From Anne Garnett, Dismantling Racism Team member:

In November I went to a meeting put on by the Frederick County Human Relations Commission and t was a very good meeting indeed.This is a link to their web page.

It was a Forum and Discussion about Racial Stereotypes: “Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts!”It was presented by Janet J. Harding M.S., PHR and she really knows how to get folks talking.This whole evening was based on the book by Leslie C. Aguilar, Multicultural Customer Service,available on Amazon, etc. .

It gave me food for thought since I have been reading about White Privilege and learning all I can this was a wonderful added piece.

Definitions:

  • Stereotypes:An oversimplified image or statement applied to a whole group of people, without regard for the individual.We know this and yet we White folks keep tripping ourselves up by doing this all the time with people of color.
  • Bias:Is a predisposition to see events, people or items in a positive or negative way.Bias is an attitude or belief.
  • Silent Collusion:To go along with through silence
  • Ally: Someone who speaks up on behalf of someone else.

These were all things that can happen to all of us and how do we deal with this in real life is what the video, the speaker and our discussion groups dealt with during the 2 hours we were together.

What and how do we speak up and they gave me some good ideas because as we all know this discussion can create hard feelings between people.

Speaking UP:

  • Assume Good intent and explain the Impact(when someone says something stereotypical assume it is just a mistake and talk about your feeling on that)
  • Ask a question(Did you really mean that about that person or group?)
  • Interrupt and redirect (Racial Joke being told “I am not sticking around for the rest of this)
  • Make it individual(person is saying all Black managers do blank ask-- Are you talking about a specific person?
  • Broaden to Universal Human Behavior-- I think all folks do that not just people of color!and last but not least, Say
  • “Ouch” That statement really hurt.

I found the video very helpful. The discussion between all of us was more so.I recommend going to their additional Forums and discussions which will be in the new year. UUCF’s Dismantling Racism Team (DRT) will post them when they are schedule. To make sure you are on the DRT website, email .