Dante and David apply for the same job but only one gets an interview. Here's the rest of their day.
If you've ever wanted a side-by-side illustration of how racism seeps into everyday situations like job hunting, driving, and even going to the doctor, this video from Brave New Films breaks it down flawlessly.
Racism isn't just about racial slurs. It's much much bigger.
Many of us are aware of only one type of racism: blatant racism, like using slurs. In reality, racism's a lot bigger — and deeper — than that.
If you don't have time to watch the video above, here are just three surprising ways that racism takes shape in everyday life:
1. Jobs
What's in a name? Well, for people of color with more "ethnic names" (and let's be real, what does that even mean?), it can mean the difference between getting an interview or not. And let's remember that there are plenty of white people with unique names, like Bristol Palin and Pilot Inspektor. The problem isn't having a name that's unique or hard to pronounce. The issue is that certain types of names are labeled as "ghetto" or "unprofessional" only when they're associated with people of color. Changing one's name isn't the solution — changing how we view people of color and their worth is.
2. Home ownership
Although we've come a long way since the Jim Crow laws of the 1800s that prohibited black people from owning homes, black people and other people of color still encounter housing discrimination. The Fair Housing Project's documentary "A Matter of Place" not only details the history of housing discrimination in the U.S., but it also includes a few undercover experiments that reveal just how pervasive the practice is.
3. Health care
One of the most shocking ways that racism infiltrates the lives of people of color happens within the health care industry. Not only do black folk and people of color struggle to maintain healthy lifestyles as a result of issues like childhood obesity, food deserts, and lack of health care coverage, studies have shown that doctors are less likely to offer advanced treatment to black patients.
But jobs, home ownership, and health care are just the tip of the systematic racism iceberg.
- Higher car prices: Black consumers pay about $700 more for a car than white consumers.
- Higher incarceration rates: Black folks are six times as likely to be sent to prison.
- More police stops: Black drivers are twice as likely to be pulled over.
- And more...
All these seemingly small things are different ways people of color face discrimination that add up to really big problems and challenges.
Even with what I know and have experienced as a black woman, thinking about this stuff often overwhelms me and makes me super depressed. Systemic racism just feels so big. And in comparison, I feel incredibly helpless and small.
But here's the cool thing: Our voices are actually part of the solution. Educating ourselves and each other is an important first step. I mean, you can't fix a problem if you don't know the problem exists, right? So while we still have a long way to go, thanks for taking the time to educate yourself so we can work toward equality for everyone.
Wanna dig deeper and find more ways to help? Check out this great article from Everyday Feminism: "10 Simple Ways White People Can Step Up to Fight Everyday Racism."
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."