Racism continues to one of the harshest and darkest realities in our nation’s history. Every time we take one step forward in removing this divisive trait from the American experience, another manifestation of racism arises.

This problem becomes substantially worse when it evolves to what we call ‘systemic racism.’

Systemic racism is a term that refers to racism embedded in one or more levels across our country’s cultural norms, legal and corporate policies, and institutional behavior.

Sadly, racism becomes commonplace. For many, racism may even appear as part of the normal routine. Equal Justice Now exists in a different reality, one where racism is intolerable and recognized as one of the cruelest aspects of human behavior.

Systems that utilize inconspicuous methods to slander, blame, and discriminate against people of color need to be eradicated. Here are just a few examples of how prevalent systemic racism is today:

• Black citizens represent 12.7% of the US population, while only possessing a modest 3% of its wealth
• The unemployment rate for black citizens is twice as high in comparison to the unemployment rate of white citizens
• The chances of a person ultimately getting the job position ramp up drastically if ‘white’ characteristics are featured in the interview process, as demonstrated in a Harvard

Business Review study

Equal Justice Now means equal justice for all people, regardless of their skin color. We are committed and bent on the crusade to see the United States of America shine in a new world without racism. It would be in our America that Trayvon Martin, John Crawford, and Breonna Taylor would still be alive. We would be a nation where everyone felt and was treated equally without racism.

Racism is a learned behavior, just like hate speech, intolerance, and other forms of prejudice. If racism is taught, we can teach tolerance, acceptance, and understanding. Even though we may not eradicate racism from existence in its entirety, we certainly can work to remove its insidious consequences.