Racing Toward Justice: The Importance of Social Issues

Racing Toward Justice: The Importance of Social Issues

Here in the United States, social activism has made an indelible mark on our country. It is part of our nation’s groundwork to afford rights to persons who have been marginalized by race, gender, or other human characteristics.

There have been several social movements that have facilitated justice. Struggling for equality and social justice is the basis that all great changes have been predicated upon, including civil rights, women’s rights, and the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.

Research conducted by University of San Francisco Associate Professor and Fulbright Scholar Richard Greggory Johnson III further investigated this subject. His paper entitled “The Importance of Social Movements and the Intersection of Social Equity” studies the social movements of the past decades, with a deep dive into the most compelling issues that have shaped our nation.

Johnson begins by defining social equity as “a mechanism by which all human beings are afforded the same basic rights in a civilized society.” His writings go on to discuss the challenges faced by Americans since the 1950’s to today – including equality in employment, housing, pay, marriage, religion, gender, race, disability, veteran status and more.

All of the movements outlined in Johnson’s paper provide a wide view of socio-political achievement, as well as missed opportunity, for social equity and public administration scholars to reflect upon. He also looks at variances among acceptance levels across different ethnic populations and international communities.

In conclusion, there remains a significant opportunity for social equity scholars like Johnson to continue researching and investigating human rights issues. There is both a need and a desire for the production and advancement of new knowledge in this realm. Scholars who step out of their comfort zone to explore the most difficult and challenging equality issues may find that the rewards are greater than the risk.