Race

What:
Race/Culture-specific Discourse is communication that consists of culturally situated means and meanings active in various local contexts. 

Why:
Culture (and in many cases, Race) is a historically evolved set of ways of thinking, concepts, symbols, representations (e.g. of the self and others), norms, rules, strategies, embodied in the actions and artifacts of a social community in power relations with those of other communities, so communication is distinct.

The Fix:
We work with DEI professionals to create a safe environment where colleagues can engage in mutually respectful intercultural dialogue. Contact us

What:
Race/Gender Stereotyping are oversimplified assumptions about people based on particular traits, such as race, sex, age, etc. Among adults, gender stereotypes apply differently to men and women depending on their race. Thus, in certain regions, religions, classes, nationalities, and cultures, behaviors or practices may be widely recognized as “feminine” or “masculine”. Feminine and Masculine are gender identities and NOT based in biology. 

Why: The gender stereotype is acquired relatively early on in life but may 'look' different depending on the ethnicity of the women and men.

The Fix:
We work with DEI professionals to create a workplace culture that values all stakeholders. Contact us

What:
All of us racially judge others not only on whether we perceive them to be members of a racial group but also on how closely we perceive them to be associated with that group. For instance, with respect to African Americans and Latinx members, we judge them based not only on whether we think they are black or Latino but also on how stereotypically black or Latino, or how race consciously black or Latino, we perceive them to be.

Why:
Intra-Race dynamics and racial types operate within and outside of a group member’s race. Within the race, and for various reasons, members may identify more closely with the cultural and stereotypical characteristics of their racial category or they may not. Outside of the member’s racial group, others will perceive and make associations based on how comfortable or uncomfortable they are with the group member’s racial identification.

The Fix:
We work with DEI professionals to create opportunities for stereotype disconfirmation/debiasing within and outside of the racial group. Contact us

What: 

Racist microaggressions are statements like “[addressing a cultural minority] No, where are you really from?”, “[to a biracial person] What are you?”, “[to an African-American] You don’t act like a typical black person”, “[to a person of color] I never see you as a Latina/Black/Asian”, “[to the only Mexican student] You’re our first choice for the Dora the Explorer character in the school play”. Additionally, microaggressions/stereotypical behavior could mean having the expectation that all people of Latin/Mexican descent speak Spanish; all black men play basketball; all people of Asian descent are good at Science and Math.

Regarding race, there are four types of Microaggressions:
1. Assumptions of Criminality (i.e., when people of color are assumed to be dangerous or deviant). For instance, if a clerk follows an African American around in a store, she or he is presuming that the person of color is going to steal.5
2. Exoticization (i.e., when people of color are objectified or treated as tokens). A common occurrence is when a man tells an Asian American woman that she is so “exotic,” or that “he has an Asian fetish.”
3. Assumptions of Intellectual Inferiority (i.e., when people of color are assumed to be less intelligent or capable than whites). An example is someone overemphasizing to a Latina that she is “so articulate” (subtly communicating that they did not expect her to be).
4. Pathologizing Cultural Values (i.e., when people of color are criticized for their communication styles, behaviors, styles of dress). For instance, when an Asian American or Latina/o is told to “get rid of your accent,” a subtle message is sent that one needs to assimilate.

Why: A person makes assumptions based on individual experience or stereotypical conditioning.

The Fix: We work with DEI professionals to identify and address issues related to microaggressions for victims and perpetrators. Contact us

What:
The process in which people, lacking initial attitudes or emotional responses, develop them by observing their own behavior and coming to conclusions as to what attitudes must have driven that behavior. Personal self-esteem is strongly influenced by social relations with family, friends, and community. Self-perception is simply being aware of who you are, what you're like, and what you're capable of.

Why:
Our self-perceptions are often instilled in us before we have a say in them. In cases of race, society, the media, and our social circles contribute to the instilling of these perceptions.

The Fix:
We work with DEI professionals to identify and address issues of self-esteem and interaction as they relate to workplace culture. Contact us

What:
Minorities face significant barriers to social mobility despite many having similar or better qualifications than their white counterparts. Various challenges exist whether it be in education, society, healthcare, and/or employment. This is not just a problem of minorities in America. Chinese, Indian, Irish, Bangladeshi and black African students are now outperforming their white British peers, yet this increased attainment has failed to translate into improved job outcomes.

Why:
Reasons for these trends are numerous and stem from societal racist practices to local budgetary cuts in programs and psychological phenomena associated with being a member of a minority social group. Inequalities in race and class, lack of role models and advocates, communities with chronic unemployment, and high levels of residential segregation all play a role. Other obstacles consist of language proficiency, social and cultural capital, and access.

The Fix:
We work with DEI professionals to identify and message appropriate expectations that drive achievement. Contact us