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Seg. 1: Unconscious Bias And Being A White Ally. Seg. 2: Is NASCAR For Sale?

Lubos Houska
/
Pixabay - CC
Starbucks will close its 8,000 company-owned locations on Tuesday for implicit bias training, after two black men were arrested in April while they waited for a friend in one of the coffee chain's Philadelphia locations.

Segment 1: Implicit bias, white allyship and the Starbucks arrests.

As more than 8,000 company-owned Starbucks coffee shops close their doors this afternoon for racial bias training, we took the opportunity to discuss unconscious bias and how to be a good white ally. We also learned about the Implicit Association Test, which can help measure attitudes and beliefs that people may be unwilling or unable to report themselves.

  • Lora McDonald, More2 executive director
  • Michael Rebne, SURJ KC political education core member and English and science teacher at Wyandotte High School

Segment 2, starting at 24:34: The fate of NASCAR, and KU fires athletic director.

At one point, NASCAR was packing racetracks full and attracting big viewership. These days, audiences are shrinking and the family that owns the association is considering cashing out. Today, we considered what a sale would mean for the sport, and for regional racetracks like the one in Kansas City, Kansas. Then, we discussed the fate of former University of Kansas Athletic Director Sheahon Zenger, who was recently relieved of his job.

As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.