Throughout history and since human civilization, various societies have exhibited unfairness, injustice, and inequality. Arguably, the foundations of modern society and the world depend on the exploitation, suffering, and oppression of a particular group. From a historical perspective, black/dark-skinned people represent a race that has throughout been exploited and suffered through various injustices like slavery, neglect, and segregation. From an historical perspective, I think that Black (people of African descent) have gone through untold and unimaginable suffering more than any other race. What is worse is that even after the world gained an understanding of freedom and liberty, the Black race continues experiencing hatred, neglect, and social injustice.
In the United States, the Black community belongs to the minority portion of the population along with other races, such as the Hispanic and Asian communities. In a country dominated by a white population, most institutions are governed and controlled by whites, making it possible for them to influence policies and mechanisms in their favor. This aspect has led to the continuous marginalization of minorities in critical sectors such as education, employment, healthcare, and housing. This paper examines racial discrimination in housing and the workforce in the U.S.A.
According to (Wade), racial discrimination refers to partial, preferential, exclusive, and unfair treatment of a person based on their ethnic origin, color, race, descent, and nationality. In simple terms, racial discrimination refers to the unequal treatment of specific individuals resulting from their ethnicity/racial origin. Quintessentially, racial discrimination emanates from an inner motive to restrict and constrain some members of society to the advantage of others. Racial discrimination is not a trivial matter. Racism is rooted in history, particularly in the early interactions between people from diverse cultures. As pointed out by (Bialostocka) the individual differences in culture, race, and religion are like the tip of the iceberg in that they represent critical underlying historical and social issues.
Housing discrimination refers to behavior patterns of unequal treatment that hinder a person from accessing, renting, or occupying a house. Typically, housing discrimination emanates from policies and property holders’ behavior that work towards disadvantaging an individual or a section of society (Fennel). Workforce discrimination manifests as employment discrimination. Employment discrimination refers to the unequal treatment meted by employers on employees concerning race, gender, nationality, age, and sexual orientation. Discrimination in the workforce works against racial diversity and promotes one dominant race in recruitment, employment, and promotion procedures.
Racial Discrimination in Housing
In the U.S.A, racial discrimination in housing has continuously disadvantaged black people about access to housing. In the past, most neighborhoods in America passed restrictive policies that aimed at excluding African Americans and other minority communities from accessing houses in what emerged as restrictive covenants (Evans et al.). Thesecovenants were later denounced by policies formulated to curb housing inequality like the Civil Rights of 1968, popularly known as the Fair Housing Act. The act prohibits discrimination in housing matters related to renting, selling, or finance.
Despite the illegality of discrimination in housing prohibited by several acts, the practice continues in subtle forms. In the United States, the Black community remains the most marginalized. As one might see it, racial discrimination in housing may appear only as restrictions erected against the Black community to live in specific areas. However, the implications stemming from housing determine factors like schooling and the education children will likely get (Zhou, et al.). Typically, if Blacks are limited to low-income areas, their children are most likely to attend the local schools, where the quality of education is also impoverished.
In the United States, housing discrimination takes place under two broad categories. It involves exclusionary and nonexclusionary actions. Typically, exclusionary discrimination in housing manifests as active prevention of specific communities from accessing housing based on their race. In practice, exclusionary discrimination involves actively discouraging minority communities from acquiring houses in specific neighborhoods (Bayer, Patrick, et al.). Quite often, landlords and property holders are involved in this type of discrimination as they have the power to determine whoever their tenants become. No exclusionary discrimination occurs within established housing arrangements. It involves the unfair treatment of an individual or some tenants due to their race. Landlords are responsible for this type of discrimination and use a myriad of unscrupulous and illegal methods in marginalizing the Black community on matters related to housing.
In analyzing racial discrimination in housing, recent studies reveal some of the rampant techniques used by banking institutions and real estate agencies in denying the Black community access to quality housing. Steering is one of the main ways in which minority communities lack access to quality housing. Steering refers to an unscrupulous method used by real estate agents or estate owners to deceive and compel customers to acquire houses in areas inhabited by minority communities(Evans, Douglas, et al.). Steering is a complex process, sometimes controlled by forces beyond real estate agents and landlords. Another instance of steering involves real estate boycotts, usually organized by wealthy white customers to estate agencies that provide housing to customers from minority communities.
Redlining emerges as another practice continuously used in discriminating against African Americans when it comes to housing. Redlining involves actions taken by banks and other financial institutions to prevent minority communities from buying houses in particular neighborhoods by denying them mortgages (Orlando &Rodnyansky). As a result of such action, financial institutions developed maps that marked out areas from which individuals would not be able to access credit facilities (Zhou et al.). Even with measures to curb discrimination in contemporary American society, financial institutions continue to redline particular neighborhoods inhabited by Blacks. In the present era, however, redlining has taken a subtle form. For instance, many financial institutions may not deny credit to members of the Black community. However, if granted any housing packages, they are overcharged to deter Black applicants who cannot pay large interest rates.
To ascertain the prevalence of racial discrimination in housing against the Black community, several measures are useful. A recent technique termed “testing” has been instrumental in investigating racial discrimination in U.S.A. testing involves sending individuals from the minority community and whites to a real estate agency and then analyzing the responses given (Smith, Shanna, et al.). Through testing, most studies found out that Black American clients are directed to areas inhabited by minority communities. The information obtained from testing procedures reveals the existence of steering and racial discrimination in housing against African Americans.
Apart from steering, testing has proven successful in assessing the presence of redlining in modern financial institutions. In examining most lending institutions, evidence of redlining is all over. By observing the lending trends, it is surprising how African Americans with better credit histories cannot access the loans given to whites (Yinger). As a result of being denied loans and lack of access to mortgages, minorities lack options when it comes to housing and consequently become limited to smaller houses located only in areas afflicted by crime and poverty. It is critical to note that even though government regulations prohibit discrimination in access to financial resources, the decision to lend solely belongs to the banks, and there are no legal mechanisms to act against such institutions.
Racial Discrimination in the Workplace
The American society by far remains one of the largest multicultural societies in the world. The total population of the U.S.A comprises the majority (White) population, and a minority population consisting of the Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians and other small populations mainly immigrants from other countries. Being a multicultural society, most organizations in the United States employ people from diverse racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds.
Apart from just having a diverse workforce, most organizations in U.S.A. hire employees across racial lines in search of innovation, and practical solutions applicable to present and future situations. A diverse workforce also offers various perspectives, opinions, and views useful in informing investments and decision-making procedures (Kaul). Besides, studies continuously reveal that organizations with diverse workforces are likelier to perform better and have efficient productivity than homogenous companies. With all these and other benefits from cultural/ racial diversity in the workforce, one would naively think that organizations would treat all employees with fairness, dignity, and justice.
Being a country dominated by whites, most employment positions are occupied by the white community as other races take smaller percentages according to their respective numbers. This occurrence may seem somewhat natural, but it reflects injustice, discrimination, and inequality in employment/workplace. Most countries have strict regulations that govern business practices. However, of much significance to this paper is the Employment Act and particularly Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that outlaws any form of workplace discrimination based on age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, culture and disability, and other factors (Sibiya& Cecile). According to this act, any form of discrimination is illegal and punishable, and employees are safe from retaliation or any measures taken against them for reporting incidences of discrimination. Other laws prohibit discrimination against pregnant and disabled individuals and also ensure equality and fairness in remuneration.
U.S.A. stands as one of the most civilized countries in the modern world, often seen as one that champions freedom, human rights, equality, and liberty. However, many organizations, whether local, international, private, or governmental, do not practice equality in their operations. Racial discrimination remains a critical concern that has resulted in societal fragmentation of society. Just like in other fields, the current racialism and ethnic segregation witnessed in the workplace today are of a different form, usually undetectable and subtle (Jones, Kirsten, et al.). Despite there are measures put in place for curbing such malpractices, discriminatory acts against minorities like African Americans are continuously occurring across the workforce. Typically, racial discrimination in the workforce manifests in low numbers of personnel from minority communities, harsh treatment of workers from minority communities, unequal and unfavorable payment structures employed on diverse workforces, and lack of a mechanism to enforce equality and fairness in the workplace.
Just as much as many organizations would want to reap the benefits of having diverse workforce/s, they too often face the challenge of maintaining a harmonious and cohesive diverse workforce that can work together in achieving organizational. One of the main hindrances to cultural diversity in the workplace is interpersonal conflicts and disagreements between workers. Even though the conflicts may be unrelated to racism, they stem from individual differences in one way or the other. In avoiding such conflicts and enhancing productivity, many organizations choose not to hire people from minority communities and, in this context, African Americans. By observing the employment trends in most companies and institutions in the U.S.A., whites comprise the largest portion, with 78%, while Blacks and Hispanics occupy only 13% and 6%, respectively (Rosette et al.). The rest of the labor force consists of Asians, American Indians, and other immigrant races. In addition to such a skewed employment trend, studies courteously reveal that in most organizations, Black American candidates are sidelined and rejected in recruitment procedures. Quite often, most firms prefer to hire white candidates with criminal records rather than take chances with Black Americans without any criminal history. The scenario depicted above is a clear example of the ongoing racial discrimination in the workplace in the U.S.A.
Besides crooked employment procedures, acts meant to segregate and discriminate against Black employees continue in most organizations. According to (Wingfield& Chavez), in most diverse companies, employees from minority communities face challenges such as harsh treatment by fellow employees. The situation becomes worse when managers or organizational leaders get involved in acts of discrimination against employees from minority communities. Basically, by being people of color, and due to societal and organizational culture, Blacks have little to say, and most of them resort to resigning, quitting, or tolerating acts of discrimination meted out against them. Unfair and improper treatment include pay cuts, suspensions, and general unethical relations based on racial factors.
Among the most notable forms of racial discrimination in the workplace/workforce is the inequality in payment or unequal income distribution among workers in various organizations in the United States (Manduca). As stated earlier, most organizations in the U.S.A. currently embrace cultural diversity to align themselves with changes in the global business environment. In such a context, one expects that payment processes remain neutral and fair to all employees. In most organizations, however, the situation is contrary. Employees of white descent are paid higher salaries compared to other races even though they execute the same duties. Also, whites still occupy the highest-paying positions in most companies. According to (Akee et al.), in the United States, the people employed in high-paying positions consist of 41% whites, 31% African Americans, and 23% Hispanics. The above scenario depicts a discriminative labor market focused on elevating the white community to the detriment of the other races.
Using the scenarios discussed above, it is quite clear that among other races, the African American community in the U.S.A. is critically limited and disadvantaged due to discrimination in the workplace and also in housing. Although the law and institutions like the EEOC prohibit discrimination, they often fail because they lack enforcement measures against subtle forms of discrimination. In the context of racial discrimination in the workplace, many victims fear retaliation and therefore choose not to report incidences of racialism.
Mitigation Strategies
It is agreeable that racial discrimination in the workplace and housing still exists. However, emphasis on historical injustices offers no feasible solution to the problem of racialism in housing and at the workplace. Regarding the challenges facing minority communities in access to housing, several steps are necessary. Firstly, it is critical to acquire meaningful data on the extent of racialism in housing to understand the severity and the exact number of people affected by the problem. Feasibility emanates from practical research and studies on the distribution of housing (Jones). Secondly, it is vital to assess the existing systems meant to ensure equity in housing and ascertain how and which parts are not addressing the current situation. This move will discover loopholes in legislation that allow discrimination in housing. Also, it is crucial to use research findings in developing strategies to eliminate racial disparities in housing and formulate equitable housing policies (Senteio et al.). Lastly, the findings and recommendations should be disseminated across various stakeholders and institutions for implementation. Addressing workplace discrimination is not easy since it happens in specific contexts. However, it is a necessary move to ensure equity, dignity, integrity, and social justice. Training leaders/management of cultural diversity is essential in curbing racial discrimination in the workplace (Lewis). Besides, organizations should foster fairness and equity in all employees’ treatment, promotion, and payment.
It is crucial to note that in protecting the rights of the citizens, it is unfair to elevate a section of society at the expense of another or others. Besides, all communities should be granted equal consideration, freedom, and liberty without being constrained and marginalized on racial grounds. The Black community has gone and still goes through a lot of suffering stemming from racialism in American society. The implications emanating from discrimination in housing and at workplaces has far reaching impacts on the Black community. In deconstructing racial discrimination, it is critical to acknowledge its historical underpinnings and therefore choose an amicable and harmonious way that will avert further fragmentation of the society. However, also, it is crucial to be bold and call out the situation as it is. Minority communities in the U.S.A. are tired of the unending suffering, neglect, and segregation. The time to right past wrongs is now.
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