Blog #4 - Conversations About Race

Why do we need to have these conversations about race?  What can we do to shift the tides towards justice and change?  How can we connect to make our projects matter in the world outside our classroom?

Conversations about race are important because it is when we have real conversations  - listen to other people's views and experiences and I return share our own experiences that we can learn from each other.

I have learned from this class. The conversations we've n\been having have involved vulnerability, letting other people into your emotional space even if for a few minutes. It takes courage to have meaningful conversations about race and sometimes emotional restraint to get the message across  in a way that the other person(s) would want to receive it. That is where I sometimes lose it because of my passionate and intense nature. The challenge for me is how not to come across as combative and aggressive when I am really riled by racist comments and acts whether they are overt or subtle.

These conversations are important because they can cause us to pause and look at the other persons shared experience; they help us become more sensitive. The whole world would most likely not change at once nor immediately, but, if we can cause even one person to pause and reconsider then we have made progress. That one person can affect yet another person or more and the chain continues.

To shift the tide towards justice and change involves a willingness to put oneself out.
It involves moving out of one's comfort zone to be an activist of some sort - it could be verbal (being willing to speak out at events, TV shows etc.),writing articles in newspapers, blogs or tweets or just a simple well phrased contribution to a conversation in response to negative comment. The kind of contribution that causes others to pause and think.

The internet seems to be the best option in connecting our projects to the world outside. We could actively invite people to visit the digital omnibus, follow our tweets, read our blogs etc.

Dr. Z, I kind of sense that this part of the question may require more than the above. I am still thinking it over.