Jessica MacFarlane (she/her) is a race equity consultant and facilitator. Her mission is to build literacy and promote action among those who are committed to racial equity but are unsure about next steps. Jessica’s specific purpose is to mobilize white people in the collective process of unlearning, skills-building, and active anti-racism. Jessica works with individuals and organizations, through workshop facilitation, coaching, needs assessments, and materials review.
Previously, Jessica was the Deputy Director of Research and Assessment at Perception Institute. In her role, Jessica led Perception’s needs assessments, gathering data through Climate Surveys, focus groups, and/or interviews to inform organizations’ strategies for equity and belonging. Jessica also managed Perception’s original studies and translated academic research into accessible reports and presentations.
Since 2016, Jessica has facilitated workshops on race and other identity differences, with the aim of equipping individuals and institutions with the tools to live their values of fairness, equity, and belonging. She has presented to hundreds of audiences across a range of fields, including education, criminal justice, healthcare, philanthropy, media, and technology.
Throughout her career, Jessica has focused on using research to drive equity. Her published research spans the fields of social psychology, behavioral HIV prevention, and harm reduction, in both domestic and international settings. Jessica has co-authored translational reports, such as The ‘Good Hair’ Study: Explicit and Implicit Attitudes Toward Black Women’s Hair (Perception Institute, 2017), The Science of Equality, Volume 2: The Effects of Gender Roles, Implicit Bias, and Stereotype Threat on the Lives of Women and Girls (Perception Institute, 2016), and #PopJustice, Volume 3: Pop Culture, Perceptions, and Social Change (Liz Manne Strategy, 2016), and articles including “Creating Safety and Community: Preventing Implicit Bias and Racial Anxiety from Undermining Neighborhood Safety” (Poverty & Race Research Action Council, 2016) and “Our Brains & Difference: Implicit Bias, Racial Anxiety, and Stereotype Threat in Education” (CSEE Quarterly, 2016).
Jessica holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a certificate in Social Determinants of Health from Columbia University and a BA in Psychology and Spanish from Duke University. Jessica lives with her partner and dog in Los Angeles, CA.