Intersections of Power, Language, and Visibility
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It would be fair to look at America, in all its failings to afford "liberty and justice for all", and assert that it is broken--but in fact, quite the opposite is true. When we look critically at the policies that have governed this land over the last 244 years, and acknowledge that these policies are grounded in white supremacy, it becomes clear that America's current state is by design.
In Section 2 we explore how power, language, and visibility (or lack thereof) converge to disenfranchise Black people.
DAY 6 - August 14
For Black people in America, their unalienable rights have never been an entitlement afforded by virtue of being human; their mere existence in this country has always been negotiated. In the video "We the People," Native American activist, author and public speaker Mark Charles breaks down what he asserts to be "the three most misunderstood words in US history" and challenges us to consider their inherent meaning.
WATCH or LISTEN: We the People (January 24, 2019 | 18 min)
As Black Americans began to recover from the effects of slavery, their progress was met with resistance from white Americans who felt threatened by a perceived loss of power and economic gain. "A Timeline of Racial Progress in the US" presents a visual account of some of our nation's most pivotal steps forward to advance racial justice and the devastating steps back, stalling the betterment and contributions of Black people in America.
READ and EXPLORE: A Timeline of Racial Progress in the US (July 8, 2020 | 10 min)
A Timeline of Racial Progress in the US (PNG)
DAY 7 - August 17
When we are able to see and acknowledge a problem we can then take steps toward addressing it. But what if there is no way for others to begin to understand the challenges you are facing because no word exists for what you are experiencing? In "The Urgency of Intersectionality," Kimberlé Crenshaw, professor of law at UCLA and Columbia University, introduces us to the term "intersectionality" and how applying this lens makes the invisible, visible.
WATCH, LISTEN or READ: The Urgency of Intersectionality (2016 | 19 min)
The Urgency of Intersectionality Transcript (PDF)
DAY 8 - August 18
From the Black Lives Matter protests we’re beginning to see the emergence of Black Trans Lives Matter--an effort to bring the unique issues of Black transgender people to the national conversation about the treatment of Black people in America. Black trans women, especially, continue to lobby to be seen. In Time Magazine's, "Two Black Trans Women Were Killed in the U.S.," we dive into the troubling plight Black trans women endure.
READ: Two Black Trans Women Were Killed in the US (June 13, 2020 | 15 min)
Two Black Trans Women Were Killed in the US (PDF)
DAY 9 - August 19
Nearly half of all people killed in an act of police brutality, have a disability. Add to this the bias that Black people are seen as more criminal, and the risk of a violent altercation increases. In "Police Violence Against Black Disabled People Can’t Be Ignored Anymore," we learn about the experiences of our Black community members with disabilities and why some encounters with law enforcement become fatal.
READ: Police Violence Against Black Disabled People Can’t Be Ignored Anymore (July 23, 2020 | 18 min)
Police Violence Against Black Disabled People (PDF)
DAY 10 - August 20
During this TedMED talk, "How Racism Makes Us Sick," David R. Williams recounts his dismay with the mortality rate of Black people compared to white people in America, and has made it his life's work "to understand why race matters profoundly for health." After being told that racism in health cannot be measured, Williams developed a solution for measuring how racism impacts the health of Black people and shares what institutions in the U.S. are doing to improve health outcomes and access to quality care.
WATCH, LISTEN or READ: How Racism Makes Us Sick (May 2, 2017 | 18 min)
How Racism Makes Us Sick Transcript (PDF)
In the following two pieces, we hear from UC San Diego alums as we explore how the effects of structural racism impact medical education and what we know about medicine.
READ: Commentary: Racism is a Public Health Issue (July 7, 2020 | 10 min)
Commentary: Racism is a Public Health Issue (PDF)
READ: Commentary: I Experienced Racism at UCSD Medical School 50 Years Ago (July 7, 2020 | 10 min)
Commentary: I Experienced Racism at UCSD Medical School 50 Years Ago (PDF)