Contemporary Racial Issues in America

Introduction

Continual racial conflicts in America have been a long course, starting from the late colonial period up to the present age, and they are still present in various aspects of society. Currently, the United States has not been left behind in the integration of change but still faces several issues, including employment opportunity disparities, a biased criminal justice system, healthcare injustices, and cultural prejudice. These recurring issues indicate a need for constant talking, policy changes, and society’s engagement in a noble fight for racial equality. While racism persists in America through systemic inequality, addressing it requires policy reform and collective social engagement. 

Systemic Racism and Discrimination

Systemic racism results in unequal and unfair treatment of people within institutions and the reshaping of policies to make them more inimical to minorities. Research has shown that people of color, particularly blacks and Hispanics, suffer from discrimination in issues such as employment, housing, and education (Banaji et al. 4-5). The concept of redlining, which previously involved refusing to provide credit based on so-called ‘racial geography,’ is one such reason for the wealth disparities that are identifiable in the present day. In addition, inequity in the education system persists because schools established in minority-populated areas are funded less than their counterparts established in White-dominated areas (Banaji et al. 16). These disparities affect the progress of people in economic circles and thus continue to fuel ethnic marginalization. 

Racial Profiling and Policing

Another crucial issue of racism that is evident in the United States is the profiling by police. For instance, research indicates that African Americans experience higher levels of police stops, searches, and arrests than Whites within the same population (Carvalho et al. 1215). The deaths of Black people at the hands of officers who were supposed to protect them has made the nation rise in protest, demanding changes in police conduct. Some groups like Black Lives Matter have risen up to demand changes in the police conducting body, conditions such as body cams, negotiation and de-escalation techniques, and enhanced measures to ensure the effective punishment of members of the police force (Hanson-DeFusco et al. 2). Police departments need to eliminate racial bias to enforce mutual understanding between law enforcement agencies and minorities.

Socioeconomic Disparities

Racism is prominent in America, and it is due to this that income disparity has been evident in society. The unemployment rate for African American and Hispanic people is higher than that for White people, and they also earn less money (Derenoncourt and Kim 3). Racial affirmative is caused by historical vices such as the slave trade, segregation, and unfair credit discrimination. Furthermore, minority communities suffer from an undisputed lack of access to affordable health care, which is reflected in the general health of the population. For instance, African Americans face higher rates of chronic illnesses, such as hypertension and diabetes, due to limited healthcare access and socioeconomic challenges (Hill-Briggs et al. 118). To mitigate these differences, policies promoting economic enfranchisement and healthcare parities must be implemented. 

Education and Opportunity Gaps

Education is one of the most important things in determining one’s future, yet race dramatically affects it. Minority students sit in low-funded schools, equipped with an array of inadequate materials and facilities, leading to lower performance and making their chances of progressing to college levels grim (Ngasura et al. 426-427). The trend of school-to-prison violates the rights of learners of color because minority learners, especially Black ones, end up being punished more severely in school and then promoted to the criminal world. Studies reveal that, when combined with structural changes, effective mentorship programs can increase the graduation rates of students from culturally disadvantaged backgrounds (Ngasura et al. 436). Thus, usable funding, equal acute access to higher education, and representation should be the policies implemented to bridge the gap. 

The Role of Media and Representation

Media plays a vital role in constructing and presenting race and racial matters. Minorities have always been at the receiving end of IPTV, movies, and newscasts in this country. Still, the representation of different races and minorities in the media has been advocating for the end of stereotypical portrayal of the races (Ali). There has been a shift in the inclusion of various media representations over the past few years as social platforms offer some opportunities to create a voice for diverse, talented people. Listening to the experiences of people from different racial groups helps viewers embrace their cultures and enhance communication. Therefore, meaningful representation across media remains a critical way of dismantling racism and creating a better society. 

Political Landscape and Policy

Politics influence the racial relations in the United States of America. Current changes, specifically decisions made at the top institutional level, include an order regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, causing discussions about whether the nation harms the advocacy of systemic racism (Lingras et al. 356). In California, the legislatures have proposed state-based reparations bills to vindicate Black people, reflecting an increasing appreciation of reparation schemes. Ideological lines in America’s racial politics remain jogged, with recent executive actions taken against DEI initiatives. Initiatives to introduce various types of reparations in California reflect the authorities’ desire to address historical burdens but are far from easy to implement within the legislative framework. At the same time, some of them also meet political resistance, which shows that the process of racial reconciliation through policy-making is not easy. 

Environmental Racism

Environmental racism in the present context can be defined as the unequal burden of being exposed to environmental risks among the trivial groups in society. Globally, the effects are that communities of color live close to industrial facilities, waste, or sites with lousy air quality, resulting in worse health. For example, the water supply crisis in Flint mainly affected the African American community and demonstrated full-blown racism within the administrative establishment (Ezell et al. 309). Dealing with environmental racism, therefore, requires the enshrinement of policies that support the pro-equality, effective, and efficient implementation of environmental laws and sensitization of the public to push for better standards of living. Hence, combating environmental racism entails fair policies and implementation, radical enforcement, and strengthened communities to deliver ecological justice for everyone.  

Conclusion

Contemporary racial problems in the United States of America have their social and psychological roots in previous racially motivated injustices and discrimination. Systemic racism, racial profiling, socioeconomic disparities, and limited educational opportunities for the development of individuals from minority backgrounds still affect the population. Although some strides have been made regarding these challenges, much more still needs to be done in terms of addressing race equality. Everything should, therefore, be changed: the policies, the laws, the capacities of law enforcement agencies, and the economy. Hence, the equality of racial opportunity is always possible in America once the society promotes fairness and inclusion.
 

Works Cited

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Banaji, Mahzarin R., et al. “Systemic Racism: Individuals and Interactions, Institutions and Society.” Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, vol. 6, no. 1, 20 Dec. 2021, cognitiveresearchjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41235-021-00349-3, https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-021-00349-3.

Carvalho, Aline Ara Santos, et al. “Racial Prejudice and Police Stops: A Systematic Review of the Empirical Literature.” Behavior Analysis in Practice, vol. 15, no. 4, 28 May 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9744975/, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00578-4.

Derenoncourt, Ellora, and Chi Kim. Wealth of Two Nations: The U.S. Racial Wealth Gap, 1860-2020. 2022.

Ezell, Jerel M, et al. “The Blueprint of Disaster: COVID-19, the Flint Water Crisis, and Unequal Ecological Impacts.” The Lancet Planetary Health, vol. 5, no. 5, May 2021, pp. e309–e315, https://doi.org/10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00076-0.

Hanson-DeFusco, Jessi, et al. “#Polarized: Gauging Potential Policy Bargaining Ranges between Opposing Social Movements of Black Lives Matter and Police Lives Matter.” Social Sciences, vol. 13, no. 11, 5 Nov. 2024, p. 604, www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/11/604, https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13110604. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

Hill-Briggs, Felicia, et al. “Social Determinants of Health, Race, and Diabetes Population Health Improvement: Black/African Americans as a Population Exemplar.” Current Diabetes Reports, vol. 22, no. 3, 3 Mar. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-022-01454-3.

Lingras, Katherine A., et al. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts at a Departmental Level: Building a Committee as a Vehicle for Advancing Progress.” Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, vol. 30, no. 2, 16 Sept. 2021, pp. 356–379, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-021-09809-w.Ngasura, Edna, et al. “Influence of Government Subsidy on Students’ Enrollment in Public Secondary Schools in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya.” Open Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 11, no. 8, 3 Aug. 2023, pp. 424–440, www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=127228, https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2023.118030.