Was That Racist? How to Detect, Interrupt, and Unlearn Bias in Everyday Life

by Carter, Evelyn R.

• ISBN13: 9780316607865
• ISBN10: 031660786X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2026-01-13
• Publisher: Little, Brown Spark
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Summary

Practice a new framework for dismantling racial bias in our society, our workplaces, and ourselves: by learning to detect it as well as people of color do.

How do we combat racism in a world determined to tell us it doesn’t exist?
 
To hold the line against racism, we need to know it when we see it. And as the dominant racial group in our society, White people must take up the charge. The problem, says researcher, DEI leader, and organizational consultant Dr. Evelyn Carter, is that White people haven’t been socialized to detect racial bias in the way people of color do. Racism is more than using racial slurs or overt, hateful speech, and it’s more than unintentional slights; it's about an entire system that upholds Whiteness as the preferred standard. 
 
Fortunately, detecting it is a skill that can be learned.

Was That Racist? is a re-education, call to action, and practical guide, full of research-backed strategies including how to: cultivate a growth mindset about bias, unlearn colorblindness and practice color consciousness, talk to kids about race and racism - and bring others along for the journey.

At a time when DEI is under coordinated attack, Was That Racist? is the essential toolkit for anyone who believes we all have a role to play in creating a more equitable world.
 

Author Biography

Evelyn R. Carter, Ph.D., is a social psychologist and author of cutting-edge research on how to detect and discuss racial bias. As a diversity, equity, and inclusion expert, she has applied those evidence-based practices in a vast array of industries ranging from higher education, to financial services, to technology, to retail and professional sports, and at organizations like American Express, Burberry, Cushman & Wakefield, Nike, the NFL, Uber, and UCLA. Known for blending research, pop culture, and corporate DEI practices into unique insights, Dr. Carter’s work has been featured in The Atlantic, USA Today,Fast Company, HarvardBusiness Review, and more.