The AICP Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (planner’s ethics code) asks all planners to examine their cultures, practices, values, and positions to reveal and understand their conscious and unconscious biases and privileges. This recognition is a step towards serving an inclusive public interest that promotes a sense of belonging (Section A, 1.1 [paraphrased]). This statement highlights several planning concepts, including “biases.” This session will help all attendees to identify and understand our conscious and unconscious biases. “Bias” can be defined as “the action of supporting or opposing a person or thing in an unfair way because of our personal opinions that influence our judgments” (Cambridge Dictionary Online). We all carry some biases. We may recognize them. Others may be hidden from our view. Like known biases, our unrecognized biases can be harmful to achieving plans that are inclusive of public interest(s). Biases can be personal, racial, socio-economic, age, sexual orientation, education, political, religious, or something else in nature. This session will help both citizen and professional planners to, (1) identify and understand our conscious and unconscious biases, and (2) provide deliberate actions and strategies we all can take to achieve the elusive but nonetheless “inclusive public interest.”

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