Hate speech and racist materials are delivered to various people of color in Bellingham and around the county.
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In September 2000 a Black man had a racist flyer left on his van at the downtown library. Around the same time, a Lummi High School student was hand-delivered a letter describing the Lummis as “savages”. In preceeding months students at Ferndale High School and a local family who were African American were also targeted with hate speech. As a protest against hate speech, a rally was held in Bellingham and a candle light vigil was held in Ferndale.
Racist Incidents in September 2000
Hate speech against Lummi teen
These incidents are only a few examples of the hate speech, racial slurs, and more subtle forms of racism many people of color have experienced for years in and around Bellingham.
Though the numbers of individuals engaged in explicitly racist speech may be relatively small today, the cumulative impact of such speech, combined with more subtle forms of implicit bias and micro-indignities against people of color, has been proven to undermine the health and well-being of people of color.
For more information on the link between racism and health, see:
How Racism and Microaggressions Lead to Worse Health Outcomes
Multiple Pathways Linking Racism to Health Outcomes
A Systematic Review of Empirical Research on Self-Reported Racism and Health