Race, Media, & the State

“Race is the expression of the mutually constitutive effects of media, science, the state, and economic markers” (Ouellette & Gray 162).

In this quote, Ouellette and Gray seem to be saying that factors such as media and the state create what society views as “race,” and how various races are portrayed and represented. One of the first thoughts that came to me while reading this quote is how minorities, specifically Black people, are portrayed in the media and treated by law enforcement. We have seen movements such as Black Lives Matter attempt to raise awareness of these issues and to attempt to combat them, only for these social and racial justice advocates to meet even more resistance from the media and the state. I felt this picture interestingly incorporates the Black Lives Matter movement, media, and victims of police brutality into one photo.