Racial Anxiety & Institutions

In the article "Implicit Racial Bias and Racial Anxiety: Implications for Stops and Frisks," L.  Song Richardson uses the psychology route to engage with unconscious racial bias that occurs when Black people interact with police officers. in this case, Richardson states, "psychological process known as racial anxiety can enable troubling racial disparities in weather a frisk will occur, or force will be used." Richardson emphasizes that racial prejudice can happen unconsciously. Often this is hard to control “In the policing context, implicit biases can cause officers to judge Black civilians .. even unintentionally… when these officers are Black themselves.” (Richardson, 2017, p. 75 ). Though indeed, black people experience anxiety during this interaction, this essay asserts that police officers are also likely to experience the feeling of anxiety because they want to avoid being perceived as racist. 

  • Part 1: Black people are linked to being criminals more often compared to white people. During a police stop, racial anxiety determines whether force will be used or not.

  • Part 2: The influence of racial bias. Anxiety can lead to unjustified racial disparities in police stop-and-frisk practices.

Stops and Frisks: Black People and the Police

Banking while Black

Black people in the United States often find going to the banks a freighting experience (Flitter, 2020). Sometimes, simple tasks such as cashing a check or opening a bank account can be perceived as suspicious activities. This can lead to the following:

  • The police are being called even if there are no signs of fraud

  • Anxiety and fear

  • Physical danger

Racial profiling in financial institutions is very common. Black people are often profiled if the amount is too “large.” Most racially profiled people of color are likely to be asked, “how did you get this money? ” and their identity is to be questioned.

Higher Education: How can we better support Black students

Black students pursuing higher education across the country are more than likely to develop the imposter syndrome causing them to question their intelligence and academic success. This can also be caused because the likelihood of them being the only Black person in a classroom is very high. Black students attempt to solve this issue independently through “code-switching.” A widely used term describes when a person changes “the vernacular they use to fit into oppressive environments.” This identity shift can lead to students dealing with race-related stress and anxiety. So what exactly can Academic institutions do? Based on 20 years of research written in the article “Black students on white campuses: Twenty years of research.” Sedlacek, W. E., 1987) Institutions can do the following:

  • Allow Black students to occupy leadership positions that are not just through informal or Black-oriented channels. (p. 544)

  • Black students need a support group that can give them the advice, counsel, and orientation to sustain them as they confront the larger, often hostile systems they must negotiate. (p. 542)

  • Schools need to hire more Black faculty members as the “absence of powerful Black figures as role models strongly affects the feelings of loneliness and isolation.” (p.541)

  • Organize programs and services for Black students around specific variables that are necessary. (p. 545)