How can you change public perceptions of race and racism in ways that create greater

racial equity?  Why is it important to do so?

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but everyday people are judged
solely on the color of their skin. The amount of melanin in my skin should not have
any bearing on who I am. In today's society, people tend to discriminate against those
who appear to be different because of their own narrow-minded concepts formed as a
result of living in a country that has suffered from countless years of oppression and
racial segregation.We are fundamentally more similar than we are different; instead of
erecting barriers to divide us, we should erect bridges to bring us closer together and
leave behind years of mistreatment and shame towards those deemed inferior.
However, denying the existence of race will not solve the problem. Rather, we must
be willing to embrace our diverse cultures while rejecting prejudices and stereotypes.

Students are the future of any country, and as such, we must strive to provide a better
education in areas other than math and science. Schools with a high minority
population, such as my high school in Brentwood, should not be stereotyped. Society
would be very different if intellect were taken into account more often rather than
relying on assumptions we make about others without knowing them.