Opression Archives - The Race Card Project

My family ran from oppression, too.

March 26, 2024March 21, 2024 Family, Germany, Opression, Roots, Ryan

Ryan,
Germany.

A thing of beauty and oppression

May 16, 2023May 16, 2023 beauty, Elizabeth Carter Pratt, MA, Opression, UMass Chan Medical School, Westborough

Elizabeth Carter Pratt,
Westborough, MA

We have so far to go.

January 2, 2022January 2, 2022 1960, Bonnie Shoultz, Faculty, history, murder, NY, Opression, Syracuse, USA

Bonnie Shoultz,
Syracuse, NY.

I was a young person during the 1960s, and dreamed that this country would overcome its terrible history of oppression and enslavement of whole groups of people based on their race, culture, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and class. We have made many changes, but oppression and murder of people who are not white, straight, and safe economically is still prevalent. We must continue to support bridge-building, meaningful cross-group communication, and ways of giving real help to people who would otherwise not have the chance to develop themselves educationally and economically. Our culture must change dramatically–it has changed dramatically since the 1960s but we still find that, for example, one third of African-American men will be incarcerated at least once during their lives. Systemic racism and profiling creates the conditions for this and many other ways in which people are kept down.

Our tears aren’t for your consumption

August 24, 2021August 24, 2021 Adrienne Davis, consume, consumption, Durham, grow, NC, Opression, pain, tears, white folks

Adrienne Davis,
Durham, NC.

I feel like white folks want to consume our pain and oppression but don’t want to commit to be accomplices in the work. Our pain is suppose to “help them grow”. No. That’s not how this works.

We must teach children real history.

July 26, 2021 control, extinction, Gresham, history, Jacquie Pancoast, Opression, OR, Power, real, school, teacher

Jacquie Pancoast,
Gresham, OR

We are one race inhabiting this planet with other species. Oppression is about power and control. As a species we appear to be the slowest to learn we are driving to our extinction.

I can’t look away anymore. JUSTICE!

November 2, 2020November 2, 2020 america, Berea, Beth Feagan, country, default, equity, hostile, injustica, justice, KY, look away, normal, Opression, supremacy, white folks

Beth Feagan,
Berea, KY

White folks have the luxury of not thinking about race, and that’s a problem. We are coded as “normal” or “default” in America, but that’s a part of white supremacy. It’s possible to construct a white identity that is in solidarity with people of color, and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m scared for my friends and colleagues who identify as people of color. Our country is so hostile to them, and I want them to be safe and feel beloved. It’s up to all of us, especially white folks, to bring about racial healing in America. We can’t expect the survivors of oppression to fix the conditions that perpetuate thier oppression. We CAN listen to them, find out what they need, follow their leadership, and work together for equity and justice. I’m trying my best to be part of the solution, not part of the problem of racial injustice in America.

Fight for God’s kingdom on Earth

October 30, 2018October 30, 2018 earth, God, justice, kingdom, Opression, peace, Rachel, USA

Rachel,
USA.

We must not be complicit in oppression. Come let us follow the Lamb who has conquered sin and death to bring justice and peace.

A social construct that oppresses all.

September 2, 2015September 2, 2015 Las Cruces, Liz Miller, NM, Opression, racism, social construct, white woman

Liz Miller,
Las Cruces, NM.

I am a white woman grappling with my own racism.

White people, it’s not about you.

July 15, 2015July 15, 2015 Bremerton, conversation, Jaqui, lynched, offensive, Opression, slaves, WA, white people

Jaqui,
Bremerton, WA.

So often, when having a conversation about race white a white person they are unable to step outside themselves. They are either A) focused on how they personally never owned slaves/lynched someone etc or B) more worried about their own hurt feelings, because somehow pointing out that the system of oppression that we live in gives white people a leg up is offensive and “racist” to white people (they dont know what racism even means.)

Oppression of blacks by oppressing whites

October 20, 2014 blacks, Chaz chetson, Opression, USA, whites

Chaz Cheston,
USA.

I was told racism was over.

October 12, 2014 civil rights, daily life, Hanover, Kalie Marsicsno, NH, Opression, over, post-racial, racism, USA

Kalie Marsicsno,
Hanover, NH.

I grew up with the misinformation that the civil rights movement had ended successfully, rather than learning that racism and systematic oppression still dominates our daily life.