Over the past week, I have begun my work with the Anti Racism Commitment Coalition. The onboarding process has provided me an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the impacts that ARCC has made, and was able to further visualize the ways I can be a catalyst for change as a member of ARCC and beyond.

To hold space for our black brothers and sisters is to understand that our white superiority complex of the “past” has created an ever-present mental catastrophe by perpetuating Black socioeconomic, emotional, and intellectual agony. May we fight for a world in which the only psychological pathways the Black community passes through their lineage are ones of strength, pride, and intrinsic beauty.

So when politicians in the United States slander Haitian immigrants, the cousins of Black Americans, this is what they are continuing. When they dehumanize those escaping the economic disaster continued to be levied by the U.S. and global financial institutions, this is what they are continuing.

If you have ever been enrolled in an English literature class in school, odds are that you have read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In the book, Atticus Finch is defending a man by the name of Tom Robinson who was indicted for raping a girl based on a fabricated story. The novel goes on to describe the hardship that Atticus faces in creating a solid defense against Tom for one undeniable reason- he is black. This book was written in the 1960s and should be a clear issue of the past. Nearly six decades after this fictional story was written, on September 24, 2024, Marcellus Williams' life was taken by the state of Missouri through lethal injection.

As a young Black woman, I can't help but feel that police brutality is an issue that will be consistent unless we make some real changes. Each time about another brutal killing by law enforcement, it cuts deep.

The very foundation of the United States was built on the ideals of liberty, equality, and justice for all. The Declaration of Independence proclaims that "all men are created equal" and are endowed with unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, when these words were penned, enslaved Black people were far from free.

To truly understand the exceptions to the rule of the thirteenth amendment it is important that we evaluate the resources that are available and the perspectives of those who have been able to effectively analyze the systems in place. A book that I first recommend, as it has been prevalent in many school-mandated reading lists, is “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander.

As of today, The United States makes up about 5% of the world population but comprises 20% of the world’s prison population. To understand how the U.S. got to this point of mass incarceration we may look to the 13th Amendment.

It feels like a cyclical, painful story we are living through: when will we be removed from this cycle of violence? When will it end? When will we have to stop hearing reports about murders? When will innocent lives be free from subjugation to the random biased will of a police officer?

The ARCC of Change’s slogan HOPE: How Optimistic People Endure is not just a theme for all of Donzel’s guests, but for all those who join in on the fight against hate. Let us not succumb to the horrors that we fight against, but instead, let us remember the humanity that we are fighting for. 

In the newest ARCC of Change podcast, our founder Donzel Leggett invites Tiffani Daniels, director of the Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity to discuss recent racial progress and shortcomings.  

After listening to ARCC's new episode, George Floyd Four Years Later—What’s Changed? I resonated with Tiffani Daniels's idea that progress in this country often comes from tragedy.

In 2004, President Barack Obama delivered a speech titled “The Audacity of Hope.” In this speech, he starts by reminding Americans that our founding document states that all men are created equal.

After the murder of George Floyd, companies took to social media with bold announcements, pledging nearly $50 billion to anti-racism efforts across the United States. It’s been over four years, and corporate America has yet to make good on these promises.

Over the past week, I have completed the onboarding process for my internship at ARCC. There were a couple of things that stuck out to me. Specifically, I enjoyed listening to “The ARCC of Change” podcast.

This week, after exploring the ARCC’s website and content I learned how prevalent ethnicity bias is in organizations. One way we may see this is with organized sports.

My grandfather always said, “they can take everything, but they can’t take your education.” As a Palestinian, holding onto as much knowledge as possible was instilled in me as essential to survival.

In my exploration of the ARCC's content for my onboarding for my Summer Internship position at the ARCC one episode of the ARCC's podcast, "The ARCC of Change” resonated with me.

I’m proud to be involved with the ARCC, especially after the first week on the job was up. I started this summer with a talk with Donzel Leggett, and I immediately felt a respect for the man and his drive for the values of the ARCC.

“Do you think a Black person can be racist to a white person?”. This is a question that fascinated me during my freshman year of college.

I am beyond eager to see what this summer has to offer both me and ARCC. My hope for this summer is this crew of interns and passionate staff makes this organization something bigger than any of us could imagine.

While significant progress has been made, many hurdles clearly remain to be overcome. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial group in the U.S., yet their political representation does not reflect this growth.

“According to the Black and Missing Foundation, 9 out of ten children of color are reported as runaways, that means only one out of all 10 are reported and people are alerted about.”

As a teenager in 1960s Hollister, CA with colloquial Spanish as her only language, my grandma was abruptly thrown into an English-only secondary school. It was there she learned to tamp down her first language, and smooth it over like it never existed.

It is vitally important for us, as a society, to encourage Black people, and more specifically Black women, to pursue careers in healthcare. Dr. Tamika Lasege discusses her experiences as a Black female doctor and how Black people are treated in healthcare during the podcast episode.

“Don’t let anybody, anybody convince you this is the way the world is and therefore must be. It must be the way it ought to be.” These simple yet impactful words by Toni Morrison from, The Source of Self Regard perfectly, yet plainly depict the convictions of those on the mission of committing to anti-racist advocacy.

As an Emory student, healthcare has been at the forefront of my mind regardless of how seemingly removed my endeavors are from the field. So when I first came across ARCC’s blog post on medical racism, it immediately piqued my interest.

Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, the son of an educator, I have seen firsthand a system ravaged by underfunding, prejudice, and racism. But ARCC gives me hope. This kind of movement can change the future, not just locally, but across the nation, and the world.

Fredrick Douglass gave a speech on July 5th, 1852 entitled “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”. In this speech, he criticizes the way American ideals of independence only apply to White people.

In his 1955 collection of essays, titled Notes of a Native Son, James Baldwin states “I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” This quote has given me faith and drive since I heard it first, in my 8th grade Social Studies class, in video clip form.

Despite significant progress, systemic racism remains deeply entrenched in American society. The Black Lives Matter movement, ongoing protests against police brutality, and disparities in healthcare, education, and economic opportunities all point to the persistent inequalities that undermine the ideals of July 4th.

Because of ARCC’s course, I have learned so much from the course material and I have had the opportunity to hear from so many people with different backgrounds about their own personal experiences and stories.

People must remember that not everyone has been freed yet, and the Fourth of July shouldn’t just be about the barbecues, get-togethers, fireworks, and parades. To honor everyone's journey, ARCC is launching an anti-racist fourth-of-July media and giving campaign.

As we all know July 4th, 1776, was the day the US signed the Declaration of Independence from Britain. It was declared that the American people had gained Independence from British rule. That’s great and all…but what about the Black American people who were still enslaved by their other White American counterparts?

The model minority myth has been a widely discussed sociological phenomenon, but like everything discussed at ARCC, it is a small piece of a much larger picture.

Now that Juneteenth is a federal holiday, we must give it the attention that we do the 4th. While I have the fondest memories of the 4th from my childhood, I am trying to balance out the importance I give to both holidays from now on. 

The Fourth of July is often celebrated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, and a strong feeling of national pride. However, this day also serves as an opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of patriotism. Patriotism is not only about love for one's country but also about striving to make it better.

Many Black girls and boys find trouble in loving the skin they were born in. This Juneteenth, it is important for those born with this beautiful Black skin to take the time to see the beauty in their color. For those who need some reminding, I encourage you to check out “Pretty Brown Skin” by Maverick City Music and Eugene King. 

Juneteenth is a day to celebrate our country’s second Independence Day. As a Texan, this day is especially important for us to remember and to be educated about because we were unfortunately the last state to enforce the emancipation proclamation to free all the slaves. 

When I think of Juneteenth, I am happy that we can honor a day to celebrate a time representing freedom for African Americans. Anywhere in the United States, not just in Galveston, Texas.

The Southern border was not always the land split between the United States and Mexico. That area was the land of the Yaqui, the Apaches, and several other Indigenous groups with hundreds or thousands of years of history.

For as long as I can remember, my mother and I have celebrated Juneteenth in meaningful ways, making it a cherished tradition in our family. Every year, we dive into activities that celebrate our heritage and reflect on the Black experience in America.

Growing up in Valparaiso, I had hardly heard of Juneteenth outside of passing conversation; this makes sense, considering the 2020 census listed the town’s demographics as roughly 80% white-identifying. Still, this begs the question: why is the observation of the now-federal holiday still so limited?

They say knowledge is power. Fortunately, when it comes to Juneteenth, there’s no shortage of learning opportunities. As a Philadelphia native, I thought I’d share some city-wide events, for locals to explore. 

As many people know, Juneteenth marks the day when Union soldiers marched into Galveston Bay, Texas, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, to announce the end of slavery and free the enslaved people there. During Juneteenth, there is much conversation about the Emancipation Proclamation.

International Juneteenth celebrations underscore the cultural exchange and solidarity among freedom movements. In Germany, Berlin hosts Juneteenth celebrations where African American expatriates and local activists collaborate to promote awareness of black history and contemporary issues.

A year ago, the Supreme Court decided that affirmative action programs, where institutions systematically considered race in applications, violated the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. Since then, the sole way race can be considered in an application is through an essay.

What is liberation? How does one define it? What does a liberated life look like? When I ask myself if every human in the US is emancipated/liberated this Juneteenth, (and I assume you too) would also say ‘no, Americans today are not liberated.’

Medical racism is one of the largest problems in the U.S. healthcare system today, yet many people do not know it exists. Since the beginning of modern medicine, black people and other people of color have not been taken seriously when it comes to medical issues.

March 2024 Post Civil War Voter Suppression Voter suppression has been practiced in the United States since at least the end of Reconstruction (1865–77). The Fourteenth (1868) and Fifteenth (1870) amendments to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteed U.S. citizenship and equal civil and legal…

I feel very honored to be a part of ARCC. I have learned so much in the last three weeks, whether it is something new or I need to be…

Following a great conversation with Glahnnia “Renn’ee” Rates on the DeepDive Talkshow, here are several resources for viewers interested in learning more about medical racism, health equity, and patient advocacy…

By: Laura Beltrán My time as the fundraising intern for ARCC was nothing short of amazing; not only was I able to dive deeply into the world of non-profits, but…

By: Olivia Byers I am eternally grateful for the semester spent as the Fundraising and Executive Support Intern for the Anti-Racism Commitment Coalition. Coming into the foundation as a political…

By: Hayley Gallagher Working with ARCC over the past few months has been an extremely enriching experience, and has taught me a lot about Anti-racism along with giving me the…

By: Emi Pang As a recent SDSU graduate, I am so thankful to have worked with ARCC in my last semester! It was such an enriching experience and I loved…

January 2024 As international organizations and governments become increasingly concerned about the current climate crisis, a stark truth has emerged: our global predicament is no longer limited to environmental calamity,…

In 2023, two of ARCC’s most active and committed volunteers reached one of life’s key milestones – High School Graduation.  ARCC would like to recognize these two AMAZING young women…

In 2023, two of ARCC’s most active and committed volunteers reached one of life’s key milestones for a young person transitioning to adulthood – High School Graduation.  ARCC would like…