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Unconscious bias refers to automatic bias that we are unaware of, and which happens outside of our control to help make quick judgments and assessments of people and situations, influenced by our background, cultural environment and personal experiences.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRwt25M5nGw

Source:  Newhope Church.  www.newhopechurch.org

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“Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

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"Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible." Maya Angelou

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"You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom."  Malcolm X

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"To bring about change, you must not be afraid to take the first step. We will fail when we fail to try." Rosa Parks

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"There is no such thing as race. None. There is just a human race — scientifically, anthropologically."  Toni Morrison

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"When the missionaries came to Africa, they had the Bible and we had land. They said "Let us pray." We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land."  Desmond Tutu

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"Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected by the injustice are​ as outraged as those who are.​"  Benjamin Franklin

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“Not everything that is faced can be changed, ​but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”​ James Baldwin​

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Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization

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Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization

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Implicit bias refers to the same area, but as we are being made increasingly aware of them, we are responsible for them. We all need to recognize and acknowledge our biases and find ways to mitigate their impact on our behavior and decisions.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDd3bzA7450

Source:  Fusion Comedy

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How microaggressions are like mosquito bites • Same Difference

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A Conversation With Native Americans On Race

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A Conversation With Native Americans On Race

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siMal6QVblE&t=1s
Michele Stephenson & Brian Young

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A Conversation With Native Americans on Race | Op-Docs

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Privilege is unearned social power given by the formal and informal institutions of society to ALL members of a dominant group (e.g. white privilege, male privilege). ​

Privilege is usually invisible to those who have it because they are taught not to see it, but nevertheless it puts them at an advantage over those who do not have it.​

White Privilege refers to the unearned and unquestioned set of advantages, entitlements, benefits and choices (social power) bestowed on people solely because they are white. ​

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Term coined by legal scholar, civil-rights activist & founder of the African American Policy Forum at Columbia University.​

Crenshaw described Intersectionality in a critique of how  the courts fail black women by denying that they face unique discrimination due to their overlapping identities:​

​
“In particular, courts seem to think that race discrimination was what happened to all Black people across gender and sex discrimination was what happened to all women, and if that is your framework, of course, what happens to Black women and other women of color is going to be difficult to see.”                                        –Kimberlé Crenshaw  ​

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White Supremacy

The ideology, system, & structures that center & value "whiteness" to benefit whites and rationalizes the unequal status and degrading treatment of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color.

White supremacy infiltrates every facet of life in the US: policing, courts, prisons, health care, education, housing, the economy, religion, science, technology, sports, and more.

White Supremacist

Individuals who believe that white people constitute a superior race and should therefore dominate society to the exclusion or detriment of other racial and ethnic groups, in particular Black or Jewish people.  Examples:

Alt Right
Christian Identity
Domestic Terrorism
Extreme Right/Radical Right/Far Right
Holocaust Denial
Neo-Nazis
Skin Heads

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The Sankofa Bird reminds us that we must continue to move forward as we remember our past.  And at the same time we plant a seed for the future generations that

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Source: Look Out For Cyclists. Transport for London. www.dothetest.co.uk

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3LFB4mJ0DI

Source: Pacific Luthean University - The Listen Campaign

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LISTEN: How Do You Respond to Microaggressions?

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Veiled/microaggressions are brief, commonplace, verbal, behavioral or environmental indignities (whether intentional or unintentional) that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative attitudes toward people in minoritized/stigmatized/marginalized groups throughout their lives.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3LFB4mJ0DI

Source:  Pacific Lutheran University

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LISTEN: How Do You Respond to Microaggressions?

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What is Paraphrase?​

Using your own words to restate your understanding of what you heard to achieve greater clarity; a solid way to truly & completely seek to understand what another is communicating​

How do you Paraphrase?​

Re-phrase with words that demonstrate your understanding of the speaker’s message​

You saying…(add your understanding of the message)​

Ask the speaker if you were correct​

What Paraphrase is NOT​

Paraphrase is NOT giving your opinion or advice. ​

It is NOT agreeing OR disagreeing with the speaker.​

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Cracking The Codes:  J. Elena Featherston

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Cracking The Codes:  J. Elena Featherston

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBUoGWHUODc

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Week 4 Clip 1 Summer of #JusticeandRacialHealing

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwvAgDCOdU4

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Full Pepsi Commercial Starring Kendal Jenner

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When people act to perpetuate oppression or prevent others from working to eliminate oppression.   E.g., Able-bodied people who object to strategies for making buildings accessible because of the expense.​

Thinking and acting in ways that support the system of racism. Both Whites and People of Color can collude with racism through their attitudes, beliefs and (in)actions.​

​

SOURCE:  Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice: A Sourcebook, edited by Maurianne Adams, Lee Anne Bell, and Pat Griffin (Routledge, 1997).​

Thinking and acting in ways that support the system of racism. Both Whites and People of Color can collude with racism through their attitudes, beliefs and (in)actions.​

​

​

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How Everyday People Uphold, Continue & Contribute To White Supremacy

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How Everyday People Uphold, Continue & Contribute To White Supremacy

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN84HhcdIws

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White People Unnecessarily Calling the Cops on Black People | The Daily Show

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Impact of Structural Racism on Indigenous Peoples

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Impact of Structural Racism on Indigenous Peoples

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Source:  Noel Burch, an employee with Gordon Training International, developed the Conscious Competence Ladder in the 1970s.

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Implicit Bias Leads to Veiled/Microaggressions​

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Implicit Bias Leads to Veiled/Microaggressions​

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A Continuum of Organizational Identity Development

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A Continuum of Organizational Identity Development

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Anti-Racism is defined as the work of activelyopposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach, and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts.  Anti-Racism can also mean actively opposing (unintentional or intentional) organizational policies, practices, procedures.

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https://www.pbs.org/video/pov-implicit-bias-peanut-butter-jelly-and-racism/

Source:  The New York Times

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POV | Implicit Bias: Peanut Butter, Jelly and Racism | PBS

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What does implicit bias have to do with peanut butter?

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Occurs in a racist system when a racial group oppressed by racism supports the supremacy and dominance of the dominating group by maintaining or participating in the set of attitudes, behaviors, social structures, and ideologies that undergird the dominating group’s power. ​

Happens through intentional & unintentional conditioning.​

It involves 4 essential interconnected elements​

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Cultural Appropriation & Racism in U.S. Musical Theater​

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Cultural Appropriation & Racism in U.S. Musical Theater​

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1. Is it the job of musical theater to portray history  accurately or does that matter? What is the impact  (if any) if the answer to this question is “No”.  ​

2. Whether or not The 5th Avenue Theatre or any theater decides to produce such musicals, is it important  to conduct a racial equity analysis?  If so, why? If not, why not?​

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Tone policing is a conscious or unconscious tactic used by those with privilege that intentionally or unintentionally prevents marginalized people from sharing their experiences of oppression.​

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White supremacy is the foundation, the default that pervades our institutions, culture & relationships. ​

White supremacy operates in even more subtle ways, by defining what “normal” is, what “professional,” “effective,” or even “good” is. ​

White supremacy maintains white power & white control of resources​.

White Supremacy gives rise to White Privilege. ​

White supremacy perpetuates itself through oppressions, inequities, colonialism, exploitation, & brutalities that People of Color experience. ​

White Supremacy discourages  Interracial solidarity & requires marginalized groups to oppress themselves & each other in order to thrive. ​

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Bison - a main food, clothing, and energy source for Natives.

3.5 million Bison were systematically slaughtered in 3 years.

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Build better relationships by making meaning together ​

Discover a mutual sense of understanding across differences ​

Together imagine different perspectives, possibilities or outcomes​

Encourage  paradigm shifts in others & in yourself ​

Provide opportunities for reflection VS. reaction​

Care enough to allow  mistakes & gently bring others back​

Care about yourself & others enough to recognize the need for radical unlearning of what you have been configured to believe is normal​

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Amygdala Hijacked Brain (Daniel Goleman, Ph.D.)​

Perceives threat to safety or comfort​

Triggers Fight, Flight, or Freeze​

Overrides thinking and problem solving (pre-frontal cortex “PFC”)​

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https://www.weseeyouwat.com

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Privilege Unearned social power accorded by the formal and informal institutions of society to ALL members of a dominant group (e.g. white privilege, male privilege, etc.). Privilege is usually invisible to those who have it because they are taught not to see it, but nevertheless it puts them at an advantage over those who do not have it.

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A description of  “Common Racist Attitudes and Behaviors” can be found below.

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A description of  “Common Racist Attitudes and Behaviors” can be found below.

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http://www.oakcliffuu.org/newsletters/28ToolsChangeRacistAttitudes.pdf

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnfKgffCZ7U
By Jenee Desmond Harris & Estelle Caswell

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Using Your White Privilege | Joy DeGruy 

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Using Your White Privilege | Joy DeGruy 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTvU7uUgjUI

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Cracking the Codes: Joy DeGruy, A Trip to the Grocery Store

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The musical Oklahoma! is set in the Indian Territory of Oklahoma in 1906—before Oklahoma became a state. ​

The musical centers on happy white people whose greatest concern is a town dance that will raise money to build a new school. ​

​

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I didn’t say you were racist.​

I didn’t say you were racist.​

I didn’t say you were racist.​

I didn’t say you were racist​

I didn’t say you were racist.​

I didn’t say you were racist.​

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​Implicit Bias & Structural Racism in Recruitment:​      Are Emily & Greg more employable than Lakisha & Jamal?​

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​Implicit Bias & Structural Racism in Recruitment:​      Are Emily & Greg more employable than Lakisha & Jamal?​

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Research study from MIT and University of Chicago…​

5000 resumes sent to 1,250 advertised jobs​

Some resumes had “typically white” sounding names: Emily and Greg, while others had “typically black” sounding names: Lakisha & Jamal. ​

FINDINGS:​

“Typically white names” received 50% more call backs than applicants with “typically black names” ​

Despite “black” candidates being rated as highly skilled, the ”White” candidates rated average received more callbacks than highly skilled Black candidates​.

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A structure rather than a historical event where the goal is to dominate, subjugate, and eventually becomes disguised as paternalistic benevolence.

Settle colonizers are Eurocentric and assume that European (white) values with respect to moral superiority are natural and inevitable.

Today, settler-colonialism plays out in the erasure of Indigenous presence around the world.

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https://youtu.be/q5b6K0ZaeXk
Source: Healing Conversations with Justin Michael Williams

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Calling Out vs. Calling Forward with Justin Michael Williams

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1. In the ”We See You White American Theater” document, what did the POC who created the document see in White American theaters that you may have missed/surprised you/had never considered (unconsciously incompetent)?  Where were you on The Learning Model?​
​
2. Why might you or others have difficulty seeing racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. just as many miss seeing the Moonwalking Bear? ​
​
3. What is the impact of not “seeing” racism, sexism or other forms of exclusion in The Theatre or in society?​

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Racial inequity is when two or more racial groups are not standing on approximately equal footing, such a the percentages of each ethnic group in terms of dropout rates, single family home ownership, access to healthcare, etc.

SOURCE:  Ibram X. Kendi, How To Be An Antiracist, Random House, 2019.

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https://ready.web.unc.edu/section-1-foundations/sample-page-2/

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After working through this module, you will be able to:

Define race, racism, and related terms in ways that are consistent with racial equity advocates' use of these terms.

Compare these definitions to the ways that these terms are colloquially used.

Introduction

To work effectively toward racial equity across systems and organizations, we need to share a common understanding of concepts that are foundational to this work. However, seemingly straightforward terms like "race" and "racism" can be defined very differently from one context to another. In this module, we will develop a shared understanding of concepts that are central to racial equity work.

Watch

In Module 2 (History of Race and Racism), we explored the history of race as a concept in the United States. Watch this brief video from Vox to review the historical evolution of this term.

Interact

For each term below, spend a few minutes defining the term. Search engines are tempting, but please try not to use them for this activity - come up with your own definition. After you define each term, click the arrow to see our definition.

Now, let's put these six terms together to create a shared understanding of racism.

a system of advantage based on race;

a system of oppression based on race;

social and institutional power PLUS racial prejudice.

Racism is NOT:

racial prejudice, hatred, or discrimination.

Let's unpack this definition, because this conception of racism may be different from the ways you have heard the term used in other contexts. Racial equity advocates define racism as a system - a set of things that work together for a common purpose or with a common outcome. Remember from our definition of "system" above that once established, a system does not require planning or initiative of individual people. Because inequity and differential treatment are embedded in the social, economic, and political systems of our country and therefore seen as "normal," systemic racism would exist even if racial prejudice and racial hatred were completely eliminated.

Racism is both a system of advantage (for whites) and a system of oppression (for BIPOC). The system was created to concentrate social and institutional power among those designated as "white," and to exclude all others from receiving these benefits. Again, because these systems are self-perpetuating, differential outcomes according to race will continue to be produced by them regardless of the action or inaction of individual people within the system, unless and until the system itself is changed.

Finally, racism is more than mere prejudice, hatred, or discrimination based on race. As we noted above, no one is completely free of prejudice, and it is certainly possible for a person of color to have negative prejudices toward white people. What elevates racial prejudice to racism, however, is the social and institutional power that allows one group to carry out systematic discrimination using the major institutions of society. Because, in the United States, these institutions were created and are still largely controlled by white people, racism refers specifically to a system that advantages whiteness and oppresses people of color and Indigenous people.

Why is it problematic to define racism as interpersonal prejudice or bias based on race? When we define racism as personal rather than institutional, our conversations about what is racist often devolve into a discussion of "what's in a person's heart" rather than the impact of their beliefs and behaviors. This limits racism only to intentional and conscious acts and therefore erases the real impact of both unintentionally harmful behaviors and large-scale systemic oppression and discrimination. Defining racism in a systemic way doesn't ignore individual instances of overtly hateful behavior, but instead expands our understanding of what is "racist" to include less conscious, unconscious, and institutional manifestations.

WATCH

Another set of terms that are frequently confused is race, ethnicity, and nationality. For example, does "Latino" refer to race, ethnicity, or national origin? Watch the two videos below to explore the differences between these terms.

First, watch this quick overview from the Western Justice Center that explains the differences between race, ethnicity, and nationality using jellybeans.

Next, explore this issue in more depth with the Sociology Crash Course video "Race & Ethnicity," in which host Nicole Sweeney provides an excellent, research-grounded overview of the past, present, and potential future uses of these terms.

Connect

We have defined the term "racism" today in a way that is consistent with how scholars, activists, and others working toward racial equity across systems use this term. However, it's important to acknowledge that not everyone shares this definition of racism. Over the next week, note in your journal any time you hear or see the word "racism" used in conversation, on the news, in readings, etc. Are people using this term in a way that is consistent with our definition? If not, how are they using the term and what are the potential consequences of using the word in that way?

But Wait!
In this section, we address common questions and concerns related to the material presented in each module. You may have these questions yourself, or someone you're sharing this information with might raise them. We recommend that for each question below, you spend a few minutes thinking about your own response before clicking the arrow to the left of the question to see our response.
I've heard about "reverse racism." Isn't it possible for white people to be the victims of racism?

When we adopt the definition of racism that we have described in this model, "racism" ceases to be about individual acts of discrimination and instead refers to the ways that systems and institutions privilege whiteness. With that understanding of racism in mind, the idea of "reverse racism" does not make sense. Many people of color have written extensively on this subject, tackling myths such as the idea that Black History Month is racist toward white people, or that affirmative action takes jobs and opportunities away from white people. For example, see Zeba Blay's article " 4 'Reverse Racism' Myths that Need to Stop," and check out the video below.

What if a person of color has power over a white person - couldn't that be racism if the person of color uses their power to discriminate against the white person?

An individual person of any race may be able to enact racial prejudice in ways that are harmful to others by virtue of their local, positional power. For example, a person of color who manages employees may fire a white person based on racial prejudice. However, this is still not racism as we and other racial equity advocates define the term, because the overall systems of social, political, and economic power still work in favor of whiteness. Racism is not about localized power and control, but rather about institutionalized power and control.

If racial categories don't have any scientific validity, why don't we just abandon them and stop categorizing people at all?

As long as skin color contributes to differential life outcomes, it will continue to be important to use racial categories as tools to help us see and understand systemic inequity. For example, data collected by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) beginning in the late 1960s provided and continues to provide valuable evidence of race-based inequities in the U.S. public school system, and the Health Disparities & Inequalities Reports released by the Centers for Disease Control show the pervasive and persistent negative health impacts of racism. Abandoning the use of racial categories would not make underlying race-based inequity disappear- it would merely make it more difficult for us to see that inequity. For more on this question, see the Washington Post article " Yes, the census should be tracking race and ethnicity."

Can BIPOC be racist toward other BIPOC?

Remember that as we have defined it, racism requires institutionalized power. This does not mean that BIPOC are incapable of prejudice and xenophobia. Colorism - the privileging of lighter skin over darker skin within a racial group - is one example of how BIPOC can enact prejudice toward other BIPOC. However, colorism and other related issues must be discussed in light of the history of racism, misogyny, and white supremacy. Colorism in the African American community, for example, has its roots in slavery: enslaved people with lighter skin were assigned domestic tasks, while those with darker skin were forced to work outside doing much more grueling tasks. This was probably related to the fact that enslaved people with lighter skin were often descended from white slaveholders through rape. This has left a lasting legacy of internalized racism: ideas, beliefs, actions, and behaviors on the part of BIPOC that support or collude with racism, for example, the belief that lighter skin is preferable to darker skin.

For more on these issues, see the following resources:

Additional Resources

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Module 3: Getting on the Same Page: Defining Race & Racism

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After working through this module, you will be able to: Define race, racism, and related terms in ways that are consistent with racial equity advocates' use of these terms. Compare these definitions to the ways that these terms are colloquially used.

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Anti-Racism is defined as the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach, and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts. ​

Anti-Racism can also mean actively opposing (unintentional or intentional) organizational policies, practices, procedures.​

What might be an example of a policy at The 5th Avenue Theatre that has unintentional impact on minoritized individuals or communities?​

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4 Essential & Interconnected Elements of Internalized Racism​

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4 Essential & Interconnected Elements of Internalized Racism​

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Decision-making - Due to racism, POC do not have the ultimate decision-making power over the decisions that control their lives and resources. As a result:

Personal level: may think white people know more about what needs to be done for them than they do.

Interpersonal level, POC may not support each other’s authority and power – especially if it is in opposition to the dominating racial group. ​

Structurally, a system is in place that rewards people of color who support white supremacy and power and coerces or punishes those who do not.​

Resources - Resources, broadly defined (money, time, etc.), are unequally in the hands and under the control of white people. ​

Internalized racism is the system in place that makes it difficult for POC  to get access to resources for their own communities and to control the resources of our community. ​

They may learn to believe that serving and using resources for themselves and their particular communities is not serving “everybody.”​

Standards  ​

The standards for what is appropriate or “normal” that people of color accept are white people’s or Eurocentric standards.​

POC may have difficulty naming, communicating and living up to the deepest standards and values, and holding themselves and each other accountable to them.  E.g., from the “Conversation with Native Americans on Race” from last time: “You’re not Native American” enough.​

Misnaming the problem​

System that misnames the problem of racism as a problem of or caused by people of color and blames the disease – emotional, economic, political, etc. – on people of color. With internalized racism, people of color might, e.g., believe POC are more violent than white people and not consider state-sanctioned political violence or the hidden or privatized violence of white people and the systems they put in place and support.​

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Why Tone Policing is Dangerous to Racial Equity Work​

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Why Tone Policing is Dangerous to Racial Equity Work​

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Tone policing does not disrupt the power structure of white supremacy & structural racism. It preserves it. ​

Tone policing reinforces stereotypes (e.g., “angry or aggressive black people”, ”hysterical women”, etc.). ​

Tone policing in the workplace is a veiled aggression.​

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Implicit Bias & Structural Racism in Employment​

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Implicit Bias & Structural Racism in Employment​

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Law firm partners were given a (fictitious) memo that had identical  grammatical, factual, and technical analysis errors written by an associate, Meyer, who went to NYU. Half the partners were told that Meyer was White; the other half that Meyer was Black.​

Law firm partners found MORE of the errors in the memo “written” by the African American author, and rated the memo as LOWER in quality than when the author was perceived to be White.  (Stephens, 2005).​

“White” Meyer​

- “Generally a good writer, but needs to work on…”​

- “Has potential”​

- “Good analytical skills”​

“Black” Meyer​

- “Needs lots of work”​

- “Can’t believe he went to NYU”​

- “Average at best”​

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•Duwamish traditional homelands inhabited for 10,000+ years. Sites that are 4,000 old have been located at Discovery Park.

•1853 Maynard recommends naming  the City of Seattle in honor Chief Si’ahl (Seattle) for his leadership, protection, and friendship.

•1855-1858 –Series of Native rebellions, “Indian Wars,” because white immigrants violated Point Elliott Treaty.

•1855 Chief Si’ahl signs Point Elliott Treaty; US guarantees hunting and fishing rights and reservations. Chief Si’ahl signature at the top of list.  In exchange, the Duwamish ceded 54,000 acres (Seattle, Renton, Tukwila, Bellevue, and Mercer Island.

•1865 Duwamish banned from living in Seattle; settlers burned 94 Duwamish long houses between 1855-1894

•1866 - White immigrants protest recommendation to Congress for Duwamish reservation, stating:  “…such a reservation would do a great injustice,” claiming that the promised reservation would be “of little value to the Indians.

•1976 - Duwamish first petitioned for federal recognition.

•2001 - Approved in last days of Clinton administration; Bush administration overturned 8 months later.

•2009 - The first Duwamish Longhouse completed in Seattle in 115 years on West Marginal Way in West Seattle.

•2013 - Judge ruled the Bush administration used dated rules  and ordered the petition reconsidered.

•2015 - Federal recognition denied again

•“In the eyes and mind of our people, the Duwamish Tribe does exist. We are extremely disappointed – yet again – in the BIA's dehumanizing decision to do away with our existence according to the rulings that were made in the past.” Cecile Hanson, Duwamish Tribe Chairwoman

•2021- Duwamish still continue to fight for restoration of their federal recognition.

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Call out the problematic behavior, not the person​.

Call out a person as a last resort after you’ve used your heart & skills​.

Perhaps asking these questions will help.  Which would you do when:  ​

Your best friend says something hurtful or problematic?​

Your parent or grandparent offends or hurts?​

A person you know to be thoughtful & socially conscious offends?​

A person who you know is not consciously being oppressive?​

A person for whom English is not their 1st language & they do not realize the oppressive connotations of some words?​

A person who repeatedly engages in hurtful behavior without apologizing? ​

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What Strategies Can You Employ to Override Your Bias?​

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What Strategies Can You Employ to Override Your Bias?​

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Research shows automatic and unconscious mental responses can be overridden with conscious and deliberate effort. ​

A person who is motivated to be unprejudiced—because of legal sanctions, social pressures or strong personal egalitarian values—can suppress biased responses.​

Ongoing, positive interactions with individual people of a particular race, ethnicity, or other group is one of the best ways to break down negative stereotypes​.

Make people aware of their certain biases—build a support group.

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"Dreamland" is a club filled with American Marines, civilians and south Vietnamese officers. The girls parade around and get the crowd to buy raffle tickets.  The winner of the "beauty contest" will be the prize.

[AMERICANS] The heat is on in Saigon

The girls are hotter 'n' hell

One of these slits here will be Miss Saigon

God, the tension is high,

not to mention the smell

The heat is on in Saigon

Is there a war going on?

Don't ask, I ain't gonna tell

[Two friends, CHRIS and JOHN, are among the Marines. JOHN is with one of the girls]

[ENGINEER] Ah, Monsieur Chris! Monsieur John! You've come to win Miss Saigon

[JOHN] I gotta get my friend laid as a last souvenir

[CHRIS] I love you, pal, but your bullshit

I've had up to here

[ENGINEER, CHRIS AND JOHN]

The heat is on in Saigon

[JOHN] But 'til they tell us we're gone I'm gonna buy you a girl

[CHRIS] You can buy me a beer

[The girls leave the men and move onto the stage]

[MIMI] See my bikini, it's just the right size

[YVETTE] Don't you enjoy how it rides up my thighs?

Look from behind, it'll knock out your eyes

[YVONNE] I'll show you: my special trophy of war

[MIMI] For a Marine, I'll show more

[AMERICANS] You won't get up off the floor

The heat is on in Saigon

Don't tell me I'm reassigned, all that chickenshit sucks

Tonight I'm out of my mind, not to mention ten bucks

[GIGI] If I'm your pin-up, I'll melt all your brass Stuck on your wall, with a pin in my ass If you get me, you will travel first class I'll show you, we will make magic, cheri

[ENGINEER]

You buy more tickets from me
The winner gets her for free
[CHRIS]

The meat is cheap in Saigon

I used to love getting stoned, waking up with some whore

I don't know why I went dead, it's not fun anymore

[KIM] I'm seventeen, and I'm new here today

The village I come from seems so far away

All of the girls know much more what to say

But I know I have a heart like the sea

A million dreams are in me

[CHRIS] Good Jesus, John, who is she?

[AMERICANS AND CROWD]

The Cong is tight'ning the noose

Is it a week or a day or an hour that we got?

Tonight could be our last shot got to put it to use

I got a fever babe and you’re gonna catch it

I got an itch and baby you’re gonna scratch it

[The GIRLS come off the stage and mingle.]

[ALL, INCLUDING GIRLS]

Tonight I bet that you and I will get along

Forget about the threat, forget the Viet-Cong

[ALL MEN]

Mimi, Gigi, Yvette or Yvonne

Gonna buy me a beer, and elect Miss Saigon

[The ENGINEER holds the election by holding his hand over each girl's head for applause. When KIM is judged, CHRIS claps loudly, which makes her notice him.]

[ENGINEER] Yvonne, Yvette, Mimi, Kim, Gigi

[GIGI wins]

[ENGINEER] Attention, s'il vous plait!

By popular demand

Miss Gigi Van Tranh

Is elected Miss Saigon!

[The ENGINEER puts a cheap tiara on GIGI and a ribbon which says "Miss Saigon".]

[AMERICANS]

The heat is on in Saigon

And things are not going well

But still at midnight, the party goes on

A good-bye party in hell

[ENGINEER]

And now who wins this pussycat?

[The ENGINEER holds a bowl; GIGI picks up a ticket.]

[GIGI]

Number 66!

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Racism = racial prejudice + systemic, institutionalpower

‘Racism” is often interchanged with ‘prejudice’, however unlike prejudice, racism is organized &persistent & is supported/reinforced by systems & institutions.

Racism is not only an individual ideology but an entire system of behaviors, ideas, practices, conditions, structures, policies and processes that maintain racial advantage.

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Know Your WHY, Not Just Your WHAT!  WHY do you want The 5th Avenue to be an equitable organization?

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Know Your WHY, Not Just Your WHAT!  WHY do you want The 5th Avenue to be an equitable organization?

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How To Tell Someone They Sound Racist​: J. Smooth 

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How To Tell Someone They Sound Racist​: J. Smooth 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0Ti-gkJiXc

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Anti-POC and white supremacy are two heads of the same coin.​

Interracial solidarity will never be possible until we acknowledge the role that white supremacy plays within communities of color while also recognizing how we each uphold white supremacy.​

Internationally acclaimed scientist, Raven Baxter, tweeted:   ​

“Can y’all talk about dismantling white supremacy so that minoritized groups don’t have to form bonds through their collective trauma inflicted by white people and we can all just live our freaking lives? Make that trend.”​

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Historical Trauma & Intergenerational Trauma

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Historical Trauma & Intergenerational Trauma

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Historical trauma is intergenerational trauma experienced by a specific cultural group that has a history of being systematically oppressed.

Historical trauma is cumulative emotional and psychological wounding over the lifespan and across generations, emanating from massive group trauma.

Historical unresolved grief accompanies that trauma.

Source:  Dr. Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart

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White fragility refers to feelings of discomfort a white person experiences when they participate in or witness discussions around racial inequality and injustice.​

White fragility differs from both white privilege and white supremacy. White privilege refers to the fact that white people have advantages in society that others do not. White supremacy is the belief that people with white skin are superior. ​

People of color may find it difficult to speak to white people about white privilege and feelings of white superiority. The white person may become defensive and the person of color may feel obligated to comfort the white person or simply give up on the conversation because we live in a white-dominated environment.​

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Veiled/microaggressions are brief, commonplace, verbal, behavioral or environmental indignities (whether intentional or unintentional) that communicate ​

hostile​

derogatory​

or negative attitudes ​

toward people in minoritized/stigmatized/marginalized groups throughout their lives​.

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1. What performance and lines in the opening song, “The Heat Is On in Saigon” are stereotypes & offensive to women generally but particularly to Asian women?​

2. Does it matter that more recent presentations of Miss Saigon are now performed by Asians rather than white actors (e.g., white actor Jon Jon Briones played the original pimp in “yellow face”)?​

3. One reporter found it difficult to “make the sexual, romantic, emotional and financial exploitation and abuse of vulnerable Vietnamese women into a barnstorming theatrical night out.”  What is your response to that thought?​

4. One reporter said, “In many ways, Miss Saigon is a colonial story, where none of the Asian characters are portrayed in a positive light — as opportunists, villainous, and, at the center of the story, Kim is written to be very weak.” What is your response to that thought?​

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The Difference Between Equity and Equality

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The Difference Between Equity and Equality

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Equity is the act of ensuring that processes and programs are impartial, fair and provide equal possible outcomes for every individual. Source: https://builtin.com/diversity-inclusion/what-does-dei-mean-in-the-workplace
Equality is when everyone gets treated the same. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlXZyNtaoDM

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Conversations about Racism, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Paraphrasing Requires Active Listening​

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Conversations about Racism, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Paraphrasing Requires Active Listening​

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_-rNd7h6z8Course

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A Description of “Common Racist Attitudes and Behaviors” 

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A Description of “Common Racist Attitudes and Behaviors” 

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http://www.oakcliffuu.org/newsletters/28ToolsChangeRacistAttitudes.pdf

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Individual & Organizational Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization ​

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Individual & Organizational Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization ​

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Institutional & Structural Racism are closely related.  The primary difference between the Institutional Racism & Structural Racism is that Structural Racism pays more attention to the historical, cultural, social and psychological aspects of our currently racialized society including our institutions. ​

A system in which public policies, institutional practices, cultural representations, and other norms work in various, often reinforcing ways to perpetuate racial group inequity. ​

Structural racism identifies dimensions of our history and culture that have allowed privileges associated with “whiteness” and disadvantages associated with “color” to endure and adapt over time.​

Structural racism is not something that a few people or institutions choose to practice. Instead it has been a feature of the social, economic and political systems in which we all exist. ​

​

Source: The Aspen Institute Roundtable on Community Change​

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Situations where the white race is not central (e.g., a movie where a person of color is the lead character &/or in a non-stereotypical role  or board discussions where racism is the central topic, not business as usual)​.

A white person receiving feedback that their views, behavior or actions are racist or had a racist impact​.

A person of color sharing their racial experiences and perspectives​.

A white person not agreeing with another white person’s perspectives on racism​.

A person of color addressing issues of racism VS protecting a white person’s feelings about racism​.

A white person being presented with a person of color as a leader​.

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Veiled aggressions are more than just insults, insensitive comments, or generalized jerky behavior.​

They are the kinds of remarks, questions, or actions that                             are painful because they pertain to a person's membership in a group that's routinely discriminated                         against & subjected to stereotypes. ​

They are so disconcerting because they happen frequently, casually, & often without any warning or harm intended.​
​

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Applying a Racial Equity Lens to Miss Saigon ​

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Applying a Racial Equity Lens to Miss Saigon ​

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Perpetuates the concept of the “white savior”​

Kim’s character was originally performed by a white person   ​

The Dreamland prostitutes wear Western swimwear barely covering their genitals and breasts​

Costuming and makeup (revealing, non-Western clothing) is a key part of Kim’s journey​

Whites must change the fates of their Asian counterparts (Chris is Kim’s hero)​

If Kim is merely a sex worker—one iteration of a traditionally undervalued and belittled profession—then why do we continue to tell her story?​

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1: Also called intersectionality theory, intersectional theory. the theory that the overlap of various social identities, as race, gender, sexuality, and class, contributes to the specific type of systemic oppression and discrimination experienced by an individual (often used attributively).

2: the oppression and discrimination resulting from the overlap of an individual’s various social identities.

Source: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/intersectionality

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National values are behaviors & characteristics that members of a society are taught to value and enact. U.S. Examples:​

fairness, equal treatment, individual responsibility, meritocracy, bootstraps. ​

When looking at national values through a Structural Racism lens, however, certain values have allowed Structural Racism to exist in ways that are hard to detect. ​

This is because these national values are referred to in ways that ignore historical realities.  Examples:​

Value: Personal responsibility and individualism convey the idea that people control their fates regardless of social position, and that individual behaviors and choices alone determine material outcomes. ​

Value: Respect the law.

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Veiled aggressions are very similar to implicit biases—the attitudes, stereotypes, and assumptions that we're not even aware of (unconsciously incompetent) that can creep into our minds and affect our behavior​.

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Questions for future contemplation:  Applying a Racial Equity Lens to Miss Saigon ​

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Questions for future contemplation:  Applying a Racial Equity Lens to Miss Saigon ​

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1. Some critics argue that stories like this allow colonizers & white audiences to believe that what whites have done to a shocking portion of the world is justified.  E.g., ​

Stripped down & demeaned indigenous populations​

Remain unwilling to empathize with different cultures​

Use traditionally Christian morals as an excuse to obliterate thousands of years of history, etc.). ​

What do you think?​

1. Is it important to perform these musicals?  If so, does the Board/The Theatre have an obligation to be willing to discuss exactly why they are problematic?  If so, how could theaters accomplish this?​

2. What role, if any, does the Board have in exploring this topic?​

3. How would you (would you /should you) alter this particular musical to apply a racial equity lens to be sure it captures the real context of the Vietnam War?​

4. Any lingering thoughts, or questions about applying a racial equity analysis to a musical?​

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Microaggressions are common verbal, behavioral, and environmental communications, whether intentional or unintentional, that transmit hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to a target person because they belong to a stigmatized group. Source: Maleah Jackson @ Makari Consulting

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What is a wisdom, gratitude, or joy that comes from your learning in these sessions over the last several months?

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Forbes magazine article: We All Uphold, Continue And Contribute To White Supremacy 

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Forbes magazine article: We All Uphold, Continue And Contribute To White Supremacy 

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2021/03/21/we-all-uphold-continue-and-contribute-to-white-supremacy/?sh=7a55ac3a57ea

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Many conversations have put the onus on marginalized groups to remedy systems that were designed to ... [+]
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A national conversation about anti-Asian racism has emerged amidst targeted violence that has been on the rise following the Covid-19 pandemic. Until the pandemic arrived, America's long history of anti-Asian sentiment was not often discussed. The dialogue around the most recent string of heinous crimes is captured through hashtags and statements like #stopasianhate. Many analyses of the anti-Asian sentiments have focused primarily on the harm caused to the Asian community but there also has to be an examination of how we got here in the first place. There have been calls for solidarity across different racial and ethnic communities. Although the common enemy that continues to plague and pillage this world is white supremacy, much of the discussion has centered around the relationship between the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and the Black community. Despite the complicated relationship between the two communities, there is a history of solidarity that is often overlooked and undermined. One recent headline that rightfully received backlash was titled "How Black people can be strong allies to Asian Americans right now." The headline has since been changed but reignited public discourse about interracial solidarity. Interracial solidarity will never be possible until we acknowledge the role that white supremacy plays within communities of color while also recognizing how we each uphold anti-blackness; anti-blackness and white supremacy are two heads of the same coin. In response to the aforementioned headline, internationally acclaimed scientist Raven Baxter tweeted a poignant message that deserves further examination: "Can y'all talk about dismantling white supremacy so that minoritized groups don't have to form bonds through their collective trauma inflicted by white people and we can all just live our freaking lives? Make that trend." Many conversations have put the onus on marginalized groups to remedy systems that were designed to harm them. More discussions must assess the role that white supremacist ideology plays and how each person contributes to this system.

White supremacy does not require white people to uphold it. This is a popular myth about white supremacy that allows it to continue. Communities of color are often used as pawns of white supremacy to continue and further its power. What many do not realize is that they are trying to gain admission into a system that never loved them and will not protect them. The model minority myth, for example, characterizes Asians as "polite" and "law-abiding" while juxtaposing their wealth and success with other marginalized communities. The presumption is that playing into the model minority myth and aligning oneself with whiteness will provide benefits, access and opportunities. Within communities of color, it is a common practice to align with and assimilate into white society as a means to advance and propel. White adjacency adopts the notion that proximity to whiteness will equate to advantages. But we cannot forget that the system exists to oppress. In order for white supremacy to thrive, there has to be marginalized groups at the bottom to oppress. The insidious nature of white supremacy is that it prevents those who are oppressed from also seeing and understanding the many ways that they can also be the oppressors. As long as the system is intact, others will continue to be subjugated by it. The most alluring falsehood is the belief that proximity to whiteness will grant you immunity-it will not.

The insidious nature of white supremacy is that it prevents those who are oppressed from also seeing ... [+]
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When hate crimes and acts of pure evil occur, white supremacy allows white perpetrators to be humanized while non-white perpetrators are vilified. More time must be spent on individual reflections of how we, as a society, have birthed, created, molded and shaped individuals who are capable of these unspeakable acts. Until there is accountability both within our systems and structures as well as an understanding of how we have each contributed to these systems, the cycle will continue. We all must realize that we have a common enemy-white supremacy. When we ignore the racism that targets other groups because we falsely believe it doesn't affect us, we are diminishing the power of combined efforts in creating lasting change. Every major revolution that has occurred within society took a critical mass of people working towards a collective goal. One must always remember that white supremacy continues to harm even those it was designed to protect. All of our oppressions are interconnected; we must not forget the powerful words of Reni Eddo-Lodge that "every voice raised against racism chips away at its power."

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

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We All Uphold, Continue And Contribute To White Supremacy

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A national conversation about anti-Asian racism has emerged amidst targeted violence that has been on the rise following the Covid-19 pandemic. Until the pandemic arrived, America's long history of anti-Asian sentiment was not often discussed. The dialogue around the most recent string of heinous crimes is captured through hashtags and statements like #stopasianhate.

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• Being antiracist is different from being “not racist” or “non-racist.”

• Anti-racist is a positive term that describes people who actively work

to understand, explain, and solve racial inequity and injustice.

• Unlike racist or anti-racist, there is no consistent definition for “not

racist.” A movement or idea can be described as racist or anti-racist

but labeling something as “not racist” conveys a defensive and

equivocal posture.

• Racist and antiracist are not permanent identities—they “are like

peelable name tags that are placed or replaced based on what

someone is doing or not doing, supporting or expressing in each

moment.”

Reference: National Museum of African American History and Culture. Being Antiracist [September 20, 2020]

Kendi, I.X., How to Be an Antiracist. 2019: Random House Publishing Group.

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Microaggressions are common verbal, behavioral, and environmental communications, whether intentional or unintentional, that transmit hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to a target person because they belong to a stigmatized group. Source: Maleah Jackson @ Makari Consulting

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Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome - Joy DeGruy, PhD

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Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome - Joy DeGruy, PhD

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udy3TRNq-6Q