SEAHO Report - Holiday 2020 - 13

FEATURE ARTICLES

There should be an understanding of race as a
dynamic system of social distinction that helps
clarify for our residents/students what race
is, how it works and what we at UNCG can do
about it (Hamedani, Markus, & Moya, 2020).
Their second point: Learn to Perceive How Race
and Racism Operate in Society. Race operates
at various levels within society: individual,
interactional, institutional, and ideological
levels (Hamedani, Markus, & Moya, 2020).
Each of these intersect and have influence
on one another. In my personal opinion, we
each have our own perception on how race is
viewed in society, which then feeds into how
we interact with others, which then affects
how we see and engage with institutional
systems, and all of this affects our idea of
how race has been done for hundreds of
years. However, if we never dive deep to have
these conversations, first with ourselves
and then with our residents/students, the
conversations about race may continue to
be hostile, uncomfortable and defensive.
Therefore, it is important to look beyond
individual biases, beliefs and attitudes to see
how race is done (and reinforced, reproduced
and reflected) throughout the social worlds
that these individuals inhabit (Hamedani,
Markus, & Moya, 2020). The third point:
Know the History of Race and Understand How
it Influences The Present. Yes, ideas about race
may change over time, but they will forever
be rooted in an ongoing history and the
actions of the past (Hamedani, Markus, &
Moya, 2020). As educators, if we are going
to engage or encourage our residents to feel
comfortable having race conversations and/or
interacting with other racial groups, we have
to understand how people do race. Individual
pasts are necessary for understanding
someone's present.
The fourth point is in my opinion one of the
most important to comprehend. We must
Acknowledge That All People " Do Race " ; all
people " do race " as they interact with one
another and the institutions and practices of
society (Hamedani, Markus, & Moya, 2020).
But it is our cultural narratives about race
that powerfully shape how we each, in our
own unique ways, see one another and the
world around us. No one is exempt. We as
student affairs professionals, professors,
administrators, etc., must also be cognizant
not only of how our students do race but

also how we do it as well. In doing so, we
could potentially have a huge impact on our
students and the conversations/interactions
that arise. Finally, and I think we saved the
best takeaway for last, but even through all
that has been discussed, we should constantly
Recognize that since People Do Race, they also
Have the Power to " Undo Racism!! " While people
are shaped by the societies they occupy,
they can also change or disrupt the norms,
values, institutions, practices and policies that
reinforce and reproduce racism. We have the
power to change our world and undo racism
(Hamedani, Markus, & Moya, 2020). This
must be the most powerful point in the entire
article. In a time where race is seen in a variety
of avenues daily, it can be hard for students
and even professionals of color to engage
with their White counterparts with everything
taking place around us. Though not directly
intentional, trauma affects us all in a variety of
ways. Societal happenings do effect how we do
and see race each and every day that we wake
up.
If I am being fully transparent, reading this
article was both educational but also hard to
take in. As a Black woman living in America,
it's difficult to ignore all the disheartening
and tragic things happening to my racial
community. Though I may not be directly
affected, I still very much feel the pain of
those around me. I was talking with my mom
and best friend right around the time the
killing of Breonna Taylor took place and I was
telling them about how difficult turning on
the news has become. In addition to all the
COVID news occupying space in the headlines,
my social media has been filled with hashtags
about justice for various Black people who
have recently lost their lives (one even in my
hometown of Louisville, KY) to some racially
motivated issues and it truly feels like no one
is being held accountable for their actions.
Recently, I have been feeling defeated and I
was sitting in my apartment thinking about
how our students of color are also being
affected by what is happening. Are they fearful
as well? This then made me think about what
this looks like when they return to campus
both for the fall and spring semesters. Will
their interactions with other students, admins,
even our campus police be different? Will they
feel comfortable and supported while they are
here?

13
SEAHO Report - Holiday 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SEAHO Report - Holiday 2020
