By: Alexis Franks, Associate Editor, Vol. 27 In the summer of 2020, Black Lives Matter protests erupted all over the world in response to murders of Black individuals at the hands of law enforcement. The grief and anger kickstarted a conversation. Society was forced to acknowledge that racism is not an issue of the past […]
racial discrimination
Racist at its Core: The Continual Push for Work Requirements in Public Assistance Programs
By: Liza DavisExecutive Editor, Vol. 27 In March of 2014, now-retired congressional leader Paul Ryan appeared on a radio talk show to discuss the causes of “the economic conditions…plagu[ing] much of the country.”[1] At one point, Ryan said, “We’ve got this tailspin of culture, in our inner cities in particular, of men not working and […]
“Professional” Hairstyles: How Title VII Protections Have Condoned the Policing of Black Women’s Hair
By Jasmine BenjaminAssociate Editor, Vol. 26 Everyone is faced with the question of how to style their hair. However, this decision is of particular social, professional and economic import for Black women. According to recent studies, Black women are 83% more likely to report being judged more harshly on their looks than other women, 1.5x […]
Take a Knee: Athletes’ Newest Form of Protest and the Implications on the First Amendment
By Ali Boyd Associate Editor, Vol. 22 Over the years, many American athletes have used their position of fame and influence to make political statements. During the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, African-American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos made headlines when they accepted their medals with raised fists in the air to represent black power. In […]
Reverse Redlining and the Destruction of Minority Wealth
By Asma Husain Associate Editor, Vol. 22 In 2012, Wells Fargo entered into a $175 million settlement after being accused of pursuing discriminatory lending practices. Specifically, the bank and its subsidiaries were accused of charging African Americans and Latinos higher rates and fees on mortgages than their White counterparts. Despite the massive figure of the settlement, […]
The Right to Bear Arms? Muslim Americans and Second Amendment Rights: Part 2
This piece is the second of a two-part series on Muslim Americans and Second Amendment rights. Read the first post here. By Serena Rabie Associate Editor, Vol. 21 Executive Editor, Vol. 22 In a previous piece I discussed the aftermath of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida and its potential to impact the ability of Arab and […]
In Wake of Affirmative Action Victory, Minority and Low-Income Students Still Face Barriers to Higher Education
By Luis Arias Associate Editor, Vol. 21 Executive Editor, Vol. 22 Minority and low-income students remain underrepresented at most of our nation’s universities. Although many institutional and societal problems contribute to the low minority and low-income student enrollment rates, one contributor is especially troubling. These students lack access to the tools they need to properly navigate the […]
UW’s Unequal Treatment of Student-to-Student Violence: The Case of Jarred Ha
By Jennifer Chun Associate Editor, Vol. 21 Contributing Editor, Vol. 22 NOTE: Revised January 31, 2017. On January 25, 2015, a University of Washington (UW) junior named Jarred Ha[1] was involved in a violent incident with Maddison Story, a female UW student (and a rugby player) and Graham Harper, a male UW student.[2] Before the incident occurred, […]
Task Force on Chicago PD Reforms Highlights Race Problems
By Dan Cho Associate Editor, Vol. 21 Contributing Editor, Vol. 22 Last December, after the release of a dash cam video showing Jason Van Dyke, a white Chicago police officer, shooting Laquan MacDonald, an unarmed black teenager and in the midst of the subsequent protests, Mayor Rahm Emanuel created a task force to “review the system […]
Trumping Trump
By Jason Raylesberg Associate Editor, Vol. 21 Contributing Editor, Vol. 22 It is a very real and terrifying possibility that Donald Trump will be our next president. Accepting that prospect means accepting that the hatred, divisiveness, and racism he has given voice to across America will continue to intensify along with his rise. In recent weeks, that […]
Michigan Journal of Race & Law 