Applying Our Research |
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DON'T CALL THEM 'POST-RACIAL'"
"Millennials’" Attitudes on Race, Racism and Key Systems in Our Society
 The Applied Research Center (ARC) is midway through our 2-year Millennials Project, a nationwide study of the racial attitudes of young people, whom many pollsters and commentators have prematurely labeled as "post-racial." Starting with the release of results from 16 focus groups in the Los Angeles area, and branching out to other regions of the U.S. in Fall 2011 and Winter 2012, ARC is conducting in-depth discussions that focus on the experiences and perspectives of millennials on the continued role that race and racism play in key systems in our society.
The “Millennial Generation” (born post-1980, ages 18-30) is the largest, most racially and ethnically diverse generation the US has ever known. However, it is clear that race continues to play a role in their lives. Key Findings:
- Race matters – a large majority of young people assert that race is still a significant factor within various systems, such as criminal justice, education, employment, health care, housing, and immigration.
- Millennials are not monolithic – there are differences in how young people of different races and ethnicities view the extent and continued significance of racism in various systems of society.
- Racism is often defined in interpersonal terms – though most young people of color have little problem labeling an entire system as racist.
We would love to hear your thoughts on “Don’t Call Them Post-Racial.” Please email [email protected] with feedback and questions.
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Network News |
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 Register now for our June 23 webinar on “Challenging Race Systematically”
Together we will examine the different levels of racism and how to operate from a proactive racial justice framework that is focused on solutions. We will move past “who’s the racist” and challenge the systemic racism that impacts our communities: from schools to prisons, banks to hospitals.
ARC has a multi-racial and multi-generational staff that has been leading racial justice trainings across the country for over 20 years. Don’t miss ARC’s first racial justice webinar! Training to be led by Terry Keleher, Program Director of the Racial Justice Leadership Action Network, and moderated by assistant trainer Nayantara Sen. Register today.
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Colorlines.com Spotlight |
 With the launch of a Spanish version of our Drop the I-Word site, we are able to more directly engage Latino communities in our campaign to stop the use of the dehumanizing term “illegals.” The slur is most often used to target brown-skinned people regardless of citizenship status. Spanish resources are available by visiting ningunserhumanoesilegal.com or by clicking “Español” on most pages at droptheiword.com.
In addition to resources en Español, the droptheiword.com site was refreshed with a new look, updated toolkit, journalists’ guide, and a series of “I Am” stories that share insights of immigrants and communities directly affected by the i-word.
Advancing a national campaign like Drop the I-Word is critically important, yet staff and resource intensive. To defray costs as we ramp up the campaign, ARC staff is engaging in an online fundraising campaign this summer. Please donate to Drop the I-Word today.
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President's Message
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 Between the election of President Barack Obama and Census figures illustrating America’s growing diversity, the term “post-racial” has been frequently – but wrongly – applied to our culture, and to our young people in particular.
A new ARC study on millennials’ attitudes on race shows that race matters. They actually see a lot of racial problems. They’re concerned that race continues to affect outcomes in society, and they want to talk about it. What's more, the gap in perception between how white millennials and millennials of color see race points to the potential for continued racial conflict, demonstrating how important these conversations are. Yet when media outlets, politicians, and pundits label our society as “post-racial” and lay claim to young people, they effectively shut down the conversation on race.
America’s youth may be multi-racial, but that does not make them post-racial. And they are not monolithic. There are differences in how millennials of different races and ethnicities view the extent and continued significance of racism in various systems. Unfortunately, as is the case with most Americans, they often lack the tools necessary to go beyond interpersonal racism and talk about systemic racism–though most young people of color have little problem recognizing an entire system as racist.
ARC plans to keep these vital conversations going. We shine the spotlight on millennials speaking out in their own words in our "Don't Call Them 'Post-Racial'" report, as well as in the multi-piece series produced by Colorlines.com. And in our June 23 webinar we will be discussing the levels of racism – so we can finally shift the focus from interpersonal racism to the systemic racism that is so entrenched in our society.
Our young people know that race matters. And if we listen to them, we can work toward solutions.
Rinku Sen
President and
Executive Director
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Campus Progress and Colorlines.com are proud to announce the three grand prize winners of the 2011 National Keynote Contest, which called on young people to speak their minds about racial and social justice solutions for a chance to address over 1,000 attendees at the 2011 Campus Progress National Conference in DC. Winners are: Kiara Lee (Richmond, VA), an activist, filmmaker and author shedding light on the realities of discrimination within ethnic groups; Daniel Khalessi (Stanford, CA), an Iranian-American raising awareness about the intersection between US foreign policy and race relations at home; and Stephanie Tanny (Denver, CO), an activist working to combat sexual violence on college campuses.
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