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At school, we learned about many things: history, democracy, human rights. We learned that racism was wrong, but we rarely spoke about how racism is a reality that appears in the everyday interactions. When someone made a racist comment, teachers often told us to “be nice to each other." The incident was treated as just a normal conflict, rather than something that reflected a wider problem. No one asked why certain jokes were always directed at the same students. No one spoke about stereotypes, racial prejudices, discrimination or the feeling of being treated differently because of race.
As an adolescent, this silence was confusing. While I felt that those comments hurt me, I did not always have the words to explain how. I wondered whether I was being too sensitive. I wondered whether I should simply ignore that and move on. When no one around you call out racism, it becomes difficult to trust your own lived experiences. Hence, this silence only protects those who cause harm. When race-based incidents and systemic racism are altogether rendered invisible and dismissed as misunderstandings, jokes, or isolated incidents; it is precisely how racial gaslighting works. The people affected are left alone with the effects of racial trauma, which over time transform into frustration, self-doubt, and feeling that speaking up will only make things worse.
Anti-racism education and artivisme are important because they both give the racialised youth the language and the vocabulary to contextualise the kind of racism they experience and the tools for responding to it. They help racialised youth understand that racism is a complex interplay in how they navigate their everyday interactions. Thus, schools and youth spaces should be places where these conversations are possible. That means creating a more safe, and brave environment where young people can ask questions, reflect critically and learn how to stand up against racism. Naming racism is not what creates division. It is the first step towards understanding, accountability and change. |
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Published on 07.09.2026 at 11:52 
