Giving Compass' Take:

• A report by the Forward Promise National Program Office describes how implicit and explicit biases against boys and young men of color held by members of America's dominant culture contribute to racialized trauma, and advocates for the use of storytelling, supportive spaces, and systems reform as integrated strategies for combatting the issue.

• How do the intersection of race and gender impact perception? What can you do to challenge and dismantle narratives in society that negatively impact outcomes for men of color in America? 

• Read about the health implications of racial bias. 

Boys and young men of color (BYMOC) navigate a world where they are presumed dangerous and guilty. Their innocence, potential, and humanity are routinely questioned simply because of who they are. These daily indignities create traumatizing experiences where BYMOC live, learn, work, and play. The result is racialized trauma which stunts the ability of BYMOC to heal, grow, and thrive in healthy villages.

Implicit and explicit bias begin the cycle of dehumanization. It manifests as negative narratives that place limits on: the respectful, humanity-affirming treatment society believes BYMOC and their villages deserve; what BYMOC can achieve; and the resources BYMOC and their villages can access. This distorted framing positions their very existence as a problem to be monitored, and negatively influences their health, well-being, potential, and agency. Studies have explored how dehumanization fosters disconnection between social groups (Way and Rogers, 2017). For example, BYMOC are routinely viewed as older and less innocent than their white counterparts (Goff et al., 2014). These biases form the basis for the expectations placed on them. An older child should behave with maturity and greater self-regulation. It is no wonder that boys of color are disproportionately expelled from school settings as early as preschool (Gilliam et al., 2016).

Dehumanization is the cause of generations of historical trauma. The cycle begins with negative narratives that label people of color—particularly boys and young men—violent, criminal, and animalistic. To combat the perceived threat, dangerous actions are taken by the majority culture and systems which further dehumanize BYMOC. As a result, BYMOC and their villages often hold harmful internal feelings of unworthiness taught by their oppressors. It is not uncommon for them to engage in various forms of self-harm or to harm others. These destructive external reactions are not explained as normal responses to trauma. Stories of their negative reactions become justification for more negative narratives and the cycle begins again.

How can we address persistent societal health inequities, discrimination, toxic stress, and trauma? First, we ask all who support BYMOC to acknowledge and affirm their full humanity. Then, we will uplift evidence-based practices designed to thwart ongoing narratives, policies, and practices that dehumanize BYMOC. We will teach boys and young men to be masters of their own narratives so that they see value in their stories, each other, their culture and communities. This should occur in safe and supportive spaces with culturally responsive programming. To make real progress, we must also strive for equity in education, health, justice, child welfare, and housing systems. BYMOC and their villages experience dehumanization within these systems when there is little regard for their unique challenges.

Read the full report on dehumanization of BYMOC.