Thought Leadership
Written by Daniel Washington
Filling in the race box on forms is something that we all do, so why does it pose as a challenge for some people and why should we talk about it? After all, we have been checking these boxes for years, so they may seem innocuous to many of us, but there is an underlying message that these boxes convey. They give us an understanding of our identity in society. They are like databases that store and collect information on people, but what if some of this information perpetuates bias, such as racial inequality? Like databases, race boxes record information in order to present estimates, statistics, and consistent patterns on certain things, like race, for example. When it comes to addressing racial inequality, data is a powerful tool in understanding how racism operates, how resources are distributed, and how different racial and ethnic groups experience benefits or harms.
Understand that race is not a biological construct, but rather a social construct that creates benefits or harms for certain groups of people, depending on a given culture’s idea of race and racial privilege. In the United States, whiteness is an identity and a system that creates social, economic, and other systematic advantages for those who fall into the category of being white or those who are socialized as being white as a result of having a close proxy to whiteness.
Now what does this have to do with racial categories on forms? According to the US Census Bureau, historically marginalized groups, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous populations, are most susceptible to being undercounted. There are a number of factors that contribute to this problem, such as missing and incomplete data, lack of information that can be compared across time and geography, and infrequently updated data. Such issues pose challenges for data scientists who are trying to study racism. In addition, undercounting racial groups leads to additional challenges such as funding cuts for food assistance, healthcare, and housing.
Existing racial and ethnic categories used for data collection continue to leave out entire groups altogether, which contributes to racial and ethnic populations being underrepresented and undercounted. Updating these categories will help address the racism that is embedded in American society. According to a recent article from The New York Times, “the government is attempting to catch up with modern views of racial and ethnic identities” in order to create equal representation for historically marginalized racial/ethnic groups and develop better policies, social services, and federal programs for those groups.
Proposing for new racial and ethnic categories on race forms can have positive implications, such as more federal funding for community organizations and local schools, as well as the enforcement of equal employment policies and anti-discrimination laws. Reducing bias and inequality on a systematic level means that the federal administration will have done its job in recognizing racial/ethnic categories that were once not represented on any race forms, creating policies that outlaw discrimination, and distributing resources that were once inaccessible to underserved communities.
We fill out forms about our identities all the time, and for many formal situations, this almost always includes our racial and/or ethnic identities. This seems pretty routine, but the act truly carries significant implications for society and the workplace. These little boxes and fields end up serving as repositories of information that, when analyzed, can provide crucial insights into the pervasive issue of racial inequality.
While we can acknowledge that race is a social concept, it still strongly impacts how we think and shapes our society. This is especially important in the United States, where the nation's beginnings and citizens' rights were tied to race. These historical connections continue to affect us, leading to unfair treatment for underrepresented groups. This history has a big impact on our modern world and emphasizes the urgent need for fairness and justice.
To fix this, it's crucial to update how we label race and ethnicity on forms. When the government recognizes today's understanding of racial and ethnic identities, it helps historically marginalized groups get equal representation. This change can lead to more money for community organizations and schools, as well as better enforcement of fair employment and anti-discrimination laws at work. This can reduce unfairness and inequality, and the government can fulfill its duty to support underrepresented groups, create anti-discrimination policies, and give resources to communities that used to be left out.
For more on this topic, check out the "Coming to Our Census" episode from Season 1 of Our True Colors!
Sources:
For more on this topic, check out the "Coming to Our Census" episode from Season 1 of Our True Colors!
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