So You Want to Talk About Race

Chapter 13 focuses on the impact of racism on America’s youth. Children of the 1980s were taught that racism was outdated and that they could achieve anything through talent and hard work. However, these promises failed to materialize. Policies such as the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 devastated Black communities by militarizing police forces across the US and introducing mandatory minimum sentences for crimes most often committed by people of color. Mass incarceration, the housing crisis of 2008, and the ensuing recession disproportionately impacted Black communities.

Today, it is clear that the promises of earlier generations have fallen short. Striving has had little impact on the prospects of Black people. Indeed, the focus on exceptionalism is now used to justify the killing of those deemed less exceptional. Black children can only get into good colleges if they grow up in well-funded school districts, and once they get there, they are taught the history, culture, and politics of their oppressors. They see their hard-working parents struggle with poverty. Moreover, they learn that no amount of hard work can shield them from police violence. Young people are pushing back against systemic oppression and fighting for a more just world.