University of Michigan Professor Myles Durkee has been codeswitching for so long it's become automatic.
"Although I may not be consciously thinking about the codeswitch, it's like we're still paying a toll at the subconscious or implicit level," he said.
For KCUR announcer Paul Nyakatura, "it's a form of survival." Nyakatura recalls a time he was pulled over by law enforcement while driving his cousin back to college; he changed to his "white voice" and the officer let him go on his way.
Durkee pointed out that codeswitching is based on societal and business norms. For most of America's history, the people determining the norms were white males. "Ultimately, this is going to stem from white supremacy."
Read the full article at NPR.
