Interconnected Systems of Oppression by Project READY

Education <--> Housing

crawson7_2 — 2019-05-13 14:28:44 UTC

The neighborhood you live in determines your school assignment. Neighborhoods with high concentrations of BIPOC are usually assigned to schools with fewer resources and less experienced teachers.

Finance <--> Healthcare

crawson7_2 — 2019-05-13 14:30:24 UTC

Families without a lot of wealth can be easily thrown into poverty by a health crisis. Since we know BIPOC families have much less wealth than white families on average, this means that they are disproprortionately impacted by the high cost of healthcare and more at risk of falling into poverty thanks to a health crisis.

Transportation

2019-08-10 20:45:50 UTC

Certain areas of certain cities do not have public transportation (or they only have it in certain areas) and this leaves anyone who does not have a lot of wealth in a situation where they have to walk everywhere or rely on other people. This cuts off their ability to access libraries and other public spaces and places to work.

Housing - Finance- Education

2019-09-05 18:51:00 UTC

Higher-income families can afford better housing, which often leads to better schools (which are funded by higher property taxes, bonds/parcel taxes, etc.).

Interconnection

2019-09-16 16:09:18 UTC

So many people want there to be a simple solution to “fixing” racism; however, so many things would have to completely change in order for the divide to not be so wide between the minorities and majorities. You can’t fix just one problem, because it affects everything else. One issue isn’t necessarily more important than any other, so confronting one aspect before the others would be difficult.

Housing and Finance

2019-09-19 14:15:55 UTC

Areas that are less wealthy have a higher concentration of BIPOC and have fewer traditional banks and more check cashing facilities. They are less likely to save money without access to a bank and when the check cashing facility takes a portion of their check which might have otherwise been saved.

Education and housing

2019-09-19 14:17:37 UTC

he school funding system allocates a portion of income taxes to schools.

Healthcare- Food

2019-09-21 16:25:31 UTC

Many low income neighborhoods are located in food deserts (places where there is no fresh fruit or vegetables.) The lack of healthy food can lead to chronic diseases that are extremely expensive to treat.

Food Finance Healthcare

2019-09-26 19:20:40 UTC

With less money, you cannot afford the same quality of food as wealthier people, which in turn will affect your overall health and wellness. This also leads to higher rates of heart disease and cancer, so those with less money also tend to have more medical expenses with less, worse, or no insurance to assist them.

Michelle Alexander Is right

2020-02-24 16:07:50 UTC

The very nature of the systems we have in place is simply a new version of old colonialist themes of slavery, genocide, and abuse of people of color and first nations people. From police departments that don't care to look into the high rates of native women murdered and vanished, to the criminal justice system set up to keep black people in poverty without any viable way to survive without turning to crime, the entire system has to be remade. No one part can be fixed. It all needs to be torn down and rebuilt in a different way.

Finance/Housing?School

2020-03-20 19:27:44 UTC

Schools in lower economic neighborhoods may not have active, robust PTAs. They cannot fund some educational programs in the schools as compared to higher socio-economic neighborhoods.

Relationships

2020-03-31 16:46:42 UTC

It is so important for parents to have a relationship with their children. So many of our African American children are void of their parents in their lives. When this happens, the children look to the streets where they gravitate to and look for love. I believe so many of our children lack love and support from their parents and it causes distraction for them to learn and concentrate on their education.

Education tied to all

2020-04-14 14:28:48 UTC

Reviewing all the material, it seems that students who stay in school might be able to earn a better wage to afford better healthcare and housing which might help them avoid the criminal justice system. We all want students to achieve their personal best and be self-sufficient members of society. Helping BIPOC and all students feel successful so they WANT to do their best might help.

Criminal Justice

2020-04-28 14:57:51 UTC

Learning about felons being denied Supplemental Nutritional Assistance is absolutely astounding! A person gets out of jail (for a crime s/he may or may not have committed), cannot get a job due to serving jail time, but then is also denied the bare minimum to survive. What options do we expect them to have in terms of actual rehabilitation? What option do they have besides petty theft to get by and live?? This is a CRAZY phenomenon to me!

Transportation/Housing/Healthcare/Education

leahdelia2 — 2020-04-28 20:52:09 UTC

Those without cars have limited options in all of these sectors in areas without robust public transportation. In Minnesota, this tends to be rural areas and wealthier suburbs. Often the choices available to them are not as desirable as options only accessible to those with a car

In order to address these interconnected systems, we must have partnerships or work going on across multiple sectors to ensure that the good work done in one area isn't undermined by systemic racism in others

Housing

2020-05-13 21:20:45 UTC

Where you live can determine what types of loans that you can get, what type of food that you have access to, physical access to health care, quality of schools, and what type of interactions you may have with the police.

Food and Education

2020-05-28 21:00:08 UTC

If students are food insecure, they will not have the same ability to focus on their studies. Free breakfast and lunch programs try to alleviate this issue, but days off of school due to illness or holiday closures may mean students go hungry.

Never Get A Chance

2020-05-29 14:32:40 UTC

There is such a increase chance BIPOC will end up arrested in or have a record due implicit bias, racist systems etc. But then there is no safety network for them when they get out either. It' s a no win situation.

Food

2020-06-09 18:31:30 UTC

A lack of high quality food means problems with attention and hunger at school, which are underfunded and unable to support the individual and complex needs of children.

It's all a constant cycle: when someone one is discriminated against in the criminal system, it effects them from getting a job, which effects their economic status, which forces them to use mass transportation, which forces them to not qualifying for good housing, etc.

2020-06-16 14:08:00 UTC

2020-07-03 18:06:50 UTC

The interconnectedness of systems of oppression means that anti-racist work basically needs to happen everywhere. Any racism left in one system will affect the others. It means there are so many things to organize around. We truly have to all participate in anti-racist work because systemic racism is too big for one person, organization or even institution to tackle alone. This also means that there are many opportunities on multiple levels to improve lives.

Funding

2020-07-05 20:01:11 UTC

I just keep thinking about the calls to defund police departments, using that money to invest in communities in need, could we start to break this cycle?

Interconnectedness of systems

tamrasnell — 2020-07-12 22:13:45 UTC

I thought about how housing & transportation are connected: often to have public transportation access, one has to live within certain boundaries and select housing that gives them fairly easy access to the transit systems. Where I live, housing costs are high, so this can impact where one lives and works. For anti-racist work, we can't just focus on altering one system, but we have to look at ways to change all of them. Because if we only change one, but not another, problems will persist.

Food and Healthcare

2020-07-13 19:33:34 UTC

Poor diet leads to more health problems and more medical bills

Focus/Big Picture

2020-07-14 18:25:58 UTC

There are many places to do anti-racist work with a laser focus within each of these systems, but without a simultaneous big-picture approach, the necessary change will not happen. Creative approaches are necessary that will combine solutions across multiple systems.

Finance

2020-07-14 18:28:07 UTC

Lack of access to finance creates limitations in access to stable housing, education (and thus jobs and thus healthcare), stable transportation, and an inability to pay your way out of criminal trouble.

Housing-Food-Criminal Justice System

2020-07-14 19:24:46 UTC

For some homes, it can be a choice between paying a loan/bill or feeding your family. Lack of proper nutrition leads to problems at school for youth (as has been mentioned in previous responses) or lack of resources at home (central cooling and heating, electricity, etc) can lead family members to spend more time outside which could lead to arrests for "acting suspicious."

Food, School, and Health

2020-07-16 14:39:43 UTC

Lack of access to nutritious food causes severe problems with attention and performance in school and causes severe health problems in life. Without access to healthcare people are caught in a never ending cycle.

Education and Housing

2020-07-16 16:23:16 UTC

Local public education systems are largely funded by property taxes, so if you live in a low-income area, which is predominantly made up of BIPOC for a whole host of reasons outlined in an earlier module, then the education that you are receiving, while not "separate," is still not equal to the education that is received in wealthier, typically white, neighborhoods. Textbooks may be older, teacher turnover higher, fewer teachers may be certified, and there may be fewer opportunities for after school enrichment activities such as sports, arts, tutoring, or test prep. These differences in funding then disproportionately affect the life opportunities of the students from low-income areas, again, typically BIYOC, from their ability to get into higher education to their projected life income, their access to quality jobs with benefits, and therefore their health and wellness. This leads to greater food and housing insecurity, which can, in turn, lead to greater mental anguish and crime. The whole system is cyclical, and is not designed to be broken out of, despite the supposed bootstrap-meritocracy argument.

Health Care and Education

2020-08-04 19:54:50 UTC

If students don't have quality healthcare they may come to school not feeling well and cannot attend in class as expected. So then they may find themselves falling behind.

Housing/Transportation

2020-08-23 00:42:54 UTC

The distance between sites of public transportation and places of work have a significant impact on annual income. The decisions made by government to not provide public transportation in marginalized populations indicates systemic racism. Property and profit are placed higher in value above the livelihoods of human beings.

What does interconnectedness mean?

djlanatron — 2020-08-24 19:53:57 UTC

In order for anti-racist work to gain any sort of foothold, communities have to work together. As librarians, we may focus on education, but our youth are affected by many other systems. By working with other groups that focus on other systems, anti-racist work can actually gain a foothold.

I love the fish / pond metaphor. As educators, we spend a lot of time fixing fish, but if we don't fix the pond, our fish will never thrive. Working with others doing anti-racist work is the only way to fix the pond.

2020-08-24 20:58:03 UTC

When people are denied access to nutritious food, they are more likely to develop health problems, or have existing conditions worsen.
When people have a harder time getting a loan, they will be very unlikely to be able to buy a house, which is how so many families accumulate wealth that can be inherited.
Lack of housing stability contributes to difficulty finding employment, which makes housing stability ever more elusive.
Children who enter the criminal justice system have even less access to quality education than their peers, even those who are already grappling with an underfunded, inequitable public school system.

"makers versus takers" rhetoric

2020-08-25 19:03:03 UTC

Often, those who use public services are seen as "takers" from those who provide it, which is often veiled or not so veiled racism: "they" are taking something away from "us" -- yet bias baked into systems such as mortgage lending often blinds beneficiaries of that bias to the fact that they too are recipients of government assistance.

Like a pop-up tent...

2020-08-27 19:36:34 UTC

We recently started having popup libraries to get books out to patrons. We struggled to set the tent up over the books; one person couldn't do it alone. We needed several people managing each of the tent poles to prop it up successfully. I think anti-racist work is much like this...we need good people propping up all these systems at the same time in order to make a difference. Otherwise, for instance, you can educate black people about health outcomes, provide them a great hospital, but it means nothing if they can't pay for it and can't get there because they're poor and don't have access to transit. This is an overwhelming problem that needs to be tackled with overwhelming and far-reaching support.

Fundamental rights denied

2020-09-02 18:46:52 UTC

It is abhorrent how much a criminal record denies people their basic rights. How are people supposed to renter society if they can't get a job, a loan, food?

There are no easy fixes

2020-09-02 19:50:39 UTC

The way in which these systems are connected make it impossible to improve one system with out addressing the problems in the other systems. To make real change, anti-racist work needs to consider all systems simultaneously.

Housing Affects Ability to Learn / Focus Too

2020-09-10 03:45:57 UTC

Having unstable housing makes it difficult to have somewhere to do your homework or be able to focus. Houses without / with lower access to resources such as internet connections make it harder for people to do their homework. Living in a noisy area can disrupt your sleep, which decreases the ability to focus and learn.

Healthcare <-> Finance

2020-09-15 19:27:49 UTC

Even if someone is fortunate enough to have health insurance, there is still a high probability that access to mental healthcare is expensive, difficult (to find or to schedule), or otherwise unobtainable. Mental health IS health, and this lack can often lead to other issues - including situations where police are contacted for mental health issues because there are no other community resources available to support this need.

financial/housing/education/transportation

2020-10-06 18:38:23 UTC

it's all interconnected--you're born into a poor neighborhood that doesn't get resources for its schools so you receive a substandard education which often funnels you directly into the criminal justice system. You can't afford transportation to find jobs, you don't have the money to afford better housing in a neighborhood with better schooling. It goes 'round and 'round

Connected Systems

2020-10-12 22:02:01 UTC

I never realized how many of these systems were connected...and how that sets disadvantaged populations up to fail. I also realized how many of these systems are so linked together, and dependent on where you live due to redlining...and where you live could put you at risk of less access to education, good healthcare, better jobs, quality food and greater risk to come in contact with police. And on top of it all, race could keep you from breaking out of these destructive systems altogether.

Environment

2020-10-13 16:40:24 UTC

Areas that are less optimal for living--or even environmentally unsound--often become the one place where people excluded from all other housing options are expected to live.

School to Prison Pipeline

2020-10-14 16:22:39 UTC

This reminds me of the school-to-prison pipeline, which focuses on the evidence-based research that shows that youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, largely affecting BIYOC, are at high risk to become incarcerated because of harsh school and city policies and sentencing practices. All of these systems would play a role.

Transportation & Finance

2020-10-14 16:36:38 UTC

Defunding and blocking public transit options to poor & minority communities means that residents of those communities have to spend more money on their transportation, spend more time in transit, and have less access to employment opportunities.

Transportation <--> Criminal Justice

2020-10-22 20:37:12 UTC

Often times those who have been convicted of a crime may not be able to afford a car as a means of transportation. Instead they have to take the bus or another means of transportation to make it to where they need to go. It also seems that there are not many programs in prisons that prepare prisoners for life outside of prison. If there was a program like this, we may see a decrease in convicts returning to prison.

Anti-Racist Work

2020-10-23 21:42:20 UTC

After looking at all the connections between the systems of oppression, I wrote in my journal that anti-racist work and action must happen in EVERY system, in EVERY state, in EVERY county, in EVERY city in the United States.

The oppressed keeps getting oppressed and is stuck in the loop-hole. Poor keeps getting poor.

2020-11-02 21:34:01 UTC

Never ending cycle

2020-11-05 15:59:40 UTC

The biggest take away for me from the Interconnected Systems of Oppression is that it's a constantly moving thing. The cycle is never ending. I will say it has gotten better since Jim Crow, however, the underlying prejudices that made up these systems are still in play. BIPOC have to try even harder than whites to be successful in the Education System which can lead to better opportunities for financial stability and generational wealth for their families. But BIPOC and especially women are still getting paid less for the same jobs and have to work even harder for less pay. Interest rates for housing are higher for BIPOC and the Criminal Justice system continues to be flawed where BIPOC are concerned. It's time to dismantle these systems and rebuild them with every citizen in mind so that we can truly be "One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all!"

Housing - Health - Justice

msteever1 — 2020-11-18 02:51:40 UTC

I am thinking about the Flint Michigan water crisis, in that people living in impoverished areas had lead in their drinking water which led to health issues, and the authorities refused to investigate or prosecute. Where you live seems to determines everything.

A road block in front of another road block leading to...road block!

2020-11-18 18:29:30 UTC

As someone else stated, lower economic neighborhoods are often also food deserts as many chain grocery stores will not open in these areas. This means community members pay more and/or have fewer options especially to fresh fruits and vegetables. Dollar General has taken up this slack in a lot of places, and prices out small grocers, claiming to have fresh items because they carry milk and bread. Without healthy food options, some students are in schools were both lunch and breakfast are supplied to children. Great for children, but what about their parents. Many parents in low income communities do have jobs (though may not have advanced degrees to have high salaried jobs), but a full time job leaves no parent available to "volunteer" in the classroom that is already underfunded due to the fact the housing is devalued because it has POC in the community. As school nurses and school counselors are not something required at all schools, health issues for children are then overlooked in many BIPOC communities because their is no nurse on site to assist. Being BIPOC also means that those with advanced degrees still won't make as much money as pay is not equal across races. Finally, most people are ensured through their employer, but many employers find ways to reduce these benefits so it's possible a person could work full time and still not have insurance which means they can't afford to be sick. None of these road blocks say anything about the relationship members within a home have with one another. These are all outside forces working at the detriment of success for BIPOC.

Healthcare---parent/student

2020-12-01 16:38:56 UTC

If a student lives with a parent who has unattended mental health issues, the student does not get the guidance they need to perform well in school so it is important the parent and child has the necessary health support for the welfare of the student and the parent.

Criminal Justice<->Healthcare

skerbaugh — 2020-12-02 17:19:43 UTC

There is a breakdown between the two that does not address the needs of mental illness.

Solutions need to be multi-pronged. We won't be able to improve in one area without working on and improving all. Solutions must be all-encompassing.

2020-12-04 21:05:21 UTC

Food

2020-12-08 14:50:53 UTC

I live in NYC and you cannot even find one apple or one banana in a bodega in certain neighborhoods.

Food and Criminal Justice

2020-12-19 20:59:14 UTC

Longer wait times in jail, due to lack of finances, means prison food. As this is mass produced and unhealthy, increased physical health problems arise, that are not met by prison doctors/hospitals. When released, a lack of insurance and finances means no care, so problems exacerbated.

Deficiency

2021-01-07 21:47:54 UTC

A deficiency in any of the areas can set an individual up for failure in any/all of the other areas. Poor housing can lead to inability to get good loans, or a good education. Run in with the justice system can leave an individual with a record that can effect the job they are able to get, where they are allowed to live, the quality of healthcare they receive, etc. Lack of transportation greatly limits the resources that are accessible to an individual.

Money...root of all

2021-01-08 20:27:50 UTC

Money controls everything. If you have no money or low money supply then you won't be able to afford healthcare and higher education. Without education you are less likely to get a good paying job which is cyclcal and it all begins again. Without means to provide for yourself and or family one may sometimes lean towards means that may put them in contact with the police.

Education Connects To All

2021-01-13 19:01:34 UTC

Ever system represented can connect to education in one way or another. It just reinforces how important the education system is for our communities. Because all of these systems connect to one another anti-racist work must occur in all of them. Changes in one system won't make much difference if nothing changes in the others.

We have a long way to go and lots of hard work ahead of us in order to get things to change. So many factors influence systems that makes it almost impossible to survive for some.

2021-01-15 20:23:55 UTC

Where you live

daniellegregori1 — 2021-01-19 19:43:59 UTC

Where you live determines what kind of access to food you have, what kind of police presence there is, what kind of education you will experience and these all affect your health, the likelihood that you will be incarcerated, which then means you will lose out on future job opportunities, the ability to vote for people who will serve your best interests and so on. Redlining, loan obstacles, etc create a place for all these systems to come together and create a nightmare that needs to be dismantled.

Public transportation limits where poor people can live because they often need public transportation to get to work, school, and to shop for basic needs. It also determines children's ability to safely get to school.

2021-01-20 20:42:18 UTC

One cannot combat racism without taking into account the interconnectedness of systemic inequality. If one system (healthcare; housing; finance; education; transportation; criminal justice, etc.) remains unequal, then the larger system as a whole remains broken.

2021-01-22 01:44:03 UTC

Incarceration - Finance

2021-01-22 02:43:00 UTC

Lack of bail money means loss of jobs, continuous incarceration means loss of earnings, which throws the family of the incarcerated into financial turmoil, which leads to more issues like food insecurity, housing insecurity, loss of healthcare and quitting school.

Education, Finance, and Criminal Justice

tgoodson2 — 2021-02-03 18:17:13 UTC

The connection between the education and criminal justice systems became clear to me when a student explained to me his participation in the GED program over a regular high school diploma due to his fear of getting locked up again. If he misbehaved in school, he would return to the juvenile detention center.
Also, having worked in school systems with more and less money, I assure you there is a connection between the financial and educational systems. More money equals a better school system and the opportunities provided.

Interlocking systems

2021-02-04 16:05:58 UTC

All of these systems are interlocked in such a way that it becomes nearly impossible for poor people, and BIPOC to level up from one rung on the societal ladder to another, better one. If you have a criminal background, you may be ineligible for food, housing and education assistance. These are the people who need it the most, and we have effectively locked them out of advancement in all levels of our society. Until all of the systems are addressed, BIPOC will continue to be blocked from experiencing true equality.

Your living Situation

2021-02-14 22:21:03 UTC

Because of where you live, you have the different types of stereotypes that people live by, whether they live in it themselves or not. If you see a neighborhood with houses that are separated with yards huge, gates that are fancy, bushes, and two stories or more, you think this is a nice neighborhood and it's very rich. But, you see a neighborhood where houses are very close, broken down fences, outgrown bushes and houses with fungus growing on them, you think this is a bad neighborhood. Referred mainly as Ghetto.

Tangled Web

2021-02-15 21:13:23 UTC

This has really opened my eyes to the complete and gridlocked system of oppression against BIPOC in the United States. The worst and most insidious part is that this system is nearly invisible - especially to white people. White people see the system as fair and just - America as a country of opportunity. As a white person, I am shocked by what I am learning. To a person of color, this is not news - this is something faced every day. When they protest against it, they are labeled "terrorists" and "Un-American." How can we begin to change such a complex and effective system of oppression?

Woven together

2021-02-18 01:08:08 UTC

Because all of these systems are linked in some way - it is almost impossible for BIPOC people to avoid the systemic racism. In order for anti-racist work to really have an impact at a systemic level, ALL people (not those just with decision-making power) in ALL of these systems (and outside of them!) need to work TOGETHER and make EDI values the basis of what they do, and how they do it.

Baked in

2021-02-18 21:10:48 UTC

Racism is baked into our society in all systems. Its root is very similar everywhere but its expressions vary wildly depending on the system. Anti-racism therefore can and should take on many methods and formats to approach the root cause in all its variety.

Unhealthy food

2021-02-20 23:12:27 UTC

Food from fast food restaurants and/or "convenience" marts is cheap and affordable. However, it does not contribute to longevity and lifelong health. Getting fresh vegetables and fruit into the hands of oppressed people means that they have to be accessible physically and economically.

The interconnectedness of systems of oppression means that anti-racist work in the US needs to have all of these six systems learn how these systems are currently biased and current policies are written for non-Hispanic white populations. All systems need to have significant policy changes to reflect equity across all races rather than policies only for the non-Hispanic white population. Before any of this can even be done, the mind-set, knowledge and understanding of anti-racism for people working in each of these systems needs to be taught.

dianekonjura — 2021-02-21 00:21:04 UTC

Example

2021-02-21 21:38:45 UTC

I had a student who came from an incredibly troubled impoverished household and he struggled to even participate in school. I remember him telling me how his dog was the best relationship he had. He was gone from school for several months and returned looking incredibly rough. I asked him what happened. He was placed in juvenile detention because he was homeless and they did not know where else to put him. The weight of his problems from multiple systems failing him was overwhelming. I think of his face often when I read these statistics.

Our power

2021-02-24 02:32:37 UTC

I related to the feeling of despair mentioned in this module but I am inspired by the opportunity we have to put resources in the hands of those in need. Ive already learned a great deal about what I can do to both help those in need and educate those living in privilege. We are only a small part of the system but we can choose to work towards a more just future.

Education

2021-02-26 20:41:19 UTC

Thinking about education. If you can't afford to go, or get denied because of your background, how can you achieve the education and training to make more money and increase your wealth? We have to make everything over to make it anti-racist. So much work to do!

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

2021-02-28 18:38:45 UTC

The interconnectedness of these systems all but guarantees that even if one system makes progress towards mitigating or eliminating the oppression of BIPOC, another system will step in to ensure that oppression remains a factor. From the criminal justice system to health care to housing to finances -- it's nearly impossible for BIPOC to takes steps forward through these systems without being pushed back by circumstances beyond their control.

Intersectionality of systems of oppression: Finance & Education

2021-02-28 20:25:56 UTC

Finance: Often Black and Brown people who are disproportionately poor fall victim to check-cashing businesses and don’t have access to a bank and a checking account. They often lose some of the money they earn to simply access the money. Due to systemic racism in education, they often don’t attend post-secondary education at the rate of other racial groups, and this impacts their neighborhood, earnings, health care options, retirement, etc.

So many systems=so much work to do. "Rise above" mentality will not work without outside forces breaking the system down.

2021-03-01 21:22:14 UTC

Response

2021-03-02 22:50:54 UTC

I thought about how a student with housing or food insecurity will have a poor performance at school and may act out or struggle with behavior. If they're in a school with an SRO they might end up in the criminal justice system, impairing their access to loans for housing, for jobs, and for healthcare. This can become a vicious cycle.
For anti-racist work, this means that we have a long way to go and that we have a lot to change. We might only make change in small steps and parts. But it's our job to realize our place in the systems. I think it's easy to blame things on a system that's higher than us with more power than us. We might feel powerless. But we can start by confronting our own biases, thoughts, and roles in our institutions. We can think about how to educate others and mobilize our communities.

Systems Are Working As Designed.

2021-03-03 00:42:17 UTC

I'm a white female beginning to look at buying a house. So I joined some facebook groups on the subject and a black man wrote in about how he's getting ready to sell his house and asked a white friend to pretend to be him during an appraisal because his race could factor in the appraiser's figure. To change one system, we have to change many smaller aspects. And because systems are intertwined, we have to change all the systems to get actual progress.

2021-03-29 14:59:37 UTC

So Much Dismantling To Accomplish

2021-05-26 20:13:27 UTC

The interconnectedness of these systems means that anti-racist work is going to be so much harder because there are so many systems of oppression in place to tear down and reorganize to be more equitable.

Looting in Chicago after the Floyd murder went unchecked on the South Side. This affected many Black businesses as well as chains in which many Black Chicagoans worked. This affects how banks lend--or better, will not lend--to businesses to rebuild or start up, while without capital and access to loans few businesses can start or expand or, as in the case of Chicago after the looting, rebuild. So this documents the interconnectedness of the finance system with the policing system.

2021-06-29 14:09:32 UTC

Bootstraps myth

2021-10-12 12:59:20 UTC

The idea that with "hard work" and "smart choices," anyone can do well in the United States is a myth. Educating our communities and students about all of these interconnected systems of oppression can help them see this. For BIPoC, it can help validate their experiences. For white people, it can help them see that the whole "just pull yourself up by your bootstraps" idea is based on a false premise. We need to interrupt these narratives everywhere we hear them, from "my immigrant ancestors came to America with nothing and worked hard to get where they are with no handouts" to "if poor people just got jobs, they wouldn't need food stamps."

Another important thing to keep in mind, which another poster mentioned, is that the system is working as designed. BIPoC lives and conditions do not matter to policy-makers. True capitalism is not set up for community care; it is set up to make money for the "haves." Getting to a place where we care about our communities - everyone in them! - and are less invested in individualism will help, too.

Finance <-> Education

2021-11-04 16:04:17 UTC

Finances affect what kind of education people can get. Greater finance may allow one to go to a private school, which acts a leg up in future education. But when it comes to college, finances can force someone to take out student loans or other debt to get a degree that they're told they need to get a good job while others can get through college or get into better colleges because of their degree. But when that education fails to allow someone to get that better job, they find themselves put in a poverty situation that keeps them poor and makes it so their children will face the same problems and failures.

helenprince — 2021-11-05 17:51:11 UTC

because of how connected all the systems are, it is near impossible to reform any one system. You will need to do the hard work to overhaul many systems at once or be prepared to provide supports for the systems and policies that you are not ready to reform.
For example, to reform [improve] the education system you have to look at the taxes that fund the district, are the students healthy enough to learn, can they get their safely or at all; is it in a safe area will they be safe in the school (BIYOC get punished in school more than non BIYOC).

education

2021-11-07 20:06:06 UTC

I recently heard about a school system who decided not to have an SRO to help diffuse fights. Instead, the school asked for positive male role models,fathers, community leaders to volunteer their time in the school. This will help businessleaders and stakeholders view students with conflict as ones who need mentors. Hopefully, ordinary citizens helping out future citizens will help everyone who would like to be achieve their dreams.

Finance --> Healthcare

2021-11-08 19:15:46 UTC

Impoverished people and underinsured individuals often cannot afford preventative care and put off setting up doctor's appointments because of the cost. This often leads to them having more serious health conditions that could have been ameliorated with timely medical care which in turn leads to a great final financial burden.

Overwhelmed. Where do we start? Our sliver, our piece of the problem.

2022-03-03 02:05:28 UTC

The interconnection of systems makes it so overwhelming to figure out where to start. I think most about the education system because that's the system I work in. I see the effects of this deeply flawed system every day. It's so connected to the criminal justice system, even at the middle school level. This time in their development is crucial. They will make mistakes and depending on the choices they're making and the color of their skin, they could be on a track that will set the course towards the prison system. The pressure to help them make good choices and stay on the course that will lead to options and opportunities, becomes great on those teachers and administrators trying to help kids through the educational system. I'm left with lots of questions of how to do that best, while helping to break down those systems at the same time.

Housing and Education

2022-06-02 01:12:50 UTC

I can really see the connection between housing and education. In our country, school tax bases often have a huge influence on the funding and quality of the school district. If a district is in an area with a low tax base, we can infer that the district may not have the same opportunities as a district located in a more affluent area.

Things need to change at the foundational level. But in order to do that, people/governments need to understand how our society has a racist bent. And you know many will not be willing to acknowledge that. So work will be done piecemeal, parts of a problem at a time, in the hopes that it will create a greater understanding and do more harm than good.

2022-10-25 17:30:29 UTC

Intersectionality between transportation and healthcare

2022-11-10 12:45:41 UTC

A lack of reliable, safe transportation means less access to high-quality, inexpensive grocery stores which leads to healthcare challenges. Fresh foods are more expensive and take more time to cook while less-nutritious fast food or packaged foods are easier to access and consume. Diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cancer, and other healthcare challenges then develop. BIPOC are less likely to trust the healthcare system based on previous experiences (Tuskegee, etc) and then are more likely to die from these conditions.
With all these systems being so interconnected, tearing them down can and will take so much effort, especially when there are some people who do not see a problem at all. Educating and demonstrating how these systems create and perpetuate inequity would be the first step.

These Systems Have Layers

2023-03-06 08:30:05 UTC

It's hard to be a former convict in the U.S due to interconnecting, deep rooted, and oppressive systems, and it's hard to address the inequities when seeking a solution. However, we must fight for our neighbors because many were put in an unfair and inescapable position.

Food intersecting w/ finance, education, etc

2023-03-08 19:02:09 UTC

Lots of comments already about how lack of access to fresh, healthy food affects people. I also think about how, even if there is a grocery store nearby that offers fresh food, there are still so many barriers to real access. 1) Can you afford it (do you have access to employment that pays enough, or SNAP), like can you afford the 5-10 ingredients to make a fresh meal for a family, vs fast food? 2) Do you have time to cook? Any of us who cook dinner and/or breakfast every day, especially w/ kids, know how much time and energy goes into just doing that. If you're working 2 jobs (because of various factors that might include education, incarceration, etc.) or traveling long distances to work, when do you have time and energy to meal plan, shop, and cook? 3) Do you know how to cook? If your parents also had to work all the time, and/or if you were working as a teen, or maybe you were even caught up in the foster care or juvenile justice system, you maybe didn't have the opportunity to learn how to cook at home. So many unseen barriers that those of us who don't experience them might not even realize.

Finance/education/healthcare

2023-03-16 22:14:27 UTC

Areas with less money are less likely to have schools that either prep kids to go to college (if that would be a financial poss.) or actually have kids that graduate. Without a college or high school degree it is harder to get a job that supplies healthcare (affordable care act helped some, but it's not easy to navigate & who is showing people how & when to sign up?)

Housing and Food

adayleandrews — 2023-04-13 22:28:28 UTC

Lack of access to affordable housing results in individuals and families spending a greater portion of their income on housing, leaving less available to purchase high quality, nutritious foods, which can then have a deleterious impact on their health, sometimes making it difficult for them to continue employment, leaving less money available to pay for shelter, and so forth.

Criminal Justice and Healthcare

2023-04-21 03:20:54 UTC

I have read a number of things about how women of color are more likely to die during childbirth. I think this is a perfect example of the fish/water idea. If you look at an individual woman who dies during childbirth, you might think that it has something to do with that particular pregnancy. But when it is happening disproportionately to a whole group of women, we need to start looking at the system.

The intersectionality of the systems grows more and more prevalent when drawing on my own life experience as a WOC. For example, regarding the housing market: I was relieved to see BLM posters in a neighbor's yard when moving into a new neighborhood, and felt further safe as white neighbors would greet us to welcome us to the neighborhoods - because that's not always the case. Healthcare: I needed to travel 1.5 hours away to a big city to see a specialist eye doctor who was familiar with groups/eye development similar to mine throughout my childhood, and could only transfer back to local office when another specialist trained by my first specialist moved there. The medicine I need for a condition was fully covered under my old insurance, but not under my new insurance. The issues of food accessibility and response to crime in neighborhoods of lower SES were very apparent while I was a college student. Basically, there are so many ways that the systems are interconnected.

2023-05-11 19:27:46 UTC

Interconnected to oppression

2023-06-12 01:14:19 UTC

It is crazy to me the amount of racism that goes through our everyday society. I believe every human has rights and to see some of the events that happen because of a mama race being black is astounding to me especially since they don’t get a chance sometimes to defend themselves.

Housing/Finance

2023-06-12 14:52:23 UTC

Blacks and Latinx are still denied loans to buy homes especially in predominantly whites areas.

Collaboration

2023-10-12 17:02:11 UTC

For me, this idea of the interconnectedness of systems of oppression really drives home the need for collaboration among individuals in different disciplines. You can work alone, but if the roots of the problem are woven into the fabric of a number of different institutions, more progress untangling it will come when we work together.

Taking a knee

2024-02-26 16:43:10 UTC

Knowing that the systems are all biased makes it easier to understand why someone would throw up their hands in frustration ie "take a knee."