The place of race in everyday democracy: Now we’re talking

by Martha L. McCoy

April 2, 2008 | |

Lately, race has moved back to the front and center of our national discourse. All of us who pay attention to this issue know that this happens every decade or so.   

But there’s something different this time. The conversation is more about the impact of racism on our communities, our institutions, and our policies, and less about “can we all just get along.” It’s more about quality of life, and less about race as an inter-personal matter.       

At Everyday Democracy, we have seen this coming. Of course we could not have predicted the particulars of how the issue would break out this time. But as we have worked with communities on these issues over the past fifteen-plus years, we have seen the conversation on the ground shift.   

We have seen many people – from all backgrounds, political bents, ages, and sectors – with new energy to expand the dialogue on race, and take it to the next level. They see that racism goes way beyond a “black and white” issue, that it touches us all.  They want to understand the present in the context of our racial history, figure out how so many communities ended up stuck on the same issues, and find ways to change things.    

A new “racial literacy” is taking shape. We see it developing in small, medium and large communities, rural, urban, and suburban. It’s happening in those with very diverse populations, and those that are just starting to diversify. Communities are learning to frame and discuss questions of fairness, opportunity, and what it will take to close gaps in housing, education, public safety, and social services.    

People are talking about individual attitudes, but they’re also talking about the public institutions, agencies, and nonprofit groups that they’re part of. They want to understand the effects of racism and then do something to find ways to bring their understanding to working differently, to get new kinds of results.     

The nine communities of the Communities Creating Racial Equity initiative have dedicated themselves to these vital tasks. They will be exploring ways to connect large-scale dialogue on racism to tangible results on other issues -- public safety, education, the environment, social services, immigration. We will be learning with them, so that we can share their lessons with others.  

Ultimately, people of all backgrounds need opportunities to address race in ways that are respectful of every voice, that give people a chance to come to grips with their individual experiences, with the experiences of others, and with the impact of racism on every other issue they face. It is this kind of work that will enable all of us to create the kind of “everyday democracy” that we need.  NOW we’re talking.    

Learn more: Racial Equity