Racism is the unfair treatment of people, or negative beliefs about them, based on their race or ethnicity. When someone practices racism, they judge others not by their character, actions, or abilities, but simply by what they look like or where their ancestors came from.

Racism can show up in obvious ways, like refusing to hire qualified workers because of their race, or in subtler forms, like assuming things about someone's intelligence or behavior based on stereotypes. Throughout history, racism has caused tremendous suffering around the world, including slavery in the Americas, apartheid in South Africa, and discrimination against minorities in many countries.

The word racist describes both the attitudes (a racist belief that one race is superior to another) and the people who hold them (a racist is someone who treats others unfairly based on race). Fighting racism means treating everyone as individuals and judging them by what they do and who they are, rather than making assumptions based on their appearance or background.

Understanding racism helps people recognize unfairness when they see it and work toward treating everyone with equal respect and dignity, regardless of race, ethnicity, appearance, or background.