>> DEFINED AS ABILITIES TO
SWITCH BETWEEN CONVERSATIONS.
MORE SPEAK MORE CASUALLY AT HOME
THAN WORK.
FOR BLACK PEOPLE CODE SWITCHING
IS FAR MORE COMPLEX AND TAXING.
SOME WOULD ARGUE ABILITY TO DO
IT WELL IS A PREREQUISITE TO
SUCCESS.
CODE SWITCHING IS SOMETHING MANY
BLACK PEOPLE ARE ALL TOO
FAMILIAR WITH.
>> AS SOON AS WE HEAR SOMEONE
SPEAK, OUR MINDS MAKE OUR MINDS
UP WHERE THEY ARE FROM GEOGRAPHICALLY, EDUCATION AND
GEOGRAPHICALLY, EDUCATION AND
INCOME LEVEL.
THE STAR WITNESS IN THE 2013
GEORGE ZIMMERMAN TRIAL.
RACHEL ON THE PHONE WITH TRAYVON
MARTIN MOMENTS BEFORE HE WAS
KILLED.
>> I ASKED HIM WHAT THE MAN
LOOKED LIKE.
>> HE LOOKED LIKE A CREEPY --
>> LARGELY BEING JUDGED ON
MANORISMS AND STYLE OF SPEAKING
ULTIMATELY GEORGE ZIMMERMAN
WALKED FREE.
>> IT IS A SURVIVAL TECHNIQUE
AND SAVED LIVES.
>> INTERACTING WITH POLICE CODE
SWITCHING CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
CODE SWITCHES IS EXTREMELY
EFFECTIVE WAY TO ALLEVIATE
ANXIETY.
>> IT CAN INVOLVE YOUR ENTIRE
BEHAVIOR HAIR STYLE AND THE WAY
YOU CARRY YOURSELF.
FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
HIS EFFECTIVE CODE SWITCHING.
>> HIS HAND SHAKE TRANSFORMS.
WHEN IT IS BLACK PLAYERS HE IS
DAPING IT UP.
>> FOR MANY BLACK PEOPLE
CHANGING THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO
MAKE WHITE PEOPLE FEEL
COMFORTABLE EXHAUSTING AND
UNHEALTHY.
>> THOSE THAT CODE SWITCH MORE
FREQUENTLY, THEY HAVE TO BE A
DIFFERENT PERSON AND MASK ALL
THE CULTURAL ASSETS THEY VALUE
AND APPRECIATE INTERNALLY BUT
ARE NOT VALUED IN THEIR WORK PLACE.
>> I DON’T SEE IT AS A BURDEN
BUT A PART OF HOW I NAVIGATE THIS WORLD.
THIS WORLD.
>> SHAWNISE FIRST NOTICED CODE
SWITCHING AT A YOUNG AGE.
>> I KNOW WHEN MY MOM SPOKE TO
CERTAIN PEOPLE SHE DID.
I THOUGHT IT WAS PART OF BEING
AN ADULT NOT SPECIFIC TO MY
RACE.
>> DO YOU THINK IT IS AUTHENTIC
PART OF BEING YOU OR YOU ARE NOT
BEING AUTHENTIC WHEN YOU USE
THAT VOICE?
>> THAT IS DEFINITELY A QUESTION
I GRAPPLE WITH AND THOUGHT ABOUT
A LONG TIME.
I AM SWITCHING BECAUSE I AM IN
THIS ENVIRONMENT AND USING THIS
DIFFERENT VOICE.
>> STILL SOMETIMES ISN’T ENOUGH
TO OVERCOME RACISM.
WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE WORK PLACE
TO MAKE SURE MARGINALIZED GROUPS
CAN BE THEIR AUTHENTIC SELF.
>> INDIVIDUALS FROM
UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS CAN
HAVE A VOICE TO DICTATE WHAT
THAT CORPORATE CULTURE LOOKS
LIKE.
>> DOCTOR CONTINUES RESEARCH ON
CODE SWITCHING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL
IMPLICATIONS.
WE PUT A LINK ON OUR WEBSITE,