In the wake of the killing of Michael Brown, much attention has been paid to the way race and racism operate in police forces, communities, and the media. In "
I am Racist, And So Are You," writer Rachel Shadoan argues that implicit racial biases are so pervasive that it is seemingly impossible to not hold some racial prejudices.
Implicit biases refer to stereotypical judgments and pretenses that operate on an often subconscious level and are learned through family, peers, or the media. While often subtle, these biases reinforce an unequal racial hierarchy that privileges some individuals, and discriminates against others.
Protests in Ferguson, MO after the killing of Michael Brown
In an earlier blog post we wrote about a
new project from MTV that aims to combat everyday biases in race, gender, and sexuality.
What do you think? Does everyone hold some biases? Is everyone racist? Can a member of a privileged identity group, whether in race, gender, or sexuality, not be biased? How? What are ways we can combat bias in schools, communities, and in our police forces? Let us know in the comments!
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