Escutia 1

Natalie Escutia
Professor Lawson
English 113B
22 February 2016
Rough Draft
Word Count:
Black Lives Matter! The Racism Effect
A negative mindset creates a low self esteem ultimately leading to stress. African
Americans are a race out of many cultures in America affected by racism from white oppressors.
White police brutality against African Americans is an example of white oppressors against
African Americans. Living in multi-cultured society, racism is spread from white oppressors in
media to schools. White oppressors such as the government and police officers in America create
a label of African Americans as criminals. This mindset of white oppressors causes most
Americans to label them as that as a result affecting students ability to excel academically.
Racism towards African American students discourages them from doing well academically
resulting in a low mental health, low income, and alienation from society. Thus results of not
being treated fairly leading in high school dropout rates in African Americans.
A healthy self esteem means valuing yourself to be the best version of you. As a result
when you have a group critiquing and belittling your race this may create a low self esteem.
Individuals in America of multi-cultured backgrounds face racism from white Americans
because of nationality differences. African Americans in America are often seen as villains; as an
example in an article called Black Racism, Self-esteem, and the Adjustment of White

Escutia 2
Students in Higher Educatio n by Patton O. Garriott informs us on how important it is for all
students to retain a healthy self esteem. Garriott implies how a low self esteem includes the
following effects: poor mental health, low instituitnal attatchment, alienation, and academic
nonpersistance." Garriott then shares a sample of a survey done at a white school of how
white high school students feel towards black students. The results were that more white
students felt more depressed and scared being with black students. In order to stop this
judgement of black students Garriott shares that specifically white students should change
their attitude towards blacks. Programs and more positive environments will define racism
and potentially stop racism towards black students. Black students are limited to education
due to the racial profile white students have of them. With racism from white students, black
students create a low self esteem thus leading to depression. A healthy self esteem is
important to staying in school. Garriotts article is important because it shares the causes of
racism from whites increasing the chance of black students to drop out by low self esteem.
African Americans have recently dealt with racism from white oppressors against
their individual race. In an article about racism and how our society in America impacts
students of color called, The Killing of Mike Brown: Ferguson, Missouri and Color
Blindness in the Contemporary United States, shares how blind our society is from the real
world. (Roberts). The author, David J. Roberts, of this article represents the importance
of Mike Brown's killing encouraged riots in Ferguson. People protested for "Black Lives
Matter!" in Ferguson which caused many riots. Roberts notices how difficult it will be to end
racism because there is color blindness in America. In this article, the author states that there
are more African American murders by police than white males, "Nearly 20% of the Black
people killed were under the age of twenty one (compared to 8.7% of White people killed by

Escutia 3
the police) killing of more black males than white by police." (Roberts). Mike Brown was an
African American student who was innocently killed by police along with many other
colored males in America. Mikes Browns case has led for color blindness become more
aware. Roberts concludes his article by stating how the protest impacts for color blindness to
become more of an open subject and for racism to end. African American students are part of
a culture that is impacted on the option of continuing their education or dropping out due to
racism.
In order for racism to decrease American schools must acknowledge racism so that
racial comments do not go unnoticed. Racial comments build into low self esteem creating
stress. With stress African Americans cannot give their education the best effort because of
racism. This mindset from white oppressors causes most of America to label them as that and
affects students ability to excel academically. Racism towards African American students
discourages them from doing well in school by obtaining a poor mental health, low income, and
alienation from society. A poor mental health has lead for African American students to cause
them to drop out. White oppressors need to acknowledge racism in order to end racism in
America.