By: Serena Lathi

Calling out your local racist can be difficult. Here are some suggestions to make this process easier for you, your friends, and family

Find allies/like minded people

• Speaking as a group can have a bigger impact
• Can create pressure especially in school or work environments
• Emphasizes solidarity and unity
  • Will be beneficial when calling out racists

Be passionate and use emotion… but not too much

• Remember to not use rage and anger when talking to racists, channel your emotions to make a productive conversation
  • Rage will immediately make the racist defensive
• Find safe places and people you trust to let out your frustration and anger
• Educate these racists because you want to help them learn about their ignorance
• Speak with compassion and confidence
• Make sure you are in a safe environment

Frame your speech

• Focus on concision and easy vocabulary – you want to make this as simple as possible, there’s no need for confusing vocab
• Be compelling and have powerful messages using passion. This will keep the racist concentrated
• Concentrate on the aspect of change, you do not want to say “I am repulsed by you” because even if you believe this, it will do no good
  • Address how your community has made a change in the right direction
• Change your framework according to who you’re talking to: a work colleague, school peer, or parent

There will be criticism

• Confronting someone will most likely lead to intense emotions and conversations. They will not agree with everything you are saying right away or will become defensive
• Do not demand for change, instead focus on how they can change their action
• Focus on educating them and how they can improve their actions, demanding change to blatantly ignorant people will not do much

Realize that you can not not change everyone. Do not exhaust yourself by putting all of your efforts onto one person. If this racist is not willing to hear you out, move on. Use your education and desire for change as best as possible for yourself and your community. Good luck!

https://hbr.org/2020/07/how-to-call-out-racial-injustice-at-work