Racism

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Racism
Approximately nine among ten Black Americans, that is, over 80% of Black Americans still believe that there is yet more to be done for America to get rid of racism and discrimination in the country (Oh et al., 277). Racial discrimination over the years has gained the definition of any unequal treatment conducted based on racial prejudices on a person within a social or an institutional background. The resulting effects of racism have been observed across the country, majorly among the non-white Americans with some of them ending up experiencing health problems. Wetherell et al. (43) claim that the racism has resulted to some communities in the society losing the sense of belonging because of their unique racial identity. Furthermore, Jackson (22) adds that racism has been listed among factors causing poor standards of living among the racially discriminated groups in societies. Racism has detrimental effects such as psychological health problems, destruction of community cohesiveness and increasing the poverty levels in the society.
Subjecting an individual to racism can negatively affect their mental health resulting in health complications such as depression and psychological stress. Racial discriminations cause additional stress to individuals categorized among the minority racial and ethnic communities in the USA. According to Polanco-Roman (609), consistent exposure to traumatic conditions resulting from racial discrimination reduces the level of self-esteem among the black in American and increases the amount of hatred due because of being forced into an apologetic and conservative mindset.

According to a report given by Eversley from the University of Arizona, 18.2% of the black American students were found emotionally stress and 9.8% suffering from physical stress. The results among the white were much lower in both cases. A similar result was found for the case of depression and anxiety cases among black in Ferguson, Missouri as Hawkins related racial discrimination to the rise in depression, mood and post-traumatic stress disorders among their test subjects. Therefore, racial discrimination can significantly contribute to the psychological disorders among discriminated victims.
Moreover, community cohesion is greatly affected by cases of racism among people in the society. Racial discrimination of the minority groups within the society is likely to cause lack of understanding among people from different racial backgrounds. Furthermore, Harrison (121) states that racism creates mistrust and reduces respect among people in a society. The racially discriminated groups in communities tend to act with hostility towards the more dominant groups as a defensive reaction because of their inferior mindset (Kao and Jennifer 417). In this case, racially discriminated groups tend to lack the feeling of belonging and being valued within the community hence grow apart from the community.
In addition, poverty is closely linked to racism and communities that have long been victims of racism are categorized among the poorest groups in the society. Racism in the old American society meant non-whites being denied education, proper housing, and healthcare services hence contributing greatly to their poor living standards. Saunders (155) states that discrimination based on ethnic backgrounds, religion, and race has been among causes of unequal distribution of resources in the American society. Moreover, Jenkins claims that constant racism has been that major factor contributing to the 2.6 time more poverty levels among the African-Americans and Latino than Whites. The quality of schoolings, healthcare and several basic needs such as food and shelter are poor among the non-whites communities in America hence causing the high rates of poverty among the African-Americans and Hispanics in USA (Saunders 156). Therefore, racism contributes greatly to the unequal allocation of resources hence resulting to increase in poverty levels among the discriminated groups.
In conclusion, racial discrimination in the society negatively impacts the health of the victims in addition to breaking bonds within communities and rising the poverty levels. Victims of racism have been reported to develop PSTDs, depression and mood disorders. Other victims have ended up feeling being left out of the community and as a result developing hatred towards the superior races. Also, the rise in poverty levels in societies has greatly been contributed by unequal distribution of resources because of racism. Therefore, racism causes an adverse effect on an individual and the communities at large.

Works Cited
Eversley, Melanie. “Study: Discrimination leads to stress.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Mar. 2016, www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/03/10/study-discrimination-leads-stress/81569324/.
Harrison, Roger, et al. Leading Work with Young People. SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, (2007): 121.
Hawkins, Derek. “After 5 years, Ferguson drops charges against black man cited as victim of biased policing.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 13 Sept. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/09/13/after-5-years-ferguson-drops-charges-against-black-man-cited-as-victim-of-biased-policing/?utm_term=.67e6348849d2.
Jackson, Yo, ed. Encyclopedia of multicultural psychology. Sage Publications, (2006): 22.
Jenkins, Alan. “Racism Causes Poverty.” Poverty, edited by Viqi Wagner, Greenhaven Press, 2007. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010159279/OVIC?u=oak30216&xid=8d1bdad4. Accessed 15 Jan. 2018. Originally published as “Inequality, Race, and Remedy,” American Prospect, May 2007, pp. A8-A11.
Kao, Grace, and Jennifer S. Thompson. “Racial and ethnic stratification in educational achievement and attainment.” Annual Review of Sociology 29.1 (2003): 417-418.
Oh, Hans, et al. “Major discriminatory events and risk for psychotic experiences among Black Americans.” American journal of Orthopsychiatry 86.3 (2016): 277.
Polanco-Roman, Lillian, Ashley Danies, and Deidre M. Anglin. “Racial discrimination as race-based trauma, coping strategies, and dissociative symptoms among emerging adults.” Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy 8.5 (2016): 609.
Saunders, Lisa. “African Americans in the US economy.” (2007): 155-156.
Wetherell, Margaret, Michelynn Laflèche, and Robert Berkeley, eds. Identity, ethnic diversity and community cohesion. Vol. 3. Sage, (2007): 43.