acquit: to free a person from a criminal charge by a not guilty verdict
Arab: a member of the Arabic-speaking peoples who have historic roots in the Arabian Peninsula and who live mostly in the Middle East
bias: a personal opinion in favor of or against a person or group, usually in a way considered to be unfair or unfounded. The opinion can be explicit (deliberate and obvious) or implicit (subtle or unconscious).
cabinet: the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the US federal government
discrimination: the unequal treatment of different groups of people, especially due to race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation
disproportionate: an unreasonable difference; too large or small compared to a related measurement
equality: fairness based on treating all people the same way
equity: fairness based on giving additional aid or opportunity to people who are disadvantaged by historic and systemic injustices
gerrymandering: the process of manipulating the boundaries of electoral districts to favor a political party or class, often resulting in districts of widely varying size and shape
grand jury: a group, usually made up of twenty-three people, assembled to examine the validity of an accusation before a case goes to trial
hate crime: a crime that is motivated by racial, sexual, or other prejudice and typically involves violence
hijab: a veil or scarf that covers the head and chest, worn by many Muslim women. In some Muslim traditions, hijab refers to an entire outfit covering most of a woman’s body.
Hispanic: of or relating to Spanish-speaking countries, especially those of Latin America. In the United States, Hispanic is often used interchangeably with Latino, Latina, or the gender-neutral Latinx.
indict: to formally charge someone with a crime
infrastructure: the organizational structures, resources, and facilities—such as buildings, roads, and power supplies—needed for the operation of a business, a community, or a society
institutional racism: a pattern of social institutions—including government organizations, schools, banks, and courts of law—treating a group of people unfairly based on their race
Islam: a major world religion founded in 610 CE by the prophet Muhammad in what is now Saudi Arabia
Islamist: a follower of the political ideology of Islamism, which calls for a government that follows an extremely conservative interpretation of Islam
Islamophobia: irrational fear of all Muslims, rooted in the unsubstantiated belief that the religion of Islam inherently promotes violence and hatred of Westerners
Latino: of Latin American origin or descent. The term Latina may refer to a woman or girl. Sometimes the gender-neutral term Latinx is used.
lynch: to kill someone, especially by hanging, for an alleged offense without a legal trial. Historically, black Americans have been the main victims of lynching.
Middle East: a region comprised of southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa that is home to many groups, including Arabs
mosque: a Muslim place of worship
Muslim: a follower of the religion of Islam
net worth: the total monetary value of a person, family, or company after subtracting any debts
police brutality: the use of excessive force—such as the physical abuse or killing of a civilian—by law enforcement officers
prejudice: a preconceived opinion that is based on emotion, not on reality, experience, or reason
racism: the belief that all members of a race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, usually linked to the belief that one’s own race is superior to another
redlining: the practice of marking neighborhoods with populations of color as “red” areas whose residents are ineligible for home loans. The policy was officially used by the Federal Housing Administration and private mortgage companies between 1934 and 1968 to exclude black Americans.
second-degree murder: a killing carried out with hatred, ill will, or spite but not planned ahead of time
stereotype: a widely held but often unfair and untrue belief about a type of person or thing