By Chris Bavender
How to recognize implicit bias – subtle, often subconscious thoughts such as stereotypes that can result in bias in judgment and/or behavior – is the topic of a free lunch workshop at 11:30 a.m. March 22 at Books & Brews in Zionsville’s Boone Village.
Sponsored by Boone County Voices for Change, the workshop – “Let’s Start the Journey: Understanding Each Other’s Bias” – will be led by Natalie Spriggs from the Peace Learning Center.
“Implicit bias can affect our daily decisions we make, assumptions we create based on one thing or another. This can make huge impact on others around us,” Spriggs said. “Implicit bias are those biases which are hidden even to us. They can be difficult to uncover, but can be uncovered.”
Spriggs said there really aren’t any “signs” of implicit bias, but that everyone has them.
“Being aware of this fact, doing work to help uncover what they might be will help understand when an action happens because of implicit bias and what next steps need to happen,” she said. “Undoing bias is not an exact science. It is a process.”
Kelly Masoncup of BCVC said she wanted to organize the Lunch & Learn after a conversation with a friend.
“She mentioned how implicit bias impacts where we live and how we walk in this world in ways we don’t even realize,” Masoncup said. “Not having heard about implicit bias before, this discussion made me very curious to understand more and wondered if others have similar questions.”
She hopes the workshop helps start a conversation on implicit bias.
“Hopefully attendees will be curious and want to understand more about this issue,” Masoncup said.
To register for the March 22 lunch workshop, visit http://bit.ly/2nMKo3o.
An in-depth implicit bias training is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 29 at the SullivanMunce Museum. Cost is $15. To register visit http://conta.cc/2maaUHe.
