Social Work Speaks Abstracts

Racism

Racism is the ideology or practice through demonstrated power of perceived superiority of one group over others by reasons of race, color, ethnicity, or cultural heritage. Racism is manifested at the individual, group, and institutional level. This policy statement addresses racism through a multidimensional lens concerned with structural, spatial, and interconnection factors that interact to produce inequality along racist lines. Thus, improvement in one area can affect other life areas. The document is shaped in the context of racism in the United States. Data is provided documenting the current problems experienced by ethnic and racial groups and communities in education, employment, housing, physical and mental health care, public welfare, social services, criminal justice, political activity, research, and the social work profession. The issue statement reflects social work concerns about racism in all aspects of society in the new millennium. Advocates for racial justice use creative strategies to enhance structural equality in organizations and institutions and in the redistribution of power and resources.