Chapter 12: Conclusion – “We hold these truths to be self-evident” 

 

When 56 men formally signed the Declaration of Independence, and 39 signed the United States Constitution, the Matrix of Race was ratified, codified, and enshrined in the very fabric of our Nation. Already, for over 2 hundred years, a genocidal war had been waged against the Native People; their rights to humanity, land, and life itself had been nullified. Slavery had become law, women had been excluded, and economic divisions had become established. These defined the intersectional identities that would be incorporated into every institution, practice, and policy that would become known as the United States. And for 250 years, a continuous struggle has endured as the great masses of people have worked to be included in the edict “that all (people) are created equal, that their Creator endows them with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”.   This struggle not only summarizes our history as a Nation but also helps interpret the stories that comprise our collective experiences and us as a people.

“We the people” are defined by a set of choices, not biology; a set of structures, not intrinsic characteristics or culture; a set of stories of different groups, not a single story told by those in power; and a set of realities that shifts over time. The Matrix of Race captures the multiple components of our intersectional identities operating within various, interlocking institutions across time and geography. This has been our journey, and this we shall explore in this final chapter and conclusion.