It’s always important to always be educated about topics we may not understand. The more we learn, the better our understanding. When people are uneducated about racial diversity, often that lack of knowledge can be turned into fear and hate. This is called an unconscious bias. Unconscious bias can make us behave in ways that show disrespect without us realizing it. Having these thoughts does not make us a bad person, but it does highlight our lack of knowledge. That is why it is important to practice identifying unconscious bias and how to respond to it. Take a look at Race Scenario # 2 to apply what we just learned!
Race Scenario # 2
Listen to the short story and then discuss the questions below.
Two friends, Lisa and Mitchell, are walking home from school. As they are walking through the neighborhood to their homes, they see another student ahead of them walking towards them. This student just happens to be a person of color. Lisa, seeing the other student, turns to Mitchell and tells him that she’s uncomfortable and wants to cross to the other side of the street. Mitchell, now feeling the pressure from his friend, decides to follow Lisa to the other side of the street.
> What do you think Lisa was uncomfortable with?
> How should Mitchell have responded to Lisa?
> How do you think the other student felt when they crossed the street?
> What are some things Lisa can do to help her no longer feel uncomfortable in these types of situations?