Unpacking and Transforming Your Biases For A Better Community | Denise Hernandez | TEDxSanAntonio

Summary

The speaker recounts a transformative leadership workshop that challenged their preconceptions and fostered camaraderie among diverse students. They delve into implicit biases, citing the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and its revelations about unconscious attitudes. The talk explores how these biases manifest in employment, education, and criminal justice, using examples like the 'resume experiment' and teacher biases. The speaker advocates for awareness and action against systemic oppression, urging individuals to confront their biases and hold leaders accountable for change.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Early experiences, such as a leadership workshop, can challenge perceptions and foster unexpected camaraderie among diverse groups of individuals.
• 🤔 Implicit biases are unconscious attitudes and stereotypes that affect our understanding and behavior, often contradicting our declared beliefs.
• 📊 The Implicit Association Test (IAT) helps to uncover our unconscious biases, which can be surprising and unsettling but are crucial for self-awareness.
• 🏢 Employment discrimination is prevalent, with studies showing that white applicants are often favored over equally qualified applicants of color.
• 🏫 Teachers' biases can significantly impact students, with research indicating that they may spend more time interacting with male students and prompt them to think more deeply.
• 👮‍♂️ Racial biases in the criminal justice system lead to disproportionate targeting and use of force against people of color, contributing to systemic oppression.
• 🔍 Recognizing and confronting our individual biases is the first step towards dismantling systemic oppression and promoting equality.
• 🌐 Community engagement and cultural understanding are key to breaking down barriers and fostering a more inclusive society.
• 🌟 Individual empowerment and the pursuit of self-improvement can contribute to broader societal change, even in the face of deeply ingrained prejudices.
• 🌈 Embracing diversity and learning from one another can lead to personal growth and positive social impact, as demonstrated by the speaker's experiences in San Antonio.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the leadership workshop attended by the speaker?

The purpose of the leadership workshop was to bring together a diverse group of students to participate in team-building activities and share stories, ultimately challenging their perceptions of each other and fostering a sense of camaraderie.

How did the speaker's experience at the leadership workshop change their perspective on their peers?

The speaker's experience at the workshop challenged their initial skepticism about the diverse group of students being leaders. It led to a breakthrough moment where they realized the shared humanity and struggles among the students, which helped shape their life and passion for reaching out to others beyond superficial judgments.

What is an implicit bias, and how does it affect our understanding?

Implicit bias refers to the unconscious attitudes and stereotypes that affect our understanding and behavior without our conscious knowledge. These biases can influence our actions and decisions in both positive and negative ways, often contradicting our declared beliefs.

What is the Implicit Association Test (IAT), and why was it created?

The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is a psychological test designed by Dr. Anthony Greenwald and colleagues to measure the strength of a person's automatic preferences for one thing over another. It was created to better understand how unconscious attitudes may differ from our conscious beliefs and to reveal disconnects between them.

How does implicit bias manifest in the job market according to the script?

Implicit bias in the job market can lead to discrimination where applicants with white-sounding names receive more callbacks and interview opportunities than those with names perceived as belonging to racial minorities, even when qualifications are identical.

What is the school-to-prison pipeline, and how does it relate to implicit bias?

The school-to-prison pipeline refers to the policies and practices that push children and youth from schools into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. It is related to implicit bias as teachers' unconscious biases can lead to disproportionately harsh treatment and lower expectations for students of color, which can contribute to their involvement with the criminal justice system.

How do racial biases affect the outcomes of police interactions as mentioned in the script?

Racial biases can lead to quicker and more frequent use of force against black individuals compared to white individuals during police interactions. This bias is evident in studies showing that black targets are shot more quickly and often than white targets.

What steps can individuals take to combat implicit biases according to the speaker?

Individuals can combat implicit biases by understanding and confronting their own biases, which can start with taking an implicit attitude test. Dismantling these biases requires ongoing, conscious effort and holding oneself and others accountable.

Why does the speaker consider themselves a 'realistic optimist'?

The speaker considers themselves a 'realistic optimist' because, despite acknowledging the likelihood that prejudices like racism and sexism may never be completely eradicated, they remain hopeful and inspired by the impact of individual empowerment and the potential for positive change.

How does the speaker's love for San Antonio influence their perspective on community and diversity?

The speaker's love for San Antonio is rooted in a mission larger than themselves and is influenced by the city's unique blend of beauty and diversity. They believe that by looking past personal comfort and limits, individuals can learn from each other, seek change, and make a real positive impact within their communities.