Talking About Race -- Memo

7/30/2019 Talking About Race -- Memo

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RESETTINGAVISIONOFRACEFORTHE21STCENTURY:INSIGHTSFROMTHEMINDSCIENCES

ByRachelGodsilandAlexisMcGillJohnson

August13,2013

AmericansrememberthenowiconicIHaveaDreamSpeechasthecrystallizationofthe

CivilRightsMovementsvisionofracialequality.Theupcoming50thAnniversaryofthespeech

creates a remarkable opportunity to define a 21st Century vision of racial equality. This

momentwillbeinterpretedbymanyasareferendumontherelatedbutdistinctquestionsof

howmuchprogresswevemadeandwhetherracecontinuestomatter.Ourracialprogressis

undeniableandthevastmajorityofAmericansholdegalitarianaspirations.Yetourpractices

donot live uptoour conscious aspirations. The challenge is toaddressthis realitywithout

furtherpolarizingthecountry-particularlybecausetheculturalconversationwilloccurinthe

fraughtaftermathof theZimmermanverdictandSupremeCourtrulingsonaffirmativeaction

andtheVotingRightsAct.Despitecontinuedsegregationandintenseracialpolarization,the

SupremeCourtinparticularistiltingtowardanadoptionofthecolor-blindvisionandaway

fromtheideathatgovernmenthasaroletoplayinensuringracialequality.

Theconceptofcolor-blindness,ofcourse,isacaricatureoftheimageofanationwhere

theywillnotbejudgedbythecoloroftheirskinbutbytheircharacterandatransformationof

thatcaricatureintoanideology.Thecolor-blindmemehasalsobeenaverysuccessfulstrategy

for the Right. It appeals to White peoples sense of fairness and egalitarian values, isaspirationalinnature,appealstoAmericanindividualism,andallowstheRighttocallanyone

whodiscussesracearacist.Mostegregiously,weseethisstrategyatworkinthelabelingof

PresidentObamatherace-baiterinchiefduetohiseffortstospeaktotherealitiesofracein

contemporarysociety.Thecurrentstrategyforrespondingto color-blindnessistohighlight

disparities,butforreasonsdiscussedbelow,thatstrategyis likelytofail,and,indeed,hasnot

beensuccessfulthusfar.

Though the color-blind ideology has permeated our culture, it has not entered our

subconscious. Neuroscience and social psychology show empirically that 21st century

Americans are far from color-blind. Instead,we all have deeply embedded stereotypical

associations(implicitbiases)thataffectourbehavioranddecisions.Studiesfurthershowthatpeople ofall racesexperience racial anxietywhen interactingwith people ofother races.

Equallyimportant,however,istheresearchshowingthat:

Ournegativestereotypesflowfromimagesthatpermeatetheculture.Accordingly,wecantransformperceptionsbychallengingthosenegativeimagesandintroducingmore

fullyhumanizedvisionsofpeopleofcolorthatwilltransformournegativeassociations.


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If we know about our biases and anxieties, we can follow our conscious egalitarianvalues.

Racialbiasandanxietyarenotintractablebutracialequalityrequiresustounderstandhowracematters.

Social science research provides the empirical support to deconstruct the tenets that

underlietheideologyofcolorblindnessandtheclaimsthatwearepost-racial.Butthisresearch

allows us to communicate thismessagewhile affirming peoples egalitarianaspirations and

positive intentions. Weneed todrawa distinctionbetween the common understandingof

racismasexplicitandintentional,theprovinceofWhitesupremacistslikeBullConnor,and

raceasanimplicitandunconsciousdriverofouropinionsandactions.Andweneedtobe

morecoordinatedanddisciplinedaroundmessagesthatspeaktothefollowing:

People literally and physiologically cannot be colorblind; color-blindness does notworkasapractice.

Whiletheideathatweallcanjudgeandbejudgedbasedpurelyonthecontentofourcharactermay seemtobe awonderful aspirationtoworktowards, itis not actually

possible.

The ideology of individual responsibility ignores the multitude of racialized practicesthatcausemuchpresentdayinequality.Weneednotandshouldnotdenyindividual

agency or personal responsibility but we should also not rely on it as a sole

explanationforracialdisparity.Weneedtomakeclearthatgovernmentvisavispolicy

hasaroletoplayinallowingindividualstheopportunitytoreachtheirpotential.

Our cultural history (indeed the Civil Rights Movement soon to be celebrated) alsosupportsamodelofcollectiveresponsibilitythatcanbesignificantlymoreempowering

thanconsumeristindividualism.

Racializedactionsrarelystemfromtheactionsofracists,butratheroftenresultfromin-grouppreferences,implicitbiases,andracialanxieties.

A21st Century vision for racial justice isa collective vision.One that isnt just aboutindividualactionsandanindividualsexplicitviews,butinsteadfocusesontheindividual

andcollectiveactionsthatreducemicro-aggressionsagainstpeopleofcoloraswellas

context-specificinterventionsthatmitigatetheeffectsofbias.

Collectively,wehavean opportunityto use the powerfulinsightsfromthemindsciencesto

redefineavisionofracialjustice.Ideally,the21stcenturywillallowustorealizeanotherofDr.

KingsimagesthatonedayrightdowninAlabamalittleblackboysandblackgirlswillbeabletojoinhandswithlittlewhiteboysandwhitegirlsassistersandbrothers.Together,weneed

to engage culture to transform perception, and hold accountable media depictions that

reinforcenegativeassociations.Weneedtoengageourowncommunity,andrealizethatwe

havemorepowerthanwethinktoholdpolicymakersaccountableanddemandbetterpolicy,

particularlyinthewakeoftheSupremeCourtsguttingoftheVotingRightsAct.Wealsoneed

toarguethatwhilevisionsofracialjusticemaydiffer,weknowthatcolor-blindnessisnotracial


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justice, and neither is a world in which every news story and utterance by a politician is

racialized.

This memo outlines messaging strategies that flow from the above understanding of the

currentlandscapearoundissuesofrace,aswellasanunderstandingofhowimplicitbiasworksand how implicit bias insights can help point the way to a new more constructive racial

conversation.

Theultimategoalofmessagingmustnotbetosilenceouropponentsbutrathertochange

theconversationbyaffirmingourcollectivehumanityandbringpeopleofcolormorestrongly

intotheAmericannarrative.Toaccomplishthisrequiresmessagesthatdisarmpredictable

defensemechanismsandhelpusreducebothracialbiasandracialanxiety.

INORDERTOTALKABOUTRACE ,ITISCRUCIALFIRSTTODISARMRACIALANXIETY :

Research reveals that discussions about race and inter-racial interactions can triggerheightenedanxiety inbothpeopleofcolor andWhitepeople. Thisanxietymanifests inour

bloodpressure, our heart rate reactions, and can diminish our cognitive capacities. White

people forwhomdiscussionsofraceareoftenguiltinducingoftenshutdownentirelyand

cease listening. We lose theability to have a constructive conversation ifpeople are in a

defensiveposture.

Racialanxietycanbeeffectivelyreducedwhen:

Aspeakerwithmoralauthorityaffirmsthelistenersaspirationalintentions; Addressesthesourceoftheanxietywhichisthedissonancethelistenerexperiences

betweenegalitarianidealsandsometimesbiasedpracticesorthefearthatactionswillbeperceivedasbiased(orworsecalledoutasracist);

Explainsthatourbiasesarenotaresultofmoralfailings,butourbrainsresponsetothenegativestereotypesthatpermeateourculture;and

Describes howwecanovercomeour implicitbiasesandactionsthat correspond tothem by consciously overriding those biases and living according to our conscious

values.

Howbiasworks:Everymoment ofour lives,weencounter anenormousamount ofstimuli

while contending with our memories and emotions. Our ability to navigate the world is

possibleonlybecausemostofourmentalprocessingoccurswithoutourconsciousawareness.Ourbrainshavealreadycreatedcategories(orschemastousethescientificterm)formostof

the sights and soundsweencounter. The schemas include categories for different kindsof

people, called stereotypes. These stereotypes serve useful purposes when they allow us

automaticallytodistinguishbetweenachildandanadult,buttheyareriskywhentheyinvolve

categories such as race. When a particular category becomes associated with negative

stereotypes in theculture,ourbrain automaticallyassociates these stereotypeswithanyone


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who fits the category. Once these stereotypes are lodged into ourminds, they are easily

triggered,aprocessscientistscallimplicitbias.

BiasandAnxietyinourdailylives:allracesfeeltheimpactofimplicitbiasontheirlivesand

this creates heightened anxieties. People of color experience an ever-present fear thatnegativestereotypeswillimpacttheirlives,theirhealth,theiremploymentopportunitiesand

their safety. White people,meanwhile, verymuchwant tobe considered fairminded and

worry that theirwordsoractionswill bemisunderstoodwhen they interactwith people of

different racial orethnic groups. Messagesthat inadvertentlyheightenanxiety are likelyto

leadtogreaterpolarizationandlessreceptivitytothemessage.

RESIST THE COMMONPRACTICE OFBEGINNINGADISCUSSIONOFRACE BYDESCRIBING CURRENT

RACIALDISPARITIES:

Those ofuswho care deeply about racial equality and justice experience a sense ofmoral

urgencywhenwe learnaboutdisparitiesin educationaloutcomes, imprisonment,healthcare

access, employment, and other important life domains. However, for those not already

focusedonracialjustice,beginningadiscussionwithalistofdisparitieshastheoppositeeffect.

Racialdisparitiestriggeranxietywhichhastheeffectoftriggeringdefensemechanismsthat

hardenoppositionratherthangarneringsupport. Discussionsthatbeginwithdisparitiesalso

tend to reify stereotypes, create a sense that people of color are other, and undermine

supportforparticularpolicies.

Researchsupport:InaninternalAmericanValuesInstituteStudywiththeAnalystInstitute,wefoundthatsupport

forajobspolicyforareasofhighunemployment decreasedfromover60%to42%whensubjectsreadashort

piecethatbeganwith:Althoughmanypeoplehavebeenhard-hit,thejob-findingpictureforblackAmericansis

particularly bleak. Alreadymore than a third of black children are living in poverty.Without a dramatic newinterventionbythefederalgovernment,thepovertyrateforAfrican-Americanchildrencouldeventuallyapproach

aheart-stopping50percent,accordingtoanalystsattheEconomicPolicyInstitute.Indeed,16%ofwhitepeople

stoppedreadingafterthefirstsentence.

Leadingwithand emphasizingracial disparitiesis also likely tobedispiriting for the racial

groupatissue:Whilewemayassumethathearingaboutracialdisparitieswilltriggeraction

amongthoseaffected,researchsuggeststhathearingaboutdisparitiescanleadpeopletofeela

senseofhelplessnessordespairratherthanagencyandempowerment.

Researchsupport:AstudyofBlackvotingturn-outinthe2008NorthCarolinaprimaryfoundthatblackvotersare

more likely toadoptof normsof not voting when it seemed likethe norm amongother blacks inprevious

electionswastonotvote.Wesuspectthatthisresultislikelyduetothewaysinwhichthesemessagesalteredblacksperceptionofthevalueofvoting.Becauseofthenontrivialcostsassociatedvotingandbecauseofblacks

strongsensefor collectiveidentityamessagewhichsuggeststhatpeoplelikemedontvoteis likelyto cause

blackstoquestiontheutilitygainedfromvotinginthiselection(andperhapslaterelections).Additionally,wecan

demonstratethecontinuedrelevanceofraceinourliveswithoutrelyingonoutcomedisparities.Thepersistence

oftensionandanxietyaroundracializedissues(TrayvonMartin,publiceducation,StopandFrisk,PaulaDeenetc.)

iseasilydemonstrableandanexperiencemostlistenerswillhaveintheirownlives.


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AFFIRMSHAREDVALUESANDTHEAUDIENCE SHUMANITY:

Peoplerespondstronglytoemotionalappealsthattriggerasenseofmutualresponsibilityand

afaithinthelistenersmorality.

Researchsupport:In particular,in discussinghowfarweve comeas anationon theissue of race, emphasize

attitudinalchange ratherthan solelyfocuson improvedoutcomes toestablish commonground.Studieswidely

showthatWhite people consciouslyhold egalitarianvalues. Forexample,according toSamuelR. Sommers&

PhoebeC.EllsworthsworkonWhitejurorbias,manyWhitesembraceanegalitarianvaluesystemandadesireto

appearnon-prejudiced.Furthermore,positiveemotionshavebeenshow(in,eg,JohnsonandFredricksonsWe

AllLookTheSameToMe)toeliminatetheown-racebasinfacerecognition.

WEMUSTCHALLENGERATHERTHANSUPPRESS STEREOTYPES:

Ourinstinctistocalloutracialstereotypesandmisguidedunderstandingofhistorydepictedin

those statements to silence our opponents. Silencing our opponents leaves stereotypes

unchallengedandstillpowerful.

Flippingthescript:

The majority of Black men are employed (58% 2013 data Bureau of Labor Statistics) and

among college educated Black men, the employment rates are far higher (in 2011, the

unemploymentrateswere6.9%).ItistruethattheratesarebetterforWhitemen(in2011,the

unemployment rates for collegeeducatedwhitemenwas3%), but byemphasizingthat the

employment rates rather than the unemployment rates, weare undermining the persistent

negativestereotypes.Wecancontinuetoemphasizetheneedtoincreasejobopportunitiesforall,includingparticularlyBlackmen,butwecandosowithoutreifyingstereotypes.

ManymoreBlackmenareincollegethaninprison (1.4millionBlackmenincollege-840,000

inlocal,state,federalprisons,Prof.IvoryToldson,NPR2013).Thisisnottosaywedontwant

tochallengeover-incarceration,butwehavetodosowithoutagain,perpetuatingthenegative

stereotypeofcriminality.

Respondtoblatantstereotypeswithpositivenarratives:

Oppositionstereotyping:Thereasontheressomuchviolenceandchaosintheblackprecincts

isthedisintegrationoftheAfrican-Americanfamily.Withoutmuchstructure,youngblackmen

oftenrejecteducationandgravitatetowardthestreetculture,drugs,hustling,andgangs.(Bill

OReilly,July31,2013)

Counter-narrative:e.g.Lastweek,IspentWednesdayeveningasajudgeinamocktrialatthe

federaldistrictcourthouse.Theprosecutorsanddefenseattorneyswere14year-oldBlackboys

and girls from Newark, NJ finishing a full-time 5-week program at a local law school. The


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programhad50kids.Thewaitlistwasanother300.TheyoungblackboysfromNewarkare

yearningformoreopportunities

Pointtoinspiringexamplesofgroupscomingtogethertosolveournationsproblems.

Example: Phillip AtibaGoffs workwith the Consortium for Policing Leadership in Equity, a

groupoflawenforcementprofessionalsandsocialscientiststhatcollaboratetopromotepolice

transparency and accountability (http://cple.psych.ucla.edu/). Work like CPLE points to the

successesthatarepossiblewhenweallcometogethertotrytosolvetheongoingproblemof

racialequityinAmerica.

Tellstoriesthatprovidecounter-stereotypicalexamplestohelpchallengebiases.

Example:Jadendoesntalwayslethisclassmatesknowit,buthelovesmath.Whenhewas

little,hecountedeverything.Butingradeschool,histeacherssometimesmademistakesin

math.WhenJadenstartedmiddleschool,mathseemedtooeasyandhestartedgettingbored,untiloneofhisteacherssignedhimforanafterschoolprogram,Mathnasium,walkingdistance

fromhishouseintheBronx.Mathnasiumandsimilarafterschoolmathprogramsareplacesfor

kidslikeJadentobechallengedinmathandtodeveloptotheirpotential.

ThisshortnarrativechallengesthestereotypeofBlackboysasuninterestedinacademictopics

but italsoalludestoperennialproblemsliketeacherswhoarenotexpertinSTEMareasand

thequalityofschoolsinpoorneighborhoods.Itreferstoapolicyprescriptionenrichment

andafterschoolprogramsandislikelytoelicitmoresupportthansimplytalkingaboutthe

importanceofSTEMandafterschoolprograms.

Researchsupport:Researchershavefoundthatpeoplearemorelikelytorememberinformationandtorespond

emotionallywheninformationispresentedasastoryornarrative.Weareconditionedfrombirthtolearnfrom

stories.Thenarrativemodetreatsexperiencesasuniquehistoricaleventscontainingplots(intentions,actions,

andoutcomes) that allowus tounderstand andinterpret human activity andbehavior (McAdams, 2001). Our

experienceshearingandtellingstoriescreatethecapacityforustoengageinperspectivetaking,empathy,critical

thinking,andnuancedwaysofunderstandingtheworld(Ochs,Taylor,Rudolph&Smith,1992).Accordingly,when

dealingwithissueslikeraceinwhichpeopleslifeexperiencesdiffer,storiesareparticularlycriticalforcreatingthe

possibilitiesofempathy.

CHALLENGEOURCULTURAL LEADERSTO CREATEMOREREPRESENTATIVEANDACCURATE STORIES

AROUNDRACE;ANDTOADDRESSRACEWITHTHECOMPLEXITYITDESERVES :

Weallrecognizethatimagesandnarrativesdriventhroughpopularcultureplayasignificantroleincreatingandperpetuatingnegativeperceptions,soitshouldbenosurprisethatresearch

showsculturalengagementisalsoanimportantmechanismtode-bias.Ifwearetomove

beyondourracialanxietyandcreatesupportformoreaddressingracialinequity,wemustadd

adeeperanalysisofhowouremotionsandfearsaboutraceshapeourbehaviorsand

preferences.Emotionisshapedthroughculture.Todosorequiresengagingourcultural

influencersandimagecreatorstorethinkoverrelianceonquick,convenient,oftenstereotypical

waysoftellingstoriesinvolvingrace.


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Promotemoreaccurateandcomplexstories:

AsOpportunityAgenda,theMaynardInstitute,andColorofChangehavearguedthroughout

theirwork,accuracyisacoreprincipleofjournalism.Real,honest,complexstoriesarethemeansofwideningthecircleandhumanizingouryoungblackmenandboys.Yetweareoften

delugedwithdistortedstoriesinstead.AndasresearchbytheAmericanValuesInstitutehas

established,thesestoriescreatethelensthroughwhichindividualsareviewedandtreated.

Blackmenandboysareoftenseenaspotentiallydangerousorpresumedtobeanathleteor

entertainerratherthanadoctor,lawyer,teacher,orfather.Thefrighteningrealityisthatthe

systemicsuppressionofthesestoriesacrossnews,fictionandinfotainmentleadtothe

oppositeeffectrestrictingwhomwefeelempathyfor,andgivingusseemingjustificationto

treatsomepeopledifferently,includingviolently.Andthatsastruefortheinfluenceover

judges,doctorsandteachersasitisforlawenforcement,jurorsandtheneighborhood

watchman.

Researchsupport:Contrarytothestoriesweseeinthemedia,ifweactuallyevaluateNationalCenterfor

EducationStatistics,theCensusBureau'sAmericanCommunitySurveyandtheDepartmentofJustice'sstatistics

morethan400,000Blackmenareincollegethaninjail.Violentcrimeisrarelyinter-racialsoWhitepeoplearefar

lesslikelytobethevictimofaviolentcrimebyaBlackmanthanaWhiteman.In2010,accordingtotheU.S.

Census,118,124Blackmenwereteachers.WeneedmanymorestoriesaboutBlackcollegestudentsand

teachers.ButProfessorTravisDixonfromU.C.L.A.andothershaveconductednumerousstudiesshowingthat

localandnetworknewsshowsaswellascrimedramasinsteaddelugeuswithimagesofviolentcrimes.

EmpowerAmericanstoHoldMediaAccountable:

Whilewecanworktoengageourmedialeaderstowardstransformingperceptionsaroundraceingeneralandblackmenandboysinparticular,wecanalsoengageAmericanstorejectmedia

that is blatantly manufactured to encourage stereotypes or increase racial anxiety. Again,

Americansarebyandlargefair-mindedandegalitarian.Weshouldbeempoweringthemto

identifyandpush back onnegativeandunfair representationswiththeir viewinghabits and

advertisingdollars.

Conclusion

Wearefastapproachingoneofthoseall-too-raremomentswhenourcountryfocusesonrace,

notbecauseofatragedy,orarace-linkedutterancebyacelebrity,butinmemoryofaleader,

reveredbecausehecalledforththebestintheAmericanpeople.ThosewhoknowCivilRightshistoryare aware that inhis own time,Dr. Kingwas deeply prescient, focusingonissuesof

poverty,opposingtheWarinVietnam,andrecognizingthatasimportantasthegainsofthe

CivilRightsMovementwere,destroyingtheedificeofJimCrowwasnecessarybutnotsufficient

fortrueequalitybetweentheraces.WehaveanopportunitytoagaincallupontheAmerican

people tobe theirbestselves,appealing tothebestofourculture,theunderlyingdesireof

peopletobefreefromtheirownbiasesandasaresulttobefreefromtheattendantanxieties.


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President Obama and national leaders and surrogates who will be speaking in media and

throughouteventsleadinguptotheMarchAnniversaryareuniquelypositionedtoissuethis

call.

ABOUTTHEAMERICANVALUESINSTITUTE:

TheAmericanValuesInstitute(AVI)isaconsortiumofresearchers,educators,andsocialjusticeadvocatesfocused

onunderstandingtheroleofbiasinoursociety.Weapproachourmissionbygroundingourselvesinthestudyof

theunconsciousstereotypes,preferences,andjudgmentsthatunderpinoursocialandpoliticalbehaviorwhat

researcherstermimplicitorunconsciousbias.Ourprojectleveragesinterdisciplinarymethodstounderstand

theroleimplicitbiasplaysindistortingpolicyandpolitics.Weaimtodeviseanddevelopeffectivemechanisms

thatwillde-biastheelectoratetherebyallowingustomakeimportantdecisionsandbehavewithoutbeing

influencedbyracial,ethnic,orgenderrelatedanxiety.

Formoreinformation:www.americanvaluesinstitute.orgorwww.perception.org.

Orcontact:AlexisMcGillJohnsonat:[email protected]

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Talking About Race -- Memo