Getting Unstuck #153/154: Want to Improve Race Relations?
Get to know your brain.
We've don't necessarily have a race problem in America, we have a brain problem. — Jason Greer
Today’s guest
Jason Greer is the Founder and President of Greer Consulting, Inc., a labor management and employee relations consulting firm. Jason is known for his work in the area of racial reconciliation based on his experience as a victim of cross burnings by the KKK. He is the co-author of Bias, Racism, and the Brain: How We Got to Where we Are and What Needs to Happen Next.
Jason on why this conversation matters
“The one thing that has not evolved is our brains. Our brains are still stuck in the days of our ancestors. When we traveled in the days of our ancestors with packs of people who looked like us, talked like us, walked like us, well, they were us, and they were our “in group.” In groups keep us safe; they keep us protected from the environment, from predators. When we're in the presence of our in group, we experienced the dopamine effect – the dopamine effect makes us feel good, it makes us feel comfortable.
But if you happen to be walking in the forest and you come across a group of people who don't look like you, talk like you, or think like you, that's your “out group.” When you experience somebody who's not like you, your brain kicks in the cortisol effect, which is the stress hormone. You clench up. You get scared.
The way that we get through that fear – that brain-based fear – is by empathizing with one another; it’s by understanding. Yes, theoretically, all lives matter, but all lives can't matter until you understand the story that I come with. Once you start to understand someone else's story, that fear begins to minimize.”
How you can use this episode as PD
Reread the last paragraph above beginning with “The way that we get through that fear…” How often are you able to pause to learn someone else’s story? How often do the pressures of day-to-day life push compassion and empathy to the side? Who is someone you would like to know – need to know – better?
The graphic at the right is used to open each chapter in Jason’s book. What’s its message about racism in America?
Closing thought
What happens, unfortunately, in our school systems — we conduct a lot of diversity programs with school systems around the country — especially with white teachers, I can see their brains working, clicking, trying to trying to figure out ‘Okay, what do I do? Talk about history? Do I talk about the Rodney King moment? Do I talk about the George Floyd moment?’ One of the things that I say to these teachers is, 'Look, we can talk about history, we could talk about current events. But many of these kids just want to know that you see them, that you care about them.' — Jason Greer