“BIASES ARE THE STORIES WE MAKE UP ABOUT PEOPLE BEFORE WE KNOW WHO THEY ACTUALLY ARE.” Powerful and brilliant diversity advocate and inclusion strategist #VernaMyers in her TED Talk discussing ‘the inherent racial bias present in all of us’ - sent to me by my 17 yo who’s been struggling to find answers in response to the recent unnecessary & brutal killing of #GeorgeFloyd , an unarmed Black man, by police. PLEASE WATCH her call to action on ways to counteract bias and help reset & re-form preconceived negative images of young black men (& women). GET OUT OF DENIAL. Try less to be good, more to be real. Embrace your biases. The ‘Implicit Association Test’ measures unconscious bias. Studies have shown that, typically, it’s easier to associate white faces with good behavior and black faces with bad behavior. Much of this stems from unfair media representation. (take it here for free www. ) SPEND TIME FOCUSING ON BLACK ROLE MODELS. Memorize them. Build new pathways of automatic positive association to better reflect reality. “STARE. AT. AWESOME. BLACK. PEOPLE.” MOVE TOWARD YOUNG BLACK MEN. Rethink any (conscious/unconscious) fear assumptions. Walk towards your discomfort. Expand your social and professional circles. Look around. Who’s missing? 'Build the kind of friendships & relationships that cause you to see the holistic person.' 'It’s not about perfection, it’s about connection.' 'You’re not going to get comfortable before you get uncomfortable.' 'When you see something, have the courage to SAY SOMETHING. Even to the people you love.' 'Be the example that breaks these bad patterns, make/build new & better patterns.' https://www.instagram.com/p/CBRFxPKhWTe/?igshid=1uarrd7aa3dap