Not only #COVID19 – many viruses are going around these days. #Racism is definitely one of them!

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Exactly 60 years ago, on 21 March 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid laws.

Since then, apartheid in South Africa has ended, but structural racism worldwide has not. People of colour are more likely to attend underfunded schools, are more likely to be poor, more likely to be checked by the police, more likely to be the target of terrorist attacks.

What makes this discrimination possible are the prejudices, ignorance, thoughtlessness and stereotyping of white people who would never call themselves racist. But yet they are, even without using racist slurs, simply because they ignore racism and benefit from it.

• • When a person of colour tells you that they have experienced racism, believe them! Don’t think they are overreacting, don’t try to justify racist behavior.
• • Check your own privileges and accept that you need to give up on some. Accept that this feels uncomfortable. Privilege is when you think something is not a problem because you are not affected by it.
• • Talk about racism – with your kids or youth group, your friends, your aunts and uncles. Call out when someone makes a racist comment or justifies racism.
• • When discussing racism in your group, don’t just think about far-right terrorism. Reflect on your own every-day stereotypes.
• • Colonialism and post-colonialism is racism. Never, ever try to justify colonialism. Acknowledge that colonialism is still happening.
• • If you are white, take a step back and accept that it is not up to you to decide what is good for people of colour.
• • If you experience racism: Don’t accept denial from others! Grab the power and the microphone!