Racism Doesn’t Have an Off Switch. We Can Still Turn Down the Heat.
By Dr. Candice Duvieilh
I grew up in a home where we kept problems out of sight. We saved face, we smiled in public, and we hoped time would fix what we would not name. As an adult, I see our country do something similar with racism and with the tougher parts of our history. We prefer comfort to candor. It might feel easier in the moment, but it never solves the problem.
Racism is not theoretical. It has shaped where families could live, how schools were funded, and who felt safe casting a ballot. These are not footnotes from a distant past. In my own circle, a friend’s relative can still point to a tree where he once feared for his life. That is within living memory. It deserves plain talk.
As a candidate, I am told to avoid the “R-word.” I will not. Naming a problem is the first step to fixing it. If we fail to acknowledge the role that race and ethnicity have played in public life, we will keep repeating the same patterns. We will keep drawing political maps that silence communities. We will keep underfunding classrooms. And people will continue to experience unequal treatment.
Racism does not have an off switch in society or in any one of us. The good news is that we are not powerless. With honesty, time, and intention, we can turn down the heat until it goes out.
That work must include everyone. Black Americans have carried the burden of racism for centuries, and their stories must remain central. But we also need to recognize how bias harms others in our shared community: Latino and Asian American families who face stereotyping and language barriers, Native communities whose histories are often erased, Arab American and Middle Eastern neighbors who confront suspicion, Jewish and Muslim Alabamians who experience bigotry, and immigrants who are told they do not belong. None of us are free from the consequences of division, and all of us have a role in the solution.
Here is how we move forward together.
First, choose truth over myths. Many of us grew up hearing harmful caricatures about people we did not know. Those stories flatten human beings into stereotypes and keep us apart. We can do better by listening to lived experience, reading widely, and teaching accurate history. When we know better, we do better.
Second, fix systems when results are unequal. If discipline data in a school shows that one group of students is punished more harshly than others for the same behavior, that is a red flag. It may not be intentional, but it is still wrong. Transparency, training, restorative practices, and clear accountability help every child learn in a safe and fair environment.
Third, protect the vote and draw fair maps. Elections should be decided by voters, not by politicians picking their voters. Alabama can lead with competitive districts, accessible polling places, and clear rules that make participation easier for every eligible citizen. When more people vote, leaders govern better.
Fourth, invest where it counts. Strong schools, safe communities, good jobs, and modern infrastructure are not partisan ideas. They are the foundation for dignity and opportunity. When we invest in communities that have been overlooked, the whole region grows.
Finally, practice partnership, not paternalism. Black-led organizations and leaders in other communities are already doing the work. The most effective approach is to listen, show up, and collaborate. Partnership respects expertise and builds trust. It does not assume that one group must save another. It recognizes that we rise or fall together.
I know some people say racism is behind us. I disagree respectfully. Desegregation and barrier-breaking elections were important milestones. They were not the finish line. Real progress looks like every child in North Alabama walking into a welcoming classroom, every parent confident in fair opportunities, and every neighbor judged by character and contribution.
This is the kind of community I want for my family and for yours. It is the kind of Alabama that attracts businesses, keeps our graduates here at home, and proves that the South can be both proud of its heritage and honest about its history.
We do not need an off switch to make progress. We need courage, consistency, and each other. If we do that work together, the old stories will lose their power, the temperature will drop, and our children will inherit a state that finally matches our values.
That is a future worth building, and it starts with telling the truth and choosing partnership today.