A major part of becoming more racially literate, is the power of storytelling. In last week’s discussion, you learned about the history of race. You learned that there is no biological justification for the concept of race. However, that does not mean that race or racial identities does not exist. How we identify ourselves based on race is a sociology-cultural concept. It is real as much as our lived experiences are real. There are many discussions/studies that are being introduced in many of the social sciences that includes in their discourse the construction of how we value or resist ideas of difference (racial identities, language, religious beliefs, ethnicity, etc.).
In this discussion, I want you to share with your classmates about your personal experiences and stories about race and racism. This is a space to be honest and appreciate every one’s individual experiences. How we each experience the world and make sense of it is just the beginning in our understanding of human behavior and the many facets it entails! Let’s listen with openness!
Questions to consider (Reflect and answer on at least 2):
1. What are your earliest memories of race?
2. What messages did you hear about your own race as you were growing up?
3. What messages did you hear about other races?
4. Have you ever experienced a situation where your race seemed to contribute to an uncomfortable situation?
5. How would you compare the attitudes about race you see on our campus to those you see in our town? In our state? In our nation?
6. How does your race factorial into the way you make everyday decisions?
