#WriteInclusion Factsheets
Expanded glossary of terms
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Police Militarization
The use of military equipment (e.g., armored tanks, grenade launchers, and assault rifles) and tactics by police officers, often doing “normal” police work.
The use of military equipment (e.g., armored tanks, grenade launchers, and assault rifles) and tactics by police officers, often doing “normal” police work.
Race-Related Stressors on Aging
A race-related stressor is something that causes psychological or emotional distress that an individual or group of people experience as a result of being a target of a racial discriminatory action (e.g., microaggressions, hate crimes, institutionalized racism). These stressors impact how individuals or racial and ethnic populations age (e.g., African Americans have higher rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s due to chronic stress; Arab Americans report high levels of depression and anxiety due to bias-motivated violence; Asian Americans’ health conditions often go untreated due to a lack of culturally and linguistically accessible care; Latinx Americans have high rates of negative mental health outcomes due to bigotry and prejudice; Native Americans and Alaskan Natives have a lower life expectancy because of disproportionate poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health services, and cultural differences). Overall, older people among ethnic minorities report poorer health outcomes than white older people no matter their social and economic conditions. More on African Americans here and here, and more on Arab Americans here.
A race-related stressor is something that causes psychological or emotional distress that an individual or group of people experience as a result of being a target of a racial discriminatory action (e.g., microaggressions, hate crimes, institutionalized racism). These stressors impact how individuals or racial and ethnic populations age (e.g., African Americans have higher rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s due to chronic stress; Arab Americans report high levels of depression and anxiety due to bias-motivated violence; Asian Americans’ health conditions often go untreated due to a lack of culturally and linguistically accessible care; Latinx Americans have high rates of negative mental health outcomes due to bigotry and prejudice; Native Americans and Alaskan Natives have a lower life expectancy because of disproportionate poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health services, and cultural differences).
Overall, older people among ethnic minorities report poorer health outcomes than white older people no matter their social and economic conditions. More on African Americans here and here, and more on Arab Americans here.
Racial Profiling
A longstanding and deeply troubling national problem, per the ACLU. It occurs every day, in cities and towns across the U.S., when law enforcement and private security target people of color for humiliating and often frightening detentions, interrogations, and searches without evidence of criminal activity and based on perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion. Racial profiling is patently illegal, violating the U.S. Constitution’s core promises of equal protection under the law to all and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. It’s not just patently illegal but also ineffective: alienating communities from law enforcement, hindering community policing efforts, and causing law enforcement to lose credibility and trust among people they’re sworn to protect and serve.
A longstanding and deeply troubling national problem, per the ACLU. It occurs every day, in cities and towns across the U.S., when law enforcement and private security target people of color for humiliating and often frightening detentions, interrogations, and searches without evidence of criminal activity and based on perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion. Racial profiling is patently illegal, violating the U.S. Constitution’s core promises of equal protection under the law to all and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. It’s not just patently illegal but also ineffective: alienating communities from law enforcement, hindering community policing efforts, and causing law enforcement to lose credibility and trust among people they’re sworn to protect and serve.
Same-Gender-Loving
A term coined by activist Cleo Manago in the 1990s to describe African Americans or Black people with same-gender attractions. SGL is used as a culturally affirming identity without relying on Eurocentric terms and symbols of attraction and orientation.
(SGL) A term coined by activist Cleo Manago in the 1990s to describe African Americans or Black people with same-gender attractions. SGL is used as a culturally affirming identity without relying on Eurocentric terms and symbols of attraction and orientation.
Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)
(SDoH): The conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. These are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national, and local levels. Conditions (e.g., social, economic, physical) in these various environments and settings (e.g., school, church, workplace, neighborhood) have been referred to as “place.” In addition to the more material aspects of “place,” patterns of social engagement and sense of security and well-being are also affected by where people live. Resources that enhance quality of life can have a significant influence on population health outcomes (e.g., safe and affordable housing, availability of healthy foods, toxin-free environments). How population groups experience “place” directly impacts the specific social components of SDoH (e.g., access to educational, economic, and job opportunities; public safety; language and literacy) and public components of SDoH (e.g., natural environments, built environments). See here for more details.
The conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. These are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national, and local levels. Conditions (e.g., social, economic, physical) in these various environments and settings (e.g., school, church, workplace, neighborhood) have been referred to as “place.” In addition to the more material aspects of “place,” patterns of social engagement and sense of security and well-being are also affected by where people live.
Resources that enhance quality of life can have a significant influence on population health outcomes (e.g., safe and affordable housing, availability of healthy foods, toxin-free environments). How population groups experience “place” directly impacts the specific social components of SDoH (e.g., access to educational, economic, and job opportunities; public safety; language and literacy) and public components of SDoH (e.g., natural environments, built environments). See here for more details.
Stud
A term originating in the African American lesbian community to describe a dominant gay or bi+ woman who is also masculine and usually African American. More on its usage here.
A term originating in the African American lesbian community to describe a dominant gay or bi+ woman who is also masculine and usually African American. More on its usage here.
Thug
Through consistent misuse, it has taken on racial connotations. It is used to elicit stereotypes of Black criminality and to dehumanize Black people. It’s often used to blame Black people for social unrest and to declare property as more valuable than Black lives.
Through consistent misuse, it has taken on racial connotations. It is used to elicit stereotypes of Black criminality and to dehumanize Black people. It’s often used to blame Black people for social unrest and to declare property as more valuable than Black lives.
Trauma Porn
Refers to art or media that exploits the pain, suffering, and brutalization of marginalized people for the sake of entertainment. These depictions cater to non-marginalized viewers and characters rather than exploring the experience, situation, or POV of the person(s) being victimized. These kinds of depictions are harmful for all viewers as they deny the life and livelihood of those being victimized, devaluing their existence in our communities and society, granting no opportunity for empathy and deeper understanding.
Refers to art or media that exploits the pain, suffering, and brutalization of marginalized people for the sake of entertainment. These depictions cater to non-marginalized viewers and characters rather than exploring the experience, situation, or POV of the person(s) being victimized. These kinds of depictions are harmful for all viewers as they deny the life and livelihood of those being victimized, devaluing their existence in our communities and society, granting no opportunity for empathy and deeper understanding.
U.S. Census
The U.S. Constitution mandates that America gets only one chance every 10 years to count its population. The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States. The data collected determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives (a process called apportionment) and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. Find more here.
The U.S. Constitution mandates that America gets only one chance every 10 years to count its population. The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States. The data collected determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives (a process called apportionment) and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. Find more here.