Colorblindness is the New Racism

Although I really appreciated Mellody Hobson’s TED Talk, this blog post focuses on my reflections on Colorblindness Is the New Racism. In the reading, the authors argue that racial inequality is maintained not only through individual prejudice, but through systemic white privilege that gives unearned advantages to white people. They explain that this privilege often goes unnoticed and is reinforced by colorblind thinking (the belief that ignoring race promotes equality). However, by refusing to acknowledge race, colorblindness ignores very real disparities in wealth, education, representation, and opportunity. The authors ultimately argue that meaningful change requires recognizing these hidden advantages and challenging the structures that maintain inequality.

This reading immediately made me think of people who say they “don’t see color.” In my experience, that statement often comes from someone who either wants to avoid a conversation about race or wants to clarify that they are not personally racist. While it may be well-intentioned, it suggests that race and the lived realities attached to it, do not matter. When someone claims not to see color, it can dismiss the ongoing effects of racism and systemic inequality. Ignoring race does not eliminate inequity, it simply makes it harder to address. So long story short, saying that you don't see color actually has the opposite effect of what some people intend it to be.

One quote that stood out to me came up at the very beginning of the reading: “faculty and students of color often carry the major responsibility for highlighting issues of racial justice.” This resonated because people of color are typically the ones who most directly experience racism and exclusion, and as a result, they are often treated as “experts” on these issues. There are many layers to this dynamic. Institutions in the United States were historically built around white, dominant cultural norms. When those norms are treated as standard, issues of race are framed as “special interest” concerns instead of institutional and societal responsibilities. This, in my opinion, makes racial justice work seem optional instead of essential. Therefore, people of color often become the primary advocates for change because the system does not automatically prioritize their concerns.

This expectation creates an unfair burden, often described as cultural taxation. This is a term used to refer to the extra responsibilities (emotional and intellectual labor) placed on individuals from underrepresented groups simply because of their identity. Faculty and students of color may be expected to educate others about racism, or speak up during racial tensions. There is an unspoken pressure that if we do not step in, no one else will. This emotional and intellectual labor is rarely acknowledged, yet it can be exhausting and take time away from other academic or professional responsibilities. Even though this is a term mostly used within the academia world, this is very much true in other professions. I think this term can even be applied to small everyday scenarios such as, always relying on the one POC at your job to be the spokesperson about diversity, or even to speak about their experiences with microaggressions.

Lastly, I really liked the section titled Examining Systems of Privilege: The Power Line Exercise. It highlights that society is not neutral, rather some groups are positioned closer to power and privilege, while others are positioned further away due to structural factors. This exercise encouraged me to reflect on my own position in regards to the power line. I am non-White, an immigrant, and a woman, which can place me at certain disadvantages within dominant systems. At the same time, I attend an institution of higher education, I am able-bodied, and I identify as Christian, these are identities that grant me forms of privilege. Privilege and marginalization can coexist within the same person. I think that recognizing these layered identities are important to understanding how systems of power operate and how to dismantle them.