The Unequal Opportunity Race

[@199NickYT]

Hey, I've got a great idea! Why don't we use *the actual financial status of a person* as the indicator of whether or not they need financial aid? INSTEAD of skin color! *gasp* really? Can it be? Can we really use Financial Status to determine who needs Financial Help? IS IT THAT SIMPLE? This is why Affirmative Action is wrong--not because People of Color aren't more often in need of Financial Help, but because using any other metric besides *whether or not they actually need help* to determine whether or not to *give them help,* while it solves some problems, it creates many more. It's *not the fix for the specific problem.* People, it really is this simple. Let's just use a person's economic status to determine if they need economic help, and stop trying to shove any perceived reasons, no matter WHAT they are, into the equation.

[@YoBroMan]

This video is being shown to kids in my child's school. My kid came home crying because apparently the teacher explained that she, her parents, her grand parents, her history is responsible for slavery and her 'kind' should be ashamed. I'm finding this attitude to be prevalent in schools today. I don't even know what to say to this video. The very thing it's trying to show, the very thing it is identifying, is now being pushed onto someone else? Forget my child is 12 yrs old, has nothing whatsoever to do with slavery from 100 years ago, but make sure to hold her in contempt and let her know it's her fault. As far as African trade goes, African states played a key role in slavery for centuries. And, as long as we're talking about slavery, not only has it spanned all cultures since before recorded history, it has targeted children and women of all races and religions. As far back as we can go, slavery existed in Ancient Egypt, Ancient China, the Akkadian Empire, Assyria, Ancient India, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, the Islamic Caliphate, and it predated the US in North America. In fact, it still exists today outside of the US in far greater numbers than anyone would care to admit. In Africa itself, between 1300 and 1900, it is estimated that one-third of the population was enslaved. Did you know that many slave owners were blacks and persians? It wasn't the white man. It was blacks, Europeans and South Americans who brought slaves to the US. At the time, it was common business. Not saying it was right, just saying it was part of the times. I haven't even brought up the persecution of jews, christians, muslims, buddhists, et al, over recorded history. I can assure you, and history shows, african slaves were a small number of the total slaves over recorded history. There were more children enslaved than blacks. How come we never hear about that? What about sex trafficking? I think we had better make a lot more videos. Yo!

[@epintoanimation]

Thank you all for the continued interest in this old video. I agree with many of you that the concepts were not presented in a clear manner. It would have been nice if, as part of the commissioned work, there had been room to delve deeper into each of the phrases that were listed as examples of structural inequality. For example, "shortened lifespan" in particular seems to be confusing a lot of people. It's a very complex issue having to do with access to and quality of healthcare, which can depend on location, economic status, job status (e.g. people whose work hours make it difficult for them to reach a clinic before it closes), and many other factors. And yes, each of THOSE factors can arguably be affected by racial discrimination! I'd recommend starting with this wiki page about structural inequality; it gives a good overview of many of the concepts presented in the video: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structural_inequality

[@kasandrajacksonhittle5276]

I am a high schooler, am of mixed race and heritage, and have seen plenty of veiws for other stand points. And I think people are missing the point. i have watched the video 3 times and i still come up with the same answer. this was shown for black history month in schools to explain the month and why we celibrate it. i believe to many off you are trying to compare it to now when the video was ment to recape before. and as to the other races like the Japanese, Chinese, scottish, and countless others I dont think it was ment to say that they didnt go throuh anything but to high light some off the famouse black people that made overcoming these challenges possible. Such as the well known Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and so many other groups and individuals. they fought for what we have now because thats what they had faced and i think thats why black people are represented in this. as for the whole "White guilt trip" i didnt take it as such, i took it as a reminder that, history has been made, let us not repeat it. To many of you are reading to much into a simple video, comparing it to now, yeah it is going to be totally diffrent, but thats not what is was ment for. it was ment as a reminder to summerize some of the bigger hardships that or nation faced. This is just the way I see it and my opinion about it. Black history month is about reminding, remembering, and never repeating. thats all.

[@donaldjoy4023]

Who says opportunity should be equal? For that matter, the very concept of "equal opportunity" is an oxymoron -- if all opportunity is equalized, than no real opportunity, by definition, can possibly exist. Opportunity is, by definition, an exceptional situation. If all of life is the "playing field," then it is impossible for the field to be "unlevel."

[@meganh9460]

Read on here a few people claiming everyone is "missing the point" of the video.... its because the video misses the point. They focus on the color of people's skin rather than their economic standing. They blanket all white people as benefiting from white privilege when so many poor white americans would disagree with them. There are white kids who go to those "bad schools" along with blank people. If you want white people to understand the part about being "delayed in the race of life" than understand that not all white people benefited from this. As you can see they transfer wealth from old to young. Many white people did not have that. I understand the "establishment" or the %1 did and most of them are white but to be grouped in with these people who don't give a fuck about the poor, white or black, is upsetting and most white people reject it. When a black people commits a crime it doesnt reflect all black people. yet when a rich white guy discriminates against black people, all white people are responsible because they benefit from his racism? Instead of having 10% at his company he only has the bare min, is that the white employee's fault?

[@demonpaw11]

Putting aside my personal feelings and viewpoints for this video, it's actually been proven that affirmative action mostly benefits white middle class females. If you want affirmative action to really level the playing field, make it based on income, not race.

[@yasjahemmings2509]

Not sure how this is offensive. They're not saying anything rude or hurtful, they're literally just recounting history. Why does talking about white privilege offend so many people? I liked this video, it gave a condensed version of race throughout US history in a cool little cartoon clip. 5/5

[@Mountainmonths]

Here on youtube you'll find some excellent refutations of 'Affirmative Action' made by Thomas Sowell.

[@jimmbobbshinndigg4782]

let's be honest here... this video, and this conversation allows us to give a reason for the frustration and hate we all have inside. The fact is that, no matter your color, your gender or your background, we all have hardships in life, it's just easier to blame someone else. Is there discrimination - yep. Is there hardship - yep. Want to bitch about it instead of doing something about - that's always easier. Grew up in Detroit in the 70's. Watched affirmative action kill my father's career because he was "the wrong color". What did we do - move. We packed up with what we had and started somewhere else. was it easy - nope. Did we struggle - yep but we worked our asses off and finally made something of ourselves. No handouts, no hand ups, no special programs. This is the problem with our country presently. Too many people have a sense of entitlement. Even the "poor" have no real concept of what "poor" meant in the past with the hundreds of programs available now so they don't "fall through the cracks. Even in the video, the "disadvantaged" or "discriminated" individuals looked awful good in the pristine clean clothes and shoes. I question a number of the commentators here on if they even have a concept of what growing up poor or truly disadvantaged is. Living in that publicly funded ivory tower doesn't give you the right to wear the cross of discrimination that many of all races, ethnicities and religions from the past, have fought and died carrying.

[@1983jcheat]

This is a big deal now in Central VA. Appearently this pissed people off in Henrico today. I grew up in Jersey (economic disparity in schools is huge) so yes, I can say White schools have better stuff. And living in VA the last 3 years I can see why this would piss White people off. But their is some truth to this. This doesn't excuse racism from either side. Speaking as a guy whose part Hispanic with a name that reflects it (non mexican) born and raised in New Jersey. I find central Virginia racist from all ends Black and White! Asking a guy born in Jersey, English was his first language where he learned to speak English so well is racist!

[@Skyler827]

The struggles described in the video are real, but the analogies are a little stretched. I admit that it's hard to show the roundabout effect of long-passed history on culture and the resultant effects on modern life, but if it takes more time to set up a good analogy, it would be time well spent. We do owe it to ourselves to understand and alleviate our history of racism. I'm not against affirmative action, but it is a powerful tool that needs to be used wisely, and in combination with other programs.

[@JaimeWarlock]

Trying to compensate for the past doesn't work out well, since we just pile up new types of discrimination. As for a solution, interracial marriage is the best way to fix economic inequality. Imagine if the white guy started helping the black girl out. Or the white girl helping out the other guy. Now we are all working together to make the world a better place.

[@roosterchains]

Everything this video says is true, but horrible communicated. 1 word blips overly simplifies the issues for this to be used as a stand alone educational means. All of these issues are extremely complex and this video can be misleading to people who do not know all the facts.

[@robertrenk7074]

The solution to the school problem is to privatize all government run schools. All children will get a better education. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, sometimes called the Nation's Report Card, nationally, most black 12th-graders' test scores are either basic or below basic in reading, writing,math and science. "Below basic" is the score received when a student is unable to demonstrate even partial mastery of knowledge and skills fundamental for proficient work at his grade level. "Basic" indicates only partial mastery. Put another way, the average black 12th-grader has the academic achievement level of the average white seventh or eighth-grader. In some cities, there is even a larger achievement gap. Black students and their parents believe that their high-school diplomas are equivalent to those received by whites. Therefore, differences in employment or college admittance outcomes are likely to be seen as racial discrimination. The fact of business is that is seventh- or eighth-graders of any race compete with 12th-graders of any race on civil service exams or the SAT, one should not be surprised by the outcome. The National Education Association and its political and civil rights organization handmaidens preach that we should improve, not abandon, public schools. Such a position is callous deceit, for many of them have abandoned public schools. Nationwide, about 12 percent of parents have their children enrolled in private schools. In Chicago,44 percent of public school teachers have their own children enrolled in private schools. In Philadelphia, it's also 44%. In Baltimore, it's 35%, and San Francisco, it's 34%. Politicians who fight against school choice behave the way teachers do. 52 % of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus who have school-age children have them enrolled in private schools. 37% if the members of House of Representatives and 45% of the senators who have school aged children have them enrolled in private schools. The education establishment says more money is needed, but more money does not produce higher quality. New York City spent $20,331 per student in fiscal 2013. Washington,DC, spent $17,953, and Baltimore allocated $15,050. Despite being among the nations highest spending school districts, their education quality is among the lowest. Walter Williams On the math SAT only 700 black students in America score above 700 in the year 2001, while more than 16,000 Asian American students did so, in spite of being substantially outnumbered by blacks. -Thomas Sowell

[@Smithworks2]

Interesting video.....In many areas it is "spot on", and other "grey" areas there is most definitely room for discussion. As an African American woman this hit home and I can relate however there are areas that should be discussed in a responsible manner. African American kids living in poverty do get pushed to "do better" by really good teachers, faith leaders (pastors, elders, parishioners), coaches, uncles etc... (especially in "absent father" homes) and it is up to the individual to follow that advice and the open opportunities made available to them.... It is not ALL rainy days and hardship as there are "exit routes" that are available to the youth. Here is who the video should MOST definitely aimed at: African American leadership in the African American communities who ARE in the position to "pass the wealth baton" just as we saw in the "White side". If we do not do this then WE (African Americans) are the ones who should be embarrassed or experience "black guilt. Leave no youth behind.....through teaching/tutoring/coaching/home economics clinics that pass the "wealth baton"....in our OWN communities....we really do have the power if we chose to use it. It actually opened my eyes to what WE are not doing, never mind what white folks chose to do or not to do. It is their money, their business.....

[@StrikeForte]

If you have any critical thinking skills then you should know that you can't just take it all at face value. Yes it over generalizes the situation but it's making a point. No a white person now should not feel guilty, but understand that in general minorities have had a late start. Especially Hispanics and Blacks. So no whites shouldn't have to pay for crimes of past people, but know that history has not out everyone in the same place since the start. We are where we are today and that affects everyone. The effects of racism can't just go away suddenly. Privilege isn't a bad word. It's a truth. you aren't terrible for enjoying certain privileges. But these things do exist for many.

[@VjiaoBlack]

But Affirmative Action hurts Asians... And race isn't ALWAYS indicative of hardships. Affirmative Action should definitely take more into account than just things like ethnicity, if at all.

[@AssataAcey]

how?

[@andreaguerrero5021]

I agree with you. Today, income should be included as a valuable determinant of Affirmative action, however race still can't be ruled out. There's still a strong correlation between race and income so even if income is included the majority of beneficiaries will still be people of color. As for discrimination against Asians, it's usually only east asians that are affected. South asians tend to underperform like hispanics so they also benefit from Affirmative Action. Nevertheless, discriminations against east asians remains a problem, and it will have to be addressed at some point-- but hopefully not my disbanding Affirmative Action. I would say the policy helps more than it hurts.

[@dickstarrbuck]

Your statement leads me to believe you're not familiar with affirmative action. Affirmative Action does exactly what you described here, the media just paints it as favoring 'blacks' Do you know the biggest group of people who have benefited from Affirmative action? White Women.

[@jlhaxton]

+Assata Acey “Let’s talk about Asians,” she says."Lee’s next slide shows three columns of numbers from a Princeton University study that tried to measure how race and ethnicity affect admissions by using SAT scores as a benchmark. It uses the term “bonus” to describe how many extra SAT points an applicant’s race is worth. She points to the first column.African Americans received a “bonus” of 230 points, Lee says.She points to the second column.“Hispanics received a bonus of 185 points.”The last column draws gasps.Asian Americans, Lee says, are penalized by 50 points-in other words, they had to do that much better to win admission.www.amren.com/news/2015/02/for-asian-americans-a-changing-landscape-on-college-admissions/

[@MrBenMcLean]

If the running contest is history, and each runner represents a statistical average, then you have a point. But if the running contest is economic success in an individual life, and each runner is an individual, then you really don't. Income and family support structure influence success in our society today. Race in fact doesn't. Historical injustices also don't, because they are historical. Minority races in the U.S. today, especially blacks, benefit from a multitude of programs that are essentially closed to whites and are based on race, not income. So a poor white kid doesn't get a scholarship, but a rich black kid might. I think when looking for ways to help the disadvantaged, we should be helping the disadvantaged. Income is relevant to that. Race isn't. Scholarships and other benefits should never be based on race: should be based on economics instead.

[@some_goomba]

And here we have a semi-domestic white Catholic in the comments section (that would be me...). I can see where this INTENDED to go. There've been a lot of hindrances and challenges for some races and privileges for others, some of which we can share. I suppose it's natural to hold some certain pride for oneself, but we all need to look from the more unfortunate races' eyes and at least walk a mile in their shoes to get a better understanding of what's going on. Yes, it's hard, but we at least need to try... Shouldn't we?...

[@markriley6878]

If this video is correct, then ALL white people should be equally successful and all black people are equally unsuccessful......but they are not! A lifetime of personal choices by PARENTS AND INDIVIDUALS are the greatest determinants for success. Having children out-of-wedlock and refusing to settle down with one person and get married has proven to be a huge determinant for success. Tons of data back this up.

[@AleshiaHayes]

This is genius! Thanks for providing such a telling insight into these issues. Sadly, self serving bias will prevent many people from understanding these truths, even in the light of the clarity you provided.

[@sebastiengee1407]

Obstacles such as poor education and racism can be fixed. Obstacles such as the "prison pipeline" is determined by one's actions and can't be fixed from outside the race. Wealth disparities and standardized tests aren't even necessarily wrong. The purpose of life is also not the American dream as described by the picture, the purpose of life is to attain heaven and be with God. If you forgot the true purpose of life, the life becomes a competition and gets very depressing.

[@Roddy97]

Americans of Asian descent actually have the highest median household income of anyone else in the USA. If they aren't getting high-profile positions, I don't know where they're getting all that money from.

[@xdoctheshot6226]

This video would be 10x more accurate if they had the race take place on a mountain. First the white man forces the minority slaves to make tracks up to the top of the mountain, in time, short cuts, escalators, and eventually elevators will also be forcefully constructed. Restrict these conveniences for use for white people only and start the race. During the race, white people will continue to develop their trails, shortcuts, escalators, etc, while leaving garbage and more rubble on the rest of the mountain (the areas all the other minorities will have to climb up.) Eventually they'll start allowing some of those minorities on their tracks based on certain circumstances via knowledge, network, what they can get out of the relationship, etc... THEN once people educate the new whites about these barriers/challenges/corruption, the privileged whites will feel like they're being attacked and will start defending themselves thinking they actually have something to fight for all of a sudden, thus, just reaffirming separating themselves from minorities and then nothing is done... We can try to raise awareness to whites all we want, but it's been the same BS as usual. Minorities simply have to force our way to the top and start creating opportunities for other hard working minorities. Stop begging white people to give us opportunities/let us get a piece of their privileges. Don't expect them to understand our battle. Just fight and do whatever you gotta do. If white people feel the force of that and feel threatened, then it's full circle for them. Keep doing what you gotta do to get to the top, know that whites will fight back [to make sure their ancestor's/grandparent's hard work/legacy (of rape, torture, force, murder) will live on] so they can have a great life for themselves. End of story. White privilege, it exist and they'll want you to believe it doesn't. So work hard, do the dirty, and get the life you want. period.

[@mcguffindoe192]

I'm just going to plop this comment here and wait for someone to explain what was factually incorrect about this video. (Disclaimer: I'm against affirmative action and I think African American culture is poisonous and self destructive and is in need of reform, but that doesn't mean anything this video portrayed was incorrect.)

[@revkels2218]

The truth hurts doesn't it? This is why parents don't want their privileged white kids to see this video in schools in Virginia and why they are outraged. The reason we can't get rid of these barriers is America's refusal to deal with the unleveled playing field. There is too much profit happening off the backs of poor Black people living in the cycle of poverty. Not to mention there are folks who are afraid that if this country allowed Affirmative Action to work the way it should, that will mean they will have to actually compete with qualified African Americans. My father benefited from Affirmative Action and a company that provided power for our state had to hire Blacks. As a result, my father graduated from college. I went to college and graduate school and now I serve my community as a clergy person and my country in the military. Our opportunities began because an affluent corporation had to make the playing field level.

[@JD-pd3gl]

How exactly does standardized testing disadvantage black people... ??? I agree they aren't the best system to tell how intelligent someone is or how much they've learned, but everyone has to take them, so...

[@apothe6]

How can standardized tests be bad for a specific group of people?

[@franzkafka77]

At 1:27 Discrimination. One might note that Fred Trump (Father of Donald) was the pioneer practitioner of "Red Lining" and "Block Busting", exclusionary and predatory housing practices that came into play post WWII. Red-lined by banks and segregated into inferior housing, African Americans and other people of color never had a chance to build equity, the family resources that propelled white members of the Baby Boom to prosperity. This is historic and economic fact, it is not political posturing or apologetic rhetoric. It was done by large scale developers like Trump in league with Banks, the very villains with us today working to harvest the earnings of the middle class with interest, fees and flat out theft. Race is just a tool of fear used by the Banks to divide people. The Banks are the common enemy. Goldman Sachs, Chase, Citi-Bank, Barclay's, J.P. Morgan, Bank of America and the rest. Make this about race and they win again. It's ALL about MONEY. Nothing else matters. Nothing.

[@epintoanimation]

Here's an article explaining the link between standardized tests and racial profiling. There is also an economic disparity that correlates to disparate test scores as well. ideas.time.com/2012/10/11/why-its-time-to-get-rid-of-standardized-tests/

[@shalamigri]

I had a lot I wanted to say, but I think that the owner of this video has disabled the ability to post replies to other people's comments. Reading through the comments, I see that some people STILL just don't get it. I've tried to explain myself to these people before, but I honestly think it's a lost cause. I get it though. I get it because the same people who sat back and watched Blacks go through all kinds of harsh treatment in the past are probably not so much different from people today who always seem to be in denial when it comes topics dealing with racism and inequality. Simply put, racist people of the past who terrorized, brutalized, intimidated or even sat back and watched these things happen to Blacks without a care in the world obviously had no empathy for what Blacks went through. Well, there are MANY people living among us today who STILL have no empathy for what Blacks have endured in the past and still continue to endure to this very day. Denial is the main reason why we keep having these discussions on racism and inequality.

[@jh-gcx]

You have 6000+ people who are either blind to the ongoing struggles of our african american community or they simply don't care and say its not true providing some ill-thought out reason for why this video is not true. For those who think they can get the job done and go through this. Let me see you pull up the sticks in your cozy life that you have as upper middle class men to higher class and live in the project housing communities and send your kids (if you have some) to inner city schools and tell me if they come out and succeed as well as the kids and families who live in mostly trouble free and highly educated environments. I can tell you most of you would not come out with the same disposition that you have now. Some of us know what its like to eat government subsidies when you don't have the money to buy groceries or what its like to catch a bus to get to work so that you can provide and pay your bills. However, there are 10's of millions of americans who have never had to experience being black and living in these conditions but you think that you know why blacks are in the situation they are in. I am never the one to point the finger at others even with the shortcomings that we have and the battles we have to fight. The consistency of each generation since before the boomers has been terrible at passing down positive thoughts and respective life living adages. I don't think its entirely their fault but i believe this has caused serious issues with the Gen-x and boomer relationships and therefore cause an ever growing disparity with millennials of the black community. This video explains the entire truth of what its like for black kids wanting to succeed and what they are up against in comparison to other kids of alternate ethnicities who have either had a path laid out for them with every resource at their disposal or have the opportunities allotted to them to allow them to succeed.

[@FizzCashman]

It's weird how a lot of people seem annoyed by this video in the comments. I don't think they've really got the right message, it's not saying all white people go to yale and have limitless money etc etc, but a white person, particularly a white male, has a much easier time getting into better schools/jobs/housing estates. Imo, great video and well done to the creator! :)

[@DonaldTubbs]

I didn't really find it offensive, just poorly executed and full of bad metaphors. While I probably don't see every way that White privilege works in my favor, I've experienced many of the forms of discrimination shown, and they aren't specific to race but to wealth disparity.

[@SirClifty]

Why has this video got so many dislikes? People scared of reality? The fact there are ghettos still in America in the 21st century and it's mostly black people and other not while ethnicities should be enough proof for people that something unfair is going on in the system.

[@asu85255]

beyonce and her backup dancers endorse this video

[@epintoanimation]

The AAPF has released an official statement regarding the recent controversy over this video which was shown in Henrico County. They also published a list of talking points which discuss most of the major arguments that have been brought up in these comments. You can read it here: www.aapf.org/talking-points-unequal-opp-video

[@epintoanimation]

Regarding poor schooling and housing segregation, I recommend some works by Jonathan Kozol, especially one called "Savage Inequalities." He's done extensive field work among some of the poorest communities in the US, investigating relationships between neighborhoods, income, education and race. As much as we'd like to think that where we live doesn't have any bearing on our education or career opportunities, the sad reality is that it does.

[@theairforce1877]

Great video Erica Pinto! Unfortunately I look at most of the posts here and the majority of the people still don't get what you are trying to show them. Instead of questioning where are the Asians or arguing over ones financial status or journey. I see no one agreeing and showing understanding and thinking about doing things better and helping the very disenfranchised people that you are talking about. Again great video though. The privalagedwill always find an excuse not to do what is right.

[@beresponsibleplease]

How I’m I just seeing this! ?

[@jazzyj904]

This video: Only represents the actual people that are effected by situations like this. Generalizations are wrong, of course, but don't act like you've never known about things like this happening. They happen every, single, day. If YOU don't know about it then you can't say "it doesn't happen". Whether things happen or not is not based on whether YOU know it or not. If you don't know about it, then why are you speaking on it? Point is. There is such thing as white privilege, whether you believe it or not. If you choose to believe that racism and white privilege do not exist, then this is not a conversation you should be indulging in because you have no knowledge to bring to the table and discuss.

[@williamsire]

Why is it this video did not get any attention until now? Whats going on in America when we are saturated with issues of racial division in the final year of the second term of the first Black President to the united states?

[@Phoenix-ej2sh]

Dear white people: even if you didn't get a huge inheritance dating back to 1492, at some point, without your knowledge, you got a pass from someone who did or from someone representing them. They key concepts here are institutionalized and systemic. We are in a system that gives advantages to some and obstacles to others. Somewhere, sometime, you weren't pulled over or you got a job, etc. because you weren't black. This happens a certain number of times per year for you, and over time, represents a social advantage, even if you don't know about it and even if you can claim credit for your own personal accomplishments.

[@epintoanimation]

I think it's interesting many people assume the runner in the 3rd lane is black, when he could just as easily be latino. But yes, a common argument is that affirmative action should be class-based rather than race-based. And I can see the logic there for sure. Many proponents of AA however feel that racial prejudice is still widespread enough in the US that we need to continue considering race when working towards equality. Check out "Race vs. Class: The False Dichotomy" in the NYTimes.

[@epintoanimation]

I had to do a little research on this one since it wasn't really clear to me as I was making the film for the AAPF. But it turns out there have been psychological studies done involving standardized tests and a concept called "stereotype threat," which can indeed have negative effects on a student's test scores. Claude Steele, a professor at Stanford university, has researched this topic extensively. If you Google "Claude Steele standardized tests" you can read about some of the studies.

[@DBproductionsBadJuicy]

Citation needed*

[@trishbatson2929]

The truth is this video is not only alarming but painful. We are CONSTANTLY fighting for fairness. We aren’t asking for handouts. We just want the same opportunities as others. A fair chance. And whoever is comparing white woman to the struggles of Blacks still has no clue. In fact, if you haven’t walked a mile in my skin, you can’t tell me what methods should be used. We need affirmative action. Without it, the entire country would be even more colorless. 👊🏾

[@Ghostdenidagawd]

I'm going to need some of you people who keep bringing up how Asians made it through concentration camps and their American struggles if they want to trade it for ours, that fact that a lot of you bring that up as some type of bar on how one should make it through there respective struggles shows much you don't know shit

[@gsockpuppet2490]

It's interesting you would choose a foot face, considering that's something POC tend to be equal if not greater at.

[@epintoanimation]

There was an older comic strip adaptation of this film that had a final panel with a bunch of people of various races and classes, and it asked the reader to think about their friends and family and where they would be on the race track. I can't remember why we didn't end up including this in the animation, but I think it would have helped explain that it's not just blacks who are disadvantaged, and not just whites who are privileged.

[@crystalizedart]

you know you're making a stir and an imprint when you have thousands of dislikes! you hit a nerve apparently.

[@epintoanimation]

I agree that sources are useful whenever possible. Short films are not really the best format for that, though. The AAPF has several publications on their website that further explain the concepts in this film (which was produced for their site), complete with citations. I've included links in my video description :)

[@Christsof8thful]

emEither people don't understand this video or pretend not to because their feelings got in the way. The guilt is not pushed, but is a genuine reaction. Even though not all white people get the same wealth flow from family privilege they do get first pick and preference over black people. People of all races feel that guilt because many of them have been guilty of placing the assumption that it's black people that's the problem of instead of the people with the power who are hateful and create this racial division and hateful criticism. History is the best teacher, but Many people see the facts from history as a blame game instead of helping to bring about a positive change from what is learned from the past. If you don't own the truth you are bound to repeat the past...possibly why we are still so racially divided in 2016...people just won't learn...they refuse to stop listening to the hype of the media and embrace each other without stigma. For crying out loud, just love one another already! We are all people. Racism is for the ignorant, weak minded individual who can only think what they are told to think. Love is for the wise. Continuing to pray for us all in Jesus, the very example of true love.

[@rtrumble]

Looks like they had a chance to catch up if those dark clouds weren't following them everywhere. Nice message

[@deecal4104]

Heartbreaking this was posted 9 years ago and absolutely nothing has changed 😞💔

[@epintoanimation]

This 500 character limit for KZbin comments is frustrating when talking about this kind of topic. Anyway, I did want to say that I personally feel that class-based consideration is definitely a good thing, and I hope that it does get implemented in more places. Like I've said before, the equality issue stems from many different problems, and requires many different efforts to solve.

[@JonathonNeville]

Re-make Proposal: Cut from 0:40-1:15 - carrying bigger and bigger cylinders makes it harder to run, so the imagery of the white guys carrying money jars is not only tediously long but also conflicts with your intention. Cut from 3:23-4:08. (The race ends at 3:23.) Save 80 seconds. New video: 2:48. Use Loretta Cogar's comment as a voiceover? Anyone have ideas how a remake of this video could address the comments from these 3? RollTide1987 (why don't Asians need help?) Jimm Bobb... (poor today feel entitled) BPNave (help based on financial situation not skin color) All 3 of these strike me as worth consideration. Can you help me (and others) see why Affirmative Action is right despite those criticisms? Erica Pinto, are you interested in remaking this? Anyone else? I hope so, but if no one else has show interest as of 6 months from now, may I? I think this is too important a topic to be left with this almost-very-good-but-flawed video.

[@epintoanimation]

Lots of questions! I can't get to them all in one comment, but I would like to address the subject of Asian Americans and discrimination, since you mentioned the Chinese Exclusion Act from the video. Despite having very high graduation rates from universities, and even employment numbers for entry-level positions, they are still widely underrepresented in leadership positions and other high-visibility jobs such as actors and athletes. Check out "Bamboo Ceiling" in Wikipedia for more.

[@epintoanimation]

Median income is actually a complicated figure affected by many factors. If you look at median incomes based on education level, white males with a bachelor's degree actually earn a median of $71,672 while Asian males earn 12% lower at $63,172. So why do Asians overall have a higher median income? It has to do with the percentage of Asians vs. whites earning degrees. The reason for that is a mess of other factors including immigration policy. Google "Algernon Austin Asian Americans" for more.

[@asheyblacq]

For MANY comments here, your bigotry and insensitivity is showing. While you may have issues with the video, you would be wise to avoid chastising blacks for the ills which this country has heaped upon them, to say nothing of the udder destruction that the native of this land has experienced "in order to perform a more perfect union"...

[@asheyblacq]

+asheyblacq "utter" not "udder"...

[@AssataAcey]

i never really saw it that way before.....

[@tjanskmuhammed9172]

By the way, even categorizing in "white" and "black" is so absurd. Just because on average a certain group performs better than another group, you give the worse performing group benefits? Especially ridiculous how arbitrary you pick out these groups - by skincolor?! You cave right in to the racists and (economical)rightists who want to divide people by such antique terms. Don't you think CLASS DIVIDE would be more suited if you actually want to improve the life of the "less privileged"?

[@epintoanimation]

Well, it's not really my idea, I'm just the animator. :) The AAPF uses the track race metaphor in their publications on Affirmative Action, I simply got hired to illustrate it for them. But I think your comment that people of color tend to be equal if not greater at track events just goes to further illustrate the metaphor; they WOULD have an equal chance of success, if there weren't roadblocks in the way of their life paths such as income inequality, etc.

[@mehdianim]

Well, there is no way a 4 minute film can delve into problems which as some mention are the result of many complex historical factors. This short though it takes shortcuts does a good job at illustrating lingering problems and succeeds in what I assume is its main goal: Stirring up the debate. This is more relevant a topic than the Kardashians. It's great to see courageous artists use their talent to awaken consciousness rather than lull it to sleep in the service of consumerism ! Great Work !

[@epintoanimation]

It could have been interesting to explore many different ethnicities and how Affirmative Action affects each group differently. Though I can't speak for the client, I think including even more runners might have made the already complicated message even more difficult to explain.

[@epintoanimation]

Some stats to back up your claim about blacks having greater chances of employment and education would be useful here. As for drug testing, it's not so much about whether or not a person uses drugs; it's about the discrimination that takes place when choosing who receives the random drug tests. Often it's disproportionately skewed towards minorities. Google "ACLU drug testing" for resources and court cases on this issue.

[@epintoanimation]

@John Cool: I think you're exactly right, there ARE many factors that contribute to the inequality that exists in the US. I think that was what this film was trying to illustrate, that it's a complicated mix of all sorts of issues that ultimately create the inequality. Affirmative Action in this case is one effort to try to help offset the imbalance; I personally think it's a sort of band-aid patch while we keep working to solve the root of the rest of the problems.

[@mjbset93]

The cases challenging affirmative action have nothing to do with financial aid. Our financial aid system is income based with some positive allowances for first generation college students. Such ignorance about the way affirmative action works is obscene. Now if there is a case challenging an affirmative action were a first generation below middle class white college student was denied entry to a college please provide a link for me to read the details.

[@LesignerGirl]

It's sad to see so many down votes. It only shows that we have a long way to go before this society will truly be civilized.

[@epintoanimation]

Comments are back on due to popular request. Let the Affirmative Action debate rage on! If you would like to add your voice to this hot topic, send in a comment. The more well-articulated and thought out the response is, the more likely it will be approved. Debasement, flaming, trolling, or personal attacks not welcome here. And for those who think I will skew the moderation towards one side, prove yourselves wrong by submitting some meaningful contributions. Ready go!

[@marcussmith1286]

This is so real

[@californication751]

Rebel Media just did a video "debunking" this film. Well, pretending to debunk it. They didn't actually address any of the issues mentioned in it to be honest besides claiming that Asians have privilege, which did little more than show that they think little about colorism. But I think you did great job on this and am glad some of the concepts weren't presented in what some would call a clear manner. That should be the point - it should be something people research. Not everything can be spoonfed to people in an audiovisual way. This aversion to reading is so sad. :/

[@epintoanimation]

Gender equality is an ongoing issue even among white females, and while they may enjoy a greater privilege than minority women, there is still a gap that needs to be bridged to create equality with men. Sheryl Sandberg has been doing TED talks and writing about women in the workplace, especially in leadership positions. In my personal experience in the animation industry, though nearly 50% of my graduating class were female, in my studios it drops to about 10%.

[@theelocutioner3355]

Thank you for this video! This is a resource I'll use in the future to help describe this issue to people who don't understand it.

[@NikkiTBish]

Awesome video... Truth shall set u free

[@colorfulkrea7ionzllc239]

Although this video is old! Still very also very powerful to all who can relate!

[@FarceMartyr1229]

Coming from a white person, I completely concede that White Privilege is a reality in more ways than one, and I completely concede that I am in no position to say what black people should think/feel about racism and the institution. I've studied the inherent problems in our system for quite a while with the intention of knowing as much as I can about the issues and the particular challenges that minorities face in our country, but it is obviously true that those who best understand the problems are those who actually experience them. With that being said, however, I have a problem with this particular metaphorical representation of privilege and race in America, specifically this: the idea that the entire process of life is a competition between two mutually exclusive races is NOT the sort of idea that public schools should be putting into kids' heads, whether their black or white. Neither does it seem appropriate on the one hand to be telling black students that they are much less likely than whites to succeed, and on the other hand to be telling white males that they will be successful only because they are in a privileged position: educating students is often mostly manifest in EMPOWERING them, and this video doesn't empower ANYONE. I'm not certain what the alternative method of communicating this message would be, but I would suppose it to be manifest in telling students what the problems are and HOW they can be overcome, by black and white alike. This video seems to suggest that the solution is vilifying white people for their successes and invariably blaming societal structures for ALL of a particular person's successes and failures simply on account of what race they happen to belong to. My personal opinion is that racial harmony will be achieved when people cease to treat blacks and whites as mutually exclusive on account of their differences, and when both groups accept that harmony is a TEAM EFFORT and cannot possibly be achieved by divisive rhetoric. That obviously requires that White Privilege ceases to be a reality, which obviously requires Affirmative Action for as long as genuine racism hangs over, and obviously that people be instructed and KNOW about it first... But the narrative in this video is one of mutual exclusivity, competition, divisiveness, and, most dangerously, the equation of ALL a human being's success to the circumstances under which he/she is born! These ideas are NOT good for EMPOWERING people, of any race whatsoever, who are about to leave high school and enter the real world. Again, I freely say that I am incapable of immediately knowing certain things about racism on account of the fact that I am not a minority (I am a white male, no less). I simply think, independent of race completely, that the metaphors used in this video are questionable; White Privilege and the solutions to it are much more complicated than this simple video suggests. I obviously invite criticism, since its how we all learn, but be respectful :)

[@epintoanimation]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll check him out :)

[@starsnspoons]

This comment feed is so depressing. How are we ever going to progress when so many people can't even admit we have a serious problem with inequality in the US. Wake up. Your kids should be learning about this in school, since you're obviously not teaching them.

[@fredhandy2063]

Great video! Thank you!

[@KhemistryIBMOR]

Great video.

[@francescamontagna6604]

we watched this in school it was great

[@msnangiej]

Awesome job Erica! Love this! Keep up the good work!

[@7Stormwalker]

You know when I saw this on my newsfeed in an article about parents freaking out about a racial equality video I immediately thought self entitled rich parents but now that I've seen the video I can kinda understand why. The format, cartoonish nature and way the video just skips from highly complex multi-faceted issues doesn't do much explain this issue - making it offensive when pulled out of context. But, as a tool to broach a conversation it does it's job.

[@joannachavez2093]

People won’t understand unless they been through it. Systematic oppression is real! And the numbers are showing the hundreds of years of oppression. it’s gotten better but there’s still systematic oppression. The Poor schools are mostly in black and Hispanic neighborhoods throughout the U.S.

[@nayyahbey9599]

How many black business an owners do you see on a grand scale. How many black owned universities do you see. Black owned TV stations Airlines gas stations grocery stores car companies and so on. Name them for me please. If you can't then that is beyond sad. Name the amount of minorities attending Yale Harvard or upper class private schools of any kind.