Diversity
“There comes a time where silence is betrayal.”
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Diversity can be seen in a variety of ways, for instance with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Black Lives Matter is a movement originating among African Americans, emphasizing basic human rights and racial equality for black people and campaigning against various forms of racism.
Dictionary.com
Systemic Racism
Racism is defined as individual and group-level processes and structures that are involved in the propagation of racial inequality. Systemic racism is when these processes and structures are carried out by groups in power, like the government, businesses, and schools. There is a debate in the country over whether systemic racism is a real issue in America.
The Black Lives Matter Movement began in 2013 in response to the death of Trayvon Martin. This movement is very similar to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
Other Perspectives: A Need for Civil Discussion
All Lives Matter
All Lives Matter is a phrase that is used to express that everyone’s lives matter. This phrase is controversial and felt to reduce the value of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Blue Lives Matter
Blue Lives Matter is a phrase that is used to express that police officers’ lives matter. This phrase is controversial and felt to reduce the value of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Another debate comes in the form of whether white privilege is real or not.
White privilege is defined as inherent advantages possessed by a white person on the basis of their race in a society characterized by racial inequality and injustice.
White Priviledge: An Analysis
In order to see my analysis on white privilege, go to the Blog or click here:
A Major Divide
The debates over Black Lives Matter, All Lives Matter / Blue Lives Matter, and white privilege have resulted in another divide in the country. Politics have caused this issue to divide America once again in a way that is not ideal. It is extremely important that people on both sides of this issue are able to come together and talk about their beliefs. The power of communication and education could help break this divide and therefore help to find a logical solution to this major current debate. Gen Z can be on the forefront of generating civil discussion and real change.
I decided to work to break this divide by reaching out to different people to see how they feel about this issue, as well as see what they think the most practical solution is.
I was able to talk to people of all different races, genders, sexual orientation, and religions about Black Lives Matter as well as how they believe we can work to break the divide. The questions I asked each person were:
What do you know about and what are your opinions on Black Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, and White Privilege?
When did you first recognize / see race?
Do you believe that racism still exists in this country? Why or why not?
What are your thoughts on the protests?
How did you feel about the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery? Did you know any of the pre-existing social issues before these tragedies occurred?
What are your thoughts on police education regarding race relations?
Have you ever felt attacked or belittled because of your race?
What are your thoughts on public school education?
How do you think we can become less divided as a nation when it comes to this issue?
How do you think we can be the change?
What Can Society and Our Generation Do?
Breaking the Divide: Education
Everyone I talked to explained how education is the most important thing to help people understand the current issues and show them perspective on the problems occurring in the country, like the debate over Black Lives Matter. By educating each other on these topics and not avoiding them, society will be able to learn and therefore share what they learned. This could create a chain effect, and therefore help others learn about this issue over time.
To learn more about this conversation, click here.
Solution: Have the Tough Conversation
One person I talked to explained how having conversations with people on the opposite side is important. It is pertinent to understand other people’s perspectives, no matter how uncomfortable the conversation may be.
To learn more about this conversation, click here.
Gen-Z Change: Do Not Stop Spreading The Message
When it came to what people in our generation could do, one of the biggest things we could do, according to my peers, was to keep up the conversation so that people in higher positions hear our demands.
To learn more about this conversation, click here.