How CRT affects all

Today’s societal landscape is fraught with polarized and politicized topics that impact us all. Unfortunately, at the forefront of the United States, we see more attacks against critical race theory and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs like never before. Unfortunately, these tactics come at a price when a society isn’t willing to take a critical, analytical approach to examine its foundations, policies, practices, and laws. Regarding critical race theory, some conservative individuals have intentionally misrepresented the term and continue to spread misinformation to confuse the general population about what the theory really is. They say things like it is taught in K-12 schools, is used to indoctrinate children, or that it intends to make White Americans feel guilty. That is simply not the case. Critical race theory was formed in the 1970s as a legal framework that helps us understand how the social construction of race has been, and continues to be, embedded in our nation’s laws and policies. It serves as a prism to help us understand the systemic and institutional policies, practices, and procedures that maintain states of oppression within our society.

For example, the National Housing Act of 1934 was enacted to promote home ownership by providing federal-backed loans and guaranteeing mortgages. One of the organizations born from this Act is the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which provides mortgage insurance to homeowners. However, during that time, the FHA claimed investments in predominantly Black areas were high-risk and would deny loans to anyone wishing to build, purchase, or invest in those areas. And, if a Black family wanted to purchase a home in a predominantly White area, the FHA would refuse to insure their mortgage as it would lead to integration. This practice is called redlining, the systemic rejection of services to racially-associated neighborhoods and communities. In an effort to follow the FHA guidelines on staying away from “inharmonious racial groups,” real estate organizations, appraisers, banks, and property insurers created residential security maps with color codes that dictated which areas were new (green), still desirable (blue), declining (yellow), and hazardous (red). The results of these discriminatory housing practices included housing segregation, socioeconomic disparities, increased wealth gaps, limited job opportunities, and even health disparities. And people of color are still impacted by this.

Furthermore, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 was created to prohibit discrimination in housing sales, rental, and financing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. And its secondary purpose was to reverse housing segregation. Yet, despite these policy measures, discriminatory lending and housing practices persist. These practices are illegal, but they are also more covert today. However, we still have 42% Black homeownership, 47% Hispanic, and 72% White homeownership, and although over 50 years have passed, these findings are not much different. This is critical race theory at work, examining the systemic and institutional policies that lead to continued oppression within the population. Within critical race theory, there is the framework of intersectionality that warrants consideration as well.

Intersectionality serves as a framework for understanding how aspects of one’s social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege. We all ascribe to different social identities. Our race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and more are all prevalent daily. Intersectionality looks at how these complex relationships among our social identities provide advantages or disadvantages, varying blankets of oppression. So why is this important? In the words of Audre Lorde, “there is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.”

I draw upon statistics from the US Dept. of Labor as a prime example of this concept. In the workforce, for every dollar a White individual earns, a Black person earns $0.76, and a Hispanic/Latino person earns $0.73. The average weekly earnings are $1,046.52, $791.03, and $762.80, respectively. Women make up almost half of the national workforce but earn $0.76 per dollar a man earns. And Black women earn $0.64 for every dollar a White man earns. Under the lens of intersectionality, you can see notable pay disparities between gender identities, and then adding the factor of race/ethnicity adds another layer to the differences. This shows how intersectionality provides insight into the complex barriers faced in our society with the varying levels of oppression. From this intersectional perspective, I invite you to take a brief journey with me through the world of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

’d first like to present some definitions because this is another subject where public individuals actively work on dismissing it, demeaning its purpose, and misinforming the general public. Diversity refers to the race, gender, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, language, and other characteristics we identify as. Next, equity refers to the distribution of resources based on needs. It also promotes fairness, opportunity, and advancement through the procedures, processes, and allocation of resources by institutions and systems. Lastly, inclusion refers to diversity in practice. It is the act of welcoming, supporting, respecting, and valuing all individuals and groups. So why is DEI important? For a moment, think about your place of employment or your business. How diverse are the individuals from leadership-level to non-leadership positions?

Let’s use the example from the intersectionality section on the existing pay disparities. A company utilizing the DEI lens can see that those pay disparities exist nationally and (re)evaluate its pay structure through a pay equity audit. If there are any representations of this data, it provides an opportunity to restructure policies to ensure they are not contributing to the existing disparities. However, because it results in financial inequity, wealth gaps, and the denial of opportunities, this can negatively impact the workforce. Other considerations are evaluating diversity among the workforce members, the provision of access to banking and financial services for all employees, access to employer-provided healthcare options, and whether employees feel a sense of belonging and inclusivity at work.

Another important consideration is identifying implicit bias (bias that is unfair in nature and not openly expressed) in the workplace. An example of implicit bias in the workplace includes not interviewing or hiring someone because of their name, what they look like, their culture, or their (dis)ability. Unchecked implicit biases can make individuals feel alienated, receive unfair treatment, and feel unsupported while employed in toxic or hostile work environments. This directly influences issues of inclusivity. Ultimately, taking critical race theory, intersectionality, and DEI into consideration can help us co-create a better world for us all. Proactively working together to alleviate these structural and systemic issues can improve quality of life, economic prosperity, and marked improvements for all, regardless of our social identities. It takes all of us to do our own self-reflection/work, educate ourselves, and find ways that we can work to inspire change within our circles of influence and beyond! I encourage you to explore other sources of information, attend talks/workshops, and have courageous conversations with families, friends, and colleagues to get them involved. And even take it further by writing to government officials opposing these areas, joining advocacy organizations, and uniting with other change-makers. Let us all create a better world for the seven generations after us!

Written by Cassondra Jackson, MA, Doctoral Candidate Community Education & Education Specialist Email: cjacksonphd@gmail.com or cjackson@saybrook.edu