February 5 - 11, 2021

On June 19, 2020, I made a commitment to educate myself on the lingering effects of racism, discrimination, and bias in America. Every day through June 18, 2021, I will read an article or book chapter, listen to a podcast, watch a movie or documentary, view a webinar, or do something substantive to educate myself in these areas. As part of that commitment, I will post to this blog each Friday with a list of what I've done over the past week as well as any pertinent thoughts or reflections.

Today's post covers the week of February 5-11, 2021.

 

People in More Diverse Countries Are Less Prejudiced 

Research from the National Academy of the Sciences suggests that living in a more diverse community reduces prejudice. Xuechunzi Bai, Miguel R. Ramos, and Susan T. Fiske studied 46 countries with varying levels of diversity and found that - regardless of age, gender, or other demographic characteristics - people's stereotypes are reduced by living among people different from themselves.

A Hole in the Heart of Antiracism Training 

Last week, I included a profile of Chloe Valdary from The Atlantic. This week, I've added a piece from the Boston Globe in her own words. Valdary finds flaws in the antiracism teachings of Ibram X. Kendi and the notion of white fragility offered by Robin DiAngelo. Valdary contends that too much of what's offered by Kendi and DiAngelo reduces people to monolithic Black and white Americas. Her approach focuses first on genuine self-discovery, which she believes is the only true approach to developing empathy.

 

Who's 'Black Enough' For Reparations? 

Who counts as Black in America? Gene and Shereen dive into the topic for the NPR podcast Code Switch. William Darity Jr., an economist at Duke and author of From Here to Equality, argues that in the case of reparations, claims should meet two criteria 1) Have at least one enslaved ancestor, and 2) Self-identify as Black on official documents for at least 12 years prior to making a claim. While Darity acknowledges some crossover in the Black community between recent immigrants and ancestors of slaves, he believes that many immigrants could make their reparation claims with their former country. Darity surmises the total value of reparations between $10-12T, based in part on the post-Civil War denial of 40 acres and a mule to freed slaves. Lots more here, including some wisdom from Ohio State professor Derek Hamilton, who says depending on where you set a policy, there will be some people who deserve it but don't get it, and others who get it but don't deserve it. Which type of error are you willing to live with?

 

We Were the Last of the Nice Negro Girls 

In this piece from The Atlantic, Anna Deavere Smith recalls her experience as one of seven Black women in her class at Beaver College in the late 1960s. When she and her classmates made requests for courses in Black history and one or two Black faculty, they were told by a dean to watch their behavior or they would be expelled. Smith connects her experiences at Beaver and throughout her life to today's movement for justice. "In our current moment of division, we cannot afford to go forward without looking back. We must excavate history to assess how we learned to restore human dignity that had been ripped away by plunder and slavery. How did we get this far? Not by being nice."

 

Research: Men Get More Actionable Feedback Than Women 

Researchers from the U.K. published their findings about workplace feedback in the Harvard Business Review. Using machine learning to analyze qualitative feedback, they found significant differences in the language used by supervisors for male and female employees. The feedback differences were categorized in four buckets - vision, political skills, asserting leadership, and confidence. Finally, the research team makes specific recommendations for how to create more equitable feedback for men and women.

The Killing of George Floyd Tore Minneapolis Apart. Now Comes the Trial.

With the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin less than a month away, Tim Arango lays out some of the key issues in the New York Times. Chief among the concerns for residents of the city center on the possible outcomes of the trial - both a conviction and an acquittal could have violent repercussions.

 

Changing the Game 

This brief article from UT's Division of Diversity and Community engagement recalls the September 22, 1956 football game between Texas and USC. UT had just admitted its first Black students that semester, but the football team would not begin integration for another 13 years. Meanwhile, USC freshman running back C.R. Roberts, one of three Black players on USC's team, rushed for 251 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. Roberts recalls the post-game celebration after a 44-20 win. "Every Black hotel worker in Austin must have come to my room to see us that night. The hallway outside our room was packed with people all night long. They had come from far and wide just to see us"