Dismantling Racism

I'm learning not to take into much account the opinions of other people. My workshop tonight in preparation of a cross-cultural trip to Pine Ridge, SD was very eye-opening. Here's what the handout said.

Defining Racism
1. If we want to work on solutions to racism, we need a common definition and a common analysis of racism.
2. Racism is not the same thing as individual race prejudice, bias and bigotry. All people are racially prejudiced (regardless of racial/ethnic identity). It is part of the air we breathe. It is socialized into every person. But this does not mean that everyone is racist.
3. Racism is more than race prejudice. It is more than individual attitudes and actions. Racism is the collective actions of a dominant racial group.
4. Power turns race prejudice into racism. Racial prejudice becomes racism when one group's racial prejudices are enforced by the systems and institutions of a society, giving power and privilege based on racial identity to the group in power, and limiting the power and privilege of the racial groups that are not in power. Racism is, therefore, the misuse of systemic power.

Race prejudice + The power of systems and institutions = RACISM (the misuse of power by systems and institutions)

Our presenter closed with a passage from Isaiah 62:1, which says, "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch." My question is, what does salvation look like, not only for white people, but for people of color regarding the issue of racism? When I got home from the workshop, I read some more of that chapter from Isaiah. Verses 2-5 shed some more light on the subject. "The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you."