ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the importance of recognizing and naming everyday structural racism using the fields of Race and Ethnic Studies, Freirean Critical Pedagogy, and Critical Race Theory (CRT). The author traces his journey to Race and Ethnic Studies challenging the “cultural deficit” frame. The author also examines the concept of grit and puts CRT in conversation with grit by showing the importance of naming and recognizing everyday structural racism in the journeys of Students of Color. The chapter provides a history of everyday structural racism confronting African Americans in the United States from 1619 to 2022. Finally, the chapter looks at some promising directions of CRT in STEM fields. The chapter emphasizes the need to recognize and name everyday structural racism to address it effectively and transform society.
