By Madison Wilson, Contributing Writer
On Oct. 26, 2023, the second chapter of Saint Leo University’s respect and community workshop series was held. This workshop educated students on counteracting their unconscious and implicit bias.
Geoff Simons, a social work adjunct professor at Saint Leo University, led this workshop explaining what exactly unconscious and implicit bias is, how we develop unconscious bias, examples, and management tips.
The goal of the workshop is to reduce bias in attitudes and behaviors at Saint Leo University and in our community.
“You must be mindful of your personal biases because once you get in the field, if there’s a certain population of people that you might feel uncomfortable interacting with or have negative stereotypes, there’s a high chance that someone from that population is going to be your first client,” said Simons.
Simons shared a personal bias of his past that he was able to overcome, and explained once he overcame it, he discovered that not everyone is going to share the same viewpoints and values.
Unconscious bias refers to certain thoughts, feelings, stereotypes, assumptions, and generalizations individuals form about other groups of people outside of their conscious awareness.
This bias can be based on gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, and many more.
People can make stereotypes based on how they were raised and influenced.
“For me, as I got older, I had to check myself and realize that certain things that I watched as a kid had much impact on me and shaped the way that I viewed certain populations as I was growing up,” said Simons.
In a small, safe space, Simon asked students to identify some of their personal biases that they might have.
Students shared that they looked at certain people in specific ways, but the main reason for their views was influenced by what they were taught growing up.
Simon then asked students to think of ways when someone was biased towards them and how that made them feel.
Students could then share moments where they were stereotyped and how this stereotype influenced them.
After speaking about what unconscious bias is, identifying the causes, and sharing personal moments, there were ways provided to manage these unconscious biases.
The first step is to be mindful, recognize instances where biases might arise, and be ready to check yourself.
The second step is self-improvement.
This includes educating yourself on different populations of people. There are many documentaries and TED talks that can assist with this.
“I feel like I am constantly on a journey of self-improvement, trying new things and elevating myself because that is what life is about. Change is beautiful,” said Simons.
The third step in managing your unconscious and implicit bias is getting out of your comfort zone and taking time to explore.
This can be done by attending local community events or getting involved with local recreational groups.
Students on campus can get involved with various diverse groups and clubs.
It may be challenging at first to manage your unconscious bias, but it gets easier to be mindful, aware, and in tune with your body and emotions.
In a campus filled with diverse cultures and backgrounds, it is precious for students to learn how to counteract their unconscious and implicit biases.
When learning to do this, it honors Saint Leo University’s core values of excellence, community, respect, personal development, responsible stewardship, and integrity.
It is essential that the students, staff, and faculty of Saint Leo University always feel embraced, united, and respected.
