Confront unconscious biases and racist stereotypes

Lynne Varner

Individually-held prejudices help power discrimination in systems like education, banking and criminal justice. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, African American K-12 students are four times more likely to be suspended from school than their white counterparts even though they do not commit worse, or more, offenses. This stereotype of African Americans as inherently problematic has a ripple effect beyond education to areas like law enforcement and employment. Challenging our personal biases, especially those in positions of influence and authority, can help eradicate systemic racism.