When I hear the word "racist" there are some things that come to my mind:
When my mother wrinkled her nose and said "cheeee, I don't like those korean boys" and expressed her dislike about other Asian people in general.
When my friends made fun of me for listening to k-pop and said "Idi kuda korean pichidi aypoyindi (she also became mad for korea)."
When I saw a friend share an IG story with the n-word.
When my textbook always refers to Africans/people of African origin as "Negroes".
When I've heard my relatives refer to Black Americans as "aa nalloolu" (those blacks).
When my Dad calls the Chinese "Ching-Chongs".
When my parents commented about how "dumb" Mexicans can be.
Everyone is so quick to point fingers at America when they hear the word "racist", but is America the only place where racists are found?
To be honest, when I heard people say those things, I did not say anything. I kept quiet, because I did not want to start a "fight".
While I cannot change the past, I can control the future. I made a promise to myself that I will speak up. So, I did some research and here are some tips I found really helpful:
Ask them an open-ended question, like "Why would you say that?" or, "How did you come to believe that?"
Don't attack them- Sometimes, they truly may not realise that what they have said is racist. Be calm, and explain your views.
Give sources- quote articles, TV shows, etc.
Make sure you use words they can understand, instead of academic language.
Keep in mind, one conversation will not always be enough to change someone’s mind.
It’s not easy to talk to friends and family about these things, but it is necessary. After all, the change starts with us.
My Resources:
This website gives more tips on how to speak out:
And these are some Instagram accounts that share really vital information: