Johnson PH 181 Poster

1
Understanding How Systemic Racism Affects Young People of Color in Merced County Results Summary Acknowledgements Funding for this project was made possible in part by the California Endowment and Building Healthy Communities-Merced (BHC). BHC exists to empower Merced residents to take on an active role in bettering their health and also encourage the establishment of a coalition involving community members that works toward understanding and eliminating the systemic injustice embedded in the health care system. Background Minority populations disproportionately suffer from inequities in numerous aspects of life, especially education and health Combination of systemic, institutionalized racism and large groups of oblivious individuals is lethal Bringing awareness and attention to such, through World Café conversations, may help to address health and educational disparities experienced by young people of color (YPOC), particularly black males, living in Merced County Conclusions Recommendations 100% of World Café participants experienced racism, first-hand or second- hand while living in Merced County Building and maintaining relationships with like-minded members of the same community ensures that conversations will be normalized Further implementation of World Cafés at all levels (K-College) to identify and discuss lived experiences of systemic racism Conversation facilitators must be culturally competent and/or identify with the group of World Café Systemic Racism was defined as an “allowed” never ending toxic cycle of inequity, biases based on race, and systemic identity policing. It’s structurally embedded and incorporated into our: Education system Job market Healthcare system Aja Rose Johnson 1 and Stergios Roussos 2 PhD, MPH 1 BLUM Center for Developing Economies, University of California Merced 2 Alliance for Community Research and Development World Café conversations conducted with YPOC in Merced County 60 participants, primarily African American; 3 conversations; K-5th, 6 th -12 th , College 60-90 minutes per conversation in person held at the University campus Qualitative and quantitative analysis of common and unique themes Methods of group communication (e.g., World Cafes) important to progression play a key role in raising awareness and education of practices to prevent and reduce disparities among YPOC in Merced Regardless of age group, young people of color are able to identify how systemic racism affects their lives Methods Research Questions: What are the major inequities impacting successful development of YPOC in Merced County? How can community members be supported to discuss and address issues related to racism and discrimination that impact YPOC? World Café Method Purpose: Get acquainted with like-minded individuals and discuss issues relevant to particular community Etiquette Small Group Round Question(s) Harvest Questions: 1) How have you or someone you know experienced racial inequity? How did it affect you/them/others? 2) What is systemic racism? How does is affect the health of our campus? Figure 2: Students engaging in World Café conversation activity Figure 1: Student experience with racism Source: World Café Data K-5th 6th-12th College 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Experience No Experience “Social media has become the new avenue for people to be racist and remain anonymous. I will never forget how their words about my blackness made me feel.” –Student from Merced County “They are 48%. We are 5.7%. Where are the (black) resources for us on this campus? Maybe if I’d attended an HBCU, I’d be treated better.” –Daralynn McCall, UCM sophomore When it comes to systemic racism, personal experience varies across the board. However, I’ve now realized that we’re all experiencing it. –Student from Merced County Each experience had long-term effects on the individual(s) World Café participants were able to realize that their lived experiences are similar to those of their peers Systemic Racism Lack of Opportuni ty Educatio n Awarenes s Action Change Unity

Transcript of Johnson PH 181 Poster

Page 1: Johnson PH 181 Poster

Understanding How Systemic Racism Affects Young People of Color in Merced County

Results Summary

Acknowledgements

Funding for this project was made possible in part by the California Endowment and Building Healthy Communities-Merced (BHC). BHC exists to empower Merced residents to take on an active role in bettering their health and also encourage the establishment of a coalition involving community members that works toward understanding and eliminating the systemic injustice embedded in the health care system.

Background• Minority populations disproportionately suffer from

inequities in numerous aspects of life, especially education and health

• Combination of systemic, institutionalized racism and large groups of oblivious individuals is lethal

• Bringing awareness and attention to such, through World Café conversations, may help to address health and educational disparities experienced by young people of color (YPOC), particularly black males, living in Merced County

Conclusions

Recommendations

• 100% of World Café participants experienced racism, first-hand or second-hand while living in Merced County

• Building and maintaining relationships with like-minded members of the same community ensures that conversations will be normalized

• Further implementation of World Cafés at all levels (K-College) to identify and discuss lived experiences of systemic racism

• Conversation facilitators must be culturally competent and/or identify with the group of World Café participants for best results

Systemic Racism was defined as an “allowed” never ending toxic cycle of inequity, biases based on race,

and systemic identity policing.It’s structurally embedded and incorporated into our:

• Education system• Job market

• Healthcare system

Aja Rose Johnson1 and Stergios Roussos2 PhD, MPH1BLUM Center for Developing Economies, University of California Merced

2 Alliance for Community Research and Development

• World Café conversations conducted with YPOC inMerced County

• 60 participants, primarily African American; 3 conversations; K-5th, 6th-12th, College

• 60-90 minutes per conversation in person held at the University campus

• Qualitative and quantitative analysis of common and unique themes

• Methods of group communication (e.g., World Cafes) important to progression play a key role in raising awareness and education of practices to prevent and reduce disparities among YPOC in Merced

• Regardless of age group, young people of color are able to identify how systemic racism affects their lives

MethodsResearch Questions: What are the major inequities

impacting successful development of YPOC in Merced County? How can community members be supported to discuss and address issues related to racism and discrimination that impact YPOC?

World Café Method Purpose: Get acquainted with like-minded individuals

and discuss issues relevant to particular communityEtiquette

Small Group Round Question(s)

HarvestQuestions: 1) How have you or someone you know

experienced racial inequity? How did itaffect you/them/others? 2) What is systemic racism? How does is affect the health of our campus?

Figure 2: Students engaging in World Café conversation activity

Figure 1: Student experience with racismSource: World Café Data

K-5th 6th-12th College0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

ExperienceNo Experience

“Social media has become the new avenue for people to be racist and remain anonymous. I will never forget how their words about my blackness made me feel.” –Student from Merced County

“They are 48%. We are 5.7%. Where are the (black) resources for us on this campus? Maybe if I’d attended an HBCU, I’d be treated better.” –Daralynn McCall, UCM sophomore

“When it comes to systemic racism, personal experience varies across the board. However, I’ve now realized that we’re all experiencing it.”

–Student from Merced County

• Each experience had long-term effects on the individual(s)• World Café participants were able to realize that their lived experiences are

similar to those of their peers

SystemicRacism

Lack of Opportunity

Education

Awareness

Action

Change

Unity