Could you elaborate? Here, the article states that 1% of all applicants are black. How can the demographics of those who apply at all be attributed to bias on Y Combinator's part, intentional or otherwise?
Growing up in a biased culture, it would be very, very, very difficult not to acquire any.
This idea has received some empirical validation from the implicit biases test. Some details here:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090617142120.ht...
Other studies have compared the performance of white vs. black names.
http://www.nber.org/digest/sep03/w9873.html
The evidence suggests that most people are biased, yet think they are not. Removing this unconscious bias from our society will take time.
So I meant that almost EVERYBODY is likely to discriminate, at least if current evidence pointing that way is correct.
Therefore, unless an organization takes conscious effort, it will discriminate. But on the bright side, merely by taking such conscious effort, an organization can both help itself AND help a disadvantaged group.
And leading the way forward is one mechanism to reduce unconscious bias. I am sure, for instance, that Obama's presidency has made today's children far less likely to be biased.