Humanity is not born with racism

Photo by the Author

In a world that has made groundbreaking advances in technology, celebrated history-making achievements, and witnessed poor countries become titans in the global economy, it is quite baffling that racial discrimination continues to exist in various forms up to this day and age. For a world that has come so far, reading about mass shootings and watching reports on hate crimes feel like I have been transported to the past. 

I, too, used to have a history involving a fair share of prejudices. A product of our country’s fixation with light skin, my notions of beauty and superiority were deeply rooted in colorism. With this, I would look down on those who looked like they "spent time under the sun" and participated in making fun of other people's complexion.

Rather than being corrected, or told I had problematic views, the media only perpetuated my beliefs by highlighting the contrast of lifestyles between fair-skinned people and people of color. It was 2013 when the latest adaptation of The Great Gatsby was released and offered a depiction of the opulence and luxury experienced by white people. Around the same time, 12 Years a Slave also came out and it portrayed the cruel experience that Black people went through during the period of slavery. I was too young to realize what I had seen, it had an adverse effect of reinforcing to me—and wrongfully so—that people were predisposed to certain lifestyles based solely on how they looked.

Still, the stark disparity between the two movies, among many others, was enough to truly instill in me the gratitude I should have for my own privileges. This, along with colorist beauty standards, affected my thinking and desensitized me to racially offensive behavior.

Looking back, I am ashamed to have once been this way. I am remorseful that I did not unlearn those harmful instances earlier than I did. I cannot recall whether this change of belief was gradual or if I suddenly became aware of my own prejudiced beliefs. I could not remember if this change was internally prompted or the news or from the movies I consumed, I can never remember. With growth, I am just thankful that I now saw everyone not for their skin color, but for who they truly are. 

Unlearning these prejudices is a conscious process. Oftentimes, we do not know where to start but knowing that we must start is key to change. Things like a simple repost of educational infographics on our Instagram story or a retweet of a thread on slave trade history are actually a good start. However, in addressing our bias, we must first understand what racism actually is and where it comes from. It is highly necessary that we have an astute understanding of how it harms us because we can only actually unlearn our prejudices if we understand the very core of racism, and in doing so, we can now confront the ideas that reinforce these harmful stereotypes. 

I have hope that we can make a world free of racial discrimination. If man was able to go to the moon, then we can also unlearn racism. This brings the perspective that we are capable of growth and change; racism is a problem rooted in a lack of cultural understanding and it is deeply upsetting that this concern is not afforded the time and effort it actually necessitates to be eradicated in society. Why do dark-skinned people of all ages still have to fear for themselves? Why do dark-skinned people have to face greater challenges in society?

But I trust in humanity’s growth. 

As we commemorate International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination focusing on the theme of the urgency of combating racism and racial discrimination, I call on communities and organizations to work hand-in-hand in dismantling harmful stereotypes; I call on governments to continue the making of safe spaces for everyone regardless of skin color. And to everyone else, it is our duty to understand and feel how harmful racism is because by doing so, it will provide us the motivation to put in the work to undo our prejudices and actively join the movement of fighting racial discrimination.