Changing words doesn't change the racism behind them

President Barack Obama this year signed a new law that changes the official terms the federal government will use for racial identities. But is an official switch from "Negro" to "African American" and from "Oriental" to "Asian American" in the course of federal business a meaningful change? In this commentary, youth media reporter Edgardo Cervano-Soto notes that this shift away from outdated terms comes at a time when hateful rhetoric plays out daily in mainstream media stories. "It’s a small gesture attempting to rectify the past. I only hope we can impact the present, too." Read the commentary at Richmond Pulse.