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Examining Racial Identities

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Module Objectives:

  • Reflect on our social identity development as it relates to race.
  • Consider strategies to inform the way we think and behave relevant to the racial identity of others and ourselves.

Reflection Exercises:

As you go through the module, please consider taking the examining racial identities worksheet linked below to inform where you stand on racial identities and open up dialogue on examining racial identities:

RECI - Examining Racial Identities Worksheet.pdf Download RECI - Examining Racial Identities Worksheet.pdf

  1. Defining Narratives - What does examining racial identities mean to you?
    1. Consider specific resources (activities, articles, books, historical/contemporary events, images, infographics, personal experiences, quotes, videos, websites, etc.) to help you best articulate your consciousness (dispositions + knowledge + awareness + skills) to examine racial identities.
  2. Visualizing Opportunities - How do you see yourself examining racial identities? 
    1. Consider areas of opportunity you can engage personally and with your communities of influence (familial, organizational, municipal, social, etc.)?
  3. Cultivating Commitments - How can you develop your consciousness to examine racial identities?
    1. Consider consciousness development techniques and strategies you can engage personally and with your communities of influence.

Reflection Resources:

Video.pngSuggested Viewing: 

Toni Morrison Beautifully Answers an "Illegitimate" Question on Race (Jan. 19, 1998) | Charlie Rose (7:20)

 

In 1998, Charlie asked Toni Morrison about a question a journalist had once posed to her: "Can you imagine writing a novel not centered around race?" This is her amazing response.

I Am Not Your Asian Stereotype | Canwen Xu | TEDxBoise (9:38)
Bad driver. Math wizard. Model minority. In this hilarious and insightful talk, eighteen-year-old Canwen Xu shares her Asian-American story of breaking stereotypes, reaffirming stereotypes, and driving competently on her way to buy rice.  

 

What does it mean to be white? | Anne Rhodes | TEDxIthacaCollege (13:30)
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. This talk is an investigation about what it means to be white, an inquiry into the definition, the experience, and the implications of being white. What does being white do to someone? What is the relationship between being white and ethnicity, class, or religious affiliation? What is the impact of being white on the white community? What is “whiteness”? Is it a problem? Can it be redefined?

Anne Rhodes has worked for many years doing anti-bias work in Ithaca – at Cornell, Ithaca College, with faculty, staff, and administration in area public schools, and in the community - including work on racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, anti-semitism, ageism, and able-ism. She founded the Homophobia Educators Network, co-led a Round Two MRC Talking Circle for white allies. and helped start the White Allies Against Racism group. She is also a theater artist, writer, and Teaching Artist, supporting arts in education partnerships between cultural organizations and schools for the past 30 years across New York State, developing arts integration programs and providing professional development for teachers to integrate the arts with curriculum and promote more critical and creative thinking in young people.