Caitie McAneney - What Do I Do When People I Know Are Racist?

Published in 2020 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010 Copyright 2020 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer. First Edition Editor: Rachel Gintner Book Design: Rachel Rising Photo Credits: . Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: McAneney, Caitie.

Title: What do I do when people I know are racist? / Caitie McAneney. Description: New York: PowerKids Press, 2020. | Series: Help me understand | Includes glossary and index. Identifiers: ISBN 9781725309463 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781725309487 (library bound) | ISBN 9781725309470 (6 pack) Subjects: LCSH: Racism--Juvenile literature. | Prejudices--Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC HT1521.M39 2020 | DDC 305.8--dc23 Manufactured in the United States of America CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #CWPK20.

For Further Information contact Rosen Publishing, New York, New York at 1-800-237-9932. Some of the images in this book illustrate individuals who are models. The depictions do not imply actual situations or events. CONTENTS What Are Racism and Prejudice? Everyones different. We wear different clothes, speak different languages, have different skin colors, and believe different things. This is called diversity.

We can support diversity by being fair and open to those who are different from us. However, some people dont accept differences. They think theyre better than others of a different race. This is called racism. Some judge others based on their skin color, , or where they come from. This is prejudice.

Prejudice and racism are very hurtful. Racism has been a problem for a long time. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said he dreamed that his children would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Understanding Privilege Its upsetting to learn that someone you know is racist.

There may be many reasons why this is the case. One reason is . Some people dont recognize that their skin color makes them privileged. For example, white, wealthy people have often taken and been given privilege in our society. Groups of people have had privilege around the world and throughout history. People from privileged groups are more likely to land jobs, make more money at those jobs, and move ahead in society.

That can make it hard for people from groups to get ahead. Prejudice keeps privilege in business. Imagine you get extra credit for answering questions in class. But your teacher only calls on white students. How can other students get that extra credit? Racism Hurts Racism is very hurtful. It creates a separation between people who could otherwise be friends.

It takes opportunities away from people who are . It attacks people who have done nothing wrong. If youre from a minority group, you probably know the power of racism all too well. Some people might look at you differently. People might not listen to what you have to say. People might say hurtful things or call you hurtful names.

No one wins when racism is in the mix. If youre from a minority group, you may have been on the receiving end of racist comments. Remember that such remarks arent fair, and that you should be treated with respect. Racist Remarks Throughout history, people have been treated unfairly because of their race. Some have been passed over for teams, schools, and jobs. Some people have been beaten or even killed.

These are racist actions. Everyday racism often includes racist remarks or small actions. Have you ever heard someone say something racist? It might be as simple as a white student saying I wouldnt want her on my team about a student of color. Or, it might be someone saying someone else is dumb, lazy, or sneaky based on their race. Another example of a racist act is someone imitating, or pretending to be like, someone of another race as a joke. This is based on , which are wrong and harmful.

Racist Relatives Being attacked by racism is painful. But what if you arent the one being attacked? What if you know and love the person whos being racist? That can be painful too. Imagine youre at a fun family dinner, talking to loved ones. But then your favorite uncle says that all people of a certain race are . You have friends of that race. You know they arent violent.

You dont know what to do or say. What can you do? Dealing with racist relatives or friends is hard. You can use special tools to deal with these hard . Disagreeing with Respect Youve probably learned to always treat your relatives with respect. That makes a situation involving racism extra hard. How can you disagree with them but also show respect? First, try to take the other persons perspective, or point of view.

Why might they think that way? They may have learned this way of thinking from other family or friends. If you say something, keep your voice calm. Tell your opinion and be truthful. Dont yell at that personeven if its hard not to. An example of disagreeing respectfully would be, Excuse me, but my best friend is that race. She is a wonderful person, and it hurts me to hear you say those things.

Showing Empathy for Others You can also deal with racist loved ones by showing in addition to telling. Show them how to have empathy for people who are different from them. Empathy means understanding and sharing how another person is feeling. One way to show empathy is to listen to others. If your friend is being treated unfairly based on race, listen to their story. Learn from it.

Make friends with people from different races and backgrounds. Do things in your community and meet new kinds of people. If your racist friend or family member sees that youre friends with someone of another race, they might realize that its not fair to treat others with prejudice. Educating Others What if you know your loved one isnt usually a bad person, but theyre still being unfairly racist? They might not have the knowledge that you have about empathy and fairness. In this case, you can teach them what you know. Tell your loved one about how harmful prejudice is.