Let’s talk about racial bias.
In an experiment conducted on the Netflix show “100 Humans”, the test subjects were told to “shoot” people who popped out holding guns and spare those who popped out holding cell phones. When a black man and a white man who were both unarmed popped out at the same time, 63% of the subjects shot at the black male vs. only 37% who shot at the white male.
So, what does this say about implicit bias? It shows that their subconscious attitudes towards Black people are perceived as a threat, even when unarmed. The only difference between the two men was skin color.
I encourage everyone reading this to not only watch this episode but also to check your implicit bias. Which group of people comes to your mind when you hear words like “ghetto” or “poverty”? And why do you make those associations? It is important to ask yourselves these questions as they are the very roots of systematic racism and prejudices that disadvantage-and, in many instances, kill- Black people.
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
Source: Netflix- 100 Humans, S1 E4: “Are You Biased?”
