Racism can be expressed by individuals through stereotyping, avoidance, exclusion, biased behaviour, or overt acts of race-based violence. It also shows up in less visible ways through policies, practices, and institutional structures that disadvantage racialised people—even when harm is unintended. Because racism is tied to power—who has power and who is given power by society—it extends beyond personal interactions and is embedded in the systems and cultural norms that shape society. 

In post-secondary education, racism can be seen in stereotypes of how certain ethnicities and cultures may act or perform on coursework and in their areas of studies; in classroom dynamics that silence or tokenize racialized students; and in an underrepresentation of marginalized racialised perspectives in curriculum, faculty, staff, and leadership. Systemic barriers such as inequitable hiring practices, limited support for racialized students, and underrepresentation in decision-making roles can further reinforce exclusion. Building anti-racist campuses benefits everyone by creating learning environments where all students can participate fully, feel safe, and see themselves reflected in their institution.

Racist microaggressions often sound casual but signal who is seen as out-of-place. Repeated over time, they undermine belonging and reinforce harmful patterns in grading, safety, and representation.

Macroaggressions are overt, obvious, or institutionalised forms of discrimination. These can be individual actions, like slurs, harassment, exclusion, or targeting someone because of their identity. They can also be systemic patterns, such as inaccessible buildings, biased policies, or a lack of support for marginalised students.  

Where microaggressions are often subtle and unintentional, macroaggressions are more direct, and their impact is immediate, harmful, and serious.