Let’s explore the different ways racism is perpetuated in our communities and highlight the importance of workshops on racial healing in educating people about this age-old problem and its consequences.

Societal and Cultural Norms

From a young age, you learn different beliefs, values, and attitudes from the family and people around you. Parents, peers, and media all significantly shape your worldview. Thus, when discriminatory behavior is normalized within the family or community, it becomes ingrained in you, perpetuating racist ideologies across generations.

Institutional Influences

Unfair policies in education, employment, and law enforcement help promote systemic racism. When institutions uphold such policies and do not actively work to dismantle racial biases, they inadvertently encourage racism in various social activities. Engaging in practices that promote equity and fairness is essential to keep racism from spreading.

Media Representation

How different racial and ethnic groups are represented in television, film, news, and social media affects societal attitudes toward them. Stereotypical portrayals can reinforce biases, leading to an endless cycle of racism. Challenging these narratives and advocating for diverse representation is vital for healing racism.

Language

The words you use can either reinforce stereotypes or challenge them. Racial slurs and derogatory terms perpetuate prejudice, while inclusive language promotes understanding and acceptance. By being mindful of your language, you can disrupt the cycle of racism in your everyday interactions.

Lack of Education

Having limited awareness or understanding of racial issues allows racist beliefs to flourish. Implementing educational programs that discuss the history and impact of racism is thus crucial in fostering empathy and understanding. Workshops on racial healing also serve as effective platforms for learning about personal biases and how to change them.

Racism: The Role of Community Initiatives

To address the transmission of racism, communities must take proactive steps toward healing the wounds that the issue has caused. Seeking the help of a local center for social healing can help create safe spaces for individuals to confront their personal biases and work towards a better understanding of people.

Conclusion

Racism is a pervasive issue that can spread through various societal channels. By recognizing how it is perpetuated, you can take steps to make it stop. Initiatives like racism rehab, as offered by the Center For The Healing of Racism, are ideal starting points because they emphasize how personal responsibility can help in dismantling racist structures.

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Eliminating systemic racism and brutality in America’s police departments is possible—but it will take time, says a criminal justice professor.

(Originally published September 17, 2020 in Rutgers University Alumni Association Newsletter)

by Gautam Nayer, PhD

https://alumni.rutgers.edu/stay-connected/alumni-news-and-stories/on-black-and-blue-justice/

In response to the nationwide protests that arose after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, Rutgers alumnus Gautam Nayer, an associate professor at Texas Southern University in Houston, co-wrote an op-ed for Diverse Issues in Higher Education on how policing in America needs to change. Nayer SPAA’09 teaches at the university’s Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs and is a board member of the Center for the Healing of Racism in Houston.

Nayer and co-author Sasha Legette write in the op-ed that historically black colleges and universities, like Texas Southern, can provide feedback and research to help police departments fight systemic racism and brutality in their ranks. Here’s what Nayer has to say about American law enforcement’s troubled past and how police departments can better serve underrepresented communities in the future.

What are the origins of police brutality in this country?

Police officers in America are trained to be warriors. It’s hard to turn that off. The militarization of police creates an aura that they’re fighting a war. Officers are trained to be hypervigilant, that anything could become a fight, although less than 5 percent of calls end up in a violent confrontation.

We’re much quicker to use force than in other countries. Police work is hard work and it can be violent, but in the United States, violence is seen as acceptable to get the job done.

Why do you think George Floyd’s killing sparked the response it did?

The pandemic has exacerbated the issue of systemic racism for minority people, who are at significantly higher risk of COVID-19 than white middle-class Americans. Another reason that the video of Derek Chauvin killing Floyd was so powerful is because Chauvin’s looking at the camera like, “What are you going to do about it?” It shocked so many people.

The op-ed you co-wrote says that diversifying police departments can help decrease racism and brutality against people of color. What are some examples of how police forces can diversify?

Part of the reason the system is racist is because police departments don’t have enough officers who look like the communities they serve. The New York Police Department is slowly changing its ranks. There may be fewer African-American officers coming in but there are more Hispanics and Asians coming in. So, the police unions, which were made up mainly of white men, are thinning out. Once you have more representation in the leadership, you can probably change. But it’s a slow process.

Do you think reforming police unions would help cut down on systemic racism and brutality?

Police unions are very powerful and can push back on reforms. They protect their members, more than other unions do. But changes are coming. For instance, the Dallas Police Department doesn’t have one union negotiate everything, they have several different unions, including an African-American union, so they get everybody’s input. Also, as forces become more diversified, there’s a graying out of officers. It’s changing the dynamics of the profession.

Would it help to shift some traditional police duties to other professionals, such as social workers?

We look to cops to solve everything, but they’re not trained for that. San Antonio’s police department started a special branch where they trained officers to help homeless people get medication they needed. I think that’s a compassionate solution and that’s what we need to come back to, the humanity part.

They should also get better training. Police training in the United States is very different from that in Europe. For instance, in Germany, police have as much as three years of training. (Police officers in the United States typically complete between 10 and 36 weeks of training.)

Are there ways police officers can cultivate closer ties with their communities?

There used to be officers walking the beat in neighborhoods. They were on the same level as everyone else. Then they were in their cars with the windows rolled up, so now there’s even more distance. We need to bring back the beat patrols.

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October 5, 2020 | by Gautam Nayer, Mickey Ary and Michael Adams

As published in the journal Diverse Education

Churches have a long history of advocating for civil rights. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, the Baptist, Methodist and other religious denominations united to support civil rights for African Americans.

Many churches, for example, provided shelter to protesters during civil rights marches. They organized food assistance programs, assisted homeless with housing needs and provided counseling to alcohol and drug abusers.  More than ever, churches play a vital role in communities of color especially in the chaotic and fear-driven pandemic era that we currently reside in now.

What can churches do to assist Black Lives Matter and other non-profit organizations that are vital to serving communities of color?

• Get involved with local HBCUs: HBCUs serve as safe havens for many students of color. While many HBCU campuses have long-standing ties with African American churches, predominantly White churches must do a better job of interacting and collaborating on issues relating to African American and other people of color.
• Create networking opportunities: Connect and create dialogue through mini-conferences and virtual panels with other non-profits that work in communities of color such as the Center for the Healing of Racism, Pure Justice and Sankofa Research Institute.
• Local university partnership: Churches are non-profits and as such, have a unique understanding of the budgetary and fiscal challenges of working with less and doing more.  Churches can provide assistance in the form of sharing services such as food pantries. Church leaders can also serve as guest speakers and adjunct faculty, particularly at universities which offer degrees in  non-profit management, public administration and social work.
• Promote authors and establish book clubs: Churches should establish antiracist book-of-the-month clubs to promote authors who are active antiracist.  Books such as Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s How to be an Anti-Racist; Dr. Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility and Dr. Beverely Daniel Tatum, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria, promote critical thinking and lively discussions, bridging the gap between interpretation and action.
• Establish micro-scholarships for HBCU students: Create, establish and increase funding for micro-scholarships for first generation, low income minorities of color who attend HBCUs.  HBCU students now more than ever need increased and sustained scholarships as HBCU graduates often tend to have higher student debt than graduates at predominantly White institutions. Budget cuts in state legislatures across the nation are already happening, and even a $100 gift card could provide a world of opportunity to an incoming and ongoing HBCU student.
• Volunteer: Churches have a long history in organizing community-based volunteer activities.  Churches should once again take the lead with church leaders and their followers to continue to work with other non-profits and HBCU’s to create increased visibility and connections within the African American community.

Dr. Gautam Nayer is a professor at Texas Southern University and a board member of the Center for the Healing of Racism.

Mickey Ary is a pastor and alumni of Texas Southern University.

Dr. Michael Adams is a professor at Texas Southern University and the director of the Executive Master’s in Public Administration program

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When one thinks of you, America, what comes to mind? Freedom? Patriotism? Power? Wealth? What about, Opportunity? Equality, and Justice? People all over the world might agree that these characteristics describe you and proclaim that they are the reason you are the greatest country in the world.   If you were an entertainer on the world stage, you would need no introduction.  But there is a group of people who have been trying to tell the truth about you for over 400 years. The truth is that you have been lip-syncing your whole life.  America, why are you pretending? Do you have what it takes to live up to your reputation?

You gave birth to one of the biggest contradictions in humanity. During and after the Revolutionary War, you held in one hand the Declaration of Independence which represented freedom and justice for all. In the other hand, you held chains and whips, which represented tyranny and captivity over African Americans. You fought a war for your pursuit of freedom and happiness alongside African Americans. Yet, you withheld and denied happiness from them almost every time they came close to obtaining it and denied their freedom constantly. 

African Americans were liberated from the institution of slavery thanks to the Union’s victory over the Confederates in the Civil War. Freedom and justice for all, finally! Right? Not quite. To put it simply, America, when you were liberated after the Revolutionary War, there were systems created for your progression, the creation of an economic system, the constitution, and many more. When African Americans were set “free,” there were systems created for their regression. Certain policies that enabled opportunities for the creation of generations of wealth for Caucasians excluded African Americans across the board. There were inequalities and discrimination within employment, housing, education, and so much more. The effects of these systems are just as prevalent in the African American community today as are the enduring mental and physical effects of slavery.

History shows that in every war you have fought, never have African Americans merely sat by.  They have consistently, loyally, and bravely fought for you and for your principles. Whether by draft or choice, African Americans did everything that Caucasians did when it came to defending your freedom and independence. Yet again, African Americans were excluded from most perks and privileges created for veterans postwar. For instance, the GI bill benefited only Caucasians which helped them gain economical leverage in the postwar years. It helped create growing gaps of wealth, education, and civil rights between the races. However, America, you tell African Americans that they should be proud of the flag, sing the national anthem with their hands over their hearts, and be appreciative to be born in a country where they are free and have unlimited opportunities. You say, if they can’t be grateful, they can leave. They can leave the country that was built on the backs of their ancestors. Really, America?

America, you point to your Bill of Rights to show that everyone is equal before the law, and therefore everyone should respect the law and enforcers of the law. You congratulate yourself that everyone suspected of a crime has the right to a trial, and only if they are found guilty by a jury of their peers would they be subject to punishment, including possible execution. However, your law enforcement officers are killing citizens without a trial, and the rate of African Americans being killed during police engagements are much higher than the rate of white and other ethnic groups. This has been the case since the beginning of policing in America. The video footage of these killings show that African Americans are killed even when complying with law enforcement whereas Caucasians can expect to survive even blatant and violent noncompliance with police. Police officers who take the life of an African American during an engagement rarely are investigated or face any consequences for their actions. This atrocity by police officers happens so often, it is as if it is their duty to kill African Americans without regard for their basic civil rights you hold so dear. You expect African Americans to respect laws that show no respect for them.  African Americans and their allies, have been speaking out, protesting, crying, dying, and trying to get you, America, to open your eyes to this injustice. Bill of Rights? Declaration of Independence? Where are you for African Americans?

Where is the American Revolution for African Americans, America? It has been 244 years since you published the notion in your Declaration of Independence that “…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” But here you are, 244 years later, calling the National Guard when African Americans say that their lives matter.  You continue to put endless obstacles in the way of their pursuit of happiness.

There is no nation without flaws because they are governed by people with flaws. America, because of your wonderful ideals there isn’t another nation like you. For them, you have been brave. For them, you have fought. For them, you have conquered. Because of them, you have grown to be the most powerful of all nations. Please, don’t let it be a lie anymore. Even though you have failed to live up to your ideals for hundreds of years, it does not mean you cannot start now. It is simple. Make Equality, Freedom, Opportunity, Liberty and Justice for ALL. Because Black Lives Matter. Look around.  They have always mattered.

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We invite anyone affected by racism of any kind to CONTACT US.

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Joy Sewing June 5, 2020 Updated: June 5, 2020 12:28 p.m.Comments7

If there’s anything we’ve learned from the global protests against racial injustice and police brutality over the last two weeks, it’s that speaking up speaks volumes. Calling out racism is a crucial step to healing, said Dr. Rheeda Walker, a Ph.D. licensed clinical psychologist, University of Houston professor and author of “The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health.”

“This is an important time in history and an important time to speak up against racism and injustice,” she said.

Still, Walker is cautiously optimistic that the protests will have real impact in dismantling racism in America.

“Even though white people seem to be hurt by what black people have been experiencing for generations, their hurt is not going to impact the day-to-day pain of black people,” she said. “They have hurt feelings, but we have real pain. We’ve learned to endure. What you see now is people tired of enduring.”

Walker, along with her 9-year-old son, attended the protest to pay tribute to Houston native George Floyd in downtown Houston last week. An estimated 60,000 people congregated at City Hall to admonish police brutality and racism in the wake of Floyd’s brutal homicide by Minnesota police last month. The protest was organized by Houston rappers Bun B and Trae The Truth.

Four police officers have been charged in Floyd’s death.

“It was important for my son to be a witness to this,” Walker said. “He’s had a lot of questions and he’s still trying to understand why police officers would do this.”

She added that the stress of racism and its impact on mental health are so deeply engrained it will take much more than protests to reverse the damage. “It may give some relief, but it will be temporary. We have been enduring this so long that many of us don’t realize we’re in survival mode.”

Cherry Steinwender, executive director of the Center for Healing Racism, is hopeful.

“This feels different,” she said. “There have been many protests over the decades, but this is the first time I’ve seen it worldwide. I’ve been trying to get this country to use the word, ‘racism,’ for 30 years. We’ve been afraid to talk about race. Now, we’re seeing so many white people use the word — that’s hopeful.”

Steinwender is hosting virtual “I Can’t Breathe” workshops to talk about racism and its impact. It’s referencing the words uttered by Floyd minutes before his death, “modern-day lynching,” as she sees it.

“Racism isn’t a black problem. It’s a white problem, and their silence is violence,” Steinwender said. “But it’ll take white people to call out other white people for real change. When black people speak their truth, we are called angry or accused of using the race card. We are looking for white people to speak out.”

Steinwender has unique perspective, given that she’s been married to Austrian-born Siegfried Steinwender for 39 years. The couple met a garage sale.

“He was looking for junk and found a treasure,” Steinwender joked, but she admits she concealed the fact she was married to a white man for years because she didn’t want it to confuse her message. She said her husband often has shared some of the racist water-cooler conversations that he would hear; his co-workers just assumed he felt the same. She used those conversations in her educational training and programs about racism and stereotypes.

Racism is the cause of stress in the black community, Steinwender said.

“We know stress is a major cause of illness. Black people are living a life under stress every day,” she said. “That fact that you are black and living under a racist systerm is the cause of stress. That’s why we have underlying health issues.”

Self-care is crucial right now, Walker said. She advises pulling away from TV news and social media. Constant messages about racism and police brutality can further traumatize.

“We don’t realize what we’re watching because the goal is to continue to survive,” she said.

Now’s the time to get creative.

“There are some big ideas in black minds, but they have been so bound in racism that they haven’t had the opportunity to be come reality,” she said. “We need to come up with plans. It’s time to for us to get out from under racism and create our own way moving forward and not wait for the system to fix itself.”joy.sewing@chron.com

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Hollywood will inevitably find a way to co-op

This movement 

Because that’s what we need 

They will cast Tom Cruise as a conflict cop

And Thandie Norton as his black light skin wife

They will have Terry Crews as his crooked cop partner to show that every race has bad cops 

Because that’s exactly what we need

The center piece moment will be 

A Black Lives Matter protest being raided by cops

As Tom Cruise white Jesus’ himself through the crowd 

And hands every single person a Pepsi 

As the movie ends with the a statue of our saviors

The Khardashians 

As the screen turns to black there will be

Large white font declaring

NOW ALL LIVES MATTER

because that’s what we need

Says the screen writer

Says the politician

Says the police officer

Says his gun

This year has been more movie than real life

Politicians performing their best “I’m sorry” dance while still being able to dance around changing things 

There is a new law for Breonna Taylor but her killers are still free

They can still mask themselves as human

Even as the veil slips and shows their fangs 

I went to my first protest on June 2nd 

In hopes of a change

And was met with a rousing speech 

About voting 

Where is the logic in thinking a white guy can make things better for black people than a black guy

I think they call that a dramatic irony in film

Once again the system has avoided

Emptying entire precinct and turning them into gardens and naming each fallen precinct after a fallen brother or sister

Funneling police pensions into college funds

For the parent less kids of the fallen

Burning all racist landmarks to the ground and building new community centers in their place 

And finally just leaving us alone

Cuz THAT is what we really need!

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