Four Habits to Break Bias
In our last blog post, we talked about types of bias and barriers to authentic advocacy. In order to use our platforms for good and advocate for the dignity of all people, we must dig deep to understand how we may have (unconsciously or consciously) contributed to systems that oppress people of color and marginalized populations. Today we are offering four habits to break bias.
The first three habits are based on a method developed by Dr. Patricia Devine at the University of Wisconsin. She identifies three main ways to eliminate bias: intention, attention, and time. When these three things work together, bias can be broken down in a way that helps minimize its influence on us.
Set an intention
First we begin with intention. The intention we set for ourselves to allow awareness of our bias and the consequences of that bias helps us visualize change and forward progress. Think about why it’s important for you to engage people different from you and what’s keeping you from doing that.
Practice active listening
The next step is to pay attention to the kinds of bias we have so that we can rewrite our thoughts and opinions of others. When we pay attention to the ways bias influences us, we become equipped to change our thoughts in the moments we experience bias. For example, the next time you experience perception bias toward a person of a different race, choose to release that thought and come toward that person instead. Active listening is both external and internal. We need to be open to listening to other voices that might challenge biases we are unaware of.
Give yourself grace - this process takes time!
The last step Dr. Devine acknowledges in her theory is time. It takes time to break down the bias we’ve likely carried unknowingly for a long time. The more we become aware of bias in our lives and practice rewriting those thoughts, the more new habits begin to form. Give yourself grace here - breaking bias doesn’t happen overnight.
Cultivate curiosity
When we take the time to identify and get curious about the people and racial groups that are different from us, it creates space for true empathy and action. I often hear people say they are “color blind” to race. This is actually impossible, because as we identified in our previous blog post, ALL of us are biased; it’s human nature. This statement is also unhelpful, as it communicates to people of color that they are not seen or appreciated for who they are.
Now let’s talk about ways to cultivate curiosity toward people different from us. Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
Identify a skill or value you’d like to learn more about. Can you identify someone different from you with that skill? Perhaps it’s a single person or maybe it’s an organization. When we put ourselves in the position of learner, it frees us up to be able to receive and rewrite the biases in our System 1 thinking.
Read a book by someone different from you - can you research authors from this group and intentionally read their story? Refer to this blog post for inspiration!
Follow people different from you on social media. Consciously diversify your content stream. For more ideas on how to diversify your context, read our previous blog post here.
Write down your core values as a leader or community member. How might it reflect your values to engage people different from you? Contrarily, how might it conflict with your values if you choose not to engage?
Pick one habit to focus on first - remember this is a marathon, not a sprint! As Dressember board member Dahn Ballard shared with us last week, becoming actively anti-racist is like learning a new language. It’s going to take time to unpack white privilege and become anti-racist advocates. So give yourself grace, but choose to do something where you are today.
About the Author
Tori Schaulis, Dressember Communications Manager, is originally from the Midwest, spent her growing up years in the South and ended up in sunny Southern California to start her Masters at Fuller Seminary. She’s currently in pursuit of her M.A. in Intercultural Studies with a focus in Race, Cultural Identity, and Reconciliation. After living abroad twice and working with international students at Baylor University, Tori decided to pursue work where she could use her passion to advocate for others. She is also a certified Cultural Intelligence coach and is passionate about combating bias and challenging systems. You can find her leading workshops in Unconscious Bias and having conversations about social justice and sustainable practices. When she’s not studying or working, Tori enjoys baking (and dancing) in her kitchen, writing, and traveling someplace new.