Raising Consciousness as a Violence-Prevention Strategy

There are times when certain crossroads require a definitive stand on issues. Failure to act is akin to denying existence of a serious problem or serves to continue harm that could have been prevented. Many people lament the damage being done on political and socioeconomic levels under a presidential administration that treats diverse citizens as if their lives and basic human needs do not matter. And many behave like deer caught in headlights despite knowing this crucial period will define how America unfolds. Will we evolve to truly represent masses from different backgrounds or continually cater to only a relatively few, based on their wealth? Since accumulated money can be traced primarily to a combination of race and gender privileges, the vicious cycle that originated in the nation’s early history can only reproduce the existing status quo. This would render us stagnant, as historical issues still affect the present, despite clarity about the need to break away from thinking and behavioral patterns that normalize racist and sexist premises.

Social consciousness of the many reasons white supremacy ideology lacks merit, has not necessarily resulted in sustainable change, as many insist on pretending that skin color can make people inherently “better than” and that gender should make someone “more important” than others. Until systemic racism is…