Turning the Tide on Poverty
Handout #1
Racial Definitions1
From the Perspective of the American Experience
*Stereotyping – the negative characterization of individuals or groups (usually of
color) without any factual basis.
*Prejudice – a belief in unfavorable stereotypes of others that is not based on
experience or fact (attitude-based).
*Discrimination – behavior or conduct toward others based on prejudice that may
limit an individual’s or group’s opportunities in life (conduct-based).
*Racism – outcomes rooted in historical prejudices and discriminatory acts (attitude
+ conduct) which are systemic in nature and result in inequities or disparities for
some racial or ethnic individuals/groups. Often the outcomes are based in misuse of
power by a dominant group.
*Institutional racism – the practices of racism exercised by public or private
institutions (for example, police departments, financial, educational, real estate, etc.)
that create ongoing inequities for specific racial or ethnic individuals/groups.
*Structural racism – a deep-rooted system in which history, ideology, public
policies, institutional practices, and culture interact to maintain a racial hierarchy
that creates advantages (privileges) associated with whiteness, and disadvantages
associated with color that endure and adapt over time.
**2White Privilege - Is the unquestioned and unearned set of advantages,
entitlements benefits and choices bestowed on people solely because they are white.
Generally white people who experience such privilege do so without being conscious
of it.
*Racial Equity - The term racial equity means that all people have equal access to
resources and opportunities, plus legal, political, and social power, regardless of
racial identity. A state of racial equity exists when race and/or ethnicity are not
predictors of success in any aspect of life, and when public policies, institutional
practices, and social structures no longer favor whites over people of color. Inequity
also shows up in gender, class, sexual orientation and other social differences.
Workshop: Dismantling Racism: An Essential Element in Creating Community Change
*1 These definitions are not trademarked by Everyday Democracy. They are provided for your use as a
starting point for exploring racial equity in your community. We leaned heavily upon our learnings and the
resources of the Aspen Institute Roundtable on Community Change.
**2Evaluation Tools for Racial Equity: Peggy McIntosh, “White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal
Account of Coming to See Correspondences Through Work in Women Studies.”