“Wimpy White Boy Syndrome’: How Racial Bias Creeps Into Neonatal Care”

“Stanford University School of Medicine researchers analyzed more than 18,600 hospital records for California-born babies with a very low birth weight (3.3 pounds or less). Intended to measure performance and…

“My Husband’s Unconscious Racism Nearly Destroyed Our Marriage”

“dating white men was tiring. I had to constantly be on guard, preparing myself for their racist comments. And I knew they were coming. I knew there would be a point where I’d have to talk about why I could say n*****…

“How Slavery Changed the DNA of African Americans”

“The McGill researchers found that most of the European DNA among blacks today probably entered the African-American gene pool long before the Civil War, when the vast majority of blacks in the U.S. were slaves living in the South. The…

“I Don’t Know What to Do With Good White People”

“this white welfare officer, writes as if she is an objective observer, but she tells a well-worn story of Black women who refuse to work and instead depend on welfare. Occasionally, her clinical tone breaks down. Once, she notes that my mother…

“‘Not All White People’ and Derailing Conversations”

“If what someone is saying about white folks and racism doesn’t apply to you, then it isn’t about you, and there’s no reason to make it about you. If you’re feeling a driving need to make it about you anyway, ask yourself where that’s…

“Is California A Sunken Place For Black People?”

“California’s stance on what I always perceived to be progressive multiracial liberalism has limits that are quietly anti-black and perplexing. I’ve found that many black people actively subdue their black identity and highlight their other…

“How it feels when white people shame your culture’s food — then make it trendy”

“My hunger for my family’s food was overpowered by my desire to fit in, so I minimized Chinese food’s role in my life and learned to make pasta instead. Little did I know that Americans would…

“Why the Myth of Meritocracy Hurts Kids of Color”

““Students who are told that things are fair implode pretty quickly in middle school as self-doubt hits them,” he said, “and they begin to blame themselves for problems they can’t control.”

Barrett’s personal…

“What Goes Through Your Mind: On Nice Parties and Casual Racism”

“Every Asian American has fielded some variation on “all look the same.” As racial microaggressions go, it’s common as dirt. I know I should be able to come up with an answer, something brisk and witty, and bury this…

“Why Sci-Fi Keeps Imagining the Subjugation of White People”

“The link between colonialism and science-fiction is every bit as old as the link between science-fiction and the future. John Rieder in his eye-opening book Colonialism and the Emergence of Science-Fiction notes that most…