Our subconscious bias often leads to racial stereotyping which can result in misunderstandings, discrimination, and even violence. Some of the worst atrocities in human history have occurred because one ethnic group was thought to be inferior to another. By acknowledging that we do recognize differences, by admitting that we can never be truly culturally competent, and by confirming our similarities, can we take the first steps to fixing racism?

Gurdeep Parhar - gurdeep.parhar@ubc.ca - is the Executive Associate Dean - Clinical Partnerships and Professionalism for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (Canada).

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx