Shackled by Stereotypes

Justin tells his story in
Life Cycles of Inequity

ColorLines has just started what looks to be an incredible powerful and informative multimedia series on the lives of black men called Life Cycles of Inequity.

The first video in the series has a group of African-American teens telling their stories – of knowing that they are smarter than the teacher thinks they are. Of being sent to the principal’s office when the white kids aren’t. They describe being shackled by stereotypes. They describe the experience of being inside a “black box” of behavior and not having a place where they can be themselves.
One of the most compelling moments in the video is when a young man describing that when he encounters racism and stereotypes, “I feel angry at myself. I feel like I should do something about it and I don’t know where to start.”

That’s why the My Brother’s Keeper initiative is so important. Young men of color shouldn’t be alone in facing the blatant bias, intransigent institutional racism and microaggressions that shape their daily experience and their life trajectories. They need to know that there are people they can turn to who will lend an ear, brainstorm strategies, watch their back, stand up for them and got to bat for them.

I highlighted JobsFirst NYC’s report, The National Work Readiness Credential: Who Pays the Price?, earlier this week for several reasons, one of which is to demonstrate what it means to be a Keeper. They took the time and directed their resources to ask, How is the National Work Readiness Credential impacting black men? And the answer wasn’t pretty – the exam has an adverse impact on black young men. In fact, it looks like New York State may be violating the Civil Rights Act by promoting an invalid exam that has an adverse impact on minority groups.