May 2012


www.hamptonroadsmessenger.com


Scholars Say “Unconscious Bias” Leads to Discrimination


BY KIMBERLY N. ALLEYNE NEW ORLEANS


– Leading social justice scholars believe that “unconscious bias” leads to negative racial stereotyping that can unknowingly prompt discriminatory actions and attitudes towards people of color.


At the Healing for Democracy


conference hosted by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) last week, a panel -- moderated by Maria Hinajosa, anchor and managing editor of NPR’s Latino USA -- discussed the role that unconscious bias plays in access to employment opportunities, school discipline action, immigration, health care access, criminal justice and social opportunities for minorities in the United States.


Hinojosa said it is “irrefutable” what


is happening in America today. “We are clearly becoming a more multicultural, multiracial, mixed country. That is the future.”


But she noted that the changing


demographics are causing tension and fear among the majority. “There’s an element of unconsciousness there,” she said, “but there’s also an element of consciousness that is saying – at this moment I’m in the world of being a non-Hispanic Anglo…I don’t want to become a minority.”


One panelist, Dr. David Williams,


professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, cited studies documenting that when Latinos and African Americans were treated for a broken bone in their leg, physicians often gave them significantly less pain medication than they gave white patients with the same injury.


“How on earth do we make sense


of this?” Williams asked. “How is it possible that for the best trained medical workforce in the world to produce… care that appears to be so discriminatory? The answer: unconscious discrimination.


“Research shows that when one


holds a negative stereotype about a group and meets someone from that group, without their conscious awareness, it is an unconscious process and it is automatic. They will treat that person differently and honestly not know that they did it.”


Williams noted that most Americans


would resist a label saying they are discriminating, but he added, “Welcome


to the human race. It’s a normal process of how all of us process information. And the problem about our society is that the levels of negative stereotypes are very high.”


He cited findings from the General


Social Survey, a national social indicators study that found in 1990 that 44 percent of whites believe that blacks are lazy; 56 percent of whites believe that blacks prefer to live off welfare; 51 percent of whites believe that blacks are prone to violence; and 29 percent of whites believe that blacks are unintelligent.


“Not only are blacks viewed


negatively, they’re viewed markedly more negatively than whites view themselves,” Williams said.


“Not only do whites view blacks


negatively, one -in-five whites or fewer are willing to say that blacks are hardworking, prefer to be self- supporting, are not prone to violence or are intelligent… Where do these stereotypes come from? Williams asked rhetorically“


Williams said that researchers have


put together a database of American culture, all of the texts, all of the books, all of the magazine articles that the average college-educated American would read over the course of their lifetime. When examining this material, he said researchers found that when the word, “black,” appears in American culture, the most commonly associated word with blacks is “poor” and then “violent” and then “religious” and then “lazy” and then “cheerful” and then “dangerous.”


“The common stereotypes, negative


stereotypes of violent, lazy, dangerous, are deeply embedded in American culture,” Williams said. “People are not being mean; they’re just being normal Americans.”


By contrast, Williams said that


what’s associated with “white” in American culture is completely different. “Wealthy, progressive, conventional, stubborn, successful, educated,” he said. “… These are the DISCRIMINATION PAGE 14


Scholarship Watch LFCU Scholarship Renamed for Retiring CEO


NEWPORT NEWS, VA –Langley Federal Credit Union’s Board of Directors surprised longtime President/CEO Mrs. Jean M. Yokum by announcing the renaming of the LFCU Galaxy Graduate Scholarship as the Jean M. Yokum Scholarship Program during the 76th Annual Meeting on April 24th.


Mrs. Jean M. Yokum


“Jean’s leadership has positively impacted the lives of many and allowed Langley to become one of the strongest credit unions in the country,” said Rich Biege, immediate past board chairman of LFCU. “What a fitting way


to permanently honor a person who has given so much to LFCU for the past 59 years!”


Mrs. Yokum joined Langley Federal Credit Union as a teller in 1953. She rose through the ranks to become President/CEO in 1979 when LFCU had $75 million in assets. The credit union now serves more than 167,000 members and has approximately $1.6 billion in assets. Mrs. Yokum is retiring in July, 2012. Her 59-year career at Langley Federal gives Mrs. Yokum more tenure than any known active credit union professional.


Each year, four $5,000 scholarships are given to deserving local high school graduates. The Jean M. Yokum Scholarship Program will continue annually.


Visit hamptonroadsmessenger.com for a list of 50 scholarships for African Americans


The Hampton Roads Messenger 11


Author Discovers 100+ Arab Immigrants Died in Titanic


BY SAMER HIJAZI DEARBORN, Mich.


– With events held around the world last week commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic in the Northern Atlantic, few among those participating knew that among the dead were scores of Arab immigrants, reports The Arab American News.


According to the


news report, Leila Salloum Elias, author of the recently published book, ‘The Dream and then the Nightmare: The Syrians who Boarded the Titanic, the Story of the Arab-Speaking Passengers,’ up to 122 Arab passengers were on the ship when it sank, claiming some 1,500 lives.


Three surviving Arabs from the Titanic are shown here. Hinnah Yusuf Razi Darwish Tu’mah and her husband (not a passenger) are shown in the front row. Jirjis Yusuf Darwish Tu’mah and sister Mariyam Yusuf Darwish Tu’mah (back row) are also shown


in this photo, taken years after the sinking. Photo courtesy al-Anwar February 10, 1998


Elias told The Arab American


News that director James Cameron’s film, Titanic, depicts only one Arab family sinking, three hours into the movie. “It bothered me that I went to school and there was no mention of


Monarchs FROM PAGE 7 “We are thrilled that Eddie is a


Detroit Lion. He made a solid impression on a number of teams at his pro day at ODU and his individual interviews with various teams,” said Wilder. “After consulting with Eddie on the phone this evening, we felt like the Lions presented the best opportunity for him to make an NFL team. We are grateful to all the NFL teams that showed interest in Eddie. It is now time for Eddie to focus on becoming a Detroit Lion.”


Cameron and McClam are the


second and third Monarchs to have signed NFL free-agent contracts, joining Deron Mayo ‘11, who signed with the Denver Broncos last year.


DeMarco, a two-time Walter


Payton Watch List member, started in 27 consecutive games as the Monarchs’ signal caller, totaling 51 passing and 30 rushing touchdowns in his career. He completed 417 of his 816 passes, averaging 163.8 yards per game in the air. DeMarco also recorded 1,456 yards on the ground, averaging 41.6 per contest.


As a junior in 2010, he ranked seventh nationally in total offense,


Arabs ever being on the Titanic. This was the height of immigration from greater Syria,” Elias said.


“This is an aspect of American


history and Arab history…it makes you realize that we were also part of the same catastrophes as everyone else.”


averaging 289 yards per game, throwing 23 touchdown passes and averaging 250.5 yards passing, which included a career-high 407 yards at Monmouth. In ODU’s inaugural season in 2009, DeMarco was the second-leading quarterback in the FCS and seventh among FCS student-athletes in scoring, averaging 9.45 points per contest. He averaged 255.7 yards of total offense a game and completed 137 of his 255 attempts while throwing only four interceptions, to go along with 21 touchdown passes.


“We are all very excited about


Thomas and the BC Lions of the CFL reaching an agreement on a contract,” said Wilder. “Thomas had a phenomenal workout for the BC Lions, and both Thomas and I got the sense at his workout that they were serious about signing a contract and bringing him to their preseason camp.


“Thomas will be reporting to camp


on May 27, with an opportunity to be a professional quarterback in the CFL. I know Thomas is a competitor - he was at Old Dominion - and I know he can not only make their roster, but that he can compete for the starting position.”


odu.edu


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