David Smith, the author of Less Than Human, explains that dehumanization is a response to conflicting motives. We want to harm a group of people, but it goes against our wiring as members of a social species to actually harm, kill, torture, or degrade other humans. Smith explains that there are very deep and natural inhibitions that prevent us from treating other people like animals, game, or dangerous predators. He writes, “Dehumanization is a way of subverting those inhibitions.”

We are all made up of a mosaic of different experiences and values that create our identity. Because everyone is different, we want to take some time for you to explore your own colors and shapes that make you, you. It’s important to understand yourself, what you want, and how you want it, so that you can communicate that to your friends, family, or partner(s). Take a moment to answer these questions, reflect, and color in your mosaic. In the blank spaces, write in what you wish people knew about you.