‘Incognito’ author uncovers biases
One hundred people paired up and observed one another without saying a word. The group gathered at the Radcliffe Institute’s Knafel Center on April 24 had a purpose: to make written judgments about the other based solely on appearance. The point? Judging people solely on appearance, without further efforts to know them, can result in unconscious bias. Understanding difference requires looking beyond the superficial, said the actor, author, and activist Michael Sidney Fosberg, whose solo show “Incognito” has appeared onstage since 2000. Fosberg’s workshop, “Cultural Competence: A Best Practice for Neutralizing Bias,” demonstrated how being culturally competent, or having a better understanding of other cultures, can help create a healthy, more productive workplace. The event was the final installment of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Diversity Dialogues for the academic year and was sponsored by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office, FAS Human Resources, and the Radcliffe Institute. “The one-on-ones with...