Glossary

A institutionally perpetuated, historical and ever-evolving system of exploitation and oppression of continents, nations and peoples of color that consolidates and maintains power and resources among White people. This system promotes the ideology of Whiteness as the standard and the belief that White people are superior to other races.

The unearned power and advantages that benefit people just because they are White or are perceived as White. Peggy Macintosh describes White privilege as “an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in every day, but about which I was meant to remain oblivious.” (Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack).

A range of defensive (and centering) emotions and behaviors that White people exhibit when confronted with uncomfortable truths about race. These may include outward displays of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate White racial equilibrium.

Refers to policies and practices that generate different outcomes for persons of different racial groups. These laws, policies, and practices are not necessarily explicit in mentioning any racial group but work to create advantages for White persons and disadvantages for people of color.

Historically-rooted system of power hierarchies based on race— infused in our institutions, policies and culture—that benefit White people and hurt people of color. Racism isn’t limited to individual acts of prejudice, either deliberate or accidental. Rather, the most damaging racism is built into systems and institutions that shape our lives. Most coverage of race and racism focuses on racism at the level of individuals’ speech or actions, individual-level racism, dismisses systemic racism, or refers to racism in the past tense. Because of its historical roots, racism can be internalized, interpersonal and systemic/institutional.

Racial equity holds society to a higher standard to create conditions where outcomes display no differences by race. Racial equity is fairness and justice actualized in the lived experiences and outcomes of people of color, including, but not limited to health, justice, education, income, wealth, and environment. Racial equity will be a reality in which a person is no more or less likely to experience society’s benefits or burdens because of the color of their skin. This is in contrast to the current state of affairs in which Black and Brown people are more likely than White people to live in poverty, be imprisoned, drop out of high school, be unemployed and experience poor health outcomes like diabetes, heart disease, depression and other potentially fatal diseases.

A social and political construct—with no genetic or biological basis—used to arbitrarily categorize and divide individuals into groups based on physical appearance (particularly skin color), ancestry, culture, and ethnicity. The concept has been, and still is, used to justify the domination, exploitation, and violence against people who are racialized as non-White. How people are racialized (and experience life as a result) is a major determinant of socioeconomic status, life opportunities, and health outcomes.

Advantages and benefits systemically provided, often by default, to a person or group. Privilege is best understood intersectionally because skin color, gender, documentation status, economic class and education, for example, can all provide distinct advantage within and between racial and ethnic groups. For example, White people are racially privileged, even if they are economically underprivileged. People can be disadvantaged by one identity and privileged by another.

The ability to define, set, or change situations. Power is the ability to influence others to believe, behave, or adopt values as those in power desire. It is also the ability to access resources and decision makers, and the ability to influence others via this access.

The health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group.

Collective term for referring to non-White racial groups, rather than “minorities.” Racial justice advocates have been using the term “people of color” (not to be confused with the pejorative “colored people”) since the late 1970s as an inclusive and unifying frame across different racial groups that are not White, to address racial inequities. While “people of color” can be a politically useful term and describes people with their own attributes (as opposed to what they are not, eg: “non-White”), it is also important whenever possible to identify people through their own racial/ethnic group, as each has its own distinct experience and meaning and may be more appropriate. The term includes, but is not synonymous with, Black people.

The perception or placing of a person or a group outside and/or in opposition to what is considered to be the norm. It is also a set of common processes that marginalizes groups of people and perpetuates inequality across any of the full range of human differences because they are not a part of what is considered
the norm.

The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, which create overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. It is also considered a framework for conceptualizing a person, group of people, or social problem as affected by multiple discriminations and disadvantages. It takes into account people’s overlapping identities and experiences in order to understand the complexity of prejudices they face and the impact of those overlapping identities.

Interpersonal racism occurs between individuals. Once we bring our private beliefs into our interaction with others, racism is now in the interpersonal realm. Examples: public expressions of racial prejudice, hate, bias and bigotry between individuals.

A process people of color go through of believing, accepting, and internalizing inferior and subordinate images of themselves and their people, resulting in fear, anxiety, and uncertainty about challenging the institutions that have disempowered them.

Inclusion is fostering an environment in which people of all identities are welcome, valued, and supported. An inclusive organization pays special attention to power dynamics (racial, gender, generational, etc.) and authentically includes all perspectives, identities, and/or groups in processes, activities, and decision/policy making in a way that shares power.

A belief or attitude that impacts our understanding, decisions, and actions, and that exists without our conscious awareness. People are often unaware of their bias, and the concept of implicit bias helps describe racist acts that may not be overt or intentional. Implicit bias is just as harmful, so it is important to talk about race explicitly and to take steps to address it. Institutions are composed of individuals whose biases are replicated, and then produce systemic inequities. It is possible to interrupt implicit bias by adding steps to decision-making processes that thoughtfully consider and address racial impacts.

Prejudice that is consciously accepted in favor of, or against one group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

Fairness and justice in policy, practice and opportunity recognizing different challenges, needs, and histories. Involves conscious design of a robust system to provide appropriate, and perhaps greater, levels of support based on an individual’s or group’s needs in order to achieve fairness in outcomes. Working to achieve equity acknowledges unequal starting places and the need to correct the imbalance.

The effort to treat everyone the same or to ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities. However, only working to achieve equality ignores historical and structural factors that benefit some social groups and disadvantages other social groups in ways that create different starting points.

Differences in race, gender, sexual orientation, class, age, country of origin, education, religion, geography, physical, or cognitive abilities. Valuing diversity means recognizing differences between people, acknowledging that these differences are a valued asset, and striving for diverse representation as a critical step towards equity. Diversity is not a synonym for inclusion or equity.

The unequal, disadvantaging treatment of members or those perceived to be members of various groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, religion, citizenship status, a combination of these, and/or other categories.

The integrated patterns of human behavior that include the thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious and social groups. These include the norms shared by a group, the ways of a group being passed down from generation to generation, and how people experience the world around them.

A school of thought that examines the role of race in one’s social standing. It began as a response by legal scholars to the idea that the United States had become a color-blind society in which racial discrimination no longer exists, and that one’s racial identity no longer influenced one’s social or economic status. The five basic tenets of CRT are: 1) Race is a social construct with no biological basis; 2) Racism is the “normal”, or the usual way that society operates, the everyday experience of people of color; 3) Interest convergence or “material determinism”, the idea that because racism advances the interests of both whites and the working class, large segments of society have very little interest in eradicating it. It also follows that whites will allow and support racial progress as long as it benefits them; 4) The idea that whites have been benefits from civil rights legislation, e.g., de jure, or legalized, segregation of schools by neighborhoods; 5) Storytelling and counter-storytelling, the powerful ability to use stories to unlearn narratives that are commonly held to be true.

A form of discrimination by which those with lighter skin are treated more favorably than those with darker skin. This practice is a product of racism in the U.S., in that it upholds the white standards of beauty.

The idea that people of color need to conform culturally and behaviorally to white culture and behavior to be accepted. This belief may be applied in social, educational and occupational settings. An example of assimilationism is the encouragement by some Americans for those who come to the United States to dress in a similar fashion as Americans.

A person who believes that non-white racial groups are culturally or behaviorally inferior and believes the group should become more like Whites to be accepted.

Someone who is supporting a policy that seeks to dismantle advantage based on race through their actions or expressing ideas against such system. This includes the expression that racial groups are equals and support of a policy that reduces racial inequity.

The consistent practice of identifying and challenging racist (system of advantage based on race) actions and ideas. This work is accomplished by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices, and attitudes, and by redistributing power in an racially equitable manner.

Any attitude, behavior, practice, or policy that explicitly or implicitly reflects the belief that Black people are inferior to another racial group. Anti-Black racism is reflected in interpersonal, institutional, and systemic levels of racism and is a function of White supremacy.

Everyone can attain their highest level of health, free from avoidable and unfair differences and barriers such as racial discrimination.

Advantages and benefits systemically provided, often by default, to a person or group. Privilege is best understood intersectionally because skin color, gender, documentation status, economic class and education, for example, can all provide distinct advantage within and between racial and ethnic groups. For example, White people are racially privileged, even if they are economically underprivileged. People can be disadvantaged by one identity and privileged by another.

(Pronounced “by pock”). Acronym for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color that is more specific than the term “people of color”. It is used to emphasize that experiences of discrimination and prejudice vary among people of color. The term BIPOC enables a shift from terms such as “marginalized” and “minority” which denote inferiority. The term has been used since the early 2010s but gained popularity on social media during the 2020s as awareness was raised about long-standing police brutality and the need for social change. Although the term highlights Black and Indigenous peoples, it is also important whenever possible to identify people through their own racial/ethnic group, as each has its own distinct experience and meaning and may be more appropriate, i.e., one would not use the term ‘BIPOC’ if solely referring to Black people.

Racial equity holds society to a higher standard to create conditions where outcomes display no differences by race. Race equity is fairness and justice actualized in the lived experiences and outcomes of people of color, including, but not limited to health, justice, education, income, wealth, and environment. Racial equity will be a reality in which a person is no more or less likely to experience society’s benefits or burdens because of the color of his/her skin. This is in contrast to the current state of affairs in which Black and Brown people are more likely than Whites to live in poverty, be imprisoned, drop out of high school, be unemployed and experience poor health outcomes like diabetes, heart disease, depression and other potentially fatal diseases.