Antiracism

Kendi's primary project in the book is explaining the concept of antiracism and suggesting how readers and society might move toward instituting antiracist policies to create a more fair and equitable world. He differentiates antiracism from the less proactive idea of being simply “not racist,” by stating, “The opposite of 'racist' isn't 'not racist.' It is 'anti-racist'...One endorses either the idea of a racial hierarchy as a racist, or racial equality as an antiracist...One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an antiracist” (9). In other words, if a person claims to not be racist but does not believe that we live in a racist society or does not actively fight to eliminate racism, that person, however well-meaning they might be, is perpetuating racism. If a person claims that they are color blind, or that we live in a...