Episode 189: How to Scientifically Break Racial Bias with Anu Gupta

There are people called to do the work of pulling people out of the river when they’re drowning.

We need these people, and I’m so grateful for them.

There are also people called to do the work of going upstream to figure out why they’re falling in the first place and seeing if something can be done to prevent that.

We really need these people too, and I’m extraordinarily grateful for them as well.

I recently met one of these people, and his mission is as deeply inspiring as it is practical.

(The Maine girl in me loves the practical.)

Anu Gupta asked the bold question:

Can we live in a world where people—regardless of their identities—feel like they belong everywhere?

His answer came in the form of adapting cutting-edge scientific evidence to design a science-backed, compassion-based way for people to break bias, racial or otherwise.

Anu realized that at the root of the institutionalized and systemic issues that hold people of different identities back is bias.

And he knew that if he could figure out a way for people to break that bias, he could make a huge dent in creating a world where everyone feels like they belong everywhere.

Listen in to this week’s episode of The Kate & Mike Show to hear:

How bias is formed in the brain and why it’s critical that we learn to break it
How Anu’s own journey of battling other people’s assumptions and judgments about him informed the creation of his company
How he overcame being suicidal and turned toward hope and transformation
How stepping more into the spotlight has been critical for his company’s impact (as well as his own personal growth)
What the PRISM framework is and how you can use it to break your bias in a measurable way within 6-8 weeks of regular practice
How breaking bias can become a spiritual experience

You’ll also hear a particularly human and hilarious moment during the episode where we got to meet Anu’s family!

How to Scientifically Break Racial Bias with Anu Gupta

In This Episode

How conscious and unconscious biases differ, and examples of each [2:50]
Why being “nice” and meaning well is no longer enough [5:55]
The ways that neuroplasticity applies to unconscious bias [9:20]
The work that Anu does around helping people uncover their biases [14:14]
What are the 4 root causes of systemic racism, plus why it’s his passion to lead on these issues [18:24]
How the current pandemic was a “wake up call” for Anu [23:10]
His strategies for setting strong boundaries, and the framework he has developed to break bias using mindfulness [25:22]
What the process looks like when he takes people on this journey [36:03]
The bias in our health care system that needs to be addressed right now [37:40]
Where we are heading as a society, and the reason this moment in time is so liberating for Anu [48:55]