Stop Racial Discrimination

What is racial discrimination?

Racial discrimination is when a person is treated less favorably than another person in a similar situation
because of their race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin or immigrant status.

Racism could be a personal act which occurs when a person takes an attitude of contempt, hatred, and
rejection toward another race and expresses this in words, writings or even memes.

Why is there racial discrimination?

Racial discrimination could be a personal act or as a result of a rule or policy. Some people believe that
one group is superior to others and express this openly in racial jokes, slurs or hate crimes. It can also be
deeply rooted in attitudes, values, influences or beliefs which have been instilled in their minds. Some
people may have not been aware that they have these beliefs. Because they have been involved or part of
systems and institutions for a long time they have developed these assumptions.

There is also what we call Systemic Racial Discrimination which can happen on an institutional or
systemic level from everyday rules and structures that are not consciously intended or designed to
discriminate. Some people do what they do because of policies and practices of the organization which
they are a part of. Even though they not intend to their normal ways of doing things might be having a
negative impact on racialized persons.

Which group of people gets discriminated?

Blacks in the Americas, Indians, indigenous peoples in Oceania, former colonial immigrants in Europe,
ethnic minorities, foreign workers and students, and Asian “tribal people” are victims of racial
discrimination today. For example: On February 20, 2016, due to the incident of Liang Peter, Chinese in
more than 30 American cities including New York, Washington, and Los Angeles protested and supported
the Chinese policeman Liang Peter, who was a white scapegoat. On September 4, 2016, since August 7
when the overseas Chinese of Zhang Falin was attacked by three North African youths, at least 13,000
French overseas Chinese took to the streets of Paris for the third time and demanded that local
discrimination against Asian immigrants be stopped.

How to deal with people who experienced/experiencing discrimination?

You can join like-minded groups and organizations, whether locally or online. It can help us figure out
how to deal with situations and respond to various experiences in ways you never thought possible. You
can also give professional help by joining anti-racism programs to spread awareness or even reviewing
policies, practices and workplace culture.

Discrimination is difficult to deal with and is often associated with symptoms of depression.
Psychologists are experts in helping people manage symptoms of stress and depression, and can help you
find healthy ways to cope.