I would like to say that I’m surprised at the president’s recent move to end racial sensitivity training. Unfortunately, at this point, I’ve given up hope that he will ever attempt to understand lived experiences other than his own.
As much as the current administration would like you to believe, critical race theory (CRT) is not propaganda. Originating in the 1980s from legal scholars Derrick Bell, Kimberly Crenshaw, and Richard Delgado, it pushes back against the idea that racism has been eradicated in our society.
CRT states that racism is alive and well, being ever-present in our society. Because of this, we can never be truly objective, as much as arenas like our legal system claim to be.
But wait, if we live in a racist country, doesn’t that teach that the United States is evil? This is one of the reasons stated by the administration for shutting down programs that train people about race. While it certainly doesn’t paint a rosy picture, this reflects reality.
Yes, the United States treats people differently based on the color of their skin and it can provide people with opportunities they might not have elsewhere. One doesn’t have to think something to be perfect to appreciate it. CRT implores us to take the time to understand racism so we can make this country better. A fight for social justice is a fight on behalf of America.
What if racism doesn’t exist, though? People of color can be successful and white people can struggle, too. While both of those things are true, that is not proof racism doesn’t exist. There will always be success stories regardless of how the deck is stacked; human perseverance, plus a little luck, is an incredible thing.
For example, being a relatively successful Latino is not my own doing. I am so proud to be Latino, and I have experienced racism due to my skin color. I have also been fortunate to have privilege in almost all other areas of my life to get me to this point. I did not earn having parents who both had an education, or who both were around to raise me. I did not earn having stable housing and food growing up. I did not earn the time, place or color I was born.
For those white people who are struggling, we see you. Your hardships are valid and as a social worker, I want to support you, too. But your struggle is not due to race. In our school system, you will have teachers who understand and support your culture, with 79% of teachers being white.
In our legal system, you are less likely to be incarcerated, with Black men six times more likely to be incarcerated as white men. Even your life is expected to be longer, with Black life expectancy about 3.5 years lower than that of whites. There are always exceptions to these rules; the principles of CRT want to help us change the rules.
Removing training on race and racism is to deny the lived experience of millions. It is to deny us the power to recognize our areas for growth. If anything, we need more training on race, more awareness, more discussion. Acknowledgment is one of the first steps toward action that could transform the U.S. into a place that is truly great for more than just the elite.
If the fight against oppression is not American, then I don’t know what is.
Miguel Trujillo
Miguel Trujillo was born and raised in Utah, is a former school social worker and now a doctoral student at the University of Denver studying the disparities in our education system.