RACIAL INJUSTICE AWARENESS ACTIVITY

Circle the statements that are true for your life or your ethnic group.

1.  Most places I go, I can be in the company of people of my ethnic group without making a special effort.

2.  I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured store personnel will not follow me in a
     suspicious way

3.   I can turn on the television or open the front page of the newspaper and see people of  my ethnic group
      widely represented in a neutral or positive way.

4.  When I am told about our national heritage and about “civilization,” I am shown that
     people of my color helped make it what it is.

5.  I can be sure that my textbooks and other school resources show pictures and include information that     
     represent my race or ethnic group.

6.   I can go into most music shops and find music of my ethnic group represented, or into
      most supermarkets and find staple foods that fit with my cultural tradition.

7.   I can do well in a challenging situation without being told that I am a credit to my race.

8.   If a traffic cop pulls me over, I can be sure it is not because of my race or ethnic group.

9.   I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling something in
     common with others, rather than feeling isolated, out of place, outnumbered, unheard
     held at a distance, or feared.

10. I can worry or speak out about racism without being seen as trying to get something out
      of the situation selfishly for myself.

11.  I can take a job with an affirmative action employer, or accept a scholarship without
       having people suspect that I got it because of my race.

12.  If my family should need to move, we can be pretty sure of renting or buying in an area which we could
       afford and in which we would want to live.

13.  I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to
       me and my family.

14.  I can count on my skin color being a non-issue when I want to make a purchase by
       check or credit card, instead of cash.

15.  When I am responsible for young children, I can arrange to protect them most of the time
        from people who might not like them.

16.  If I display unladylike or ungentlemanly behavior, I know that people will attribute the
       behavior to me personally, rather than to the “bad morals” of my race.

17.  I can be pretty sure if I ask to talk to the “person in charge” I will be facing a person
       of my race.    

18.  I can easily find a wide selection of posters, post-cards, picture books, greeting cards,
       dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race or ethnic group.   

19.  I can be late to a class or meeting without having my lateness reflect on my ethnic group.

20.  I can choose public accommodations without fearing that people of my race cannot get in
       or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen.

21.  I can choose to dine in any restaurant I want without feeling uncomfortable because of
       my race or ethnic group.

21.  I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.

22.  I can easily arrange my activities so that I will never have to experience feelings of
       rejection owing to my race.

23.  I can easily find academic courses and institutions that give attention to people
       of my race or ethnic group.

24.  I can choose blemish cover or band-aids in “flesh” color and have them more or less
       match my skin.

25.  Most hairdressers’ shops know how to cut my hair and carry products designed for my
       type of hair.

This website was created and is maintained for use in classrooms dedicated to multicultural understanding. 
Material from and links to other sources have been chosen because of their relevance to this goal. 
For questions or comments, or to report problems with links, please contact:
Ann Ramsey ramseyakc@yahoo.com
 
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