Structural Racism and Power: Three Questions Answered

Hello friends,

If you’ve been doing anti-racism work for a while, you probably know this, but if you’re just getting started here are the answers to a few questions people ask about structural racism and power.

1. What’s the deal with systemic and institutional racism?

Many people think of racism as name calling, but it’s much more than that. Racism is embedded into many of our systems and organisational structures, and the horrible thing is that the system of racism is often invisible to those who benefit most from it, yet all too visible to those most affected. 

2. Systemic racism is also related to power relations - but what does that mean?

What it does NOT mean is that particular individuals are in positions of power. But it DOES mean that particular individuals benefit from systems stacked in their favor. Here are some examples of how racism is baked into systems.

It can be harder for Black and Brown people to:

• Attend “good” schools (unpacking what good means is another whole issue)

• Remain in education/stay out of prison

• Go to the “right” colleges/universities, especially without debt

• Get certain jobs and get promoted

• Get loans and mortgages

• Live in certain areas

• Get the benefit of the doubt in many situations

At the same time, it’s far more likely that Global Majority people will:

• Be stigmatized and stereotyped - followed around stores, assumed to be up to no good etc

• Face microaggressions - which is racism - nothing micro about them

• Get harsher penalties if convicted

• Have to move jobs to get closer to equitable pay

• Be accused of being unprofessional

• Assumed to be in the wrong in many situations

These inequities are structural and systemic, and play out both in rules and regulations, whether written or unwritten and day to day interpersonal interactions. 

3. What do you mean white people have power?

Some white people push back when it comes to the notion that they have power, especially if they are not particularly well off. 

But the truth is that their white identity or appearance gives them and unearned advantage just as my Black identity or appearance can give me an unearned disadvantage in white dominated spaces (I once heard someone call white people the dominating culture and can’t unhear it). 

After all, ANY white person has the power to make life difficult for a Black or Global Majority person simply by pointing that person out as a problem or by crying. Weaponised white tears are a powerful driver of injustice towards Black people. 

We’ve seen white folx use it to get lighter sentences or to pull a DARVO move on the person they aggressed - this one is pretty common. 

We’ve seen white people stop Black people from cashing legitimate cheques or simply decide that they didn’t belong in such and such a place. 

The way white bosses talk about Black employees when they’re not in the room affects  work experience and  pay and promotion prospects.

And those personal interactions are worse because of the way the system is stacked against Black people.

And these are only a few examples off the top of my head - there are many, many more.

Your action steps

As a would-be anti-racist co-conspirator, what can you do? Quite a lot, but it comes down to awareness (noticing the inequities) and action (doing something to interrupt them, like pointing them out to white colleagues and friends and, if you’re in a position to do so, sharing access and power). 

That’s how we can begin to change.

Thanks for reading,

Sharon

Note: poll feedback is private - if you’re happy to share your thoughts in public, then please also leave a comment.

I am an anti-racism educator and activist, the author of “I’m Tired of Racism”, and co-host of The Introvert Sisters podcast.

© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2025. All Rights Reserved. This newsletter is published on beehiiv (affiliate link).