In the United States, the black minority has a marginalized status due to the existing racial prejudice. Disenfranchising is noticed in many fields, such as education, employment, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and public safety. The problem puts into question the principle of equality considered important in the country. Thus, there is a need for social changes to create equal conditions for both white people and African Americans.
Several statistics prove the existing problem of discrimination in the U.S. American Psychological Association (2017) reports that in 2013, about 12.4% of African-American graduates were unemployed. This number is twice as large as that of their European college counterparts. The Greenlining Institute (2015) found out that dark-skinned people’s enterprises have access to less than 2% of government contracts. According to Matthew et al. (2016), people of color are imprisoned for sentences nearly 20% longer than white men. Thus, black individuals have an unprivileged status in American society.
To solve the issue of discrimination, multicultural and family approaches are implemented. First, both types of consulting need to accept differences as persons of various backgrounds may be members of one family (McLeod, 2013). Second, mutual respect and trust are important for both perspectives since they improve the quality of communication (McLeod, 2013). The third crucial factor is learning a person’s beliefs, culture, and daily life to address clients appropriately (McLeod, 2013). As a counselor assisting African-American household residents, I would learn about their ethnic identity, family history, and cultural background (Vereen et al., 2008). I would further talk to them to understand their fears and pains (Origins Behavioral HealthCare, 2019). My method will develop a sense of togetherness and build their self-esteem.
In conclusion, the Unites States experiences inequality among African-American people due to their skin color, which violates their rights. To settle the matter, multicultural and family assistance need to be utilized and interconnected. An adviser is the one who should deal with biased individuals to overcome their stress and raise their dignity. Thus, it is important to learn the culture and feelings of a person who needs assistance.
References
American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethnic and racial minorities & socioeconomic status.
Origins Behavioral HealthCare. (2019). Can people with addiction change? [Video].
Matthew, D., Rodrigue, E., & Reeves, R. (2016). Time for justice: Tackling race inequalities in health and housing. Brookings Institution.
McLeod, J. (2013). An introduction to counselling (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
The Greenlining Institute (2015). Office of minority and women inclusion: 2014 snapshot of financial regulators’ diversity and inclusion.
Vereen, L., Hill, N., & McNeal, D. (2008). Perceptions of multicultural counseling competency: Integration of the curricular and the practical. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 30(3), 226-236.