One of the greatest frustrations we face at Race Project KC is that demand for participation exceeds our capacity to respond. We feel for student experiences to be meaningful they must be deep ones, yet in choosing to design a deep framework we necessarily limit the space available. So we know there are those who would like to join us who have not yet had the opportunity. From the start, we have made available on our Resources page as many tools for independent learning experiences as possible, and encourage all who are interested to explore those sources. Now, Covid-19 has helped us figure out how to do more. The pandemic has forced us to rethink how we create experiences for the 2020-21 school year in a virtual environment. Preparing our activities for remote use has made them more easily accessible for independent use as well. We are sharing our materials below as we build and test them this year. Feel free to take and use them for your own experiences. We hope they translate well to your specific settings and needs or, at the very least, are helpful inspiration for the work you are doing.
Identity Workshop
Welcome Letter and Introduction - Since we are not able to gather in person, we are mailing each student a box with books, journals, handouts, and other materials for each event. This is the welcome letter we sent in the box for this year's Identity Workshop. It describes an icebreaker and provides context for what follows. A second page presents the introduction we read during the workshop to set the tone and share goals for the activities.
Looking at Me Venn Diagram - A lens for considering your identity and sharing yourself with others.At the heart of this activity is the idea of perception--how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us--and how that shapes who we are. Because, whether we try to resist it or not, our behaviors are often shaped by expectations; we respond to what is expected of us, both internal and external expectations. How we are seen impacts what we do, and what we do expresses who we are.
I Contain Multitudes Writing Activity - From Race Project KC partner, poet, and guest presenter Glenn North, this uses an Elizabeth Acevedo poem as inspiration for self-exploration through writing on the themes of self-identity and intersectionality.
Additional Ideas to Consider - A workshop provides time for only so many activities. Here are a few pages of ideas we wanted to explore and didn't have the chance. They are great launching points for conversation and are easily adapted into further activities.
WATCH HERE FOR FUTURE ADDITIONS
Not included are our dance breaks courtesy of Break Free KC.
