Becoming Anti-Racist
Being anti-racist means committing to a continuous journey of:
- Learning
- Self-reflection
- Taking action
- Making mistakes
- Supporting others in their anti-racism learning
Reflection
Becoming an anti-racist is an ongoing process. Dr. Ibrahim, a health specialist, defined three zones on a diagram reflecting his journey towards becoming anti-racist. As you look at this diagram, consider which statement represents your own anti-racist process. You might see yourself in one or more of the statements and/or in one or more of the circles. Click/tap on the diagram to open a larger version. The text is repeated in the table below.
As you look at this diagram, consider which statement represents your own anti-racist process. You might see yourself in one or more of the statements and/or in one or more circles.
Diagram from www.SurgeryRedesign.com
Practicing anti-racism means continuing along a pathway that moves from fear, to learning, to growth. While this pathway represents a linear direction, becoming anti-racist is not always a linear process. Sometimes you might feel like you are in the growth zone. At other times (with other people or in other situations) you might feel like you are in the fear zone.
| Fear Zone | Learning Zone | Growth Zone |
|---|---|---|
| I deny racism is a problem. | I recognize racism is a present and current problem. | I identify how I may unknowingly benefit from racism. |
| I avoid hard questions. | I seek out questions that make me uncomfortable. I educate myself about race and structural racism. |
I educate my peers about how racism harms our profession. I promote and advocate for policies and leaders that are anti-racist. |
| I strive to be comfortable. | I understand my own privilege in ignoring racism. I am vulnerable about my own biases and knowledge gaps. |
I sit with my discomfort. I speak out when I see racism in action. |
| I talk to others who think and look like me. | I listen to others who think and look differently than me. | I surround myself with others who think and look differently than me. |
I do not let mistakes deter me from being better. I yield positions of power to those otherwise marginalized. |
