Let’s Talk About Race

“Let’s Talk About Race” (A topic at the GEF Spring Event)

Race is an increasingly important topic in the modern world. The most common instance of racism is being stared at; however, this is likely more because of curiosity rather than racism. People of colour are more likely to get stopped in an airport; a major issue that the United States’ TSA continues to be forced to address. Certain races are also treated differently if they are suspected of being an undocumented immigrant. (Specifically Latin Americans throughout the United States. Also, in cities with stop-and-frisk, non-whites are more likely to be stopped than whites.) If in a country is not familiar to your race, could be mistaken. — Russia as an example; Russian, Chechen, and Jewish as different ethnicity. In Brazil, there are numerous interpretations of race; each different race is treated better or worse depending on their “lightness/darkness.” If a mother has a child who has a  different skin colour, then the two are different races.

Race is an increasingly polarised topic, with how it is dealt with and interpreted becoming an important factor internationally and domestically. The United States must understand how other countries deal with race, as misinterpreting race may offend other nations. Additionally, the United States must make progress at improving race relations within the United States, as this will set an important precedent for the international community. Lastly, if race relations lead to other groups being treated as inferior, then it is a human rights violation that needs to be addressed by the United States and other major powers.