“How does systemic racism differ from individual racism? Individual racism includes prejudices, implicit biases (unconscious beliefs or attitudes, that come from messages and stereotypes that we pick up from the world we live in), and also enacting racism. These individual beliefs may include the opposition to interracial marriage, believing that Black people feel less pain than White people, not wanting Black, Indigenous or people of colour (BIPOC) to live in your neighbourhood, or not believing that inequality based on race is real and a problem.
Systemic racism consists of rulings, statutes, policies or practices promoted by a government, organization or industry, such that one ethnic group is granted certain rights and privileges, while denying those same rights and privileges to other groups in that society. These systems include education, healthcare, justice, workplaces (hiring practices and wage gaps), media and entertainment.
Individuals may not see themselves as racist, but they benefit from systems that have been designed to benefit White people. The benefits derived simply from being a White person is what the term privilege was coined to describe.“
On behalf of your Nova Scotia Lawyers Assistance Program (NSLAP) provider, Homewood HealthTM is pleased to provide the following newsletter: “Systemic Racism“.
If you have wellness questions, or are looking for wellness information, visit the NSLAP website at www.nslap.ca. For more information and support, along with resources and counselling involving systemic racism, register with Homewood Health™ https://homeweb.ca/. Please note that NSLAP is your “company” name when you register, and your Invitation Code is NSB931
Call in confidence, 24 hours a day: 1 866 299 1299 (within Nova Scotia) | (See the website for details about calling from outside Nova Scotia) | 1 866 398 9505 (en français) | 1 888 384 1152 (TTY).