Understanding Racism and BLM from Gen Z

In order to understand racism and Black Lives Matter, it is important to hear diverse perspectives. Everyone has a different perception on the same issue, and talking about our differences and learning from each other is one of the best ways that we can be the change.

I was able to talk to Gen Z about racism in this country along with Black Lives Matter. I spoke to kids of different races, sexual orientations, and who practiced different religions. By my conversations, I was able to learn about their stories and experiences, which significantly educated me.

Black Lives Matter and White Privilege Analysis

When I first started these converations, I wanted to know what everyone knew about these topics as well as what their opinions were. This part of the conversation was the broadest before diving into more specific questions. The people I talked to about Black Lives Matter (BLM) all had very similar ideas about what this movement was. They knew that it was a movement to help black lives, similar to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. BLM has gained a lot of traction specifically after the death of George Floyd. In terms of Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter, the people that were in favor of Black Lives Matter were against these movements. They explained how these movements take attention away from the issues relevant to BLM. When asking everyone about the intersection of BLM and law enforcement, I got mixed responses. Some people expressed how they did not know that police brutality was an issue until different stories hit mainstream media. Others explained how police brutality was when police abused the power that they had, which applies to all races. However, this person also explained how police brutality disproportionately affects black people along with other minorities. The people I talked to expressed how police need to have better training to deal with high-pressure situations. There was agreement that police should be held accountable for their actions. Finally, when I asked about white privilege, everyone explained how white privilege was real, but in different ways. Everyone expressed how white privilege does not mean that the lives of white people are easier. However, it means that people of color experience biases or difficulties because of experiencing white privilege. One person explained how white privilege is shown through the little things, like how there is more white representation in TV shows or they have more makeup shades available. Another person I talked to explained how European colonizers believed they were superior because of the color of their skin. This idea of white superiority is a concept that has been carried down for generations, and is now in today’s society. Everyone had very good points when it came to talking about these issues. I was able to hear common connections between different parts of these issues that I may not have recognnized before. For instance, someone I talked to compared white privilege to All Lives Matter in the sense that people do not want to believe that certain biases exist or that black lives need attention. These broad questions really helped open my eyes to various unique experiences and how people can see the same issue through different lenses.

When did you first see/recognize race? Have you ever felt attacked or belittled because of your race, gender, sexuality, or religion?

In June, one of my friends had the idea to get together and talk about what was happening in the country and how we all felt about it. One of the questions that was discussed was when we all first saw and recognized race. I thought that this question was interesting and really made everyone think, so I decided to ask others this question to see how they responded. Some people took a few minutes to think and could not figure out the exact point when they first saw or recognized race. Others knew right away as early as elementary school when they noticed that they were being treated differently. One person I talked to explained how in elementary school she was not included in her friend group, which consisted of all white people. This instance was when she realized that she was treated differently because of her race. Another person I talked to explained how her parents taught her to have a “colorblind” mentality and not see others for their race. However, she began to see race in upper elementary school when she learned that other white kids were not taught about racial issues. Someone expressed how there was a lot of casual racism at her school, specifically made towards Indians. An African-American girl explained how she did not start to see race until she got on social media, like TikTok, in middle school and high school. She began to understand colorism, as well as how people were treated differently, solely due to the color of their skin. Most people I talked to expressed, after thinking about the question, that they recognized race at a very early age, even if they did not process at the time what was going on. This showed me that we were able to see the injustices against the black community and people of color at a very young age. Identifying the problem at such a young age should be an indication that education about race and racism needs to begin in elemetary schools. When asking if anyone had been attacked or belittled because of their race, gender, sexuality, or religion, I got a lot of mixed responses. Some people explained that they had never felt attacked for any part of their identity, whereas others had many stories. One girl I talked to explained how she has to face racism because of her name, religion, and culture. Another girl explained how she has received stares for wearing a hijab, and how, during a school assembly, people were shouting at her and mocking her for her religion. Someone else I talked to explained how since she is a mixed race, no one ever knows what race she is and assumes that she is something that she is not. People have also called her “exotic”, and although they did not have negative intentions, the word felt like a label. Another person said they wondered if teachers and counselors have ever doubted their intelligence because of their race. Overall, these questions allowed me to see diverse struggles of Gen Z and areas that we can improve, such as school education on racism, holding standards on social media, and keeping the conversation going so no one feels alone.

Thoughts on Racism Existing In This Country

When asking others in Gen-Z if they believed that racism existed in this country, everyone agreed that racism existed to some extent. However, the ways that racism existed was explained differently by each person. One person I talked to explained that everyone, including people of color, holds prejudice that they may not even notice. This prejudice could be a result of ideas that have been part of society for years and have now been engrained in our minds. Another person I talked to explained that America was built on institutional racism. For instance, the American economy used to thrive off of African American slave labor, and Native Americans were killed so that Americans could take their land. Another person mentioned how white people are arrested peacefully whereas a lot of people of color are not. Also, groups like the KKK, are a direct example of racism and bigotry that still exist in the country. Another person mentioned how racism did not go away after the Civil Rights era in the 1960s. Even though laws were passed, racism is still very much alive in the country. Gen Z can pave the way for this change.

What are your thoughts on the current protests and riots?

When talking about the current national protests, everyone had a positive opinion about them. Everyone was in support of peaceful protests because they helped raise awareness of race issues. However, some protests have results in riots and looting. There was opinion that the riots gave Black Lives Matter a negative reputation, by making it seem like everyone that supports the cause are violent. Overall, peacful protests were supported.

Did you know about race issues before the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery?

When thinking about this question, I became aware about how I was uninformed about race issues until these events had occurred. When talking to others, a few people were the same as me. They explained how they did not realize the severity of the issue until it finally got media coverage. However, other people explained that they knew about the issue before these deaths occurred. One girl explained that in middle school there was a project in English class for Black History Month, and her topic was the Black Lives Matter movement which is when she started to get informed about race issues. Another girl explained that in her hometown in New York there was a lot of racism and violence towards African Americans, so she was exposed to the problem at a very young age. She remembers her mom explaining to her the racism that is still going on in the country. She even remembers people saying racial slurs, and she expressed that casual racism was very alive in the town. Others expressed that racism can be subtle, not outright words, but a feeling you get about not being included. These conversations were very enlightening and again stressed the importance of education as one of the best ways to tackle the issue of racism.

Additional Insights: How Racism and Islamaphobia are Connected

While talking to people about Black Lives Matter, I was able to ask if anyone had experienced any type of discrimination. I was able to talk to people that practiced Islam and were from the Middle East. Having these conversations helped me realize how interconnected racism and Islamaphobia are. These kids have had to deal with Islamaphobia and other discrimination simply due to the color of their skin and their beliefs. One young teenage girl I talked to explained how, in English class, she explained how her mom was scared for her life during 9/11 because she was Muslim. She then said that a few kids in the class started laughing and mocking this idea. She also explained how her mom was discriminated against when she first came to America because of her traditional clothing. Another girl I talked to explained how she lost friends in elementary school because she was Muslim and had a darker skin tone, and she did not realize until later that it was racially and religiously motivated. Another girl explained how she left her school in 4th grade, and when she returned in 8th grade, she wore a head scarf (hijab). Instantly, she received stares and unfriendly looks from people who were once her friends because her appearance changed. These girls have experienced discrimination due to their skin color, religion and where they are from. Racism and Islamaphobia have common connections, in that they stem from the similar fear of people being different. I never realized how connected these issues were until I was able to talk to people with firsthand experiences. My personal learning curve helped me realize how important it is to have these kinds of conversations. It is always possible to learn more, and the best way to continue learning is by listening to people that experience situations firsthand.