Don't Guess My Race
© 2019 Interactive Diversity Solutions
Formerly an app for iOS, this is now part of a larger consulting business. But you can play a free demo (login required) at https://www.interactivediversitysolutions.com/app/login. You start by seeing a photo, and then try to guess the cultural category of the person (White, Black, Jewish, Egyptian and so on). After you make a guess, you learn read a short biography of the person, and learn that the way that they define themselves can be very complicated. You also learn how powerful culture is when influencing how people think about race. The experience is based on the work of Michael Baran who now does a lot of corporate consulting to help organizations become more sensitive to ethnicity issues. This exercise is designed to help you learn more about race and diversity; which can help you reduce bias, and carry on courageous conversations. Some other quotes from the app: "Many African-Americans are aware of racial and ethnic diversity within their communities. Yet, mainstream music, television and film often homogenize Black culture, ignoring the complexity of identity. Perhaps because of this, people who aren't Black are often unaware of this rich diversity. If people were more aware of the diversity that makes up all racial groups, they might be more likely to take others seriously as individuals, rather than as tokens of groups." "It's debatable whether being Jewish is ethnic or not. I have a shaved head so I think people see me as a white guy that's mean and uneducated. I hope people don't think I'm a racist. At work I don't worry about it because I have a suit on." "Some say that the clothes make the man. In 2005, National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern instituted a dress code for basketball players – requiring players to dress in business or conservative attire and banning clothing associated with hip hop and Black fashion such as jerseys, do-rags, large jewelry, and Timberland boots. Many called this policy racist and patronizing. What do you think? How does it make you think about different corporate cultures and their dress codes?" "Ever use a phrase like "no problemo" or "el cheapo"? It seems funny, and people don't usually do it with bad intentions. However, anthropologist Jane Hill argues that this "mock" Spanish actually reinforces a critical inequity. Spanish speakers have to be extra careful about speaking English exactly right in public spaces while white people can creatively or incorrectly use Spanish and not even realize how this might subtly reinforce the accepted norms of English and whiteness."
Windows, Mac OSX, Chrome, Internet Site
Teaches: diversity, social relations, race, ethnicty