James offers similar advice. She acknowledges that bias is a universal human trait, be it racial bias or more benign forms of bias that any human brain is saddled with. But she says that VCs need to be very honest with themselves about why they keep funding the same kinds of people. Better to admit racial bias, however painful and embarrassing, and start fighting it, rather than continue being part of the problem. “You have to be proactive if you’re going to overcome it,” says James.