Tag: diversity

Video: Lesson in discrimination

(photo credit)
(photo credit)

Oh how I love this! I have seen the original exercise many times, however, PBS’s Frontline produced an amazing five part series you won’t want to miss!

Jane Elliott’s – Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Exercise – “A CLASS DIVIDED”

This is one of the most requested programs in FRONTLINE’s history. It is about an Iowa schoolteacher who, the day after Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered in 1968, gave her third-grade students a first-hand experience in the meaning of discrimination. This is the story of what she taught the children, and the impact that lesson had on their lives.

Watch the five part series:

The Daring Lesson

Day Two

14 Years Later

Teaching it to Adults

How the Adults Reacted

Jane Elliott is still around doing amazing work, check her out!

Happy Friday,

Your Friends at iCelebrateDiversity.com

Link Feature: 100 Percent Mixed Video Series

Today we’re featuring one of our great links!

Enjoy YouTube video series, 100 Percent Mixed, where people around the world share their experiences of growing up mixed.

Enjoy!

Your friends at iCelebrateDiversity.com

Here’s  a sample:

Poem: “We are talking about” (biracial)

This will be my last poem from Arnold Adoff’s book “All the Colors of the Race” that I featured a couple of days ago. There are many more great poems in the book–buy it or check it out from your local library!

We are talking about

by Arnold Adoff

We are talking about

                           the ones who pick        their friends

                           because of how    black      they act

                                                                             or

                           because of how    white     they can

                                                                             be.

Sometimes blackness seems too black for me,

                    and whiteness is too     sickly pale;

                    and I wish every

                                        one were golden from

                                                                    the

                                                                   sun.

                         Golden from the

                                                   inside

                                                out.

“Race: Are we so different?” Part 6 – What race would you be somewhere else?

In this activity, you will see how race and ethnicity are reflected in census catagories across the globe. What race would you be somewhere else? What type of affect would it have on you in that country? Very interesting to think about!

We are winding down our highlights from the exhibit “Race: Are we so different?”.  If you have missed any, you can catch up here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5. To learn more about this exhibit visit Understanding Race.

Poem: “On my applications” (biracial)

Here’s another great poem from Arnold Adoff that was in the book All the Colors of the Race that I featured yesterday.

On my applications

by Arnold Adoff

On my applications   I can

                               put:

this girl:

          a black,

             white,

Christian,

Jewish,

            young

            woman:

                 student,

                 musician,

singer,

dancer,

runner    in the middle distance races,

                 is willing to help you

                 if you take her as she

                                             is.

Poem: “The lady said” (biracial)

Here is a tiny treasure that I found in the library this summer. A book of poems, All the Colors of the Race, written by Arnold Adoff. Based on his own interracial family, Adoff writes from the perspective of his biracial (black/white) daughter, which I find very interesting. At first I was a bit thrown off because I generally prefer poetry to rhyme, however, his style is considered “free verse” poetry. The more I read (and re-read) them, the more I fall in love with them! I hope you do too.

The lady said

by Arnold Adoff

The lady said:       what are you going to

                                                 be

                                when you grow

                                all the way up?

And I said:      a woman.

And she said.     No. I mean what are

                                          you

                                          now?

And I said:   a girl.

And she said:   No. I mean what do you call

                                        yourself?

And I said:   Honey. Baby. Sweet

                                       potato

                                       pie

                                       face me.

If she finds it hard,

                     I find it easy

     to make it hard for her.

Poem: “The Cold Within” by James Patrick Kinney

The Cold Within

by James Patrick Kinney

Six humans trapped by happenstance
in black and bitter cold
Each possessed a stick of wood,
Or so the story’s told.

Their dying fire in need of logs,
the first woman held hers back
For on the faces around the fire
She noticed one was black.

The next man looking ‘cross the way
Saw one not of his church
And couldn’t bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.

The third one sat in tattered clothes
He gave his coat a hitch,
Why should his log be put to use
To warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store,
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy, shiftless poor.

The black man’s face bespoke revenge
As the fire passed from his sight,
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.

And the last man of this forlorn group
Did naught except for gain,
Giving only to those who gave
Was how he played the game.

The logs held tight in death’s stilled hands
Was proof of human sin,
They didn’t die from the cold without,
They died from the cold within.

“Race: Are we so different?” Part 5 – Does race matter in sports quiz

 

This quiz made me think of the movie “White Men Can’t Jump”. While I haven’t seen it in a LONG time, I remember the gist of it. White boys shocks everyone because he can play ball. Is it a stereotype that race plays a factor in how good of an athlete you are? Test your knowledege.

Surprised by anything?

We will continue to look at a couple more highlights from the exhibit “Race: Are we so different?”.  If you have missed any, you can catch up here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. To learn more about this exhibit visit Understanding Race.

“Race: Are we so different?” Part 4 – Human variation quiz

Can scientists determine a person’s race by looking at their DNA?

Can experiencing racism lead to serious health consequences?

These are 2 of the 10 questions on the Human Variation Quiz. Run over and take it, I’ll wait…

How’d you do? Were you surprised by any of the answers? Tell us!

Stay tuned as we continue to look at a few more highlights from the exhibit “Race: Are we so different?”. If you missed our previous highlights, check them out: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. To learn more about this great exhibit visit Understanding Race.

“Race: Are we so different?” Part 3 – Who is white quiz

This is a continuation of our look at the “Race: Are we so different?” exhibit highlights. If you are just joining us, you might also want to check out Part 1 and Part 2.

Today I’m linking to the Who is White? quiz. Take it and see what you think. In her own words, this is why Vernellia Randall, Professor of Law, University of Dayton Law School, developed it:

I created this survey to help show that we make judgments not only about who is white but also about what countries are white (or predominantly white), and to call attention to some of the questions this raises.

For example, when someone is not considered white is a citizen of a country that is considered white, that person is often perceived as a foreigner. For instance, even though the families of many Japanese Americans have been in the U.S. much longer than the families of European Americans, they are often viewed as outsiders.

Our opinions about who is white and who is not can affect how we relate to one another. Race matters because discrimination based on perceived racial grouping continues to exist.”

Your thoughts?

To learn more about the exhibit, visit Understanding Race

“Race: Are we so different?” Part 2 – History of race

Today is Part 2 in the highlights of the traveling exhibit “Race: Are we so different?”. Check out Part 1 if you missed it.

Today let’s look at the history of race:

To learn more about the exhibit or dig deeper, visit Understanding Race

“Race: Are we so different?” Part 1 – Introduction

There is a traveling exhib that was developed by the American Anthropological Association, titled “Race: Are we so different?”. The exhibit examines racial issues through history, science, and experiences. This is a wonderful exhibit that offers a wealth of information. I thought it would be fun to highlight a few of my favorite parts of the exhibit over my next several posts.

Let’s start with an introduction to the exhibit:

To learn more about the exhibit or dig deeper, visit Understanding Race

Music: “Free to be You and Me”

A couple days ago my 15 year old daughter called me in to watch a new back to school commercial from Target. “Listen to the song in the commercial!”, she said. She recognized one of her favorite childhood songs, “Free to be You and Me”. If you aren’t familiar with the song, I have included the song above. These songs used to be on Sesame Street when I was a kid and are still very relevant today–your kids will LOVE them! What I love most about the songs are they are positive, encouraging and free of sterotypes based on gender, class and race. The cd is on Amazon for just $7.98 (5 star review) and all of the songs are available for preview. This cd would be a great gift to keep on-hand for both boys and girls! Some of our favorite songs have been, “Boy Meets Girl” (below), “Parents are People”, “It’s Alright to Cry” and “William Wants a Doll”. What are yours?

Poem: “Human Family” by Maya Angelou

(there’s nothing like hearing Maya Angelou share her poetry…such a gift!)

Human Family

by Maya Angelou

I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.

Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.

The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.

I’ve sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land.
I’ve seen the wonders of the world,
not yet one common man.

I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
I’ve not seen any two
who really were the same.

Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.

We love and lose in China,
we weep on England’s moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.

We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we’re the same.

I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends
than we are unalike.

We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

Artwork: Spirit of Life (multicultural babies)

“Spirit of Life” by Karen Brinkerhoff

One of the biggest blessings in creating iCelebrateDiversity.com has been meeting people who are just as passionate about diversity as me! Meet Karen Brinkerhoff:

Karen is an amazing artist who loves to paint the diversity of mankind. She has painted a beautiful series called “Spirit” that consist of the following titles: Spirit of Life (shown above), Spirit of Woman, Spirit of Prayer, Spirit of Freedom.

My youngest daughter is featured in the Spirit of Life. Can you guess which one is her?

Children’s Book: “Mother’s Day” (multiracial)

Mother’s Day

by Anne Rockwell

or see if it’s at your local library!

Happy Mother’s Day!

In my constant endeavor to find books that reflect diversity, I ran across this great book by author Anne Rockwell. I thought the timing couldn’t be more perfect!

Mother’s Day is set in Mrs. Madoff’s class where children (reflecting different cultures and ethnicities) discuss the different ways they will celebrate the holiday, making breakfast, hiking, snuggling, etc. The children were asked to bring in a button for class that they use in making a special tissue paper flower for mom (bonus: instructions are included). I enjoyed many things about the book (illustrations are darling) but I especially liked that a single mother is represented along with a grandmother raising her granddaughter. The children and mothers spent lots of time picking out their button and had little stories about why they chose their particular button. Mom’s didn’t know what the button was for and were surprised that it was to make a flower. Really sweet book! Buy your copy here!

Do you have any books to share?

“Your World, My World” Activity

I have been privileged to do some diversity training with families who have adopted transracially. One activity that I have seen agencies use is called “Your World, My World”. I have seen the activity used with beads that in the shades of people. 

Instructions:

Give each family a clear plastic cup. Assign a race to each color of bead (i.e. caucasian/white, african/african american/black, asian/yellow, middle eastern/native american/biracial/brown, etc.).

Ask parents to place a bead of the respective color in the cup for:

  1. Each family member living in your home
  2. Each sibling that you have and their partner (if applicable)
  3. Each grandparent  
  4. Each immediate neighbor surrounding your home
  5. Your dentist
  6. Your pediatrician
  7. Your attorney
  8. Your spiritual leader
  9. Your mayor
  10. Your three closest friends (they visit your home, you visit their home)
  11. The school principal
  12. Your veterinarian

Look at your cup and get a clear understanding of the world your child will enter. Understand that you have the opportunity and responsibility to surround your child with a diverse array of positive role models.  

Thoughts? Suggestions?