Throughout history, equality has seemed like an unfulfilled goal in many areas of the world; most of these cases have involved different races. Some people may tend to focus on the physical elements of a person’s character, such as the color of their skin; however, everyone is born with the freedoms of justice and equal rights, but it’s not always the case that plays into the motions of everyday life. Whether it is dirty looks in the hallways, inappropriate comments, name calling, less pay, or simply favoritism, racial discrimination has a role in the lives of millions of people every day.

With that being said, what exactly is racial equality? Is it simply ignoring skin color? Or is it seeing everyone as one person? According to junior Jackie Sistrunk, the meaning is so much more.

“I think racial equality is when everyone gets the same opportunities and when everyone is treated equally,” Sistrunk said. “Everyone’s fair to everyone, no matter their skin color or anything like that.”

Racism does not appear out of thin air, it stems from old experiences and from generations of beliefs. If a child grew up with racist parents, they are more likely to be taught those values and carry them with them throughout their life because they do not know better.

“Some people have been taught to hate because of color, that’s just how society has been with slavery, with discrimination [and] with segregation,” sophomore Jack Bay said. “[For] a lot of people, that’s what they’re used to, and that’s what they’re born to know.”

Fortunately, there is still hope for more of a universal establishment of equality.

“I say stand up for what you believe is right or not right because at the end of the day, change starts with one person,” junior Anli Butler said. “If one person can speak their mind and say what’s wrong, it will cause discussion and hopefully change.”

Change is not guaranteed but it is a possibility. With the recent generation, acceptance isn’t untouchable anymore due to the diversity that exists on social media. As millenials, there is progress being made. but as a society, there is still so much more room for improvement.