The Consequences of Inaction

And so it is that most of us are not running on the conveyor belt in the direction of racism. But we are standing on it passively – unaware of the consequences of our inaction. And, if we are not actively running in the opposite direction of the conveyor belt, then we are being passively carried along with a racially unjust system. All of us. Many without even knowing it.

We will not address unconscious biases and privileges in this module. But you can check out the video linked on this page to learn more about them. You can even take the Implicit Bias Test yourself to see how you score. Considering our own personal biases helps us to understand how racism really does function like a conveyor belt. This is important for helping children learn about race in a healthy way. 

  • Bias
    the belief that some people or ideas are better than others, usually resulting in unfair treatment
    Biological race
    physical racial features such as skin color, hair textures, and facial features
    Explicit racism/bias
    racism that is plainly expressed through words and or actions
    Implicit racism/bias
    racism that hides in our unconscious biases and gets expressed in our actions
    Racism
    the beliefs and practices that uphold and reinforce inequalities based on race
    Social identity
    a person’s sense of self that is based on group membership
    Social race
    The social norms, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that accompany racial groups
    Systemic racism
    policies, practices, and laws that reinforce social inequalities by discriminating against groups of people, either directly or indirectly, and limiting their rights