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Category Archives: Ethnicity & Race
Did Justin Bieber commit cultural appropriation again?
Justin Bieber has been accused, again, of appropriating Black culture for having his hair styled in dreadlocks, an ethnic hairstyle. Is it wrong to adopt an identifying characteristic of a culture one does not share? The answer is debated. It … Continue reading
Posted in African Americans
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Images that bred racism now used to fight it
By Dina Kaur “It’s not going to do any good for us to pretend that hatred does not exist,” said Ruth Ann Jones during a Michigan State University Libraries special collections Zoom session: Unpacking Racist Stereotypes. The April 1 session … Continue reading
Posted in African Americans, Culture
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Ramadan greetings in Arabic and English
What do you say to a Muslim at Ramadan? You may greet the person in their everyday language or in Arabic, the language of Islam. Most Muslims in the world are not Arabs, but they use the language in their … Continue reading
Posted in Arab Americans, Muslims
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Anti-Asian violence fueled by model minority myth
The model minority myth plays a role in today’s violence against Asians. Its damages have several dimensions. The myth is that Asians are universally successful. You can learn about where the myth came from and why it is not true … Continue reading
Is Holi religious, cultural or just colorful fun?
Holi has elements of culture, religion, and some enjoy it just for the color runs or to post on Instagram photo of people throwing — or wearing — handfuls of colorful powder. It is photogenic, to be sure. Hindus and … Continue reading
Posted in Indian Americans
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Asian American street hero hits back twice
Xiao Zhen Xie, the 75-year-old woman who sent her attacker to the hospital, has flipped the script again. She has pledged a GoFundMe account started in her name, which seems likely to pass $1 million, to help fight discrimination. Most … Continue reading
Posted in Asian American
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What is the meaning of Kwanzaa? It has 7
When the Bias Busters class that published “100 Questions and Answers About African Americans,” it encountered questions about Kwanzaa. Here is how that went in our guide: What is Kwanzaa? Kwanzaa is a celebration of African heritage and principles. It … Continue reading
Posted in African Americans
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Faith, race and politics clash
Associated Press reporter Elana Schor reported on weekend violence at four Washington, D.C., churches: the attacks “raised questions among some clergy and churchgoers about why more fellow Christians were not speaking out against the incidents.” The damage accompanied rallies by … Continue reading
Posted in African Americans
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Indian mascots, teaching moments
In July, the National Football League’s Washington, D.C., team said it would retire its mascot name, the Redskins. A new name will be announced at a later date. This week, Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team made a similar announcement about … Continue reading
Posted in American Indians, Indigenous, Native Americans
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Books, like minds, work best when open
A big shoutout to Dr. Sook Wilkinson and the book she created with Victor Jew, “Asian Americans in Michigan: Voices from the Midwest.” It is one of 15 featured in Bridge Michigan’s “15 anti-racist Michigan books to get you through … Continue reading
Posted in East Asian
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