Resource Description:

This conversation card deck, inspired by the foundation of the Life Model, introduces immigrant families to uncomfortable conversations that help provide closure and acknowledgement from both parents and children. According to Piedra & Engstrom (2009), the Life Model "places particular emphasis on the normal life processes of growth, development, and decline. These processes, along with human motivation for problem solving and need satisfaction, are understood in the context of the life span." Just like they had in their article, we will apply this Life Model to ask the following questions: "What factors influence vulnerability and oppression of immigrants? What are the social and cultural determinants of the various life trajectories immigrants take?" (Piedra & Engstrom, 2009).

We explore these questions through our conversation cards, where each question will help families unravel the intersectionality within each of them. This activity can be played at home or in any setting, however we recommend using these cards in a counseling/therapy setting if you are looking for the a more unbiased, transparent, and fairly facilitated game.

Players: 2+ people (If there is more than one parent or child, they will both have to answer the question individually)

Cards are organized  into three levels: Breaking the Shell, Melting the Ice, and Jumping in the Water

Black cards: parents and children answer the question

Blue cards: only parents answer the question

Red cards: only children answer the question

Additional Rules/Comments:

• Any and all players have the ability at any moment to pause the activity if they feel the need to do so. This conversation card deck can be paused and resumed at any round or card.

• You do not have to use the conversation cards in the order provided. Although players will have to follow the color-code for which groups are allowed to answer each question, the order in which the cards in each group are answered in do not matter.