Racism
According to the Urban Dictionary, Racism is the combination of power and racial prejudice when that prejudice affects the power. Racism can happen with any racial prejudice and any power structure.
Racism is a closely held belief that differences within racial groups ultimately determine the superior race. This belief is what empowers a certain group of people to dominate people of another race - simply because they believe they are superior. In addition, racism involves treating another person in a negative way because of visual characteristics such as the color of a persons skin, complexion, hair texture, and other physical features. A person can even experience racism by being treated in an unfavorable way because of an association with a person of another race seen as inferior. For example, a white man is denied a mortgage loan because of his marriage to a black woman. Access to resources and opportunities are often distributed along racial lines.
Racism exist in our of beliefs, policies, actions, and system of government. Racism comes in several forms, including systemic racism. Systemic racism is embedded into the policies and practices of institutions, resulting in the exclusion of a certain group or the inclusion of a certain group for which the policy was designed to favor. Because systemic racism is embedded, it is not always obvious to some, except for those who created the system and maybe even those who are privileged because of it.
Systemic racism exits within our education system, criminal justice system, health care system, banking and financial system, and our labor system. The law forbids discrimination when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoffs, training, fringe benefits, and any other term or condition of employment.
As a society, we must do what we can to identify systemic racism, and work within our communities and with our elected officials to put an end to this and all forms of racism.