BIPoC
The acronym "B(I)PoC" is a term that refers to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. The term is intended to explicitly make Black and Indigenous identities visible in order to counteract anti-Black racism and the invisibility of Indigenous communities. The term is intended to highlight the specific violence, cultural erasure, and discrimination experienced by Black and Indigenous people. It also highlights the fact that not all People of Color share the same experiences, especially when it comes to systemic oppression, but also aims to unite the aforementioned communities. The term is political because it is self-defining and empowering. The term is used in both activist and scholarly ways.
People of Color
Person of Color (plural: People of Color, abbreviated PoC) is a term for people who are considered non-white by the majority society and face everyday and other forms of racism because of their ethnicity. In Germany, the term has tended to be used in academic contexts and as a self-designation. People of Color refers to all ethnicized people who are of varying degrees of African, Asian, Latino, Arab, Jewish, Indigenous, or Pacific Islander descent or origin. It connects those who are marginalized by white dominant culture to strengthen anti-racist interventions and alliances.
The following links provide an overview of the BIPoC and People of Color self-designations:
- https://www.ywcaworks.org/blogs/ywca/wed-04062022-0913/why-we-use-bipoc
- https://www.healthline.com/health/bipoc-meaning#what-it-stands-for
What Does "BIPOC" Mean?
What Exactly is a POC?