Class Act

Racism and prejudice, as well as class privilege, are prevalent issues in American society today. Lingering effects from abuses of the past, poor government policy-making, and racial segregation affect ethnic minorities throughout the United States. 2020 FBI data shows that 61.8 percent of hate crimes in the United States are based on ethnicity or race, making violent acts of racism an urgent issue.

Covert racism and stereotyping play roles in how ethnic minorities are viewed and treated as well; examples include hiring bias, exclusion from social events or groups, and name-calling. These issues affect people’s quality of life, self-image, and how they feel about their place as Americans. Similarly, privilege based on class is largely related to ethnicity, with African Americans at the forefront of this disparity. According to recent data from The Peter G Peterson Foundation (2020), Black people in America make an average of $30,000 less per year than white families. Class privilege causes disparities in education, social dynamics, self-esteem and health, and opportunities to advance economically. In the Bronx where Class Act takes place, systemic racism and racial inequalities are more pronounced than many places in the United States; segregated housing developments, pervasive unemployment, and a general lack of attention are largely to blame for this problem.

Class Act is a graphic novel that centers on the sociopolitical issue of racism and class privilege in America. Protagonist Drew is African American and lives with his grandmother; his parents are absent (not even mentioned in the book), and his grandmother works two jobs to be able to afford their small apartment in the inner-city. Drew is regularly harassed and receives unwanted touching because of his thick, curly hair; he is singled out and stereotyped by his teacher, Mr. Roche, and is told by schoolmate Andy that he cannot dress up as Thor for Halloween. He attends the prestigious Riverdale Academy Day School (RAD) on a scholarship and constantly feels pressured to “work twice as hard to go half as far” (8), speaking to the unfair income disparities that Black Americans face. He is acutely aware of how “lucky” he is to attend RAD and laments his teacher inviting students from a neighboring inner-city school, as the disparity between the classes is made obvious. Drew also struggles to come to terms with how his friend, Liam (who is white), is so rich and has so much while his own family struggles to make ends meet, despite working much harder.

We see another aspect of racism against young Black Americans in the character of Jordan. Jordan, as a lighter-skinned Black boy, faces colorism. It’s difficult for him to find a place among either his Black peers or his white peers because of his perceived difference. Jordan notes that everyone seems to forget he is Black. He illustrates this problem in one of his comics, noting “While they’ll say things to [Drew] like: ‘I would have NEVER thought you were this smart.’ They’ll say things to me like: ‘Oh you’re not like the others, Jordan, you’re not really Black’” (53). Jordan asserts that it is the world that divides him and Drew based on their skin color, as they are more alike than different.