How does institutional racism differ from individual acts of prejudice?

Institutional racism refers to the ways that organizations and systems, like schools or the government, can create unfair advantages for some groups while disadvantaging others based on race. This kind of racism is built into the rules and practices of these institutions, making it harder for certain racial groups to succeed, even if the people working there don’t actively hold prejudiced beliefs. For example, if a school has strict disciplinary policies that disproportionately affect students of a certain race, it reflects institutional racism rather than just individual bias. In contrast, individual acts of prejudice are personal feelings or actions, like someone making a racist comment or treating someone poorly based on their race. While both types of racism are harmful, institutional racism is more about the larger systems that shape our society.