Dear Readers, this blog post post doesn’t have the same sunny tone. We felt we needed to take a moment and acknowledge the current events and recent tragedies. Find a quiet place and space to take in today’s content.
As always, we work hard to offer a perspective that connects with your head, heart, and hands. Now is the time to take action in support of your values!
Race is Not Radical
When we talk about race in today’s society, it is sometimes thought to be a progressive or radical topic. Talking about race in this way is both harmful and limiting. Race as a radical topic reinforces structural racism and leaves very little room for marginalized voices. Talking about race is necessary for achieving equity and justice – we cannot address what we don’t acknowledge.
Race is a human rights issue. The dominant narrative in many countries, including the United States of America, centers whiteness as the norm. So, when there is any pivot, it seems foreign, extreme, or unnecessary. Talking about the historical and present-day inequities faced by Black, Brown, Indigenous & Asian people means we can work toward inclusivity and belonging. It means dismantling systems that have gone unchecked for centuries in our day-to-day lives and in places of work.
Race is a lived experience.
People of color navigate the world differently due to the systems of oppression that are central to the very institutions designed to govern, educate, and employ us. Dismissing conversations about race as radical means maintaining the status quo, which continues to benefit some while leaving others on the margins disproportionately.
Furthermore, ignoring race or labeling discussions about it as radical implies that equality and equity can somehow be achieved without acknowledging the full scope of our societal imbalances. This allows discomfort to override justice. It silences critical conversations about racial disparities in areas such as education, healthcare, employment, and law enforcement. And it confirms the bias that race is not affecting the lived experience every single day. Discussing these uncomfortable truths head-on is not divisive but necessary because the only way everyone has the opportunity to thrive—regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation— is shifting this narrative. Race is not radical; denying its importance is.
Race in the United States
The United States, like many other nations, has a deep and complex history with race. To understand why addressing racial equity is not radical, we start with how race as a concept came about in the U.S., its impact on communities such as Portland, and how we can work to dismantle racial inequities in everyday spaces, like work.
The concept of race in the United States did not exist in the way we understand it today until the 1800s, when it became a tool for social and economic control. Race was invented as a social construct to justify the enslavement of Africans and the exploitation of Indigenous peoples. Prior to this period, divisions among people were more likely to be based on religion, class, or geography. However, as European settlers in America sought to grow their economic power through the transatlantic slave trade and the appropriation of Native land, the idea of race became an essential mechanism for justifying the dehumanization and exploitation of non-white people.
As you begin to understand racial equity, commit to a deep exploration of history and intentional reflection. Our reflective journal is designed to help guide you as you navigate your thoughts and identify ways to contribute to racial equity in your own daily life. Begin the path toward understanding and action with our Construct the Present Reflective Journal today!
The institution of slavery, in particular, created a clear racial divide, embedding white supremacy into the legal and cultural fabric of American society. Laws were passed to cement race-based hierarchies, stripping rights, freedom, and autonomy from Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. This divide was expanded through systemic structures, including Jim Crow laws, housing segregation, and discriminatory employment practices, many of which were upheld well into the 20th century, some of which still stand true today. Understanding this history is crucial to recognizing that the conversation about race and racism today is not radical but deeply rooted in the foundational structures of the United States.
Race & Quality of Life in Portland
Portland, Oregon, is seen as a progressive city, yet the impact of race on the quality of life here reveals significant inequities that remain unaddressed. Portland has a history of exclusionary laws and policies that have disproportionately affected people of the global majority. For example, Oregon’s original constitution explicitly barred Black people from living in the state, a legacy that continues to affect racial demographics and systemic inequities, particularly housing, today.
Data from the “Portland Plan Progress Report” shows these disparities, exploring how communities of color in Portland experience a lower quality of life compared to their white counterparts. According to the report, racial disparities exist in over five areas of day-to-day life. For example, Black and Latino residents in Portland are more likely to face housing insecurity, with Black Portlanders experiencing significantly higher rates of homelessness. Additionally, educational outcomes for students of color lag behind those of white students. These gaps are then increased by income inequality and underinvestment in historically marginalized communities.
These inequities are not merely byproducts of individual behaviors or choices but are the result of decades of structural racism embedded in the city’s policies and practices. Understanding this local context helps us see that addressing race is not an extreme proposition; rather, it is an essential step toward ensuring that everyone, regardless of race, has the opportunity to thrive.
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