Racism, Colorism, Prejudice, Discrimination, And/or Implicit Bias Essay

Racism, colorism, prejudice, discrimination, and/or implicit bias are all strategies for devaluing a particular group of individuals. Racism is a social concept that most adults learn as they grow. Looking at children one can see that they do not perceive race or colorism in any way. This implies that society teaches us that not all skin colors are similar and some should be superior from others. which causes discrimination. Discrimination occurs due to policies that in place that give certain groups more power than others. Groups can be discriminated due to color and origin, where one group is seen to be superior to the others. It is surprising to note that the color of a person's skin determines how they will be treated in society. This has been pushed so much by the movies and advertisements that are shown on TV. A person with white skin is superior to a person with dark skin. Villains being shown to be dark-skinned and even the portrayal of Satan as being black pushes this notion that dark people are evil. There are dark-skinned people who have achieved so much in this life and are celebrated. For example, many of the most respected basketball players are black Americans. However, this does not prevent discrimination for other African Americans.

We all have some form of racism and prejudice within ourselves. The only difference is in how we choose to express it all. Understanding that due to social interactions we are bound to feel a certain way about certain individuals we can overcome racism. White people will accept the diversity in their country but they will still be fearful when they are met with a Latino or Black American in a secluded area or on the streets. It is natural for them to feel fearful even though nothing bad is going to happen.