Over the last decade - I have developed definitions for Whiteness (cultural white supremacy), Anti-Blackness and Racial Equity.
I wanted to capture and encompass the depths of which racism functions both as white supremacy and antiblackness on various levels; culturally, structurally, institutionally and interpersonally.
While the definitions below are not necessarily complete (in terms of the last time they will be refined), they do demonstrate the message I am attempting to convey.
For those following my work, these definitions are and will remain a central focus.
Whiteness (institutional/structural, cultural and interpersonal white supremacy):
“Whiteness is a collection of Eurocentric ideas and ideals established as cultural norms, beliefs, traditions, and standards intended to supersede, dominate, destroy and replace cultural heritages of various Native American Indian peoples, initially, and various other groups subsequently. It defines everything referenced or known as “American” in modern-day United States culture (i.e. social, cultural and mainstream religious ideologies, political, legal, economic structures and systems, cultural standards, definitions and even meanings of words; “smart”, “capable”, “competent,” “criminal”, “dangerous”, “appropriate” “attractive”, “beautiful”, “thin”, “young”, “old”, “straight”, “gay”, “patriotic”, “harmful,” “good”, “bad”; even medical/healthcare standards, language, and everything considered as a cultural norms). Beneficiaries of Whiteness are white people overall, as well as people who align themselves with the system. This includes rejecting ideas, principles, ideals, beliefs and practices not accepted, defined, intended or validated by White people; otherwise deemed un-American.”
Antiblackness (institutional/structural, cultural and interpersonal):
“Anti-Blackness is a cultural condition developed through collective European (i.e. Portuguese, English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Irish, British) colonialist ideas, beliefs, ideals and ideologies that black and brown people of African descent (i.e. African, African-European, Afro-Latinx, African-Haitian, etc.) are inferior, animalistic and barbaric. In North America, particularly the United States, Anti-Blackness is the underlying foundational principle of racism. It can be observed through explicit laws and policies created throughout the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries that specifically targeted black and brown people of African descent based on skin color as “prima facie evidence”(i.e. Rape Law of 1705, Act of 1723, Negro Act of 1740, Casual Killing Act of 1669, Anti-Literacy Laws 1829, Fugitive Slave Act 1850, Supreme Court decisions1883/1896/1926, etc.). The cultural ideal was established to oppress, disenfranchise, demean, invalidate, surveil, diminish, minimize, degrade, kill and otherwise harm black and brown people of African descent mentally, emotionally, symbolically and physically through political, economic, legal, educational, religious and social means.”
Racial Equity:
"Equalizing more than 350 years of explicit affirmative actions for white people, through local, state and federal policies, laws and processes and practices; which established the social, emotional, mental, physical, economic freedoms that most white people enjoy in modern-day American society."
I hope this is helpful to all who engage in Anti-racism work.
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