You're a Little Bit Racist

 

Is everyone a little bit racist?

We are not born with prejudice. We learn it. It builds up throughout our lives, through our experiences and societal reinforcement.  Consciously or not, we are influenced by everything we see in the media, on the street, in schools, and in the workplace. And of course, our view of the world is greatly shaped by the things our friends, family, parents and grandparents say, and do.

As individuals, we all subconsciously internalize these experiences, and it can result in unfortunate assumptions about members of certain social groups that we may view as “other.”  This is implicit bias, and it shapes our behavior - often subtly - which consequently, perpetuates inequality in our society.

In today’s episode, we explore racial bias, how we recognize our own patterns and how to unwind them. We speak with Dr. Evelyn Carter, an expert in implicit bias, and with Pastor Ron Buford, the founder of Racists Anonymous, a program based on Alcoholics Anonymous, that helps me acknowledge and unwind their inherent prejudice.

You can access the RA Quick Start Guide here.  

---

About the Commune Podcast

Hosted by Jeff Krasno, the Commune podcast features thoughtful conversations for modern times. Not always comfortable but definitely needed, we explore both humanity and our human-ness. How can we live healthy, purpose-filled lives and be in service of something bigger? Guests include spiritual teachers, poets, scientists, philosophers, and activists for food sustainability, functional medicine, mental and physical health, and collective healing.