The following questions can be used as you read through the book to reflect on where your own personal biases about race can influence decisions made in your workplace and what you can do to prevent those biases from becoming explicit and impacting others.
- On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being “not at all” and 10 being “completely comfortable,” rate your comfort in talking about race. Remember that your thoughts aren’t being shared – being honest with yourself is the first step toward being anti-racist.
- Did you encounter any new definitions throughout the book? If so, do you agree or disagree with those definitions?
- Are there any policies at your place of work that embody the concept of being anti- racist?
- How has the dueling consciousness of Black people and White people reinforced structural racism? What examples are specific to corporate America?
- What kinds of ethnic racism have you observed, encountered, or have been subjected to?
- Why is the question, “Where are you from?” inherently racist? What are other examples of “curiosity” that stem from racism?
- What makes a corporate space safe or unsafe for you? What are ways in which your race and/or ethnicity affect your safety (physical, emotional, and/or mental)?
- How did your attitude about skin tone develop throughout your life? Have you seen different attitudes about skin tone in different companies and/or industries?
- What are some implications of defining racism in terms of racist power/policy rather than racist people?
- “To love capitalism is to end up loving racism. To love racism is to end up loving capitalism.” Reflect on this quote. Do you agree that these concepts cannot be separated? If you agree, what do you do with that concept? If you disagree, where does that disagreement stem from?
- How does gendered racism (the policies and supporting ideas that create inequity among people of different race-genders ) negatively impact people of all races and genders in the corporate sector? What are examples of sectors or industries that are impacted the most by gendered racism?