Unpacking our identity Examining our implicit biases language

Unpacking our identity: Examining our implicit biases, language, & microaggressions with students To reach others, we have to first know ourselves. And to contact the deeper truth of who we are, we must engage in some activity or practice that questions what we assume to be true about ourselves. - Adapted from A. H. Almaas Mark Congdon Jr. , Ph. D Assistant Professor of Communications

Session Goals Become aware of implicit bias & perceptual filters in order to minimize their impact when interacting with students. Understand how our cultural background and identities influence our perceptions of and interactions with others. Recognize that it takes time to unlearn harmful behaviors or beliefs, and it takes practice and intentional effort to sustain behavior change.

Session Overview Discuss Community Guidelines Think-Pair-Share Reflection Review Implicit Bias Identity Star Activity Dimensions of Our Identities Moving from Awareness to Action Q&A

Community Guidelines Listen and observe with attention. Ask clarifying questions. Use I statements. Experiment with suspending judgment/knowing as best you can. Invite humility while cultivating curiosity Embrace vulnerability and make learning personal. Assume everyone has best intention at heart, but do not be afraid to push back/challenge other people’s statements. Recognize that you may make mistakes with your assumptions, statements, or actions, and that’s okay, but… Accept responsibility for your assumptions, statements, and/or actions & understand that these may cause harm to others.

Think-Pair-Share Reflection With a partner reflect on the following: o Recall an incident that occurred early in your life in which you felt different or excluded from people around you. • What happened? • How did you feel? • What were your behaviors when you felt excluded or different by the people around you? o How did this incident influence the choices you made or make about the

What is Implicit/Unconscious Bias? How does Implicit/Unconscious Bias Lead to Discrimination? Implicit/unconscious bias is when a person’s actions are motivated by unconscious process. • “Social categorization‟ is the process whereby we routinely and rapidly sort people into groups. • • Affinity Bias Unconscious Self-Perception and Performance “Confirmational” Behavior (seeking out or looking for behavior that confirms what you believe to be true) When one holds a negative stereotype about a group and meets someone who fits the stereotype s/he may discriminate against that individual, without even realizing it. 6

Intent? People who consciously value racial or other forms of equality can act and make decisions based on biases without even being aware that they have any biases at all.

Implicit Bias and Structures • An interactive process • Structures do not just limit; they enhance our biases. • Our positionality (situation) affects our relationship with one another and institutions, structures, and systems Structural (macro) Relational (meso) Situational (micro) Discussion: Why is learning about unconscious bias important? Why should we focus on unlearning them? What happens if we don’t?

Identity Star Activity Directions: o Stand in a circle, while I read aloud scenarios. o Some participants will be prompted to fold over or tear off points of your star. o If you are told to tear off star points, place the ripped star points in the center of the circle. o When finished with this activity, complete Reflection Discussion Question Handout Blue Star = White man Green Star = White woman Yellow Star = Black man Red Star = Black woman

Identity Star Activity Discussion Questions What was the condition of your star at the end of the activity? Did differences in social power or group oppression affect that condition? Why or why not? How might individuals with blue or green identities, those with privilege, have felt during the period of rapid social change covered in this activity? Did this activity affect your understanding of groups who are oppressed in society? Explain your answer. What might be some consequences of treating individuals or entire groups negatively based on their social group membership? How could the experience of individuals who are oppressed in this activity relate to the experience of individuals from other minority groups such as people who are Latino, Hispanic, Muslim, LGBTQ+, physically or mentally disabled, older, current immigrants, or others?

Dimensions of Our Identity Identify one or more values or behaviors that you learned from your cultural background. How might your cultural background and the identified values or behaviors influence how you perceive, interact with, and teach your students? How might your cultural background influence the assumptions you make about your students, particularly students who have a different cultural background than yours?

Moving from Awareness to Action: SPACE 2 Model of Mindful Inclusion o Slowing Down — being mindful and o o considered in your responses to others Perspective Taking — actively imagining the thoughts and feelings of others Asking Yourself — active self-questioning to challenge your assumptions Cultural Intelligence— interpreting a person’s behavior through their cultural lens rather than your own Exemplars — identifying counter-stereotypical individuals to help expand your perceptions & awareness

Moving from Awareness to Action: IAT Sometime soon, take the following Implicit Association Test (IAT): https: //implicit. harvard. edu/implicit/takeatest. html o o o “Race IAT”, “Skin-tone IAT”, “Weapons IAT”, “Gender-Career” IAT, & Any other IAT test of interest Then, reflect on your IAT results o What implicit biases did the IAT tests revel that you have? Do you agree with your results? Why or why not? o What do your implicit bias results highlight about your cultural background and various identities? o How may your identified implicit biases influence how you perceive, interact with, and teach your students, specifically students of color? o What can you do to work against your implicit biases, specifically with teaching and interacting with students of color?

Questions?