I am the product of a bi-racial relationship and I am beautiful
[Applause]
[Applause] unfortunately not everyone has come to
unfortunately not everyone has come to
unfortunately not everyone has come to the same consensus you’re ugly half bred
the same consensus you’re ugly half bred
the same consensus you’re ugly half bred slave grey is an offensive color these
slave grey is an offensive color these
slave grey is an offensive color these are just a few of the outrageous
are just a few of the outrageous
are just a few of the outrageous comments that I have had to endure from
comments that I have had to endure from
comments that I have had to endure from students in high school on a regular
students in high school on a regular
students in high school on a regular basis I have been made to feel
basis I have been made to feel
basis I have been made to feel inadequate for no other reasons but my
inadequate for no other reasons but my
inadequate for no other reasons but my parentage the color of my skin and the
parentage the color of my skin and the
parentage the color of my skin and the uniform craziness of my hair many
uniform craziness of my hair many
uniform craziness of my hair many individuals today would argue that
individuals today would argue that
individuals today would argue that racism has gone the way of eight tracks
racism has gone the way of eight tracks
racism has gone the way of eight tracks and VHS players but I can tell you that
and VHS players but I can tell you that
and VHS players but I can tell you that my father is still holding on to his
my father is still holding on to his
my father is still holding on to his video collection and racism is still
video collection and racism is still
video collection and racism is still here and running rampant throughout our
here and running rampant throughout our
here and running rampant throughout our society just look at the horrible
society just look at the horrible
society just look at the horrible incident that occurred just a few weeks
incident that occurred just a few weeks
incident that occurred just a few weeks ago and Charlottesville Virginia while
ago and Charlottesville Virginia while
ago and Charlottesville Virginia while at a white supremacist rally an
at a white supremacist rally an
at a white supremacist rally an individual used his car to take the life
individual used his car to take the life
individual used his car to take the life of a young woman standing up against
of a young woman standing up against
of a young woman standing up against racism racism has existed for thousands
racism racism has existed for thousands
racism racism has existed for thousands of years and is a war with no victorious
of years and is a war with no victorious
of years and is a war with no victorious party prejudice wounds cut deep and they
party prejudice wounds cut deep and they
party prejudice wounds cut deep and they never fully heal instead they fester
never fully heal instead they fester
never fully heal instead they fester building up a fevered pressure and so
building up a fevered pressure and so
building up a fevered pressure and so they finally explode with the poisonous
they finally explode with the poisonous
they finally explode with the poisonous pus of unfounded hatred and needless
pus of unfounded hatred and needless
pus of unfounded hatred and needless killings think about that because of
killings think about that because of
killings think about that because of current racial biases we have caused
current racial biases we have caused
current racial biases we have caused ourselves to revert back to a time when
ourselves to revert back to a time when
ourselves to revert back to a time when racism and discrimination was as common
racism and discrimination was as common
racism and discrimination was as common as sliced bread an ongoing study done by
as sliced bread an ongoing study done by
as sliced bread an ongoing study done by the Southern Poverty Law Center have
the Southern Poverty Law Center have
the Southern Poverty Law Center have concluded that in 2016 there were 917
concluded that in 2016 there were 917
concluded that in 2016 there were 917 active hate groups in the United States
active hate groups in the United States
active hate groups in the United States Florida is home to 63 of them these hate
Florida is home to 63 of them these hate
Florida is home to 63 of them these hate groups include neo-nazis the supreme
groups include neo-nazis the supreme
groups include neo-nazis the supreme white alliance and the KKK
white alliance and the KKK
white alliance and the KKK however these groups are just one tiny
however these groups are just one tiny
however these groups are just one tiny aspect of this multifaceted problem
according to Ohio State University study
according to Ohio State University study for the for race and ethnicity implicit
for the for race and ethnicity implicit
for the for race and ethnicity implicit racial bias refers to attitudes or
racial bias refers to attitudes or
racial bias refers to attitudes or stereotypes towards individuals of
stereotypes towards individuals of
stereotypes towards individuals of different ethnic backgrounds that affect
different ethnic backgrounds that affect
different ethnic backgrounds that affect our understanding actions and decisions
our understanding actions and decisions
our understanding actions and decisions in an unconscious manner for example
in an unconscious manner for example
in an unconscious manner for example what we see now in our society the
what we see now in our society the
what we see now in our society the violence the hatred that is what’s
violence the hatred that is what’s
violence the hatred that is what’s called explicit racial bias but what
called explicit racial bias but what
called explicit racial bias but what this refers to is that unconscious
this refers to is that unconscious
this refers to is that unconscious action still for example let’s say a
action still for example let’s say a
action still for example let’s say a woman is walking alone at a street at
woman is walking alone at a street at
woman is walking alone at a street at night and she instinctively clutches her
night and she instinctively clutches her
night and she instinctively clutches her purse when she sees a black man walking
purse when she sees a black man walking
purse when she sees a black man walking down the street but she’s completely
down the street but she’s completely
down the street but she’s completely fine when a white man passes by her that
fine when a white man passes by her that
fine when a white man passes by her that is implicit racial bias ongoing studies
is implicit racial bias ongoing studies
is implicit racial bias ongoing studies from a Yale professor Walter Gilliam
from a Yale professor Walter Gilliam
from a Yale professor Walter Gilliam have shown teachers a recording of four
have shown teachers a recording of four
have shown teachers a recording of four students in a classroom setting they
students in a classroom setting they
students in a classroom setting they were a white boy and girl and a black
were a white boy and girl and a black
were a white boy and girl and a black boy and girl and during this setting
boy and girl and during this setting
boy and girl and during this setting they asked the teachers to indicate
they asked the teachers to indicate
they asked the teachers to indicate whether they saw any type of limitations
whether they saw any type of limitations
whether they saw any type of limitations that the students were harboring as far
that the students were harboring as far
that the students were harboring as far as behavior goes 42 percent of the
as behavior goes 42 percent of the
as behavior goes 42 percent of the teachers indicated that the black boy
teachers indicated that the black boy
teachers indicated that the black boy showed signs of behavioral challenges
showed signs of behavioral challenges
showed signs of behavioral challenges even though no such challenges existed
even though no such challenges existed
even though no such challenges existed similar studies have also showed that
similar studies have also showed that
similar studies have also showed that black children are four times as likely
black children are four times as likely
black children are four times as likely to be suspended
to be suspended
to be suspended and twice as likely to be expelled from
and twice as likely to be expelled from
and twice as likely to be expelled from high school with race being the key
high school with race being the key
high school with race being the key factor when we limit a child’s
factor when we limit a child’s
factor when we limit a child’s educational and mental development by
educational and mental development by
educational and mental development by the negative words and actions that we
the negative words and actions that we
the negative words and actions that we pose to them all we’re doing is setting
pose to them all we’re doing is setting
pose to them all we’re doing is setting them up for failure we’re providing them
them up for failure we’re providing them
them up for failure we’re providing them with negative self-fulfilling prophecies
with negative self-fulfilling prophecies
with negative self-fulfilling prophecies and when a child hears these negative
and when a child hears these negative
and when a child hears these negative words especially at a young age they
words especially at a young age they
words especially at a young age they start to believe them they start to act
start to believe them they start to act
start to believe them they start to act out based on the negative opinions and
out based on the negative opinions and
out based on the negative opinions and assumptions of the people around them
assumptions of the people around them
assumptions of the people around them another research done by the Yale Law
another research done by the Yale Law
another research done by the Yale Law Journal regarding the judicial system
Journal regarding the judicial system
Journal regarding the judicial system also shows that they do harbor implicit
also shows that they do harbor implicit
also shows that they do harbor implicit racial bias studies have shown that
racial bias studies have shown that
racial bias studies have shown that prosecutors are more likely to bruise
prosecutors are more likely to bruise
prosecutors are more likely to bruise oom a defender is guilty based off of
oom a defender is guilty based off of
oom a defender is guilty based off of ethnic background for example a study
ethnic background for example a study
ethnic background for example a study was done they saw that black men who
was done they saw that black men who
was done they saw that black men who were charged with murdering a white
were charged with murdering a white
were charged with murdering a white victim were 50% more likely to be
victim were 50% more likely to be
victim were 50% more likely to be sentenced to the death penalty compared
sentenced to the death penalty compared
sentenced to the death penalty compared to only 24% of white defenders and if
to only 24% of white defenders and if
to only 24% of white defenders and if the judicial system is also suffering
the judicial system is also suffering
the judicial system is also suffering from implicit racial bias and is
from implicit racial bias and is
from implicit racial bias and is completely blind to it how do we go
completely blind to it how do we go
completely blind to it how do we go about fixing something that we don’t
about fixing something that we don’t
about fixing something that we don’t even realize exists well thankfully
even realize exists well thankfully
even realize exists well thankfully there’s project implicit now project
there’s project implicit now project
there’s project implicit now project implicit is a nonprofit organization
implicit is a nonprofit organization
implicit is a nonprofit organization that was founded by scientists in 1998
that was founded by scientists in 1998
that was founded by scientists in 1998 and their job is to basically bring
and their job is to basically bring
and their job is to basically bring awareness to implicit biases that people
awareness to implicit biases that people
awareness to implicit biases that people do not realize that they have as of 2011
do not realize that they have as of 2011
do not realize that they have as of 2011 many companies throughout the US and
many companies throughout the US and
many companies throughout the US and Great Britain have started to
Great Britain have started to
Great Britain have started to incorporate project implicit tests and
incorporate project implicit tests and
incorporate project implicit tests and their assessments into their adversity
their assessments into their adversity
their assessments into their adversity training
training
training locally Universal Studios also uses this
locally Universal Studios also uses this
locally Universal Studios also uses this test to help in their microaggression
test to help in their microaggression
test to help in their microaggression classes as part of my own research for
classes as part of my own research for
classes as part of my own research for this TED talk I decided to go ahead and
this TED talk I decided to go ahead and
this TED talk I decided to go ahead and take an implicit racial bias test
take an implicit racial bias test
take an implicit racial bias test provided by Project implicit during this
provided by Project implicit during this
provided by Project implicit during this test I was asked to as fast as possible
test I was asked to as fast as possible
test I was asked to as fast as possible press a particular key every time I saw
press a particular key every time I saw
press a particular key every time I saw a positive word and a black face and
a positive word and a black face and
a positive word and a black face and then pressed a different key each time I
then pressed a different key each time I
then pressed a different key each time I saw a negative word in a white face
saw a negative word in a white face
saw a negative word in a white face halfway through the test I was asked to
halfway through the test I was asked to
halfway through the test I was asked to do the opposite so negative words with
do the opposite so negative words with
do the opposite so negative words with black faces positive words with white
black faces positive words with white
black faces positive words with white faces and this was just to see if I
faces and this was just to see if I
faces and this was just to see if I harbored any type of automatic
harbored any type of automatic
harbored any type of automatic preference to black people rich as white
preference to black people rich as white
preference to black people rich as white people my results showed that I did not
people my results showed that I did not
people my results showed that I did not harbor any type of resentment or discord
harbor any type of resentment or discord
harbor any type of resentment or discord towards people different races this
towards people different races this
towards people different races this information for me was not surprising
information for me was not surprising
information for me was not surprising being biracial I’ve always kind of had
being biracial I’ve always kind of had
being biracial I’ve always kind of had the ability to just go and mingle and
the ability to just go and mingle and
the ability to just go and mingle and conform the way I speak and behave to
conform the way I speak and behave to
conform the way I speak and behave to whomever I’m talking to other
whomever I’m talking to other
whomever I’m talking to other information that I gathered later on was
information that I gathered later on was
information that I gathered later on was extremely eye-opening between December
extremely eye-opening between December
extremely eye-opening between December 2002 and 2015
2002 and 2015
2002 and 2015 3.3 million people have also taken the
3.3 million people have also taken the
3.3 million people have also taken the implicit racial bias test of those
implicit racial bias test of those
implicit racial bias test of those people 18 percent showed signs of no
people 18 percent showed signs of no
people 18 percent showed signs of no automatic preference between white and
automatic preference between white and
automatic preference between white and black people that’s me so people like me
black people that’s me so people like me
black people that’s me so people like me but 68% of people showed automatic
but 68% of people showed automatic
but 68% of people showed automatic preference towards white people while
preference towards white people while
preference towards white people while only a mere 14% so automatic preference
only a mere 14% so automatic preference
only a mere 14% so automatic preference black people scientists are also working
black people scientists are also working
black people scientists are also working on ways to solve this issue studies
on ways to solve this issue studies
on ways to solve this issue studies suggest the adults who harbor any type
suggest the adults who harbor any type
suggest the adults who harbor any type of racial bias tend to be lacking in
of racial bias tend to be lacking in
of racial bias tend to be lacking in empathy so what they’ve done is they
empathy so what they’ve done is they
empathy so what they’ve done is they started doing research on how they can
started doing research on how they can
started doing research on how they can fix this and in one particular study
fix this and in one particular study
fix this and in one particular study they took a group of participants and
they took a group of participants and
they took a group of participants and submerge them into a virtual reality
submerge them into a virtual reality
submerge them into a virtual reality scenario they gave each of the
scenario they gave each of the
scenario they gave each of the participants an avatar of the opposite
participants an avatar of the opposite
participants an avatar of the opposite race and then when these participants
race and then when these participants
race and then when these participants were put before a virtual mirror studies
were put before a virtual mirror studies
were put before a virtual mirror studies suggested that their implicit racial
suggested that their implicit racial
suggested that their implicit racial bias levels dropped that’s awesome
bias levels dropped that’s awesome
bias levels dropped that’s awesome that’s awesome implicit racial bias is
that’s awesome implicit racial bias is
that’s awesome implicit racial bias is an epidemic it’s a wildfire that has
an epidemic it’s a wildfire that has
an epidemic it’s a wildfire that has spread in uncontrollable proportions the
spread in uncontrollable proportions the
spread in uncontrollable proportions the only way to combat this issue is with
only way to combat this issue is with
only way to combat this issue is with another flame and that’s knowledge
another flame and that’s knowledge
another flame and that’s knowledge because knowledge has the power to bring
because knowledge has the power to bring
because knowledge has the power to bring hope and to bring change now right now
hope and to bring change now right now
hope and to bring change now right now right this minute this is the time for
right this minute this is the time for
right this minute this is the time for action go out sit down and take an
action go out sit down and take an
action go out sit down and take an implicit racial bias test join in on a
implicit racial bias test join in on a
implicit racial bias test join in on a microaggression class it could also be
microaggression class it could also be
microaggression class it could also be as simple as changing the race of the
as simple as changing the race of the
as simple as changing the race of the avatar on your favorite video game
now is the time to change now is the
now is the time to change now is the time to break down those barriers that
time to break down those barriers that
time to break down those barriers that we have step outside your boxes judge
we have step outside your boxes judge
we have step outside your boxes judge people by their characters and not your
people by their characters and not your
people by their characters and not your preconceived notions of them tear down
preconceived notions of them tear down
preconceived notions of them tear down the walls that fear has built and let in
the walls that fear has built and let in
the walls that fear has built and let in that love for Humanity thank you
that love for Humanity thank you
that love for Humanity thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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