Back to Anti-Racism I
University of Colorado Boulder

Anti-Racism I

Anti-Racism I is an introduction to the topic of race and racism in the United States. The primary audience for this course is anyone who is interested in learning about race/racism in the US who has never taken a course in critical race or ethnic studies or affiliated fields (indeed, who may not know what the fields of critical race studies or ethnic studies are), who has never read a book about race/racism, or attended any race equity or diversity trainings on the topic of race/racism. In this course you will learn how to: - Use and comprehend contemporary intersectional terminology through a provided glossary - Critically discuss “whiteness” - Recognize the concept of White privilege that all White people have whether they want that privilege or not and to differentiate between White supremacy as a systemic concept vs. White supremacists (who are professional racists like the KKK). - Distinguish between being not racist and being anti-racist - Define systemic and institutional racism - Accept the unequal history of race and racism in the United States that has created racial hierarchies that has disenfranchised Black Americans - Share with others the true foundations of United States’s histories beginning with the acknowledgement of settler colonialism and the rewards that White people have received due to White supremacy and Black oppression. - Talk about race and racism - Explain why phrases like “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” are racist - Recognize that anyone can be anti-racist--it only takes the dedication and decision to be anti-racist, to educate yourself about the history of racism in the US and then to talk in an anti-racist way and to act as an anti-racist Course logo image credit: Liam Edwards, 06/04/2021. Available on Unsplash at https://unsplash.com/photos/x15GAQNepcQ

Status: Social Justice
Status: Intercultural Competence
BeginnerCourse16 hours

Featured reviews

AG

5.0Reviewed Dec 4, 2022

I found the material in this course to be well curated, engaging, highly influential, and pertinent in informing the future of my work and personal life.

MP

5.0Reviewed Oct 17, 2021

Absolutely essential course to help understand how North America colonialism has been founded on racism and how to start dismantling it.

RR

5.0Reviewed Nov 9, 2025

Very informative, engaging and reflective. Great start, looking forward to the next two.

IW

5.0Reviewed Oct 14, 2021

Excellent course! Insightful and lots of heavy topics to absorb and build a new understanding

M

4.0Reviewed Jun 9, 2025

I'd love to give this course 5 stars because the conversations are indeed engaging; however, some of the source materials and video links were unfortunately inactive.

OO

5.0Reviewed Mar 7, 2022

Seeeing people in others and applying anti-racist work, empathy and love in my workplace/community.

KB

5.0Reviewed May 23, 2023

This course really opened my eyes to my past history of white privilege. I now aspire to be an anti-racist and have purchased several of the recommended books on my journey to becoming anti-racist!

MZ

5.0Reviewed Jun 27, 2022

It is a complete and interesting course for learning about systemic racism and anti-racism

TR

5.0Reviewed Mar 25, 2021

Shawn and Jennifer made this course easy and learn and understand social injustices past and present. I look forward to the idea of Anti-Racism II.

CA

5.0Reviewed Nov 16, 2021

The course is very interesting, I really enjoyed having participated in this course and now I can face the challenges that I will face in my daily life related to racism

LM

5.0Reviewed Jun 29, 2022

I have been struggling with how to talk about rascism, and did not realise how much I play a role in it. This course has helped me with the tools I needed and I am taking the next class to learn more.

TM

5.0Reviewed Jan 23, 2021

This course has been an excellent start to my education around what it means to be anti-racist. My education has just begun and I look forward to Anti-Racism II. Thank you for this opportunity!

All reviews

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