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I notice the looks I get I walk into a store. The distrusting glances the cashier gives me. But no one seems to care if I walk into a store with my white friends.They can get away with things I can’t. It doesn’t seem right that just because I’m black I have to be more careful about the things I say and do. When I talk about these things to my friends, they’ll say things to me like, “Oh but you’re half white.” Just because I’m mixed doesn’t mean I’m going to be discriminated against any less.
Racial implicit bias is the reason why in some cities African Americans can be up to five times more likely to be searched than white people, according to Washington Post. It is why innocent black men and women are being shot by the police without reason. It’s unfair that the belief that black people are dangerous is ingrained in them since they were little. Empathy can also affect a person’s bias, studies have shown that typically people believe that black people feel less pain than a white person would. If people feel empathy for another person or race they are less inclined to cause them pain.
When I first learned this I felt hopeless. How can I be successful if the world subconsciously wants me to fail? To be honest, I don’t know but i believe that if I try hard I can succeed even if the odds are against me. In order to overcome racial bias you need to understand how it affects other people. Put yourself in another person’s shoes and understand how even the small actions can affect the larger picture.