For many, racism is thought of as a quality some people possess and others do not. Up until recently, that was how I perceived racism as well — as explicit actions against certain people based upon the prejudices associated with their skin color. It has taken a lot of reading and listening to realize racism occurs much more frequently in the form of absence. White people continue to exclude Black and Brown people from society, while ignoring forms of racism that do not result in the murder of people of color.

Racism is everywhere and everyone is racist. Society promotes racism through the absence of Black and Brown representation in nearly all forms of media. For example, growing up I read the comics every Sunday morning. Two days ago I read the Sunday comics and it dawned on me nearly every comic depicted white people.

In fact, out of all 26 comic strips that featured humans, only three had Black or Brown people. One of which contained a singular nonwhite person in the background. Never before have I thought twice about this, since we grew up with media outlets that constantly portray white people and ignore Black or Brown people.

While the comic strips themselves most likely mean no harm, the lack of representation reinforces to readers white skin is the right skin and Black and Brown skin is uncommon, different and inferior.

Author Junot Diaz has spoken about this lack of representation and stated in a speech at Bergen Community College:

 “YOU KNOW, VAMPIRES HAVE NO REFLECTIONS IN A MIRROR? THERE’S THIS IDEA THAT MONSTERS DON’T HAVE REFLECTIONS IN A MIRROR. AND WHAT I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT ISN’T THAT MONSTERS DON’T HAVE REFLECTIONS IN A MIRROR. IT’S THAT IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A HUMAN BEING INTO A MONSTER, DENY THEM, AT THE CULTURAL LEVEL, ANY REFLECTION OF THEMSELVES. AND GROWING UP, I FELT LIKE A MONSTER IN SOME WAYS. I DIDN’T SEE MYSELF REFLECTED AT ALL. I WAS LIKE, ‘YO, IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME? THAT THE WHOLE SOCIETY SEEMS TO THINK THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME DON’T EXIST?’ AND PART OF WHAT INSPIRED ME WAS THIS DEEP DESIRE THAT BEFORE I DIED, I WOULD MAKE A COUPLE OF MIRRORS. THAT I WOULD MAKE SOME MIRRORS SO THAT KIDS LIKE ME MIGHT SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED BACK AND MIGHT NOT FEEL SO MONSTROUS FOR IT.”

This absence of Black and Brown lives is a choice of the media creator, whether subconscious or not, and until Black and Brown people are represented as routinely as white people, racism will continue to grow in society. This has been exemplified in the Grammys.

According to an article by IM Diversity, “In 2011, the Recording Academy removed 29 award categories including Best Latin Jazz Album, Best Contemporary Jazz Album, Best Cajun and Zydeco Album, Best Native American Album and Best Hawaiian Music Album.”

The Academy also combined three separate rhythm and blues vocal performance awards into a single award and removed two other Latin music categories. ”This is extremely alarming, as these prestigious awards historically included people of color, just another way that Black and Brown people are excluded from society.” This article proceeds to explain the manners in which the Grammys practice racist and sexist behaviors.

The absence of Black and Brown people from media is fostering racism in society. In order to respect and value one another, we must reflect people of all races in our books, TV shows, music, movies, comics and all other media outlets.