OVERVIEW
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Racism, is a historical system of dominance, power and privilege that is rooted in the oppression of subordinated groups that the dominant group views as inferior, deviant, or undesirable. The dominant group constructs, manages and maintains structures and bias ideology that preserves their power and privilege. In racialized communities the subordinate group are excluded from power, status and access to resources by the dominant group. In the second module the focus will be on the challenges, barriers and limitations within communities around racism and discrimination.
LEARNING GOALS
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Distinguish the difference between racialized and non-racialized communities.
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Define racism, racialization and oppression
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Contrast and compare characteristics of dominant and subordinate groups in society.
ASSOCIATED ISSUES
RACIALIZED COMMUNITIES
This module refers to a wide variety of people or communities of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, historically referred to as “visible minorities”.
Racialization is a process of constructing racial categories that are connected to complex social, cultural and legal practices through which particular groups primarily those who are non-white are defined and disadvantaged. Each racialized group within the community has its own experience of racialization and that strategies to improve are not uniform.
Racialized communities by definition can be further described as a group that includes all people that are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in color. Aboriginal peoples in Canada are sometimes excluded from this definition, but should not be.
The term visible minorities is slowly being replaced by racialized communities because in many municipalities that population of people who are non-white now make up the majority and no longer the minority of the overall population.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT?
Racism that permeates society better known as systemic and institutionalized racism frequently contributes to homelessness within racialized communities. Disproportionate rates of imprisonment, higher dropout rates for education, barriers to employment and denial and discrimination when seeking government assistance all lead to underprivileged peoples becoming homeless from racialized communities in Canada.
The rate of full-time employment for racialized Canadians is lower than the Canadian average and income levels are also lower. Access to higher level meaningful jobs are more difficult for people from racialized communities. Labor market statistics show that people from these groups are disproportionately exposed to contract, temporary, part-time, and shift work with poor job security, low wages and benefits.
Recent immigrants many of whom are from racialized communities continue to experience declining earnings and employment outcomes, in the Canadian workplace, despite educational credentials that have been higher on average than those of native-born Canadians. This suggests that some hiring practices may be subject to institutional racism, operating with procedures that exclude groups not because of their skill level but simply because of their race.
Limited employment, limits financial flexibility, nourished poverty and creates homelessness and hopelessness.
It is important that shelters are prepared to adapt to the diversity of needs of racialized communities including food/nutrition (varied diet, prohibitions of types of food or methods of preparation), options for religious accommodation and creating safe spaces and cultural awareness/acceptance.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
Racism that permeates society better known as systemic and institutionalized racism frequently contributes to homelessness within racialized communities. Disproportionate rates of imprisonment, higher dropout rates for education, barriers to employment and denial and discrimination when seeking government assistance all lead to underprivileged peoples becoming homeless from racialized communities in Canada.
The rate of full-time employment for racialized Canadians is lower than the Canadian average and income levels are also lower. Access to higher level meaningful jobs are more difficult for people from racialized communities. Labor market statistics show that people from these groups are disproportionately exposed to contract, temporary, part-time, and shift work with poor job security, low wages and benefits.
Recent immigrants many of whom are from racialized communities continue to experience declining earnings and employment outcomes, in the Canadian workplace, despite educational credentials that have been higher on average than those of native-born Canadians. This suggests that some hiring practices may be subject to institutional racism, operating with procedures that exclude groups not because of their skill level but simply because of their race.
Limited employment, limits financial flexibility, nourished poverty and creates homelessness and hopelessness.
It is important that shelters are prepared to adapt to the diversity of needs of racialized communities including food/nutrition (varied diet, prohibitions of types of food or methods of preparation), options for religious accommodation and creating safe spaces and cultural awareness/acceptance.
RESOURCES
KEYWORDS
Institutional racism is patterns, procedures, practices and policies that serve to consistently penalize, disadvantage and exploit individuals based on their race.
Systemic racism is racism that is prevalent amongst society and all major social institutions, if functions as a system of social oppression, deeply embedded and strongly contested.
Homeless and hopelessness is the situation of an individual, family or community without stable, safe, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means and ability of acquiring it.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
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Watch CBC 8th Fire series.
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Support initiatives to change the racist names of sports teams and learn why it is so important to Indigenous people.
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Encourage your place of work or study to formally acknowledge the territory.
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Actively commit to eliminating stereotypes about visible minorities by gently correcting people.
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Learn about and support Black Lives Matter.
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Educate yourself around the issues of carding and racial profiling and consider why this is an important issue for urban Black and Indigenous populations.
VIDEOS
Racism Is Real • Systematic Racism Explained • Black Lives Matter • BRAVE NEW FILMS (BNF)
8th Fire: Aboriginal Peoples, Canada and the Way Forward - Doc Zone | CBC
Rinku Sen Introduces "What Is Systemic Racism?" Video Series
