By Avvy Go and Chris Buckley
March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, as named by the United Nations. The day commemorates the lives that were lost during the fight for democracy and an end to apartheid in South Africa. On March 21, 1960, police shot and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, who were protesting against the apartheid laws.
For far too long, race has defined one’s opportunity in the workplace.
Racial discrimination extends into the far reaches of the work world: racialized workers are often not considered for jobs or promotions, and they are much more frequently employed in insecure, low-waged jobs with few protections or opportunities for advancement — despite comparable education, experience and skills.