Racial Harmony Week

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Racial tension is one of the major issues in the U.S. today. Since many centuries ago, this has been an internal problem in this country and this has caused racial strife and disunity among people. There are many who believe that racism is a thing of the past. However, racial tensions are still rampant in this nation and many others. These kinds of problems affect all of us, especially the minorities. If the problems of racial discrimination and tension are not being solved, minorities are likely to feel that they are treated differently. The crucial thing is not to overlook the different races and cultures that are in the community, but to embrace our differences and have mutual respect among races in order to live in harmony. As developers of the youth, institutions should encourage mutual understanding and tolerance among races by holding a Racial Harmony Week event that brings together people of different ethnicity and cultural backgrounds to participate in activities that promote mutual understanding and respect among students of all races and cultures.

Although there has been a significant improvement in racial tensions over the past few decades, many people are still racist and this, in turn, leads to racial tension. According to statenews.com, there have been several racial incidents on Michigan State University’s campus. The article from statenews.com also stated an incident whereby students found a piece of paper with derogatory remarks on the door of a 20-year-old female student’s dorm room. A few days after that incident happened, students found another racial incident, this time a racial slur on a wall in Butterfield Hall, which is one of MSU’s buildings. There was also a black doll hanging by its neck in the Biomedi...

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... so well-documented that after listing a few of them, it begins to feel redundant. However, according to recent US Census statistics, the median income of black families is around $38K compared to $62k for whites (2009), which is a stark difference (“The”). Similarly, other minority groups such as Hispanics also see a median income gap when compared to the income of white Americans.

All in all, Racial Harmony Week is a positive event for students, staff and community as a whole. Not only does it help the community immerse in a deeper understanding and respect for other cultures, it also brings the community together to work on and participate in the events. Through researching and preparing the events, students and staff will also be more educated about other races and cultures and have the idea of racial harmony more deeply instilled in their minds.

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