A recent article by Marian Wright Edelman, President of the Children's Defense Fund highlights one of the most dangerous threats to racial justice that we face today. Ms. Edelman points out that in an age where colorblindness is more acceptable than recognizing race, we have also learned to ignore the racial injustices of the past in order to create the illusion of a fair and just America. Ms. Edelman explains, "History is being re-written and kept from our children, replaced by a hazy and sanitized version of events that can make it sound as if the fight for racial equality is already over, with a happy ending, rather than a continuing struggle demanding continuing vigilance."

This problem is not simply a general disregard for the past, but rather it is a conscious effort to discount the racial structures that continue to affect people of color in very real ways, such as housing discrimination, which overwhelmingly limits blacks and Latinos to homes in communities of concentrated poverty and poorly performing schools. To demonstrate the scale of this problem Ms. Edelman cites a recent study that found only two percent of the nation's high school seniors demonstrated basic knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement, including Brown v. Board of Education.

For years ERASE Racism has been leading trainings for adults and more recently high school students to both raise awareness about the history of racism and to provide an understanding of how discriminatory policies and practices continue to maintain racial barriers. We have seen first-hand how empowering this knowledge can be for activists and for anyone who has ever wondered why racial disparities exist and what they can do about it.

ERASE Racism will hold its next two-day, Unraveling Racism Training on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 16 & 17. I hope you will join us. To read the full article by Ms. Edelman, click here.


V. Elaine Gross
President 

ERASE Racism is delighted to welcome long-time supporter Martin "Marty" Schwartz to its Board of Directors.   As the former Executive Director of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the current Vice President of the Hempstead Boys and Girls Club, Marty brings a deep understanding of social problems and what is needed to create change.  

When asked about how his role on the Board will differ from his involvement with the organization in the past, Marty responded, "The difference is in one case you're donating money; being on the Board you're responsible for how it's used." Elaine Gross, president of ERASE Racism, agreed, "Board members donate money, but they also have ongoing responsibility for evaluating how the money is spent, what activities the organization undertakes and the impact of those actions, etc. Being on the board is an important, challenging and ongoing responsibility," she added, "Therefore, ERASE Racism takes the process of selecting its Board members very seriously and we are so happy that Marty has accepted our invitation."

To read Marty's full bio click here.

Christopher McCann, College Freshman

White privilege is a difficult concept to grasp, especially if you are white. When I first became aware of this privilege given to me because of the color of my skin the only feeling I had was that of guilt. I couldn't get the thought that everything I had done so far was only because of the color of my skin. One thing that did not help me get past this was that the college I am attending in the fall is made up of 81% white students. Was I really the best applicant for my spot or was it because I am white?

While I know that not everything I have accomplished can be attributed to white privilege, like passing my calculus course for example, there are still many uncertainties. The next time I go into a job interview I will be trying to figure out if I will get the job because of my skin or because of my skills.

After learning more about white privilege and what I can do to stop it, I have realized that the best thing to do is to become aware and make others aware of this privilege that is given to us by default. Once you are educated about something, you have the power to erase it.