Slides from the Heart to Heart day at Ruma, IL

1. Being a Cupcake in a
Doughnut World
Neem Serra

2. • Saves you time and effort from processing everything helping your brain
categorize information
• Influenced by our background, our cultural environment, and our
personal experiences
• If we try to believe that everyone has good intentions, then most bias
falls under the category of unconscious bias
Bias = prejudice in favor or against a person, group, or
thing compared to something or someone else
Bias
Categorize
information into
patterns
Influenced by
the world
around you

3. Implicit Association Test
implicit.harvard.edu

4. 70% of white people have a preference for white people
50% of black people have a preference for white people

5. 76% of people have a preference for
able-bodied people
76% of people have a preference for
able-bodied people

6. 76% of people have a preference for
able-bodied people
76% of people more readily associated
males with career and females with family

7. Out-group
Group that you do not identify with
Judge on accomplishments
In-group
Group that you identify with
Judge on potential

9. We want to create beautiful experiences in a interconnected world
Why do we care?
Perceived bias effects someone’s feelings of belonging and worth
Diversity leads to more innovation

10. 1% Bias
• Doughnuts can get rated
101%, cupcakes can get rated
only up to 100%
• 15% attrition at each level,
backfill from the next highest
performer
• Simulation was run 20 times
L8
L7
L6
L5
L4
L3
L2
L1 50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50

11. A little bias goes a long way
L8
L7
L6
L5
L4
L3
L2
L1 47
50
52
52
54
57
61
65
53
50
48
48
46
43
39
35

12. rework.google.com

13. The Power of Names

14. Male
Female
Recommended for Hire

15. European sounding
name
African-American
sounding name
Recommended for Hire
Brendan Gregg Emily Anne Brendan Emily
AishaTyroneRasheedTamika
Equivalent: 8 years of experience

16. Daily Interactions

17. Peas
Unseasoned
Soggy
Broccoli
Delicious
Crisp

18. Heidi
Selfish
Self-promoter
Howard
Likable
More Appealing

19. “I always forget that you’re not white. You just seem so normal”
Using accents or dialects: “Hey sistah gurl”
Race and Ethnicity
“I have a [race/ethnicity] friend who…”

20. Sexual Orientation
“When other people could talk about their significant others, I
felt like I needed to hide mine. I wasn’t ashamed of my
relationship, but I didn’t want it to hinder my relationships with
my family and my relationships at work”

21. Gender identity
“A coworker was talking about how they thought transgender
people were sick people, abominations.
I felt like I was going to vomit — I had just spent an hour
telling my transgender sibling that everything would be okay”

22. Gender AgeRace/Ethnicity
Abilities/
Disabilities
Weight/
Body Mass
Verbal SlursSexuality
Kids/
No Kids
Introversion/
Extroversion
Invisible Illnesses ReligionClothing

24. How do you speak?

25. Who is in your circles?

26. How do you attribute traits?

27. What did we hear today?

28. Cupcakes are too
pretty to be
a tasty dessert
Uhh… what?

29. Disappointment: Why isn’t anyone saying
anything?
Worry: Will this person be receptive to hearing
this is wrong?
Hope: Maybe someone will say something
Shock: I can’t believe they said that
Anger: #$%& that person. What a jerk.

30. Did something happen?

31. Welp, that was awkward
Option 1: Say nothing
Option 2: Wait until later to say something
to the person affected
Option 3: Call it out immediately

32. What are they thinking?
• “I believe this because the majority of
people I’ve encountered fit this"
• “This is a funny joke”
• “I don’t know that this is offensive”

33. While getting called out:
Don’t play it off or act like it didn’t happen
• “It was just a joke, lighten up”
• “I was just being sarcastic”
• “Everyone else found it funny”

34. How do I recover?
Learn to apologize sincerely
• “Can we talk about why it was
offensive?”
• “Can you continue to call me out if I
do this again?”

35. I’m sorry
It’s okay

36. Sometimes it’s not okay.
And that’s okay.

37. Flip the
Narrative
Increase
Exposure to
Outgroups
Question
Yourself
Hold
Yourself and
Others
Accountable
Think From
Their
Perspective
Open Your
Hearts and
Listen
Decoupling Bias

38. THANK YOU!
Questions? Want to get cupcakes
with me and discuss?
Email: neemserra@gmail.com
Twitter: @TeamNeem

39. Making a Difference:
Bringing Equality to
Desserts and the World
Neem Serra

40. What did we hear today?

41. Diversity is a gift

42. Seek forgivenessSeek forgiveness

45. Diversity is a gift

48. Listen, Believe, and Acknowledge
Challenge and Counter Stereotypes
Become a Scientist of Your Own Behavior
Assess Your Relationship with Outgroups
Check the Context of Information
Be an Active Bystander
Be Aware and Understand the Impact
What Can I Do?

50. THANK YOU!
Questions? Want to get cupcakes
with me and discuss?
Email: neemserra@gmail.com
Twitter: @TeamNeem