So although the findings in this study are from over a year ago…that still feels fresh enough to refer to and reflect on.

Also I’m a big Pew Research fan, and you’ll see me sharing much more on the regular. Also, when it comes to studies and stats about ANYTHING, one of my favorite quotes from a book called Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art, goes something like “if you can describe something, you can measure it”.

And so I wanted to share this study, and the specific graph regarding Black people being more likely than whites to say that racial discrimination is a major obstacle.

I would even point out that the irony is that even the three lowest ranked reasons for Black people, which have equal or higher percentages of white people saying they’re obstacles, are most likely the result of racial discrimination.

I mean, from family instability (school-to-prison pipeline), lack of good role models (representation in higher education and job recruitment and retention), or a lack of motivation to work hard (when we already have to work twice as hard often just to keep up with, if I may be blunt, white mediocrity), it then becomes a dangerous self-fulfilling prophecy of some stereotypes, where some white people see this as inherent traits of Black people rather than the general and cumulative effects of white supremacy on Black families, communities, and individuals.

Maybe…a conversation to have with friends who express ANY kind of stereotypes is to lean into the reality that they might be based on. And maybe that’ll be a whole separate series of posts.

But I digress.