Are you a racist?

I personally believe that one of the most important things we can do to become more accepting and tolerant of others is to become self-aware of the biases inside of us. Only once we understand our own biases and how and who we judge are we prepared to change. I am convinced that much of societies racial tension is created by people that aren't necessarily racist in the same sense that members of the KKK are. Much of the racial discrimination that occurs is more subtle than that. Indeed, I think it is safe to say that each of us has developed racial biases. If we aren't aware of these biases, and we don't control them, they could lead us to act like a racist.

So here is a tool that can help us to become more aware of our own racial biases. It is called the Race IAT, or Implicit Association Test. It was created by a group at Harvard University as part of a study. It reveals preference and bias in regards to race. Here's how you can do it:

1. Go to this link https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/takeatest.html

2. Click on I wish to proceed

3. Choose the Race IAT (although there are lots of interesting tests you can take)

4. Answer the prompts and questions (you do have to provide a little information about yourself for the purpose of Harvard's study)