Shaneka Abdul-Lateef, MS, HS-BCP

In conversations about race, the terms “racial prejudice” and “racism” are often used as if they mean the same thing. While they are closely connected, they are not interchangeable—and understanding the difference between them is critical if we want to have honest, productive conversations about equity and justice. Racial prejudice lives at the individual level. It refers to preconceived beliefs, attitudes, or judgments about a person based solely on their race. These ideas are often shaped...

There’s something I hear all the time in this work: “That wasn’t my intention.” And to be honest, most of the time, I believe people. Most people aren’t trying to cause harm. Most leaders aren’t waking up thinking about how to exclude someone or create inequity in their organization. The intention, more often than not, isn’t the issue. But here’s the part that’s harder to sit with—intent doesn’t erase impact. And if we’re really committed to equity, we have to be willing to hold that truth...

In January 2026, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin filed a civil rights lawsuit against Clark Township, its police department, former mayor Salvatore Bonaccorso, and former police chief Pedro Matos. The allegations are serious: that for more than a decade, town leadership orchestrated a systematic effort to keep Black and non-white individuals out of the community through discriminatory policing. According to the lawsuit, between 2015 and 2020 Black drivers were 3.7 times more...