What subconscious biases do you have that you aren't aware of? with Alyssa Hall

What does anti-racism mean on a daily basis? It involves taking a deep dive into subconscious biases and innate prejudices that aren't recognized. Biases are prevalent despite the significant anti-racism efforts of the past. What biases do you have that you aren't aware of? It is so much better to be curious versus judging. We can't fully understand what others are going through, we haven't walked in their shoes. - Robyn Graham Anti-racism work is not about becoming color blind When people say they don't see another person's color, it is from a place of thinking you are just like me, and I'm not holding your color against you. But, in reality, what is also being said, is I don't see color, meaning I don't see the layers of your experience. It is important when speaking about anti-racism, to recognize that people experience the world differently. When color and differences in experiences aren't taken into consideration, it becomes difficult, or maybe impossible to support people the way they need to be supported. The experiences we have on a daily basis are what make us who we are. When we strip this away we lose sight of who the person actually is. It almost forces that person to shift into the version you see them as. This makes them feel they must mold or assimilate into what you expect them to be. One can't fully express themselves when suppressing who they truly are and it becomes exhausted. Anti-racism is not seeing a lack of color. Listen to episode 50, here. Making assumptions that we are all the same - stems from subconscious biases It is easy to make assumptions about a group of people, for instance, that they have the same cultural background just because of the color of their skin. Some common assumptions based on subconscious biases: That one person in the demographic can speak to everyone else in that demographic. Seek an expert to speak from an educational perspective. People of the same skin color are of the same ethnic background. Caricaturing a person or group of people who are of another ethnic background Stereotyping is one form of subconscious biases An example of subconscious biases and prejudice is can be found in the real estate industry.  Appraisals for homes that are owned by a black person are going to appraise for less. The appraiser isn't a bad person, he is just bringing his innate bias into the situation of appraising the home. Biases come from a lack of knowledge and exposure growing up. They are most often unintentional subconscious biases. Therefore, we have to catch our brains and be conscientious about our thoughts and feelings about other people of different ethnic backgrounds. When we mention any group of people having bias, it is important to notice where the bias is originating from. If there is a difference in power between races or demographics, it can be dangerous because it can affect the wealth and outcomes of a person in a given situation. Read the full show notes and access all links.