The Racism We Don’t See | Chrisma Adjetey | TEDxSaltwater P9 College Youth

Quick Overview

Chrisma Adjetey powerfully recounts her personal experiences as the only Black student in her class in Melbourne, Australia, detailing how subtle forms of racism, like dismissive jokes and comments about her appearance, negatively impacted her self-esteem and confidence, urging the audience to actively notice and speak up against these hidden forms of discrimination to create inclusive spaces.

Key Points: Chrisma Adjetey experienced subtle racism in Melbourne, Australia, where one in three students reported experiencing racism, significantly higher than the 16% reported by Indigenous and multicultural students. The speaker shared how casual jokes, whispers in hallways, and comments about her hair, skin, or food, even if intended as compliments, made her feel small and constantly aware of being different. She recounted an experience where she stood proud at her Year 6 graduation but felt diminished the next day by negative comments, leading her to realize the lasting scar these moments leave on self-esteem and confidence. Adjetey emphasizes that hidden racism often comes from subtle sources like jokes, nicknames, or assumptions, not just overt hate speech. She challenges the audience to actively notice these small moments of bias and speak up, suggesting that schools and teachers should treat racism as a serious issue, not just a form of bullying. The core message is that everyone has the power to notice and speak out against these seemingly small acts to change the world and ensure every child feels they belong.

Context: Chrisma Adjetey delivers a personal TEDx talk at the Saltwater P-9 College Youth event, focusing on the damaging effects of subtle, hidden racism she experienced as a young Black student in Melbourne, Australia. She uses her own story, particularly from her primary school years, to illustrate how seemingly minor prejudiced comments and actions accumulate to affect one's sense of self-worth and belonging.

Detailed Analysis

Chrisma Adjetey delivers a poignant account of experiencing hidden racism as the sole Black student in her class in Melbourne, Australia. She highlights that this subtle racism, often masked as jokes, compliments about physical features (hair, skin), or assumptions, is pervasive, citing a statistic that 67% of Victorian students reported experiencing racism, with Indigenous and multicultural students reporting it at nearly double that rate. She recounts feeling proud at her Year 6 graduation only to have her confidence eroded the next day by negative comments, illustrating the lasting scar these moments leave on self-esteem and confidence. Adjetey argues that this hidden prejudice, unlike overt hate, often comes from casual remarks and assumptions. She directly challenges the audience, including educators, to stop treating these microaggressions as mere jokes or bullying, but as a serious issue requiring attention. Her call to action is for everyone to notice these small instances and speak up, as collective small actions can change the world and ensure every child feels they belong, not just when celebrating cultural days, but every day.