Author: christiana

Christiana Awode

Prof. Stone 

ENG 1101

October 27, 22

 

                                                              Annotated Bibliography

 

Research Question: What is structural racism? What effect do structural inequality and structural racism have on the development of people of color in the United States? 

 

    Structural racism segregates communities of color. It makes it difficult for people of color to have any opportunities with education, jobs, wealth, taxes, voting, healthcare, and housing treatment. This is where white supremacy comes in, because of racism whites have special privileges other races don’t have. Communities and everyone see’s it’s happening but turns the other eye, nothing has been done to change this because everyone normalizes it. Structural racism focuses on the historical side. This type of racism is so invisible it has been fixed into laws and systems. 

    Structural inequality is similar to structural racism; it deals with wealth, government, health, and business. This occurs because of variations in issuing economic power. I may not have noticed it before, but I see racism in our world today, all over the media and the internet. I got an interest in racism during quarantine, a few incidents happened during that time. “Blackout Tuesday” spread all over special media like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. It was a protest against police brutality and racism, everyone posted black screens all over the media that Tuesday. 

      It was a response to the murder of George Floyd an innocent 46-year-old African American that was killed by a white policeman Derek Chauvin. If it was not for everyone protesting to help Floyd get justice Chauvin would have walked. Another incident that happened was the attack on the Capitol, Trump supporters attacked the Capitol starting a rampage killing 4 police officers. This is white privilege a crime was committed, and nothing was done to stop these supporters, but when black people protest there tasered, beaten, and shot. I’m curious why racism is still going on today, why no law has forbidden it or if any precautions have been taken. I expect to see different types of racism relating to structural racism, and the damage it has done to people of color, but not one way we can stop or reduce it. If my hypothesis doesn’t match, I will not change it but will find more reasons.

 

Source Entry 1

 

Braveman, A Paula, “Systemic and Structural Racism: Definitions, Examples, Health Damages, And Approaches to Dismantling”. Health Affairs, 2022.

 

     “Systemic and Structural Racism: Health Damages, And Approaches to Dismantling” by Paula. A Braveman was published in February 2022. Braveman is a Family and Community Medicine and Founding Director Professor of the Center of Health Equity at the University of California. Braveman has studied social determinants of health, and health equity and her research point to understanding racial and ethnic disparities for more than 25 years.

     Braveman begins by explaining how structural racism relates to the social and political within society, mainly people of color. This type of racism can affect and shape someone’s life for example black people, but this helps and gives white people an advantage. This exists because of white supremacy, white people placing themselves on the top and putting black and other minorities at the bottom. Structural racism plays educational, political, social, and historical roles in all worlds. Braveman states “Structural racism stealthily replicates the racial hierarchy established more than 400 years ago through slavery and colonialism, placing white people at the top and Black people at the bottom” (Braveman 15). So many people of color lives are at risk because of structural racism, whether it’s from being mistreated at school, or not getting a job because you’re black. This affects you by not being able to provide for yourself or your family. 

 Braveman says, “Systemic racism is so embedded in systems that it often is assumed to reflect the natural, inevitable order of things” (Braveman12). Racism is invisible people are used to discriminating against others and messing up someone’s mental health. 

    There are multiple authors in this article Elaine Arki, Tina Kudah, and Nicole Hulm the main author is Paula A. Braveman. Braveman is a researcher; I can tell she is curious and wants better for the world. She wants everyone to know and be aware, in the article she gives many examples and quotes on what structural racism is and what people think it is and who the cause is. Her attitude is very straightforward about the subject and wants change, she gives topics that relate to racism, definitions, and even other opinions on different authors. The audience is the world, every race with or without color. Paula published this article in February 2022, created this article to point out the wrong in the world. February is black history month. I guess she dedicated this article to that month. Paula is somehow trying to give a voice to people of color, to show how white supremacy affects and kills people of color. Based on this information this article is a current article/ newsletter, it’s happening today in real life and throughout history, it provides. The author seems calm, doesn’t seem mad or upset about the topic, and seems concerned and tired of this racism. The author gave lots of quotes and definitions, so I know she wants whoever is reading this article to understand what she is writing.

 

Entry 2

 

Matthew, Bowen Dayana. ‘Just Health: Treating Structural Racism to Heal America”. New York University Press, 2022.

 

   “Just health: Treating Structural Racism to Heal America” by Dayana Bowen, was published in February 2022. Bowen is a leader in public health and a civil rights lawyer who focuses on healthcare. Bowen shows how racial inequality hurts the public, and how we can change the Black Lives Matter Movement.

    Bowen begins this book by clarifying how structural racism kills many people of color, Black, and Native yearly in America today. She illustrates to us what happened to Vincent Edward Bowen Jr, aka her ‘Dad’; he died at the young age of forty-nine. Bowen lost her dad her sophomore year of college, as she states he was “hardworking”, and “charming, he accomplished the “American Dream”. Structural Inequality is the most harmful to Americans, Bowens states “This inequality is structural because it operates through the enduring societal institutions to regulate other groups to an inferior status and elevate other groups to superiority solely” (Bowen 2). This is where white supremacy comes in; they have higher privileges, a superior race dominating other races. All this leads to the worst health for people of color, this poor health killed Bowen’s father Vincent. Bowen explains there are paths for structural inequality, perpetuates prejudice dividing Americans by social class, and this affects a person how they treat themselves. Bowen says, “Intergroup contact can improve relationships across different socioeconomics status, gender, sex, religion and even differences in race and national origin” (Bowen 4). Structural inequality plays a role in special treatment for one group, even in neighborhoods and social classes where segregation plays a big role, one race won’t want to be near another race, one race lives in nice housing with protection, and another race is in poverty and has no benefits.

   Bowen is a professor of law and George Washington University law school; she helps communities with disadvantages. She is a member of the health policy team serving the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Bowen is very concerned for all people of color and the amount of death, in the book she talks about social class and how it affects someone of color, and how they live.  Bowen is trying to target all people of color, especially African American men, in the article she talks about her dad Vincent, and how structural inequality killed him from poor health. How people of color have the most terrible health, and how it all affects education and housing. Structural inequality is damaging communities and the lives of people.

   This book was published in February 2022, on Black History Month. This month gives every African American attention needed. To get their voice out to gain publicity and change it’s a time for people of color to gather together to protect their lives. The author wants to change for people of color, and fair treatment for all races of color. Bowen wants all the poor minority populations to have good health and not suffer. A book is a great way to get through to a big audience, it comes with different contents, so the reader is satisfied. Bowen can connect to the people reading her book and get them to understand and even want change. 

 

Entry 3

 

Jr. Tillman Geroge. “The Hate U Give”. 20th Century Studios, 2018.

 

    “The Hate U Give” by George Tillman Jr. was released on September 7, 2018. Tillman is known as an American filmmaker and producer. He was recognized for making his own films and directing many television projects. The Hate U Give is all about “Authenticity”.

    The Hate U Give is a dominant film about racism. Starr Carter the protagonist is a black 16-year-old girl. She lives in a black neighborhood with her parents and sibling. One night she went to a party with her best friend Khalil, and gunshots were fired there so they both left and went to safety. While Khail was driving her home they were pulled over by the police for no reason, Khalil was joking around while Starr was serious. The officer says for Khalil to put his hands where he can see them, but then he grabs his hairbrush the officer mistakes for a gun and shoots Khalil right in front of Starr. Tillman expresses how he was inspired by “The idea of this character trying to find her identity, having to code-switch to fit into her school environment. The shooting by a white police officer opened up a lot of conversations, issues in society, and questions that this girl was asking from an innocent place. I was excited about the story and the possibilities of telling it from both dramatic and visual standpoints” (Tillman 6). Starr grieves for her best friend trying to get justice not just for Khalil but for all black people, she goes through many obstacles while living in a gang-friendly neighborhood and going to a white school. Tillman says, “This movie is all about human experience, it’s to make a political movie but to make an experience of a family and a young girl” (Tillman, 7). Tillman wanted to bring his vision of the story to life with this film. 

    George Tillman Jr. is a Producer, Writer, and Director, he filmed many shows. He grew up in Milwaukee, he was motivated to make his own films. In 1994 he wrote and directed his first film. Tillman explained how his childhood related to Starr in the film, he explains how the town he grew up in was segregated, and his parents took him to a white school from a black school. He felt what being in a white school felt like, the environment, and education. Tillman is trying to target everyone in the black communities, kids/teens are at risk nowadays. He is trying to show the audience how racism plays today, and how people look at people of color, he wants us to make a change because it won’t happen unless we fight and stand up.

     Tillman dedicated this film to Audrey Wells, a screenwriter and filmmaker who died last October at age 58 due to cancer. The film The Hate U Give was originally written by Angie Thomas, Tillman explains how Starr the Protagonist moved him, and how she went through many obstacles trying to find herself. Tillman wants black families to have opportunities, he wants everyone to see issues we have done nothing to solve, to stop people of color from normalizing being seen as a threat.

The genre is a film, it’s a great way to really get a message out there, to get people to really see the reality. Movies are most likely to motivate people to do the right thing. Some people may think racism and injustices are only being done to black males, but this film focuses on a black girl in a bad neighborhood. Racism and everything black people have to go through every day is starting to affect kids nowadays, and parents will do anything to protect their kids. In this film, there are many colors, which may bring comfort to the audience. There are lots of tones in this film, not only from Starr. The tone is determined throughout the film, everyone in the community including Starr wants justice for Khalil.

    Overall racism is something serious, no matter how many fights, or protests people of color put up racism will always be embedded into our laws and systems. Racism can be stopped, and laws can be put into place but the U.S and the government choose not to so “everyone has an opportunity”.  Meaning white people this is where white supremacy follows, whites have more privilege than people of color because they think they are the superior race. America refuses to let go of its racist divide; I have found out that whites are the cause of racism. The system in America is so twisted people of color don’t have the power to do anything about it.” Black and brown people are burdened with a presumption of guilt and dangerousness that is evident in many ways”. There are so many rumors, lies, and stereotypes about people of color no one knows what is true anymore. Even with the Black Lives Matter movement and the calm protest, there is still police brutality, violence, and killings just because people of color want a voice. I’m shocked at how white privilege plays today in our lives. People of color are unlikely to get a good education, whites are most likely to succeed and be wealthy. Segregation still exists today, in housing black people live in the ghetto while whites live in the suburbs an expensive area. It’s really important I learned this to know what life is going to throw at me as a person of color. I want to know do I have a chance to achieve my dreams, to be how wealthy I want to be. It’s important for the people in charge the government, the president, the senators, the people in the white house, the mayors, and everyone who has the power to make, change, and act on a law. Actual people’s lives are at stake, and it shouldn’t take this much effort for people of color to be seen, acknowledged, and not discriminated. Teachers and Principals need to know young kids of color shouldn’t go to school and feel like an outcast, students shouldn’t be treated differently because they’re white, and their peers shouldn’t make fun of their culture. So much death is going on because of racism, and inequality.