Download Understanding Structural Racism Activity

Understanding Structural Racism Activity
This activity helps participants delve deeper in analyzing racism and start to learn how to use a
structural racism lens. Many times, actions are focused on changing the personal beliefs without
looking at the practices and procedures that contribute to the issue. Through this activity,
participants will have the opportunity to break down the issue of racism at a structural level so
that the group can come up with realistic action ideas for change.
Goal:

To get participants to analyze an issue through a structural racism lens

To engage participants in an interactive way to identify the personal beliefs, practices, and
procedures that contribute to the issue

To create a compiled list of barriers impacting the issue on the structural level
Materials needed:

Structural Racism handouts

Chart paper

Markers
Preparation:

Review the Structural Racism handout. Familiarize yourself and understand all 3 layers to
structural racism: the personal attitudes/beliefs, formal and informal practices, and policies and
procedures.

Review the sample structural racism examples. If the sample examples do not fit the community
specific issue, brainstorm a few examples for each level.

Identify the community specific issue the group will work on.
Part 1: Activity overview
1. Pass out the Structural Racism handouts. Give participants a few minutes to review them.
2. Explain each level of structural racism as participants look on.
3. Use the examples to help participants understand each level. Allow time for clarifying
questions.
4. Divide participants into three groups. Group 1 will be “Personal Attitudes,” Group 2 will be
“Formal and Informal Practices,” and Group 3 will be “Policies and Procedures.”
5. In the small groups, give participants 10 minutes to think of examples for their assigned
group. Have the groups record their answers on chart paper.
Part 2: Skit Activity
1. Following the brainstorm, ask each small group to pick one example and create a 2-minute
skit to illustrate the example.
2. Have each group set the skit’s context and perform their skit. Ask the audience to pay attention to
how the skit illustrates the group’s assigned level.
3. After each skit, debrief with the following questions:
a.
Was the skit realistic?
b.
How was the skit an example of personal attitudes and beliefs/practices/policies and procedures?
4. After all the skits, ask all three skits to start up simultaneously. Wait about 20 seconds.
5. Then, stop the skits and explain that collectively, these are the different levels contributing to the
issue. If one level is addressed, there are two other levels occurring at the same time. If this group
wants to truly see change, actions need to address all three levels.
Personal beliefs, attitudes,
and actions
Formal and informal practices


Individual

The person may act intentionally or
without knowing it
Make white normal

Behaviors or customs that lead to
advantages to some and
disadvantages to others

May not be intentional
Structural
Racism
Policies and procedures

Create advantages for whites and disadvantages for
people of color

May not mention race or have been created to produce
the racial disadvantage

Personal, local, and national racial history may cause
unequal or unintended results
Personal beliefs, attitudes,
and actions


Formal and informal practices
A teacher only recommends white and
 The information sent home about the
Asian students for the program even
program is written in very formal and
though she has black and Latino students
academic language that many parents do not
who have the grades to get in. She
understand.
doesn’t believe they have the right
 The informational meeting about
attitude for the program.
the program is in a large-scale
Example: Low
setting that intimidates many
Many black students do not
percentage of black
apply for the program because
parents.
and Latino students
they will be teased by their
in gifted and talented
friends for “acting white.”
programs
Policies and procedures
Parents must write an in-depth application for their child to get
into the program. Many parents are unable to complete the
application.
Personal beliefs, attitudes,
and actions

Only people with a certain “look” are
hired and promoted

Some people of color don’t believe
they can be successful at this
company

Some people believe that
talking about race is
perpetuating racism
Formal and informal practices

The company doesn’t recruit from schools
with diverse populations

There is a lack of support for employees of color

Example: Lack of
diversity in upper
management
Hiring is often rushed, which doesn’t allow
time to reach out to more diverse applicants

There is a lack of training to support
internal promotions

The referral program is based on
who you know
Policies and procedures

Human Resources screens and sends only three resumes

Hiring practices favor formal education versus years of
experience

Hiring decisions are sometimes taken out of the hands of the
supervisor