The core beliefs that guide Racialicious

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

I really enjoy reading and participating in the many vibrant discussions here on Racialicious. But lately I’ve noticed an increasing amount of hostility, tension and personal attacks.

I thought it would be timely to post the core beliefs that guide New Demographic‘s (and this blog’s) work. Some of you may already be familiar with these beliefs, but I’m sure there are many newer readers who haven’t read them before.

Let’s keep these great conversations going, but let’s also keep Racialicious a pleasant place to visit. Thanks, everyone.

Here are New Demographic’s core beliefs:

• We go beyond uncritical celebrations of diversity and multiculturalism and confront head-on the complex issues surrounding race and racism today.

• In challenging racism, we go beyond individual acts of prejudice and recognize that racist ideals are disseminated by the very structures and systems upon which this country is built.

• We go beyond the concerns of the specific community to which we belong and recognize that when one group is discriminated against, it is an affront to us all.

• When discussing racism, we go beyond simply blaming “The Man” and recognize that racism persists through an intricate web of intergroup and intragroup oppression and privilege.

• We go beyond “diversity speak” and academic jargon and recognize that using direct, down-to-earth language is the best way to engage people in anti-racism work.

• We go beyond acceptance of finite racial categories and recognize that race has no biological basis, but that the social construct of race impacts us all.