Race Matters: The Inextricable Link Between Race Politics

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Vanessa Lopez-Littleton, Kamille Stevens & Moses Reynoso Colin
October 11, 2024

It is important to acknowledge that race is a social construct that has no genetic basis. Nevertheless, race in the United States is not baseless; instead, race has real social, economic and political consequences. While some argue that colorblindness and racial neutrality are ideals, this perspective is overly simplistic, especially for those who have been marginalized and oppressed by a society that assigns value and constructs social hierarchies based on race. Insistence on either is an effort to avoid or dismiss the power race plays in a highly racialized society with historic roots bathed in racism.

While some suggest racism is a byproduct of race, a socially constructed hierarchical system that assigns value, others argue race is a byproduct of racism, which is a socially constructed system that socially orders people with race becoming the vehicle by which to do this. Either way, efforts to deny realities associated with race or racism is an effort to obfuscate something that is consequential to those who are not at the top (or in close proximity to the top) of the racial ordering system.

As the US population becomes increasingly more diverse, so too has the number of those who identify as multiracial. The inherent challenge of placing multiracial individuals into the social hierarchy system centers around how individuals view themselves and how others perceive their racial identity. Hyperdescent refers to the classification of those of multiracial heritage as the socially dominant race of the parent. This way of categorizing individuals is aligned with colorism, a form discrimination based on skin tone, a universal phenomenon. In contrast, hypodescent is the assignment of race based on the lowest racial category of the parent and was formerly known as the “one drop rule.” This practice was codified into slave codes and other laws in the early colonies and the Jim Crow South, most notably in miscegenation laws that prohibited interracial marriage, sexual intercourse and cohabitation. While many of these laws have been removed, vestiges and sentiments of a racial ordering system remain.

Perceptions about government and politics among Black Americans are notable and stark. A recent study found Black Americans believe public institutions are intentionally designed to hold Black people back, particularly in terms of prison (74%), policing (68%), political (67%), economic (65%), news media (52%), health care (51%) systems. The embedded perception of racial bias has long historic roots tethered to the US history of slavery, segregation and specific policies and systems that have contributed to disadvantages in outcomes ranging from education, healthcare, wealth, income, imprisonment and others. Entrenched disparities contribute to wealth inequalities and form the basis for differential access, outcomes and opportunities. Although race may be socially constructed, the consequences of living in a racialized society are real.

Consequently, the number of Black eligible voters has steadily increased in recent decades, accounting for roughly 14 percent of eligible voters. As such, Black voters are frequently an important constituent group for candidates. Race-based politics can be tricky. A singular “Black vote” does not exist. Instead, Black voters show up to vote about issues and individuals they believe will look out for their best interests. While Black women have historically been a reliable voting block for democrats, their votes must consistently be won based on the issues that matter to them.

Identity politics is an undercurrent in US.. politics. When Biden vowed to select a Black woman for the Supreme Court, he qualified his decision by stating “the person I nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity—and that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court.” For some, this was evidence of bias in the selection process, but President Biden asserted that “the government should look like the people, look like the country.” Former President Trump asserted that immigrants were coming across the border to take jobs from Black workers. When asked to clarify what he meant by “Black jobs,” he suggested, “any job” is a Black job. In that, he was correct as Black Americans have held myriad jobs, including Supreme Court justice, Surgeon General, and U.S. President.

Accepting and loving your racial identity is about being in community with those in which you share an identity. Righting historic wrongs and creating a society that is fair, equitable and just is a moral and ethical imperative. As Americans, we must be prepared to address our nation’s deep history with race and racism, particularly as it relates to Black Americans, and work strategically to ensure public systems support all people, not equally, but equitably. 

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Author: Vanessa Lopez-Littleton, Ph.D., RN, is Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services and Professor of Public Administration and Nonprofit Management at California State University, Monterey Bay. Her research interests include social determinants of health and racial equity. Dr. Lopez-Littleton may be reached at [email protected], DrVLoLil.Com or @DrVLoLil

Author: Kamille Stevens is a senior student at Cal State Monterey Bay, majoring in Collaborative Health and Human Services with a concentration in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management. Her interests include solutions for homelessness and reducing forced displacement due to gentrification. Stevens may be reached at [email protected].

Author: Moses Reynoso Colin is a senior in the Collaborative Health and Human Services (CHHS) major with a concentration in Public Administration, attending Cal State Monterey Bay. Reynoso has an interest in policies that affect underrepresented communities as well as social justice. Reynoso can be contacted at [email protected].

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