Frank Somerville is a well-known evening news anchor for KTVU of Oakland, California. Based on his social stature and the color of his skin, one may not initially be surprised that he’s a little biased against the black culture.
Facebook/Frank Somerville KTVU
…Except for the fact that Frank has a black daughter, who he proudly adopted with his wife. Thus, even he was disappointed when he found himself judging the black man at the bus stop the other day—a situation that many of us have probably caught ourselves in as well.
Frank went instinctively into protective mode as he watched the “street” dressed man sit by a white woman on the bench. He kept his eye on him, as he had a gut feeling the man may not have the best of intentions.
Then, to his shock and embarrassment, a little boy came running up beside him. Suddenly, it hit him. This man didn’t have any ill will or hidden agenda. He was just a father, just like like him.
Frank shared his story in a widely circulated Facebook post that is now sending a powerful message to us all:
I have a confession to make.
It’s embarrassing.
Especially because I have an interracial family.
And because it shows that I still have bias.
Here’s the story:
I saw a white woman sitting at a bus stop at about 8pm.
And there was a black guy dressed kind of “street” walking on the sidewalk in her direction.
(I say “kind of” because he didn’t look like a hoodlum. More like “street casual.”)
I was across the street and instantly thought to myself:
“I’m going to watch this guy just to make sure he doesn’t do anything to the woman.”
And then it happened.
As he’s was walking I noticed a little boy running to catch up with him.
The little boy then grabbed his dad’s hand.
All of a sudden my whole view of the guy changed.
I realized he was a dad just walking down the street with his son.
I realized that he was “okay” and wasn’t going to do anything.
I was so angry with myself.
The man did absolutely nothing wrong.
And yet I initially saw him as a possible threat.
And let’s be honest.
The main reason was because of his skin color.
The whole way home I was thinking to myself:
“I grew up in Berkeley.
I have a black daughter.
And yet I still have that %$#%$@ bias.
What the %$#%$ is wrong with me.”
And on top of that I just had a talk with my daughter about how people might treat her differently from her “white” sister based solely on her skin color.
And now here I am doing the EXACT same thing.
I was/am really disappointed in myself.
But it also shows how strong that bias can be.
And I hope by telling this story that maybe it will get other people to think about their biases.
We ALL have them.
And the only way to eliminate them.
Is to realize that they are there in the first place.
