What stood out for me in this week's reading was Kendi's experiences with the conflicting views that many of us hold about race and justice. The verdict of the O.J. Simpson trial exposed the systemic racism present in the criminal justice system, but at the same time, Kendi's teasing of Black immigrant students shows the internalized biases that can exist within communities of color.

Ethnically racist jokes are harmful and oppressive. It is a common behavior in my country (Brazil), and often, when people are confronted about their racist jokes, the answer is "It's just a harmless joke! Have you no sense of humor?" I know that very well because my brother does it all the time. Because I don't see or talk to him very often, when I do, I am faced with having to choose between ignoring the things he says, trying to enjoy the little time we have together; or confronting him and ending up in a conflict that will affect the rest of our time together, which happens often. My brother is a kind, loving, and educated person, and yet making racist jokes is part of his daily conversations. He thinks it is funny and that it is OK because he doesn't mean harm. In Brazil, he is in a position where he has many privileges for being a white middle-class straight male. However, if he for any reason had to immigrate to a country such as the US, he would most likely be the target of the jokes. In this country he would not be considered white, would be a low-class immigrant with a heavy accent. I am sure his sense of humor would change then. My point is, no matter which class, gender, ethnicity, or race we belong to, discrimination and racism will always be present if we see ourselves as better than others because of what we believe, what we look like, the class we belong to, our gender, and so on.

I have been learning more about the meaning of Intersectionality. I have been challenged to pay attention to and validate more and more people's unique experiences of discrimination and oppression. I know now that we must consider everything and anything that can marginalize people, such as gender, race, class, sexual orientation, and physical ability. I couldn't agree more with Kendy on the fact that to be anti-racists we must acknowledge the ways in which capitalism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia impact and aggravate racial inequality. We all know of the blatant pattern of prejudice and discrimination in the immigration history of the United States, prioritizing white people and diminishing the contributions and experiences of non-white immigrants. We watched the efforts of the Trump administration to return to policies established by previous governments of favoring Northern European immigrants, and we also know that they are based on racist ideologies. Remember when Ex-President Trump said: "Having all these people from ****** countries come here" and singled out Haiti, El Salvador, and Africa as examples he also added that, "we should have more people from Norway." It's crucial to recognize and challenge the harmful beliefs and policies that perpetuate these divisions and work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society.

Kendi, Ibram X., How to Be an Antiracist, Chap. 5-6. One World 2019