Six Words: The Race Card Project
Earn One or Two Tokens!!
Race is a critical component of the fabric of American society, but we find it a difficult topic to discuss. Michele Norris of NPR began an innovative form of race conversation on her webpage: The Race Card Project. Ms. Norris invites people from all over the country - from all over the world - to share their personal experience of race in six little words (and, frequently, a story to go with them.)
Goals:
To help develop an understanding of race as it is experience by people throughout the country
To help develop a recognition of our own racial identity, and how that has affected our lives
To encourage empathy and understanding for those with racial experience that are both similar and different from our own
Procedure:
Visit The Race Card Project and spend some time reading the cards on the Race Card Wall. Pick one card that was written by someone whose racial or ethnic background is different from yours. Read their card, their story, and write one short paragraph reflection. Your response should be personal, but you do not need to share any information that you do not feel comfortable sharing. For example, you could write about how the story made you feel, whether it reminded you of another story or experience, or how the person's experience fit with our discussion of race in this class.
Below your reflection, write your own Race Card. How would you describe your own experience or understanding of race in six words? As with the Race Cards on the site, you should include a story to explain your choice of words.
Upload your reflection and Race Card to the class Moodle site.
TO EARN AN EXTRA TOKEN: For an extra token, you may submit your Race Card and story to The Race Card Project webpage. You are not required to submit your Race Card. Please take a screen capture, or tell me where to find your card on the site, so I can make sure you get your credit. You do not have to use your real or full name on the site.