Attendees wrote lists of negative stereotypes that they discussed afterward. The other exercise consisted of responding to a series of “true or false” statements concerning stereotypes about Black men. The participants hoped the discussions would change the attitudes of the staffs at their institutions.
Similar concerns are evident in President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative. Participating foundations and businesses are committing substantial resources to change the “often-damaging narrative” about young, minority men.
However, any changes that might be made will not be easy, as the problem goes much deeper than most observers assume. Much of the discrimination that occurs today results from unconscious stereotypes that are not widely understood.
