide range of religions, countries, sexual orientation, etc.

And it’s important to note that even with this rapid pace of development, emoji still have a long way to go to be equitable. Miriam Sweeney, an assistant professor in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alabama, emphasizes that many emoji still have European phenotypic features, even with darker skin (WBHM).

This rapid addition of skin color offers more representation and opportunities for self-expression. But it also brings our history of racism into a new communication format. But some people choose to use emoji that don’t reflect their actual racial identity. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that lighter-skinned people were less likely to use their own skin color than the default yellow (Daily Dot). And beyond this, in 2016, just months after skin color emoji launched, most people on Twitter were using darker skin emoji – even though the demographics of the platform would indicate otherwise (The Atlantic).

For many people of color, it feels like an act of digital blackface, a way for people to adopt the skin of someone else’s race and use that position for their gain – and/or to oppress Black people (Anti-Racism Daily). Because Blackness in particular is often used when people want to express exaggerated emotions, consider if you’re using stereotypes about race when shifting to different skin colors. More on this in Lauren Michele Jackson’s article on Teen Vogue.

Some white people will defend using darker-skinned emoji because they don’t want to make their whiteness so “visible,” particularly in these times. Read specific examples of this in The Atlantic and Refinery29. And although the intention is understandable, the impact doesn’t align. Considering that skin color diversity was something people of color specifically rallied to be seen and heard, it feels insincere to have white people use it to obscure their own identity. And remember that it’s a privilege for white people to distance themselves from their whiteness, considering that people of color are marginalized and homogenized based on their identity.

Besides, people often use emoji to bring some intimacy to an otherwise distanced form of engagement – especially those that use digital tools as their primary form of communication. If we’re not representing ourselves, then are we actually connecting?

"
People connect with emoji on a personal level—they use them to show their smiles and their hearts...it can be a pretty intimate connection, which is why people want to look at emoji and see the things that are meaningful in their lives.
Tyler Schnoebelen, founder of Idibon, a text analytics company, for WIRED

It’s important to respect emoji, even if one may think it’s “harmless.” Language matters. And emoji has become a distinct part of our lexicon – alongside gifs and Tiktoks and memes and the written word, ASL, and all the other ways we communicate. This work isn’t about just one instance, but the practices that create them. And we must analyze how we can use language, in all forms, to hurt or heal. When using emoji, use them to express yourself without relying on someone else’s culture or identity. As Samantha Kemp-Jackson, a parenting expert and writer, explains in NPR, "what are you trying to say that you can't say in the color of your own skin?"

Fun fact: you can adopt a Unicode certificate if you forever want to associate yourself or someone else with an emoji 👩🏾‍🏫

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The latest iOS update broadened the range of diversity available in emoji
Emoji are a part of our lexicon, and we should use them respectfully
Emoji can be used in a way that appropriates other cultures, identities, backgrounds and beliefs

8/28/2020 | Start seeing color.

7/14/2020 | Embrace your race privilege.

7/13/2020 | Respect the roots of Black hair.

6/15/2020 | Diversify your media consumption.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/12/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/12/20

Fight against pesticides in communities of color.

Environmental justice activists continue to fight to keep poisonous and fatal pesticides like Roundup out of their communities, though the federal government approves them. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to permit 85 pesticides that have been banned or are in transition in China, Europe, and Brazil; the other three nations use the highest amounts of pesticides (Environmental Health). There have also been recent lawsuits against companies that manufacture these pesticides, including Bayer, which have settled claims of $10 billion (Succesful Farming).

It's Thursday! Weeks go by much faster when we're not awaiting election results, am I right? Today we're diving back into our ongoing series on environmental justice. Renée joins us to unpack how pesticides are common in communities of color, and what we can do to take action. With yet another lawsuit against chlorpyrifos and the ongoing EPA rollbacks, I felt this is particularly relevant right now.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, a daily newsletter with tangible ways to dismantle racism and white supremacy. You can support our work by making a one-time contribution on our website or PayPal, or giving monthly on Patreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go to antiracismdaily.com.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Urge your local representatives to support a ban on chlorpyrifos (U.S. residents only).
Have you considered pesticide usage in your community? Do you feel safe taking your child(ren) to playgrounds, public spaces, and zoos? Consider how privilege may influence whether or not you think about the air you breathe daily.
After reading this piece, consider: how can you take action in protecting farmworkers who are responsible for ensuring you have food daily?
Listen to and advocate for communities of color in your area that voice their concerns about contaminated water and air.

GET EDUCATED

By Renée Cherez (she/her)

Pesticides have a long history in communities of color in America, and like most issues that affect these communities, it is rooted in institutional racism.

A pesticide is any substance used to kill, repel, or control certain forms of plant or animal life that are considered pests (NIH). When we think of pesticides, our minds may wander off to rural farmlands; however, toxic pesticides and herbicides are being used in major cities today, directly harming low-income Black and Brown communities. This past January, a disturbing report by The Black Institute discovered that of the 50 Manhattan parks treated with Roundup in 2018, 42 were in Harlem (The Black Institute). The same study also revealed that Brooklyn, with an 89% native Black population, is the most heavily sprayed borough in the entire state (The Black Institute).

Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is the most widely used herbicide to kill weeds and is classified as a “probable carcinogen” by the World Health Organization (Planet Watch). More infuriating, in 2017, Roy Wilkins Recreation Center in Queens, NY, located in a majority Black neighborhood, was treated with 100% glyphosate concentration (The Black Institute).

Not only are these toxins affecting the lives of Black and Brown families in these communities, but they also affect the employees responsible for applying them daily. Of the 203 NYC Parks Department staff members, 112 are Black or Latino (The Black Institute). This furthers the point that environmental racism is happening in real-time. Black and Brown communities bear the brunt of the exploitation of air and water by corporations and the federal government.

The spraying of these toxins on public grounds should be considered an act of terror similar to the spraying of Agent Orange in the American-Vietnam war. Most vulnerable to the life-altering health effects of pesticides are children and pregnant women, which can cause learning disabilities, congenital disabilities, asthma, increased rates of childhood leukemia, and autism (Philadelphia Inquirer). Editor’s note: This study has been questioned for its accuracy.

As the largest agricultural state, with over 700,000 farmworkers, California is unique in its fight for environmental justice against pesticides (Planet Watch). A key finding in a 2015 report found that more than half of the glyphosate used in California (54%) was applied in 8 of its most impoverished counties in the Southern Valley, including Tulare, Fresno, Merced, Del Norte, Madera, Lake, Imperial, and Kern (Center for Biological Diversity). The racial breakdown: 53% of residents in the eight counties identified as Latino or Hispanic, compared to 38% in the entire state (Center for Biological Diversity). Also worth noting, Hispanic children are 46% more likely to attend school nears pesticide dumping grounds than white children (The Black Institute).

Chlorpyrifos, a neurotoxin that kills insects by attacking their nervous systems, has widely affected the health of farm and migrant workers in California (Grist). After a two-day meeting with the EPA about banning the insecticide, groups representing farmworkers were censored, further proving environmental racism against the people responsible for getting food to the tables of Americans every day (ThinkProgress).

Because of the federal government’s lack of action, cities like Philadelphia are taking matters into their own hands by introducing bills that ban the use of toxic herbicides on all city or used public grounds (Philadelphia Inquirer). Earlier this year, California officially prohibited the selling and usage of Chlorpyrifos, which not only attacks the nervous system of those exposed but is also linked to brain damage in children (NPR).

How do communities of color withstand COVID-19, a respiratory virus, and bear the brunt of poisoned air? What consequence will pregnant Latina women farmworkers pay after daily pesticide exposure? What will it take for mainstream, white environmental organizations to make their work intersectional, including the needs of communities of color who carry the heaviest burden?

Effective environmental justice must safeguard communities as places where all people can live, work, and play without fear of exposure to toxic materials and conditions (The Black Institute). Clean air and water are not for the privileged but are a fundamental human right. The burden lies on white residents of communities to advocate for communities of color who continue to be silenced about the real harm they are experiencing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is the most widely used herbicide and is classified as a “probable carcinogen” by the World Health Organization.
Hispanic children are 46% more likely to attend school nears pesticide dumping grounds than white children.
Exposure to the most common pesticides can cause adverse health effects.

10/11/2020 | Support climate justice.

9/29/2020 | Learn about climate migration.

7/25/2020 | Study Hall! How to be a better ally, petitions, and plastics.

7/24/2020 | Reduce your plastic consumption.

7/12/2020 | Learn how air pollution exacerbates COVID-19.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/11/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/11/20

Support the disability community through COVID-19.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court met to determine whether or not the Affordable Care Act should be invalidated. And although we can’t expect a decision anytime soon, early conversations indicate that the Affordable Care Act is likely to stay, which should protect the coverage of millions of people in the months ahead (NPR). The ACA supports tens of millions of people in the U.S. but particularly provides access to coverage for people with disabilities that might not be able to receive it otherwise (KFF).

But the concept of mutual aid is much more deeply rooted than the simple act of Venmo-ing $15 to a stranger on Twitter.

Happy Wednesday, and welcome back! Thank you to our veterans – today and every day. As COVID-19 cases skyrocket, it's critically important that we center the needs of the disability community, particularly those that are also people of color. Today we're joined by disability advocate and non-profit founder Ola Ojewumi to learn how we can support.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, a daily newsletter with tangible ways to dismantle racism and white supremacy. You can support our work by making a one-time contribution on our website or PayPal, or giving monthly on Patreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go to antiracismdaily.com.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Donate to the National Black Disability Coalition, which works to address disability issues for Black people, with an emphasis on people who live in poverty.
Volunteer for Protest Access, a volunteer collective focused on Black Lives Matter and anti-racism related content on social media that provides captioning, transcription, and visual descriptions as requested.
Save the Disability Disaster Hotline number, created, owned and operated by The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies: 1-800-626-4959. (https://disasterstrategies.org/hotline/).
If you see medical malpractice against people of disabilities, report it. Here is a list of contacts for each state in the U.S.

GET EDUCATED

But even with the Affordable Care Act, significant disparities exist for people with disabilities in healthcare, especially those that identify as people of color and/or LGBTQIA+ (Disability Scoop). Also, our nation is in the midst of another severe outbreak of COVID-19 (NYTimes). This not only directly impacts the health of some people with disabilities that can make them at higher risk. It also can create complications with broader medical care – and disrupts everyday life.

What’s more, people experiencing long-term complications from COVID-19 – referred to as long-haulers – are joining the disability community (STAT News). And although new vaccine trial data is promising, the rollout does not prioritize people with disabilities (NYTimes). We must do more to protect people with disabilities during this pandemic.

I interviewed Ola Ojewumi, an activist, journalist, and community organizer, on the intersection of COVID-19 and disability advocacy.

How do you see COVID-19 impacting healthcare moving forward, particularly for people with disabilities?

The healthcare system pre-COVID-19 has mistreated people with disabilities, and I don't foresee much of a future change. People with intellectual disabilities die at higher rates of COVID-19. This reflects a culture that doesn't see value in disabled life, let alone saving disabled lives. (Read more about this in an article from The Atlantic). It is extremely challenging navigating the medical system as a person with a disability. We tend to have more medical comorbidities that exacerbate COVID-19. These include obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and we're more likely to smoke.

Income inequality and lack of access to quality healthcare are major problems amongst people with disabilities and marginalized groups. The COVID-19 crisis proved that the healthcare system wasn't equipped to handle a major medical crisis. It was built to meet the needs of those that can afford healthcare.

How do you think COVID-19 will continue to exacerbate these disparities?

The healthcare and hospital systems were already ill-equipped to handle a crisis, but none of this magnitude. Doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers were already overworked and exhausted. The pandemic will only exacerbate unconscious bias and medical racism (learn more by reading the investigation of Michael Hickson’s death on NPR). The quest for a vaccine is marred with complaints that not enough people of color were not included in testing. Vaccines cannot be effective in patients of color unless they’re included.

A pediatric drug commonly used to treat children with asthma, Albuterol, was proven ineffective in Black children. This was because no Black children were included in the clinical trials (NPR). I used to take that drug. This is what racial bias in medicine looks like. Racism doesn't have to be intentional or hateful. It comes in forms as innocent as failing to include non-white children in clinical trials. (Read more about the importance of representation in vaccine trials in our previous newsletter).

Many people have noted how President Trump and his administration’s stance on COVID-19 aren’t just dismissive, but ableist. How is that harmful? What is its impact on communities with disabilities?

President Trump's rhetoric is more than just harmful. It's outright dangerous and puts the lives of people with disabilities at further risk. He encourages not wearing masks despite being infectious and having [had] COVID-19 himself. This may influence his supporters to view COVID-19 as something minor. It's not because it's killed over 200,000 people. A big chunk of those people were disabled. We are more susceptible to catching COVID-19 due to numerous factors like compromised immune systems and poverty.

His commentary will undoubtedly influence his base, amongst others, to take fewer precautions to prevent this disease's spread. Disabled Americans are most at risk, and the leader of the free world has told us, "Don't be scared of it" (NBC News). How can we not be terrified when it's taken so many of our lives and that of our loved ones? We have every right to be terrified with such poor leadership at the top. Trump continues to downplay the virus as the death toll continues to rise, and we lose more people due to a preventable pandemic. We deserve better and must demand better.

What do you wish people with privilege would do to address systemic inequities in healthcare?

If you see racist behavior, report it. We need people with the privilege to find the courage to call it out instead of remaining silent. Advocate for diversity and inclusion in healthcare systems. Support programs that invest in the education of Black physicians and healthcare workers. Plan an unconscious bias training. There is no limit to what you can do to weed out bias and save countless lives.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

COVID-19 disproportionately impacts the disability community, particularly those that also have mother marginalized identities
COVID-19 is exacerbating medial bias and making people in the disability community fearful of finding adequate medical care
With COVID-19 cases rising in the U.S. and around the world, we need to center the needs of the disability community in our response

RELATED ISSUES

10/29/2020 | Fight racist death row sentencing.

8/12/2020 | Demand justice for Elijah McClain.

9/17/2020 | Abolish ICE.

9/3/2020 | Support mental health response services.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/9/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/9/20

Seek solidarity, not charity.

Throughout 2020, more of us have heard about mutual aid than ever before. After COVID-19 started affecting people’s livelihoods, mutual aid networks popped up like never before—with new networks likely in the thousands (Sustainable Economies Law Center). The uprisings after George Floyd’s death also accelerated mutual aid; groups quickly came together to feed protesters (Eater), post bail (Chicago Community Bond Fund), and provide support in many other ways.

But the concept of mutual aid is much more deeply rooted than the simple act of Venmo-ing $15 to a stranger on Twitter.

Happy Tuesday and welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily. Our email from last week on billionaire philanthropy was a hot topic; many of us were inspired to reflect more on how giving can skew our perception of change. Today, Jami is back with a broader look at charity and how it can help fuel inequitable systems.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily. We send one email each day with tangible ways to dismantle white supremacy. You can support our work by giving one time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). You can also give monthly or annually on Patreon. If this email was forwarded to you, you could subscribe at antiracismdaily.com.

ps – the early bird readers received an email yesterday with some major typos. I think I sent a draft, not the final email by accident. A revised version was sent later and updated on our website. My apologies!

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Get involved in the existing mutual aid networks in your area. Scroll down to the exhaustive, state-by-state list of resources at Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, or simply Google “ your city+mutual aid.” (Many of these networks appreciate non-financial support as well!)
Evaluate what kinds of groups, organizations, or people you’ve given money to in the past. How did you evaluate whom to give to? Has the white savior complex infected your giving philosophy?
Research the organizations you support. How do they stack up against Dean Spade’s chart on mutual aid vs. hierarchical charitable programs?

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

But the concept of mutual aid is much more deeply rooted than the simple act of Venmo-ing $15 to a stranger on Twitter.

“Mutual aid consists of the collective actions it takes to support community wellbeing and reaffirm that all lives have inherent value. We all have needs and we are all capable of helping each other to fulfill some of these needs. This approach is distinctively egalitarian and rooted in reciprocity and agency.”
"What is Mutual Aid? A Primer" by the Climate Justice Alliance.

One of the core tenets of mutual aid is the idea of solidarity, not charity. Solidarity involves collectively working together to solve the root causes of structural inequity, as trans activist and scholar Dean Spade outlines in a chart comparing mutual aid to nonprofits (DeanSpade.net).

Meanwhile, the charity philosophy possesses an “inherent imbalance; it moves resources from places of abundance to places deemed as needy, a deficit-based perspective instead of one based on the values and abundance already present within communities” (Climate Justice Alliance).

The concept of mutual aid (if not the specific term itself) has been practiced for generations, particularly among Black and Brown communities and immigrant populations. In the 1780s-1830s, Black “benevolent societies” developed in the northern states, wherein Black people— many previously enslaved— supported each other through voluntary cooperation (The Massachusetts Review). As documents from the era show, the “earliest mutual assistance societies among free blacks provided a form of health and life insurance for their members—care of the sick, burials for the dead, and support for widows and orphans” (National Humanities Center).

Mutual aid is also central to many Indigenous cultures and economies, as the founder of the First Nations Development Institute explains in an interview for Yes! Magazine. Other historical examples of mutual aid include the mutualista societies that Mexican immigrants brought with them to Texas and the Black Panther free breakfast program (Sustainable Economies Law Center). I think of how, a couple years after my grandfather was released from a Japanese American incarceration camp, my grandfather ran out of money during a cross-country bus trip. He had to live in a Chicago bus station for a few weeks until he ran into a guy he’d known in camp, whose mother let him live in her boarding house rent-free for six months.

For many of these Black and Brown and immigrant communities, mutual aid was not— and is not— a philosophical choice, but an act of “resilience and defiance, practiced out of necessity in the face of inequitable access to basic needs” (Sustainable Economies Law Center). Such communities often get overlooked by dominant aid structures. Grassroots projects dedicated to queer and trans Black and Brown people, for example, often don’t have enough funding because money gets funneled to bigger nonprofits that leave those communities behind (Zora).

Believing in the mission of mutual aid requires us to reflect deeply on our actions and our beliefs. It’s not just a matter of choosing what kind of people/organizations/projects we give our money or time to. It’s a matter of how we think about it. It’s easy for us to fall into the trap of white saviorism, for us to think we know better than the people we are giving to, for us to elevate ourselves higher while ignoring structural problems. As Teju Cole writes in his illuminating article in The Atlantic:

“The White Savior Industrial Complex is a valve for releasing the unbearable pressures that build in a system built on pillage. We can participate in the economic destruction of Haiti over long years, but when the earthquake strikes it feels good to send $10 each to the rescue fund. I have no opposition, in principle, to such donations (I frequently make them myself), but we must do such things only with awareness of what else is involved.”

Many nonprofits function on the idea of charity, utilizing a hierarchical structure that keeps the power in the hands of the givers. They decide who is deserving and what they deserve. As Jennifer Seema Samimi explains, the “separation of social justice and social service provisions has silenced the people most directly affected by issues of injustice, and it privileges educated employees and board members of nonprofits” (Columbia Social Work Review). On the other hand, the mutual aid framework focuses on keeping social justice at the center while empowering those most directly affected.

When we redistribute funds, we need to remember our own position. Remember that “charity can do more harm than good because often people outside of the community dictate what the community itself needs, rather than based on what the community itself knows it needs” (Climate Justice Alliance). Believe in everyone’s own self-determination. Believe in the strength of solidarity and our own collective power.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The concept of mutual aid has been practiced for generations, particularly in Black and Brown communities and immigrant populations often overlooked by other governmental and nonprofit aid.
One of the core tenets of mutual aid is the idea of solidarity, not charity. Solidarity involves collectively working together to solve the root causes of structural inequity.
Many nonprofits function on the idea of charity, utilizing a top-down, hierarchical structure that keeps the power in the hands of the givers.

6/11/2020 | Support Black-owned businesses.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/9/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/9/20

Support the Georgia Senate runoffs.

Happy Monday and welcome back! This weekend, Joe Biden became President, bringing many people an exhale four years overdue. Many of you emailed me the same question: what now?

Now, the work begins again. We may soon be free from Donald Trump's tweets, but we are far from free. "Going back to normal" is still a world where Black people are killed by cops, where rising income inequality is forcing people from our homes, and a global pandemic threatens our way of life. The majority of white people in the U.S. voted for Trump, and it was the turnout of Black, Latinx and Indigenous folx that carried key states blue. Our work is unchanged. There is just one less obstacle in the way.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, where we send one email each day to dismantle white supremacy. You can support our work by giving one time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). You can also give monthly or annually on Patreon. If this email was forwarded to you, you could subscribe at antiracismdaily.com.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Volunteer for both Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock. Many opportunities available for those outside GA and under the age of 18!
Donate to Fair Fight PAC, a nationwide group founded by Stacey Abrams that combats voter suppression and promotes “free and fair elections” in GA.
Donate to the Black Voters Matter organization, which is focused on voter registration and turnout for the Black community.
Georgia residents: Sign up to be a poll worker for the runoff election. Give those poll workers from the election a break!

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

There are two Senate seats up for a runoff election in January. If Democrats win both, we will have a 50/50 Senate split and a Democratic VP making tie-breaking decisions (NPR). This political power could make both a lasting and immediate impact. Some key issues have been stalled in the Senate, like the second round of coronavirus relief (Vox), that could pass more swiftly. To do this, we need to win both seats in the run-off election in Georgia.

The rise of support for the Democratic governors, particularly as mail-in ballots were counted, was energizing. But as the votes trickled in, one thing was clear: both races were so close that neither of the candidates would reach majority-rule (or 50%) for victory (NPR). This means that both races are going into a runoff election, a second election to determine an ultimate winner (Ballotpedia).

The concept of runoff elections may be new to you. Georgia is one of only a few states that require voters in an election to reach a specific threshold before winning. Most of these states are in the South. And "fun" fact, runoff elections were designed specifically for white leaders to maintain power as the voter block diversified.

The runoff system was implemented in Georgia in the 1960s, an effort led by state representative Denmark Groover. Groover was a bit salty from losing an election in 1958 – although he carried the white vote, Black people voted for his opponent by a 5-1 margin. This demonstrated that, as usual throughout history, Black people overall tend to support one progressive candidate, whereas white people split their vote between many (Vox).

Afraid of the power this could give to Black people, Groover pushed for runoffs so that, even if Black people chose one candidate that was counter to the white vote, their majority wouldn't be enough to win (Vox). According to someone on his team, Groover was worried that "the Negroes and the pressure groups and special interests are going to manipulate this State and take charge if we don’t go for the majority vote" (Vox).

But Groover didn't come up with this idea on his own. Runoff elections were implemented in several Southern states to maintain the overwhelmingly Democratic (now Republican) control. At that time, Black people were rallying for their right to vote – despite deep voter suppression through literacy tests, poll taxes, etc. Meanwhile, the Populist Party was growing in popularity, too, and could split voters further. The Populist Party often shared the Democrats' view on race, though, and documents from that time indicate that the fears of Democrats then mirrored those of Groover: racial domination was key (Washington Post).

An important exception: Arkansas implemented runoff voting in the 1930s specifically to keep Klan members from winning primaries (Washington Post).

The DOJ sued to overturn the runoff system in 1900, but the motion was unsuccessful. Although the judges noted that race played a factor in its implementation, it's difficult to discern whether outcomes would be objectively better for Black voters if majority-rule weren't in place (Vox). But, if it weren't in place for this election, David Purdue would have won (with 49.7% of the vote, which is higher than Ossoff's 47.9% but still less than 50%), and we wouldn't have this opportunity to even the Senate.

So, let's take this opportunity and make the most of it. The presidential race results in Georgia were influenced by the outpouring of support from non-white communities and youth (NYTimes). This offers a blueprint for winning this election – doubling-down on those efforts and securing as many new voters as possible.

Winning these elections also prevents the two Republican senators, both with racist values and beliefs, from joining the senate. Kelly Loeffler, running against Rev. Raphael Warnock, has been adamant about her dislike of the Black Lives Matter movement (Washington Post). And David Purdue purposefully mocked Kamala Harris' name at a Trump rally (CNN) and ran an anti-Semitic ad against his opponent, Jon Ossoff (Politico).

The runoff election will be held on January 5, 2021. The deadline for voter registration is December 7, 2020. Early voting starts December 14, 2020. The time to act is now.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The two Senate races in Georgia are moving into a runoff election. If both Democrats win, we could have 50/50 representation in the Senate.
Georgia is one of only a few states that require voters in an election to reach a specific threshold before winning.
Runoff elections have been used throughout history for southern white conservatives to maintain racial power.

RELATED ISSUES

11/3/2020 | Vote.

11/2/2020 | Make an election safety plan.

10/6/2020 | Be afraid of COVID-19.

10/1/2020 | Vote Trump out of office.

9/27/2020 | Protect the polls.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/8/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/8/20

Rethink what a professor looks like.

When we talk about issues of diversity in higher education, we usually are referring to the student population. While it is important to work on increasing MFGLI (minority, first-generation, and low-income) student representation on college campuses, I’d like to focus on a problem commonly overlooked outside of the academy: the lack of diversity in those who research and teach at the university level.

Happy Sunday and welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily. As we've discussed, much of what defines dominant culture is taught to us. This sounds meta, but we're also taught who's supposed to teach us by the racial and ethnic composition of teachers. Today, Ida joins us to express the importance of diverse faculty at the university level.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, where we send one email each day to dismantle white supremacy. You can support our work by giving one time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). You can also give monthly or annually on Patreon. If this email was forwarded to you, you could subscribe at antiracismdaily.com.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Read articles and studies written by or featuring faculty of color, not just on issues of race but across topics and disciplines.
Support and/or donate to organizations like the Ford Fellows Fund and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, whose mission is to diversify academia through mentorship and professional development programs.
Read Michel-Rolph Trouillot’s Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History in order to understand how the act of “making history” can reinforce structural inequality.

GET EDUCATED

By Ida Yalzadeh (she/her)

Although the U.S. Census shows that people of color account for over a third of the United States’ population, a 2017 survey reports that only 18.9% of full-time faculty in higher education identify as people of color (National Center for Education Statistics). Even worse, the number of faculty of color in the United States has not grown over the past decade (Inside Higher Ed). And this is a problem.

A lack of racial diversity in the professoriate means that the popular image of what a professor looks like remains predominantly white (and usually male). The consequences of this assumption are wide and varied. For students of color, this lack of representation in the academy means that they may not see themselves reflected in who teaches them. As a result, students of color may not feel like they belong in academic environments, leading to retention issues and perpetuating uneven enrollment (Forbes).

For faculty of color themselves, though, this underlying assumption of what a professor looks like speaks to how these individuals must face daily microaggressions and even direct, institutional harassment. Twitter hashtags like #blackintheIvory and academic threads

have exposed these issues. Faculty of color—particularly women of color faculty members—have been mistaken for cleaning staff, a spouse of a student, or a student. (As a woman of color who is a faculty member myself, I have commonly had people mistake me for a student or otherwise be in disbelief that I am, in fact, a professor.) One professor started a Twitter thread shared microaggressions he had received, including: “You speak so well—were you adopted?” and “I see you struggle with certain words that start with specific letters—I know that is a common problem for your people.”

Faculty of color also experience surveillance and harassment on campus. A few months ago, a Black professor at Santa Clara University described how campus security racially profiled her brother and followed him back to her home. Afterward, security required the professor to show her campus ID to prove she lived in her own house (HuffPost).

Moreover, many faculty of color must contend with institutions and disciplines that call their credentials and accomplishments into question. In 2019, Dan-el Padilla Peralta, a professor of Classics at Princeton University, was speaking on a Society for Classical Studies conference panel when he was told by a white female independent scholar that the only reason he got his job was because he was Black, an accusation that reeks of tokenism (Inside Higher Ed). That she felt comfortable enough to make these remarks in public speaks to the reality of the academy as an overwhelmingly white institution. In 2015, only 10.5% of all Humanities doctoral degrees were awarded to people from underrepresented backgrounds, and the percentage for Classics doctoral degree holders is even less: 3.9% (American Academy of Arts and Sciences). While many at the conference denounced such racist remarks, her view highlights the entitlement endemic in these historically white spaces.

In response to this incident, Peralta commented on this pervasiveness: “White fragility disrupting the practice of grounded and data-backed critical scholarship: what a surprise… This wasn’t the first and won’t be the last time I receive the ‘you got X because you’re Black’ treatment; and if I had a dollar for every scholar of color with the same experience, I’d hum Cardi B’s ‘Money’ all the way to a safe deposit box” (Medium).

But what is most troubling for Peralta—and for many other scholars of color—is what these institutions and disciplines are missing. They don’t realize that it is precisely because of a diverse faculty of scholars and teachers that new paths can be forged in research. As Peralta put it, “I should have been hired because I was Black… because my Black being-in-the-world makes it possible for me to ask new and different questions within the field, to inhabit new and different approaches to answering them” (Medium).

Through their research, a more diverse professoriate can ask a more diverse set of questions—questions that are critical of using whiteness and capitalism as the norm by which all other subjects and ideas are measured. In the United States, the history of knowledge production has established a Euro- & Western-centric point of view (Journal of Black Studies, Equity & Excellence in Education). While disciplines like sociology and public health have historically touted their commitment to “objectivity,” the particular standards by which issues such as the family unit and disease were measured assumed whiteness as the ideal (Seeing Race Again).

Although legitimate ways of knowing are produced outside of the Ivory Tower, it is still important to increase the number of faculty of color at institutions of higher education. It is high time that we expand our understanding of what a professor looks like. A more diverse faculty is another step towards further exploration of issues that are important to communities of color and their liberation. It is another step toward building a more equitable future.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A 2017 survey reports that only 18.9% of full-time faculty in higher education identify as people of color (National Center for Education Statistics)
A lack of racial diversity in the professoriate means that the image of what a “professor” looks like remains predominantly white & male.
Through their research, a more diverse professoriate can ask a more diverse set of questions—questions that are critical of using whiteness and capitalism as the norm by which all other subjects and ideas are measured.

6/11/2020 | Support Black-owned businesses.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/7/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/7/20

Study Hall! Whiteness voted for Trump.

Happy Saturday! Welcome to our weekly Study Hall. Each week I answer questions and share insights from each of you in our community. This week we're diving into some FAQs from the content this week, mainly the election.

If you subscribe to just the weekly digest, this is the only email you will receive (hi Saturday readers 👋🏾) You can click through to read all original pieces on the archives and get this recap, too. Change your email preferences by updating your profile information here.

As always, your support is greatly appreciated. You can give one-time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe for $7/mo on our Patreon. Thank you to everyone that shares, donates, puts this content into action, and sends well-wishes.

Nicole

If this email was forwarded to you, welcome to the Anti-Racism Daily. You can subscribe on our website at antiracismdaily.com.

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We've published 157 newsletters on racism over the past 157 days. Here are the newsletters we published this week.

11/6/2020 | Don’t homogenize Latinx identity.

11/5/2020 | Abolish the electoral college.

11/4/2020 | Understand intergenerational trauma.

11/3/2020 | Vote.

11/2/2020 | Make an election safety plan.
11/1/2020 | Question billionaire philanthropy.

Read all previously published newsletters on our archives >

Q+A
Bezos does not have $180 Billion dollars in his bank account. Most of his wealth is not actual liquid money, right? I don't think we have public data on how much a guy like him has in liquid assets, but presumably, he doesn't just have billions of dollars lying around ready to be put to better use.

From Question billionaire philanthropy from 11/1/2020.

This is correct, Bezos is not sitting on $180 billion in his bank account. Most billionaires are not billionaires because they have billions of dollars in the bank; it’s because of the wealth they own in assets (like real estate and cars) and the companies they own. However, regardless of how much money is there, Bezos’ historically has given significantly less than others of his stature (Business Insider).

Also, some of Bezos’ charitable acts that receive press are actually donations on behalf of the company itself. Corporate philanthropy is a common way many organizations receive tax write-offs that ultimately save them that money otherwise. Individual donations work this way too. Furthermore, individuals can invest in vehicles like a donor-advised fund which allows them to immediately reduce taxes after a windfall but make donations on their own schedule, which means that tax money isn’t received to re-invest in public social services.

These tactics are publicly available loopholes that many companies and individuals use, regardless of their income – you may have created a tax-deduction yourself by donating to a 501c3. But beyond that, we have the capacity to both celebrate donations to create solutions – and criticize how those same people contribute to problems. There’s plenty he could do to increase working conditions within his company and ensure his employees are adequately paid and protected – at minimum.

Also, the solutions are often short-term stop-gaps to long-term issues. Consider a donation to support homeless shelters in Seattle, a city with a swiftly rising income disparity, partially due to the rapid expansion of tech companies like Amazon. Does the displacement of people feel equitable to displaced people in a homeless shelter? Is that justice?

Once again, the goal of this inquiry isn’t to condemn or admonish, but to stay in inquiry. But asking whether or not the money is “technically” in Bezos’ bank account isn’t the right question for this exercise. It’s how someone has that much power and privilege from an inherently inequitable company, and how their efforts – philanthropically or otherwise – are exacerbating critical issues. I highly recommend reading books like Decolonizing Wealth and Winners Take All to start orienting yourself more on this subject.

Does this explain why Black people voted for Trump too?

From Don’t homogenize Latinx identity on 11/6/2020.

I want to emphasize that it’s whiteness – not Black, Latinx, or other people of color – voting for Trump. When whiteness is dictated as the dominant culture, it forces people to surrender their own cultural background to be accepted by the majority. Being accepted as a part of whiteness is marketed to offer safety and security – education, decent job, protection from law enforcement, etc. And an easy way to show that solidarity is by voting.

This has happened to white people throughout history. Italian Americans and Irish Americans both used political engagement to be accepted into dominant culture (more via Michael Harriot on Twitter).

And what’s worse? Accepting dominant culture requires us to disparage any other cultural or societal norms. That can happen on an individual level; by learning to be ashamed, guilty, judging or hateful of the parts of you that connect you to narratives outside the “norm.” It also happens on a group level by taking public action to diminish people of color. And this is how racism is wielded to maintain dominant culture.

And it’s taught that this assimilation is essential to survival. So many people will choose it – especially when their lives feel threatened. And right now, everything is strained: we’re facing economic uncertainty, a persistent global pandemic, an uncompromising racial reckoning, environmental threats. The current President has consistently referred to people of color as “rapists" and “terrorists,” “thugs” and “criminals.” As a person of color, distancing yourself from the narrative in this environment may feel like the safest thing to do.

And white people vote for white supremacy the same way. Here, it’s a vote for the safety of dominant culture that feels threatened. And we could spend endless time analyzing how other aspects of our identities – like being a woman, or having a disability – may also influence how we feel about participating in dominant culture.

I also want to emphasize that despite a growing number of people of color voting, they still represent the vast minority of non-white voters. And fades in comparison to the number of white people – and the increased number of white women – that voted for Trump.

But white people in particular are absolutely using the decisions of those more marginalized to justify their own actions. But they should be ashamed. Because when white people feed white supremacy, they force everyone else to, too.

Q+A

As I am a junior in high school, I’m concerned I won’t have the time to fulfill tasks listed on the Safety Checklist. Do you have any recommendations for steps I can take to simultaneously balance schoolwork and extracurriculars, as well as the missions that the Checklist outlines?

From Make an election safety plan on 11/2/2020.

I first want to send a BIG hello to all the youth on this list! I know you have been our most vocal and engaged readers, and if you’re based in the U.S., I can’t imagine how it feels to watch this election unfold right now. Thank you for being here and doing the work – I know many of you are doing the work in households that have more conservative views, and that takes strength.

This Safety Checklist should be a practice, not a one-time action. We initially shared this resource on Monday – and the rhetoric of our election has changed significantly since then. Furthermore, most of the action items listed here are best practices for how to be in community anytime, not just during conflict.

I would recommend adding time in your day to check-in with this, and take on one section. It could be to complete it for the first time, or to revisit as it goes. And always start with your own well-being – we must be resourced to resource others.

Q+A

Of COURSE it's unfairly biased, but how in the world will the people who have the outsized power ever give it up? Certainly, with the Senate looking like it does, there is no WAY it will happen.

From Abolish the electoral college on 11/5/2020.

They likely won’t – and this is why many people call not just for reforming policies and practices, but abolishing them overall, and pushing for more radical revolution than expecting our current government to take action. It doesn’t offer a fast or simple solution, but rarely does the most critical work. I know that this doesn’t answer your question, but I want to emphasize how important it is to keep asking.

CLARIFICATIONS

In our 11/3/2020 article, we misspelled the name of the political analyst with a two-minute analysis of Trump. His name is Mehdi Hasan, not Medhi Hasan. This has been updated in our archives.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/6/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/6/20

Don’t homogenize Latinx identity.

I sometimes joke that when I moved to the United States from Mexico, I changed races. I went from being Mexican to being identified as an Asian-American by others.“You don’t look Latino,” Americans would say when I introduced myself.

I was born in Mexico City to a Chinese mother and a Mexican father of Indigenous descent. Spanish was my first language, and for a while, the only one I spoke. But when I arrived in the United States at seven years old, I quickly realized that I was not allowed to claim my Latinidad because I did not fit a narrow understanding of what being Latinx was supposed to look like.

Happy Friday. Lots of people pointing fingers at the Latinx community right now, which only further emphasizes how complicit whiteness is in this election – and society as a whole. Today, Ian joins us to discuss the diversity of the Latinx community.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, where we send one email each day to dismantle white supremacy. You can support our work by giving one time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). You can also give monthly or annually on Patreon. If this email was forwarded to you, you could subscribe at antiracismdaily.com.

TAKE ACTION

Support Voto Latino (@votolatino), an organization that seeks to increase Latinx representation in U.S. politics and recognizes racial diversity within the Latinx community.
Learn more about the Afro-Latinx diaspora by following @theafrolatindiaspora.
Reflect on some stereotypes you might have about the Latinx community and where you received the information that allowed you to form those stereotypes.

GET EDUCATED

By Ian Kumamoto (he/him)

Our collective misunderstanding about Latinx identity has never been displayed as clearly as it was this election. On Tuesday night, Democrats hoped to carry Florida and Texas in large part because more people of color, especially Hispanics, were turning out (NBC News). Instead, we saw historic numbers of Cubans and Venezuelans who showed up and helped Trump win. Although part of this can be attributed to those country's socialist histories, we must also confront another ugly reality: Latinx people can be white supremacists, too.

We often talk about Latinx identity as a monolith, especially when it comes to race. But “Latinx” and “Hispanic” are not races; they are ethnicities, as we will discuss in a future newsletter. As the elections near and discussions about the Hispanic vote intensify, we risk reducing a diverse population down to a singular cultural trope. More than 21 million people identify as Latinx in the United States. Many of them have vastly different notions of their identities, which means they also vote in radically different ways. One month ago, up to one-third of self-identified Hispanic people said they would cast their vote for Donald Trump in this coming election (Pew Research Center).

But Latinx people who vote for Trump aren’t “self-hating,” despite what John Leguizamo recently said on Real Time with Bill Maher (Remezcla). In fact, some feel like they have a real stake in upholding white supremacy (Remezcla). White supremacy within Latinx communities has thrived for centuries and has upheld a monolithic notion of the "Latino" that is exported abroad, one that erases Black, Asian and Indigenous people (The Nation).

Part of the reason the language around Latinidad is confusing is because it was made deliberately so. When the Spanish arrived in what is now Mexico in the 15th century, they created a racial caste system that positioned full-blood Europeans at the top. Peninsulares were the white ruling class while mestizos, who were mixed European and Indigenous, were below them (San Diego Reader). Similar systems developed throughout Latin America. But as more and more people became racially mixed, it got increasingly harder to determine the exact racial makeup of every person and categorize them accordingly. Eventually, Mexico discouraged such categorizations altogether (Indian Country Today). The umbrella term of “mestizo” was chosen as a sort of default national identity, even when referring to people who were mostly European or mostly Indigenous.

But a general mestizo identity glosses over the millions of people of other races who have little or no European ancestry at all. African enslaved people were transported to plantations in the Caribbean and Brazil. Chinese and Japanese immigrants went to South and Central America to farm, mine, and build railroads; in Peru, for example, people of Chinese descent make up 5 percent of the total population (Panoramas). Full-blooded Indigenous people were disenfranchised from economic systems and relegated to obscurity.

Despite the great racial variety of Latin American countries, its diversity is not reflected in the media. When you turn on the news, watch a telenovela, or scroll down a list of prominent celebrities in most Latin American countries today, you will likely see light-skinned or European-descendant people (The Nation). In the United States, many of the most recognizable Latinx figures (Bad Bunny, Pitbull, Shakira) are light-skinned. But it is much more difficult in these contexts to call out institutions for their lack of representation because they can simply claim a generalized Latinx identity and ignore how our cultures uplift whiteness.

Arguably the strongest pillar preventing a more inclusive notion of Latinidad is deeply-rooted beliefs that don’t question the idea of whiteness as inherently desirable. In the Dominican Republic and Mexico, for example, concepts like mejorar la raza (“to better the race”) are blunt ways of encouraging people to marry “up” and create more European-looking children who will be lighter-skinned than the generations before (Huffington Post). In Mexico, I grew up hearing the word Indio, or Indian, used as the worst kind of slur, while güero, or blondie, was used as a term of endearment.

In high school, I stopped speaking Spanish altogether because it promoted questions and sometimes even jokes (“Wow, an Asian who speaks Spanish!”). Even though the curiosity was seldom ill-intentioned, it became a barrier between me and the people of my community, who had internalized their own ideas about who was and was not allowed to be Latinx.

When discussing Latin identity and the political habits of Latinx people in the United States, it is essential to remember that our countries’ diversity means that our values and convictions can vary tremendously. It is crucial to have conversations about how white supremacy can be just as easily replicated by people who come to the U.S. from other countries. We must be vigilant against racism that pervades seemingly homogenous groups, or else we risk allowing the worst tendencies of a dominant group to thrive unchecked. Black, Asian, and Indigenous Latinx people are still fighting battles within our own communities to be seen, heard, and valued.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Latinx identity is not a monolith. More than 21 million people identify as Latinx in the United States, and many of them have vastly different notions of their identities.
When the Spanish arrived in what is now Mexico in the 15th century, they created a racial caste system that positioned full-blood Europeans at the top.
Despite the great racial variety of Latin American countries, its diversity is not reflected in the media. In the United States, many of the most recognizable Latinx figures are light-skinned.
Latinx identity often glorifies light-skinned people with European ancestry, but millions of Latinx people are racially Black, Asian, or fully Indigenous. We are still fighting battles within our own communities to be seen, heard, and valued.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/5/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/5/20

Abolish the electoral college.

Most people don’t realize that the popular vote doesn’t choose the President of the U.S. That’s only the first step. States first vote in favor of a presidential candidate, which validates the states’ electoral college. Then, these "electors" from each of the 50 states gather in December and vote for the President (and Vice President). The person who receives a majority of votes from the "Electoral College" – at least 270 out of 538 total potential votes – becomes President (National Archives).

Happy Thursday and welcome back! At the time of writing this, the U.S. is awaiting the results of key states to calculate the electoral vote results and declare a winner to this election. As we do, it's important to understand what the electoral college is, how we got here, and where we can grow. Dive in below, and take action to protect the results of this election.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, where we send one email each day to dismantle white supremacy. You can support our work by giving one time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). You can also donate monthly or annually on Patreon. If this email was forwarded to you, you could subscribe at antiracismdaily.com.

TAKE ACTION

Tell your legislator to pass The National Popular Vote bill, guaranteeing the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Fifteen states have already approved this, so check the list for yours first.
Tell your representative to support counting every vote before calling the election.
Join the Protect the Results initiative, which aims to mobilize voters if Trump continues to undermine the 2020 election results.
Reflect: How did the power and privilege you may experience contribute to the outcomes of this election?

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

Please note: I wrote this Wednesday evening and included election information based on what I knew at that time. I’ve included a * for each sentence where information may have changed.

In case there’s a tie, The House of Representatives makes the decision. Each state gets one vote, and representatives of at least two-thirds of the states must be present for the vote. If they cannot decide by March 4, then the Vice President becomes President, and the person receiving the largest number of Vice President votes becomes Vice President (National Archives).

This is why although, as of Wednesday evening, 3 million more people have voted for Biden than Trump*, the race results rely on a few thousand votes in Midwestern states. Therefore, the electoral college has been scrutinized for whether it accurately reflects the perspectives of the American people.

In 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, the electoral college was created when delegates assembled to devise something to replace the Articles of Confederation (National Archives). But equitable representation, both in Congress and in this process, was a place of concern. Small states like Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would dominate the presidency because of the wide disparity in population size. In addition, Southern states argued that because their population was comparable, but mainly because of non-voting enslaved African Americans, they deserved a more significant say. Furthermore, many delegates (from both the north and south) felt that the average voter might not be educated enough to be “trusted” to make a decision (The Atlantic).

So, they devised a plan where “upstanding citizens,” referred to as “electors,” the power to make the ultimate choice (Vox). They also increased the size of representation for southern states that enslaved African Americans using the three-fifths compromise, or that each enslaved person counted as ⅗ of a citizen. At this time, about 93% of the country’s enslaved population lived in just five southern states. This rule increased the size of the South’s presentation in the House and Senate by 42% (The Atlantic). The three-fifths compromise has impacted more than just our presidential electoral process. We discussed how it affects tax inequity to this day in a previous newsletter >

As a result, Thomas Jefferson from Virginia won the election against Northerner John Adams. Observers at the time noted that Jefferson metaphorically “rode into the executive mansion on the backs of slaves” (Time). And until 1860, southern slaveholders continued to lead in the White House until Abraham Lincoln’s administration (The Atlantic). The Thirteenth Amendment was passed shortly after that, but the damage of the Electoral College remains.

First off, it tends to misrepresent Southern communities of color. Although Black voters overwhelmingly vote blue, five of the six states whose populations are 25% or more Black have been reliably red – and three of those states haven’t voted blue in over 40 years (The Atlantic). It also gives disproportionate decision-making power to smaller states with smaller population sizes. 15% of American counties generate 64% of America’s GDP, according to Brookings. This economic activity is centered on the coasts and few metropolitan areas in between – but those communities get roughly 30% of the representation. This means that lower-income, rural communities aren’t left behind, which is essential when considering equity. But it also means that their views and perspectives impact a much larger population, often with conflicting views (Brookings). Consider the issue of race: more liberal voices fighting for equitable solutions for diverse communities can be drowned out or deprioritized by a population that doesn’t feel the same urgency.

There’s also the issue of “faithless electors,” which adds a whole other level of inequity to this issue. It’s assumed that electors will vote along with their state’s popular vote (which is what you’re witnessing in the current election projections), bringing the voice of their constituents with them to the ballot in December. But this isn’t always the case. In fact, there have been 157 faithless electors throughout history (Smithsonian Magazine). In my humble opinion, “backstabbing electors” sounds more fitting than “faithless electors.” In the 2016 election, a record number of 7 electors were allowed to vote against their state’s popular vote, two voting for someone instead of Trump, and five voted for someone instead of Hilary Clinton (NYTimes). Thankfully, thirty-two states have some type of faithless elector law, which will take action against electors that vote against the state’s popular vote. Fifteen of these removes, penalizes, or cancels the votes of the errant electors (NPR). Furthermore, in July this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states can remove or punish faithless electors (NPR). Historically an election hasn’t been swayed by faithless electors, but it does leave the ambiguity. You can check the status of the National Popular Vote Bill in your state here >

Important to note: each state usually aligns all their electoral college votes to one candidate. But Nebraska and Maine are the only two states as of now that split them across candidates (Electoral Vote Map). One electoral vote in Nebraska has already been pledged to Biden*, despite the fact that Trump won the popular vote in the state. Learn more about its significance in the NYTimes.

Because of this, it’s likely no surprise that conversations on abolishing the electoral college are not new. Americans have overall supported abolishing the electoral college more and more as the years progress. As of 2020, 61% of Americans are in favor – although significantly more Democrats support than Republicans (Gallup). To abolish the Electoral College, at least two-thirds of both the House and Senate would have to vote in favor, in addition to 38 out of 50 states. Over the last two centuries, there have been over 700 proposals to overturn it. And although we’ve come close in the past, most recently in 1934, the practice still remains (Brookings). We might not be able to abolish it today, but we can take action as recommended above – and fight for this issue to be a part of future political decisions.

Note: abolishing the electoral college doesn’t eradicate the racist mindset that supported it. Even if we change the electoral college, that bias, which is evident in the popular vote this year, will remain. What also remains? The rampant voter suppression, disenfranchisement, and disillusionment that has plagued both this election season – and elections throughout history. If you want to see the electoral college abolished, be sure you’re also committed to ensuring that every voice is heard, and that our government isn’t using oppression as a tool for political gain.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Electoral College was designed for a different democracy than we live in today
The process doesn't accurately reflect the perspectives of all people
It's important to advocate against the electoral college while advocating for a more fair and equitable election

7/6/2020 | Abolish qualified immunity.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/4/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/4/20

Understand intergenerational trauma.

The body always remembers. Like other children of Vietnamese war refugees, I understand how hardships and inconceivable loss leave marks. Psychologists in the 1990s found roughly half of Holocaust survivors were still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience). Emerging studies show that, in communities of survivors, trauma may also be passed onto subsequent generations through epigenetic changes, where the mechanism by which our body reads DNA – not DNA itself – is altered (Stanford University). This intergenerational transfer can also be behavioral; parents with severe anxiety may model detrimental patterns of thinking and feeling.

Hello and happy Wednesday. Many of us are waiting expectantly for the U.S. Presidential election results. Yet regardless of who wins, we have to acknowledge the harm that political decisions create. As Georgina emphasizes in today's newsletter, the body keeps the score. Whatever we choose to rally for after this election, healing needs to be at the top of the list.

Because what we do know about this election is that racism is not a dealbreaker for how our country shows up at the polls.

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, where we send one email each day to dismantle white supremacy. You can support our work by giving one time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). You can also donate monthly or annually on Patreon. If this email was forwarded to you, you could subscribe at antiracismdaily.com.

TAKE ACTION

Advocate for bilingual mental health support: support and donate to grassroots organizations such as Viet-CARE or sign up to volunteer.
Participate in and share the Asian, Pacific Islander, and South Asian American (APISAA) therapist web directory with your peers and connections – you never know who may need it.
Follow @asianmentalhealthcollective and @asiansformentalhealth to broaden your understanding of the individual mental health needs of immigrants and their children.
Encourage compassionate dialogue about mental health.

GET EDUCATED

By Georgina Quach (she/her)

Intergenerational trauma is manifest amongst Southeast Asian refugees of the Vietnam-American war – a conflict that accounted for three million Vietnamese deaths and more than two million Laotian and Cambodian deaths. A 2015 follow-up study of Cambodian refugees in America found that 97% met the criteria for PTSD (Psychiatric Services). Despite the en masse resettlement of Boat People to the United States after the war, Southeast Asian communities face an ongoing struggle for access to culturally sensitive healthcare.

After the war ended in 1975, the southern capital, Saigon, had fallen to the North Vietnamese communists, who forced thousands of South Vietnamese civilians – including my family – to surrender their homes and possessions. Facing persecution and incarceration in one of the severe “re-education” camps, thousands of Vietnamese fled by makeshift boats to safer states. Many civilians confronted pirate attacks, starvation, drowning and rape, so their children could have a chance at freedom and a future. This generation of Southeast Asian refugees, known as the "Boat People,” constituted the largest mass resettlement of refugees in America. Over 1.1 million arrived between the 1970s and 1990s (SEARAC). Their stories are punctuated by loss, separation, and survival, reminding us that a psychological battle within the Vietnamese diaspora persists long after the physical wounds have healed.

Due to the lack of a unified resettlement infrastructure at the time, Boat People were scattered across isolated areas in the US. Without long-term support, they were expected to achieve economic self-sufficiency and independence quickly (SEARAC). Access to higher education and healthcare for these communities is still blighted by institutional inequities. But these issues have largely been overlooked and masked behind the Asian-American model minority myth, which we covered in a previous newsletter. Past traumas have been compounded by the rise in deportations amongst Vietnamese and Cambodians under Trump’s administration. Between 2017 and 2018, Cambodians saw a 279% climb in deportations (ICE).

Suppressed below the surface, traumatic memories endure not only within survivors, but also within the second generation that they helped save.

Along with ache for the homeland, a paralyzing fear of being judged and rejected by their newfound society can be passed from refugee parents to children. Paul Hoang, founder of the mental health nonprofit Viet-CARE, says children often inherit refugee parents’ anxieties around police (LA Times). In his memoir Sigh, Gone, Phuc Tran grapples with entrenched racial tensions that afflict many Asian-Americans. Despite all his efforts to “fit in” when his family moved to Pennsylvania, Tran was constantly reminded that he wasn’t like everyone else. Sitting inside a McDonald’s to eat – rather than hiding out in the car – could attract racist slurs, or the discomforting attention from Vietnam veterans. "That was my inheritance. The anxiety of being stared at," Tran writes.

While all of us minority settlers have a unique humor and voice, we often feel that we can only speak our mind within family homes. Outside those ethnic walls, the immigrant and the refugee are racially straitjacketed – an ‘othered’ status that even our children struggle to shed.

Therefore it is vital to offer emotional, long-term support that recognizes the complex journey of Southeast Asians, unique from other immigrant groups. Southeast Asian refugees still face many structural barriers to mental healthcare access, including language barriers. In my family, older relatives need my parents to accompany them to hospital appointments.

45% of Southeast Asians have limited English proficiency (SEARAC), and 95% of Cambodian refugees who had seen a psychiatrist had used an interpreter supplied by the provider or clinic (Psychiatric Services). Patients with limited English proficiency experience a lower quality of care, higher rates of medical errors, and worse clinical outcomes than those who are English proficient (American Medical Association Journal of Ethics). This highlights the need for tailored communication methods – fundamental to accessible, effective therapy.

Additionally, while 21% of Vietnamese Americans report depression and anxiety (compared with 10% of whites), mental health remains stigmatized in these communities (UC Irvine Center). In Orange County, home to the largest Vietnamese population outside Vietnam, specialists have observed that Vietnamese Americans take a “morality view” of mental health, where mental illness reflects a person’s character (LA Times). We don’t even have a word for “depression” in the Vietnamese language.

However, in recent years, more Vietnamese and Khmer-focused counseling organizations have gained momentum. Orange County Health Care Agency provides funding for community groups like the Cambodian Family to ensure accessible health knowledge and support. The Nhan Hoa Comprehensive Health Care Clinic, designed for underserved Vietnamese Americans, started a mental health program in 2006 after seeing a need for Vietnamese-targeted programs in the county.

Healing the traumas of our ancestors has implications for the wider community, and our nuanced appreciation of self-care and therapy. I have embraced the responsibility – and honor – of voicing my historically marginalized community. Archiving the “boat people” journey has sparked difficult conversations with my older relatives about intergenerational trauma, which, in turn, helps me preserve and convey Vietnamese stories, in all their complexity.

Georgina Quach is a British-born Vietnamese journalist. Coming from a family of refugees, she gravitates towards the history of movements and exploring ideas of home. Core to her current scholarship granted by The Guardian, her ultimate aim is to foster greater diversity within our newsrooms and media landscape, whilst helping the hardest-to-reach communities get access to independent, fact-checked and inclusive news. She graduated from Oxford University with a BA English Literature degree, and her thesis was on 18th century witchcraft in the West Indies. You can find her on Twitter at @georginaquach and read her writing at georginaquach.com – which also serves as her ever-expanding archive of stories from Vietnamese refugees and camp fieldworkers.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Vietnam-American War and Khmer Rouge Regime resulted in trauma that lasts across generations. A 2015 study found 97% of Cambodian refugees in America met the criteria for PTSD, though many still struggle to access culturally competent healthcare (Psychiatric Services).
After the Vietnam-American war, thousands of Vietnamese, known as “Boat People,” escaped the country on boats to flee communist persecution.
Funding bilingual and bicultural therapy will help ensure all refugees have access to healthcare services regardless of their English proficiency.

9/16/2020 | Fight for paid sick leave.

9/13/2020 | Understand representation in vaccine trials.

9/6/2020 | Protect the aging population from COVID-19.

9/3/2020 | Support mental health response services.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/3/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/3/20

Vote.

Hi there. Happy Tuesday. It's a monumental day. And, it's a day all the same. I'm obviously going to tell you to vote today But before we go there, take a deep breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Unclench your jaw, roll your shoulders up and back. Wiggle out the hips. Great! We can show up today for the nation, and for ourselves.

In our first episode of the Anti-Racism Daily podcast, I chatted with people who aren't showing up today. And noted how insidious voter disillusionment has become. We have a lot of work to do, and it starts today. Listen here >

This is the Anti-Racism Daily, where we send one email each day to dismantle white supremacy. You can support our work by giving one time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). You can also donate monthly or annually on Patreon. If this email was forwarded to you, you could subscribe at antiracismdaily.com.

TAKE ACTION

Vote. You can still register to vote today in 21 states at your polling station.
Double-check to see if your absentee ballot was received. Here are links to do so by state >
If your ballot is marked as not received, the next steps differ based on your state. Check with your local election office for next steps. Here's the link >
Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE if you or anyone you know experiences voter suppression, harassment or other issues when trying to vote
Make an election safety plan to support your community today and in the weeks to come.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

I need you to show up today. Our nation is at a crossroads. And the most urgent action we can take right now (if we have been granted the right) to transform this nation is to vote in the U.S. Presidential election.

And it's critically important that we vote our current President out of office. Donald Trump has used racism, xenophobia, sexism, homophobia, and ableism to divide this nation. He has sparked deep distrust of our political system and will fight this election's results if they do not work in his favor. We have written about how his racism has directly caused violence against people of color and sparked a rise in white nationalism. Twice. He will only continue to unravel our most basic rights to safety and freedom.

Political analyst Mehdi Hasan has a two-minute video summarizing more of his atrocities over his administration.

But if that's not enough to convince you to vote, vote for the people that can't: for the millions of people who cannot vote because of voter suppression, whether through voter registration, access to polls, and ballot counting. Rally for those whose ballots might be thrown away or may not arrive on time, and for the 5.2 million that can't because of a felony conviction. Vote for the people that can't take off work, have to care for their kids, or can't find transportation tomorrow. And, for the immigrants who can't, despite all they bring to this country.

As of November 1, we have lost 230,000 lives in the U.S. to COVID-19. If you still aren't convinced to vote, do it for them – and the frontline workers, the families that can no longer afford to stay in their homes, the people with disabilities and those immunocompromised that can't access medical care, the long-haulers that may never fully recover, the kids out of school, the people struggling with the physical and mental toll of quarantine – addiction, violence, domestic abuse.

Vote for the 545 children who can't find their parents, and all those detained in ICE detention centers. Vote for the 6500+ Black people killed by the police. Vote for the whales and the forests – actually, vote for the whole damn planet. Vote for those who came before us to protect our right to participate – and vote for those who follow. Vote for abolition. Vote for transformation. Vote for tomorrow.

Vote for you. Vote for me. Vote for us.

Vote.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Vote.
Don't vote for Trump.
Vote for the future.

RELATED ISSUES

10/1/2020 | Vote Trump out of office.

9/27/2020 | Protect the polls.

9/23/2020 | Reject the modern-day poll tax.

6/24/2020 | Fight voter suppression.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 11/2/20 Nicole Cardoza 11/2/20

Transcript: Episode 1

Speaker 1: (00:01)
Hello and welcome. I am Nicole Cardoza, and this is the Anti-Racism Daily Podcast.

Speaker 1: (00:18)
You know, I am, I'm just so grateful for all of your support over the past couple of weeks with the launch of this podcast. Um, I've been hesitating to share this first episode though. I'll be honest. It feels like such an overwhelming, um, task to put out the first podcast. The first thing that we discuss here, um, because of those set, the precedent, I think for the conversations that we'll have moving forward, um, today's called the action is also something you might have heard before because we are days away from an election. But because we talk about all of the ways to take action, it would be remiss for me not to discuss our call to action this week, which is to vote. You may have been, um, encouraged to vote once or twice over the past few weeks, maybe received a text or a phone call or seen pictures of smiling friends with stickers on their faces on top of their masks.

Speaker 1: (01:16)
Uh, just getting back from the polls. Maybe you've gotten an email or two from a candidate, maybe like maybe you like me have been inundated with calls to vote. You've seen them everywhere at this point. I personally feel like I cannot keep up with texts from friends because they are buried between, um, voter registration call to actions and, uh, calls for support from various senators and presidential candidates. So I also think that if we keep hearing these things, there has to be a reason, right? It must be for many of us, we might feel, feel overwhelmed or, um, frustrated with the fact that we get so many calls to action. But this is really rooted in the fact that our voting system is so inherently inequitable, that we have to do everything that we can to get people out to the vote. It's easy to forget that usually half of Americans don't vote and that almost the majority of people in America are politically disengaged to get involved despite all of the work that we have done to ensure that everybody has a right to a fair vote. Um, there's a lot of people who actively choose not to participate in the upcoming election, and that is no different this year for 2020. I thought it was important to interview some of them. So I've asked a couple of our readers who have responded to our requests in our newsletter or through social media, if they would like to share more.

Speaker 1: (03:04)
First step is a reader who wishes to remain anonymous. So for the purpose of this podcast, we will refer to her as Kay Kay lives in a state where early voting is not available. And so has the opportunity to participate on Tuesday, election day let's meet. Kay. Okay. Well, thank you so much for joining us today on the podcast course, we, um, in this episode have been discussing, um, exercising the right to vote, and you had reached out on my social media feed saying that you had your having voted in election before, and you're not planning on voting now, is that correct? Correct. Okay. And I'd love to hear a little bit more about why, like what, um, what brought you to the decision not to participate in the election this year?

Speaker 2: (04:06)
Um, I feel like for me, um, like politics that just in itself is just intimidating to me. I feel like when people have conversations about politics, I don't can't really hold my own. Um, just because of never really taken the time to learn or to research. Um, so I feel like in order to vote, I feel like you should know who you're going for and reasons why you're voting for them. Um, and I, I don't know, like I had a face actually, like for this election, I have no idea. I mean, I can obviously see what Trump does now and there's things I don't agree with, but I dunno, that's just a good enough reason to vote for Biden just because I don't know what frightens messages, I don't know what he'll bring to the table, so I'm not sure. I don't, I'm not sure if that'd be a good enough reason to vote.

Speaker 1: (05:02)
And do you think just generally speaking, regardless of who you vote for, do you feel that voting will make a difference with what's happening in the world?

Speaker 2: (05:13)
I do think an extent. Um, I feel like no matter what somebody is going to have an issue with something. Um, so I feel like if you pick with one party, Manny, certain things will come out of it, but bad things will also come from it. And I feel like it'd be the same with the other party. So I feel like it is always great to have a voice. Um, I just don't know to what extent it would be heard. I guess I just feel like a lot of people have a lot of issues and care about certain things and I feel like it only gets addressed if there's some sort of violence or something big has to come from it. But I feel like a lot of voices, it shouldn't have to take this. It shouldn't have to come to that sort of extent for people to be heard. I don't think that's fair.

Speaker 1: (06:07)
Mm. What do you think it would take for you to exercise your right to vote this year?

Speaker 2: (06:16)
I feel like I wish the media would be more upfront and I feel like they give a lot of half-truths or half stories about things to try to persuade people to vote in certain ways or give reasons why you shouldn't vote for somebody. But I feel like we, as a people should know the whole truth of everything. And, um, yeah, I finished feeling, it was kind of easier to understand and to follow if you're not good with politics and you haven't really dove into politics before. I mean, for Trump, it's like, I see what Trump's been doing now. I don't agree with a lot of it. Um, I do feel that he's racist. Um, it's like, well, that's a good place to start. Yeah. I feel like there's been a lot of issues in Trump with that, even with the, um, I did watch the debates and even when I watch it's about as far as it's gone, um, I did watch them.

Speaker 2: (07:19)
Um, and I feel like, especially in the first one, he didn't really deny it, which was an issue for me. Um, so I feel like if I were to choose now, I would pick byte in just for that reason. Um, just from seeing what Trump's been doing since he's been in office, um, inverse with the debates and everything else. I just, he's not, I'm not a biggest, the biggest fan of Trump. Um, so I would pick it, but at the same time, I, I don't know if just picking Biden's the, is the less of two evils, just because I don't know what Biden has to offer. I don't know what his message is. I don't know. I don't, I don't know anything about him, but I feel like he would be a little, like, hopefully different than Trump and how Trump's been running things. So for me, I feel like I would need to before Tuesday, take the time to do the research and see what Biden has to offer. See what his message is, um, to see if he would be the best vote.

Speaker 1: (08:29)
[inaudible] are you okay with a racist president? Not at

Speaker 2: (08:33)
All. Nobody's

Speaker 1: (08:36)
Okay. So do you need to know anything more to not vote for Trump?

Speaker 2: (08:44)
Not really. I don't feel like he's done much since he's been in office.

Speaker 1: (08:50)
Well, considering that, you know, there may be other people on the, but realistically one of two people are going to win. Um, so if you are making a decision in between Trump and Biden, does it feel clear enough now that Biden would be your choice

Speaker 2: (09:10)
If I had to pick right now? Yes. Just because I feel like he couldn't be any worse than Trump, but at the same time, in order for me to feel good about my vote, like about my vote, I would, I would want to make sure I know what he's going to provide.

Speaker 1: (09:30)
Well, it sounds like your next step. I mean, aside from the, the, the, the fact that, you know, you don't want a racist to run your, your country. I mean, I would put it this way. What would convince you to vote for Trump? Nothing.

Speaker 2: (09:46)
Okay. That's why I like, as a, that's why I felt like, especially if I wasn't registered, I wouldn't feel too badly about not voting because I wouldn't be voting for Trump. No, there was no place where I would want to vote for Trump.

Speaker 1: (10:02)
Right. But, you know, not participating in the election would make it more likely that he wins again. So even though you're not casting a ballot, you are voting for him in a way,

Speaker 2: (10:22)
I guess, in a way, if you look at it that way.

Speaker 3: (10:26)
[inaudible]

Speaker 1: (10:31)
Yeah. So, uh, we chatted Kay. And I chatted after we stopped recording to make sure that Kay knew that they were registered to vote where their polling location is and made space in time to vote on Tuesday. Um, so K if you're listening, I hope that means that you've taken the action and a couple of things I want to know about our conversation and the conversation that you just listened to. Um, one thing I think is interesting is that K is relatively young and hadn't participated in the election before. And didn't seem to feel the urgency to get in an involved, which is unusual for people like Kay, um, and their demographic because young people right now seem to be incredibly incentivized to vote. Footers ages 18 to 29 are voting in record numbers right now over 7 million young people have already voted early or through absentee ballot in the 2020 elections, according to the center for information and research on civic, learning and engagement at Tufts university.

Speaker 1: (11:45)
And yet, uh, Kay is not one of them. And so how can we continue to instill the importance of voter participation in the youth that are in our lives? Not just the ones that they can take action right now. Um, but certainly those that are coming up, how can you involve the children you may have in your household with the importance and the urgency about getting involved? Something else I noticed was how K felt that the media was biased, which goes into a broader conversation. That's been, um, percolating for the past four years. Wonder why about media bias and about fake news and that we can't believe what we read. And so that's another form of voter suppression. In my opinion, is when we have people in political leadership in particular telling us that we can't believe what we read. And so it sounded as if K was insinuating that taking the time to learn about what was happening would be, um, an effective use of time. Um, because she did note that she needs to research. Um, she needs to do the research. She just hasn't yet. And also doesn't trust what she may read. So how can we make sure that we are connected to, uh, media outlets that we believe in, but also in our encouraging media literacy into the people and the friends that we have around us,

Speaker 3: (13:24)
Something

Speaker 1: (13:24)
Ellis that was became clear with how Kay was positioning her response to voting, uh, is the notion of self exceptionalism. The idea that her vote needed to be a decision that she made and couldn't follow what other people were telling her to do. And that's a natural, uh, perspective in some opinion, because this election is particularly divided. A lot of the voter turnout initiatives are

Speaker 3: (13:53)
Politically, you know, or, or are

Speaker 1: (13:55)
Partisan. Um, so, you know, there's a reason why Barack Obama is calling people on the phone. Um, and he's certainly not calling them to vote for Trump, but America is rooted in this concept of self exceptionalism where it is me over we, and that I, as an individual need to have the opportunity to assert myself and make my own decision instead of relying on the people around me. And that gets really dangerous when we get into politics, because when people feel like they can't believe the news and they can't, they don't want to be making a decision on behalf of the people around them. It is oftentimes just as easy for them to dive in and make a decision of course, on their own. But what's more likely is that notch is choosing not to be

Speaker 3: (14:44)
Part of it at all.

Speaker 1: (14:47)
When we vote, we're not making an individual decision. We need to be thinking about how our vote influence and impacts more than just ourselves. So even in the act of voting itself, you see this deeply rooted individualism that can really set the whole notion of democracy off. Speaking of our democracy, there are also people that are choosing not to vote this year because they don't want to take part in it. They don't want to take part in a legacy of violence and discrimination, particularly against communities of color and feel that their vote won't do enough to change that system. So we spoke with another reader who also asked to be anonymous. Uh, we will refer to her as M um, to share a little bit more about why she will not be voting this year.

Speaker 1: (15:52)
Thank you so much for joining the podcast today. Thank you for having me. I'm very honored. How are you, I'm showing up this election, or maybe not showing up this election? So after much consideration, it seemed very apparent to me that continuing to participate in this voting system as we label it democracy, um, it seemed like it just wasn't right, especially at this very moment, given, you know, I wouldn't want to say necessarily the outbreak of black lives matter because that's been around for awhile. Um, but it was more heightened at this point. And there was just so much more attention given to folks, um, on the side of, you know, being oppressed. So I just really felt in myself that there was just a need for a change. And although I'm not participating, it just felt like, you know, the answer in changing, what's going on lies in revolting.

Speaker 1: (16:56)
Hmm. You know, past the point of, of supporting what democracy looks like, right. And the thing is, how are we going to vote for two, you know, one or another white man or another white man, like our oppressors are not going to be our saviors. That's been tried and true for, you know, since the election of this country, we can't, you know, the answer doesn't lie in voting. If the oppressors are the people that we're going to be voting for, the people that are a part of the government are the oppressors as well. We see things in, you know, these illusions that have been fed to us at work for me and other people who are, uh, black indigenous or people of color, we come from, you know, typically low income communities, what are labeled as the battery in, you know, for Latin X people, the ghetto for, you know, typically associated with black folk that live in the low income area.

Speaker 1: (17:59)
Then we have these separations with Chinatown in Korea town and like all kinds of things. And then white people get the suburbs. And it's like, people don't realize that that's segregation, it still exists in housing areas and still exist in separating ourselves from cultures and things like that. So overthrowing the system involves unification. In my opinion, you know, they've set up all these barriers again with this segregation that we're meaning not seeing. Um, so obviously as it was back in the day with, you know, this is for blacks, for whites and the, you know, the, the way that they marginalized us. Um, but the answer lies in overthrowing the system and in being stronger together, you know, the reason they've kept us divided in so many different ways throughout our lives, uh, in terms of, you know, by POC, you know, they done that so that we don't realize that being United, we can be calm more powerful than the oppressors.

Speaker 1: (19:05)
Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. I think that that's a narrative that oftentimes gets lost in voter activation or getting out the vote. It's just how complicit democracy has a whole has been in the marginalization and the violence and oppression, people of color really. I mean, you know, we have so many options. It doesn't necessarily have to come down to the conclusiveness of just seeing two names on the ballot and then just pouring one works. So I feel like maybe if there's more education on the right, in part, if revolution doesn't happen or complete overthrowing, it doesn't occur in, you know, in approximate time from now, I think making it more parent of how voting works and how the system needs to be changed somehow some way. But I mean completely because if we continue again with this complicitness, nothing's really going to happen.

Speaker 1: (20:12)
So unlike our conversation with Kay, when I was chatting with em, she noticed that she's not currently in the United States. And so, um, doesn't have the capacity to vote. So I didn't have a conversation trying to encourage her to do so, but here's what I would say. I also believe in abolition. I also recognize the fallacies of our current democratic system, particularly for those most marginalized. And I know our next step to creating that future lies in voting because we need to show up at the polls, not just to vote somebody out of office, but to protect this democracy, to protect the opportunity, to have other parties that can represent us on the ballot when it comes to 2022 and the midterms we need to you start here because if we do not show up at the polls, we won't have a democracy to depend on before you condemn somebody for it, choosing not to participate in this democracy, check yourself.

Speaker 1: (21:29)
What have you learned about this country that makes you feel like this democracy protects you? What false notions have been taught to you about our history that make you feel like this country always has had the needs and the liberties of all people at its core since day one, according to Politico, the average chronic non-voter is a married non-religious white women between the ages of 56 and 73, who works full-time that makes less than $50,000 a year. So when we talk to people like M and K, we're actually talking about a very small percentage or a much smaller percentage of non-voters. Then most people that don't show up to the polls. So if you feel that voter representation is important, let's start with the friends and the family around us, especially if you identify as white. And let's also look at those who have come before us, if you are in your thirties, like me to make sure that we are pushing people who might not be voting, not because of some systemic disillusionment, but simply because they feel like they don't have to.

Speaker 1: (22:55)
So if we are to take on the weight and responsibility of voting, we need to carry that all the way through the election, regardless of who wins this year, this election season is going to be chaotic. And it's likely that the people most harmed in the process will be those most vulnerable in your community. So let's consider how we show up after the election to be a part of our voting plan. If you're listening to this right now, I want you to carve out some time after you finished this podcast to create a safety checklist for you and your community around the election. First off, connect with the leaders in your community, your coworkers, your family, and your loved ones to discuss how they feel about what come, what will come from this alone.

Speaker 1: (23:50)
Gotcha. Real on what the immediate threats may look like for the people around you and not just the people around you that you spend a lot of time with the people in your community that could use more advocacy and more yeah. Support that boundaries at work at home, wherever you have the capacity to, to practice some self-care. So you can be resourced to resource your community, um, as the weeks unfold as the following days unfold, if you don't feel like you could have capacity with some heavy doses of self care, and what showing up looks like to you as retreat reading, then I hear that I'll never get, take away your right to exercise yourself care. But if you feel like that you have, or you can have capacity, let's get organized now to be clear on how you can help first and foremost, reconnect with the local community mutual aid networks that you have, those that are providing food shelter and other immediate needs and set aside any resources that you can to donate.

Speaker 1: (25:01)
Now that may look like offering rides to, and from the polls, walking people to and from the polls, it may look like helping to defend houses or neighborhoods, but make sure that you have those numbers on hand, that you're getting those alerts. And that you're clear on what you can do. Now. Also have the information for local bail funds on hand. It's very likely that there will be protests in major cities, um, and even maybe in whatever city that you live in community that you live in. So have the information for local bail funds on hand so that you can help support protestors if they are arrested. In addition, a lot of protest organizers will have ways for you to donate, um, food safety items, PPE for people that will be on the ground. Also be sure that you have the names and numbers of alternatives to the police.

Speaker 1: (26:01)
If you or anybody around you feels like you need some type of community intervention to support. The last thing that we need to do is integrate more law enforcement in an heightened state, both the heightened state of the election and the heightened state of where we are with our relationship to law enforcement and see how you can help others set boundaries to, for their own self care and for how they can show up. If you, for example, run a small business, can you give time off to your employees, not just on the day of the election, but the days that follow, can you make it clear that individuals in your organization have the opportunity to take self care days if they need it as things unfold? I think it is a very privileged perspective to believe that the day of the election is the day that we need to focus on. I think that the transfer of power period, that we will experience over the next three months paired with the rising, uh, COVID-19 cases, people staying in doors and more people traveling for the holidays is all going to create a very uncertain environment that at minimum can add a lot of stress and anxiety and concern to so many of us.

Speaker 4: (27:25)
And look, I

Speaker 1: (27:25)
Don't sit here and say all of these things to spark a fear or to help drive the uncertainty that I'm discussing. I actually think it's the opposite. I think the more that we can be collectively aware of the threats to our safety and security, the more likely that we can be resourced on how to move forward. Our website anti-racism daily.com/podcast includes links to resources for preparing for the upcoming election and other ways for you to take action. And there's one thing to take away from today's podcast on voting. It's this, we need to show up at the polls, like our lives depend on it. And if you're not showing up for your life, because you don't feel that threatened show up for somebody else's show up for the people that feel like they are so safe, that they don't have to show up, show up for the people that feel so overwhelmed by what's happening, that their voices don't matter.

Speaker 1: (28:39)
Show up for the people that have actively chosen not to participate, because they feel like we need something more than democracy for us to be equal. So if you're waiting for somebody to tell you to vote, let it be me, let it be this podcast. Let it be right now that you've already voted. Thank you. If you have your plan to vote, then thank you double down on making that election safety plan for you and your community and take care of yourself. Take care of each other. We will all make it through. This is the anti-racism daily podcast. My name is Nicole Cardoza. I'm so grateful that you joined us here today to learn more about the anti-racism daily and our podcast, head to anti-racism daily.com/podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave a review, which helps our work be able to be seen and heard despite the fact that the algorithm usually doesn't work in the favor of anti-racism content.

Speaker 5: (29:49)
Take care. [inaudible].

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