The Experience
Through Your Eyes
We believe in scenario-based learning where participants navigate lived experiences shared by individuals in the workplace and personal lives. VR experiences have been thoughtfully created from BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, white, and intersections of diverse community members.
At MI-VR we understand that everyone is at different stages in their DEI journey. We are intentional in creating safe spaces for individuals to build awareness, empathy, and responsive learning.
The Experiences
VR experiences range from introductory DEI and Implicit Bias Training to bystander responsiveness, and scenarios that allow individuals to practice responding to micro and macro aggressions, racism, and prejudices.
The MI-VR experience begins through the individual’s own perspective, with the opportunity to experience scenarios through someone else’s eyes, which will be dependent on their company’s maturity of DEI training and goals. Scenarios are created and tailored to organizations and/or individuals from an intake survey, teaching participants to find comfort in the uncomfortable.
Scenario 1
The Job Interview: Discrediting an Accomplished Woman of Color
A straight African American woman is a hiring manager and lawyer at a large tech company and is interviewing candidates for a position on her team. At the start of an interview, a straight white male candidate applying for the position immediately asks the hiring Director ‘how did YOU get here?’ followed by a slew of questions focusing on her credentials.
Questions: What do you do as the hiring manager? How do you respond as someone on the interview panel?
Scenario 2
Bystander Training: Immigrant Muslim Woman’s Bus Experience
A metro bus stops in downtown and an immigrant Muslim woman steps forward to board the bus. The bus driver immediately closes the door on her. Her hijab (headscarf) gets caught between the doors, and she knocks on the door for the bus driver to open the doors to free her hijab. Instead the bus driver steps on the gas peddle and drags her in the street. She is screaming and the bus driver does not stop. Not one person on the bus or in the street says anything.
Questions: What would you do if you were a bystander on the bus or witnessing this on the street? How would you respond?
Scenario 3
Equity & Equality: Promoting an African American Woman
You are a manager at a large tech company who has a robust performance review process and mature DEI procedures to hire, promote, and develop diverse talent. The downside to these processes is that if you are a female leader and do not advocate for other women or people of color, your personal promotion and performance is negatively impacted. There are no negative impacts to male leaders in these situations as they tend to be rewarded through bonuses and promotions.
You and your peer managers meet to discuss annual promotions, bonuses, and salary adjustments. There are seven managers in total. All of you are white and straight. Five managers are male and two are female. You describe a Project Manager on your team who is an African American woman and is underperforming. You are unsure how to approach her review since this is during Black Lives Matter protests and seek other manager’s input. You confirm that her previous managers were all white men who gained a reputation for hiring and promoting diverse individuals, but not developing them. However, they were still given promotions and bonuses throughout their career with the company.
Your male counterparts all agree to promote, do not provide feedback, and essentially say ‘do not touch that’. All male managers turn to the female managers and ask them what they should do. Both female managers are aware that as women, if they do not advocate for this African American woman, their careers are on the line. If they advocate for her as an under performer, their careers are also in jeopardy. Both women choose to stay quiet.
Questions: What would your response be if you were a male manager at this meeting? A female manager? Would you seek other input? If yes, from who and why?
Scenario 4
Bystander Training: White Gay Male Neighbor Yelling at a Young Asian Female Neighbor
You wake up at 1:00 AM to your white gay male (6’ 2”) neighbor yelling repeatedly, “I’m going to call the cops, *expletive*. You want to go to jail, *expletive*? Because you are! I’m calling the cops now!” to your other neighbor, who is a young Asian immigrant woman (4’ 10”) about 25 years younger than him.
She is sitting in the driver’s seat of her and husband’s Tesla honking the horn and crying. Your gay male neighbor is towering over her, not allowing her to safely leave the car while screaming at her. You observe the situation and see her husband, a young white male sitting next to the car and not intervening or saying anything.
Questions: What do you do as a bystander? Do you call 911 and let the police handle it or step in? If you choose to intervene what actions do you take?
Share your Experiences
If you would like to share your personal or professional experiences with us to include in future VR scenarios, please reach out here.
