Bias

bias

Pronunciation: /ˈbīəs

Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair  Oxford Dictionary

How do we learn prejudice? Social scientists believe children begin to acquire prejudices and stereotypes as toddlers. Many studies have shown that as early as age 3, children pick up terms of racial prejudice without really understanding their significance.

Soon, they begin to form attachments to their own group and develop negative attitudes about other racial or ethnic groups, or the “out-group”. Early in life, most children acquire a full set of biases that can be observed in verbal slurs, ethnic jokes and acts of discrimination.

Test Yourself for Hidden Bias. Psychologists at Harvard, the University of Virginia and the University of Washington created “Project Implicit” to develop Hidden Bias Tests — called Implicit Association Tests, or IATs, in the academic world — to measure unconscious bias. Read more Teaching Tolerance

Materials on prejudice @ library

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Urban Cycling 101 for Adults and Teens

LEARN SMART CYCLING SKILLS

Bike with confidence.  Bike for the future.  Bike for fun!

Tuesday, May 24, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. or

Saturday, June 4, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. (women-focused class)

Free classroom workshops.  No bike required.  Free reflective vests for participants. Details and registration at:

BikeEastBay.org/education or 510-845-7433 ext. 2.

Contact: Fremont Main Library Information Desk (510) 745-1401.

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Kids & Kites & Splash !!!

 

The annual Kids ‘n Kites Festival is just around the corner.  It is scheduled this coming Saturday, May 14 from 10 am to 3 pm, and locates within Central Park next to Aqua Adventure Waterpark.

This is a free event to the public, and even free kites for the first 3,000 children.  Other than the live entertainment on the stage, there will be interactive booths with information on summer activities, a play area, food and more.

Kite festival goers can also make their way next door to get a look at Fremont’s Aqua Adventure Waterpark.  It will offer a pre-season Splash if weather permitted from 2 to 5 pm with a special one-time entrance minimal fee.

As you can tell, spring is here now and summer is next.  Put down your electronic devices, go outdoors to play and enjoy the warm weather, fresh air and sun!

 

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Transitions

In a group of friends who get together for dessert and a book discussion, one guy has a “management experience” in the corporate accounts side, after being on the retail side. Meanwhile, he has had to decide how to fit in cancer treatments. His wife, a medical social worker, has just changed to a different organization where she is tasked with heading a team focusing on one kind of domestic trauma.

Another friend has just left his secure FT job of 15 years to be a stay at home dad and probably start his own business in investment strategies. His wife also has interesting new challenges in her job. A third friend is deciding whether to continue in his chem-engineering job where he would likely manage the department soon, or take the risk of leaving that job to be fulltime with a company he and 3 friends started a few years ago. He supports a wife and 3 kids, one of whom has severe learning and health challenges.

 

And then there is work. Many good people have come and gone in just the 2 years that I’ve been working for this library. Those who have stayed have gotten to know each other better. There have been serious health challenges — new life and loss of friends. We all go through changes. In times of transition — both good/exciting and hard — it is important to know what to lean on. We treasure the friends we have — friends who will listen. We value peers and mentors.

We also value ways to interact with other people’s stories. Sometimes it is easier to talk about the pain and growth in someone else’s story as we reflect on our own.  I’m reminded of the value of a book club. Some groups read a book with philosophical subtext (like Tuesdays with Morrie or The Last Lecture), or pure fiction, reflecting on life as it is. Some choose to read specifically a religious book, like the Book of James in the Bible, or stories from the Ramayana or other sacred text.
A patron today asked for a book on business topic for a book group at work. What a great way to bond with coworkers and perhaps a team feeling in the work environment! So, even as the school year ends, and schedules change, let’s take time to get together with friends, perhaps to discuss a good book, or simply to talk and listen.

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From Employee to Entrepreneur

From Employee to Entrepreneur

Fremont Main Library – Fukaya A Meeting Room

Tuesday, May 10, 2016, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

 If you are moving from employee to entrepreneur or would like to start a business, learn from Alan Olsen, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Managing Partner of leading Bay Area accounting firm, Greenstein, Rogoff, Olsen & Company (GROCO), as he provides guidance on what it takes to become and succeed as an entrepreneur.  Alan and his firm have worked with some of the most influential entrepreneurs in the world, who have helped build successful companies in Silicon Valley.  The presentation will focus on leadership in business and in personal life.  Alan will outline and discuss the five levels of leadership and provide you with a three step process for getting others to help accomplish your vision.

This event is sponsored by the Alameda County Library and the Fremont Chamber of Commerce.  This event is free.  No reservations are required.

The Fremont Main Library, a branch of the Alameda County Library system, is located at     2400 Stevenson Boulevard and is wheelchair accessible. The library will provide an ASL interpreter for any event with at least seven working days’ notice. Please call 510-745-1401 or TTY 888-663-0660 for more information.

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