What is BIPOC?
What is Bipoc, Meaning, definition, and why it Matter
by Marine Kalamandaryan, Executive Director at LA Community Alliance
Updated: December 2025
Introduction
In recent years, the term BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) has gained prominence in discussions about race, equity, and social justice. But what is BIPOC , and why does the meaning of BIPOC Matter ? Understanding this definition helps us recognize how Black, Indigenous, and People of Color experience systemic inequities. This article breaks down the BIPOC definition, explains why the term was created, and highlights why centering communities of color is critical for building a more inclusive and equitable society.
What Does BIPOC Mean?
BIPOC is an acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Unlike broader terms like "POC" (People of Color), BIPOC intentionally highlights the unique historical and systemic oppression faced specifically by Black and Indigenous communities. When people search for “what is BIPOC” or “BIPOC meaning,” this distinction is the core definition.
BIPOC vs POC: What’s the Difference?
Many people also ask:
“Who are People of Color?”
“What is the person of color definition?”
People of Color” includes anyone who is not white, but BIPOC centers those who have faced the deepest impacts of colonization, slavery, and racial injustice. This clarification helps avoid oversimplification and ensures that conversations about communities of color acknowledge the layered realities different groups face.
Why the Term BIPOC Exists
The term “BIPOC” was created to recognize the specific, historical oppression rooted in colonialism, slavery, Indigenous land theft, racial violence, and systemic inequities. While all People of Color face discrimination, the experiences of Black and Indigenous people include unique forms of oppression that are essential to acknowledge. The term also connects to discussions around:
• Specificity: Recognizes that anti-Black racism, colonization, and genocide against Indigenous peoples require targeted advocacy and awareness.
• Visibility: Calls attention to disparities often erased in broader racial justice conversations.
• Example: Indigenous peoples experience the highest poverty rates in the U.S. (12.8% vs. the national average of 11.6%, U.S. Census 2022), showing systemic inequities that disproportionately affect these communities.
• Solidarity: Builds unity among marginalized groups while acknowledging their unique histories and struggles.Specificity: Recognizes that anti-Black racism, colonization, and genocide against Indigenous peoples require targeted advocacy.
The Historical Context of BIPOC
Understanding what BIPOC means requires looking at the historical systems that shaped the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in the United States. The term reflects the long legacy of anti-Black racism, colonization, and systemic discrimination that continues to impact communities of color today. For Black Americans, the history of slavery, segregation, and intentional exclusion created deep inequities in wealth, housing, healthcare, and criminal justice. These structural barriers still show up in racial disparities across nearly every major institution.
Indigenous peoples experienced centuries of land theft, forced displacement, cultural erasure, and broken treaties. These injustices contribute to ongoing inequities in healthcare access, education, economic opportunity, and sovereignty. Today, many Indigenous communities continue to fight for basic rights and resources that were stripped away over generations.
The BIPOC framework also highlights intersectionality, recognizing how race interacts with gender, class, and immigration status. Indigenous women, for example, face disproportionately high rates of violence, while Black immigrants experience both racial discrimination and immigration-based barriers. These overlapping pressures deepen marginalization for many individuals.
By acknowledging these histories and lived realities, the term BIPOC ensures that conversations about equity do not treat all experiences as identical. Instead, it centers the communities who have faced the most severe and enduring forms of oppression and establishes a more accurate foundation for advocacy, policy development, and community support.
Why Understanding BIPOC Matters
Centering BIPOC voices isn’t just about terminology, it’s about equity, representation, and justice. Understanding what BIPOC means is critical because it uncovers how systemic inequities impact communities of color and shapes access, opportunity, and social outcomes.
1.Exposes Systemic Inequities
Wealth Gap: The median white family has 8x the wealth of a Black family (Brookings Institution).
Criminal Justice: Black Americans are 5x more likely to be incarcerated than white Americans (NAACP).
Health Disparities: Indigenous communities face life expectancies 5.5 years shorter than the national average (CDC).
2. Drives Inclusive Policies
Using BIPOC ensures policies address specific needs, such as:
Tribal healthcare funding.
Access to benefits and education.
Language access for immigrant communities.
3. Amplifies Marginalized Voices
The BIPOC framework challenges a narrow, generalized approach to racial justice by uplifting voices and lived experiences often left out of mainstream conversations. Many people search for why understanding BIPOC matters because it brings visibility to groups whose histories and stories are frequently erased. Amplifying these perspectives builds solidarity while acknowledging the unique struggles and strengths across communities of color.
Challenges Faced by BIPOC Communities
While BIPOC communities are resilient, systemic barriers persist:
Housing Discrimination:
Historical redlining, gentrification, and rising housing costs disproportionately displace BIPOC families. Many communities of color are pushed into overcrowded or unstable housing environments due to discriminatory lending, exclusionary zoning, and limited affordable housing options. These patterns continue to create gaps in long-term stability and wealth building.
Education Gaps:
Schools that serve predominantly BIPOC communities often receive fewer resources, less funding, and have limited access to advanced coursework and support services. These disparities restrict educational opportunities for students of color and reinforce long-term inequities in income, college access, and career mobility.
Environmental Racism:
Communities of color are more likely to live near toxic waste sites, industrial facilities, and areas with poor air and water quality. This environmental injustice exposes BIPOC communities, especially low-income Black and Indigenous families, to higher risks of chronic illness, respiratory issues, and long-term health complications.
Police and Systemic Force
Many BIPOC individuals face disproportionate policing, over criminalization, and unequal treatment within the justice system. These patterns reflect broader issues of racial profiling, excessive use of force, and structural biases that continue to harm communities of color across the country.
Supporting BIPOC Peers with Genuine Care
Genuine care begins with simply asking, “How are you, really?” and listening with empathy. While BIPOC communities face unique systemic challenges, we all share universal human experiences—joys, struggles, hopes, and fears. By connecting through these shared truths, we build trust and understanding across community of color. Celebrate common ground, whether it’s love for family, career aspirations, or navigating life’s ups and downs. Being “good people” means showing up consistently: checking in without agenda, offering support without saviorism, and standing against injustice while nurturing kindness in everyday actions. True allyship grows when we see each other as whole humans first, especially when supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who often face systemic inequities.
Moving Toward Equity
Understanding what BIPOC mean is more than learning a term, it’s a commitment to dismantling systems that harm Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. By educating ourselves, advocating for justice, and amplifying marginalized voices, we can build a future where equity isn’t an aspiration but a reality for Bipoc communities and communities of color.
True progress requires acknowledging systemic inequities and working collectively to address them. When we center the experiences of those most impacted by discrimination, we strengthen our shared responsibility to create lasting change. Moving toward equity means continuing to listen, learn, and uplift the voices and needs of marginalized communities, making justice accessible to everyone.
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