Here's their website http://www.diversity.ku.edu/events/dialogues.shtml. We participated in their session titled "The N-Word." I thought that the activity was thoroughly thought-provoking. Let's process today's class together. Can't wait to read your reflections!
I thought it was a great discussion because I know that it is very common for people to not understand the word, and wonder why it is strictly only a word black people can use all the time yet if white people use it then many people become angry. Being black and having a diverse group of friends I know that it is hard for some people to understand why this is. I liked that they were able to present a situation to the class and make it seem so realistic, because situations like that one occur every day and usually people are not sure how to go about asking that question and to many people the reason appears to be extremely obvious. However I do realize that it is used a lot between friends or in rap songs and some believe if you use it all the time in music then maybe everyone should be a loud to say it because music is heard everywhere by everyone so it does not make sense to use a word in your lyrics if you do not want other people to say it. I definitely liked all the people who went up to try to change the situation and turn it into a more positive outcome. I thought everyone did a really good job trying to relieve the anger that was occurring between the group, but of course I really enjoyed how Nana was able to alter the prospective of most of the group. Her tone of voice was extremely calm and she was able to look at both sides of the situation rather than just siding with one person. This class was probably my favorite because I know that while going on these trips we as volunteers have to be sensitive and understanding of everyone’s situations and try not to, as Nana said, sound ignorant. We do not want to come off as people who are not knowledgeable or insensitive to their life and realize that we should chose are words wisely if we do have any questions about the lives of the people we will be working with.
ReplyDeleteJulie Johnson says...I thought yesterday’s discussion was helpful and educational. The Difficult Discussions group did a great job of introducing a realistic topic that would be tough to handle in a group situation. As was shown, the ‘n-word’ is a difficult word that brings out prejudice in people and creates a lot of judging and stereotypes. Being white, I have never really thought about the word being used between black friends. It is something I have never noticed before, and the question had never crossed my mind. As it was talked about, though, I realized it was something that could create a lot of problems and stereotypes. The discussion could have been a great way to clear up misunderstood ideas but instead it became a heated argument between two sides. One of the first problems I noticed about the discussion was that the character Brittany did not introduce the question in a respectful way; instead, she asked with ignorance and accusation. In having a mature discussion about issues, it is important to not accuse others or assume things. Other issues I saw with the discussion were everyone was talking with a lot of attitude instead of in a composed manner. If the discussion is supposed to come to a conclusion and be educational, then everyone involved should have a much more mature approach than accusing others and sounding ignorant. I thought all three ladies that entered into the discussion did a great job of moderating it and settling it down to a certain degree. They all took completely different approaches, and as shown, I think Nana’s approach was the best. It was the closest resemblance to the strategy I would have taken when dealing with the issue. Overall, I think yesterday’s class did a great job of introducing an issue that our alternative winter break groups might have considering we are going places that are all dealing with social issues, some of which can be very heated topics. The Difficult Discussions group really showed us how to better approach tough situations and how to have discussions that are mature and respectful instead of ignorant. Yesterday’s class reminded me that we need to be knowledgeable about the people we are going to help, and that choosing words carefully can make a big impact on discussions.
ReplyDeleteThe presentation given by Difficult Discussions was nothing short of eye-opening. Personally, the most important and impressive portion of the presentation was the initial debriefing segment, where we were allowed to ask the characters a variety of questions. I am currently employed as a Resident Assistant through the Department of Student Housing, and this ‘question and answer’ portion of the presentation reminded me of the diversity training that I received this fall from Student Housing. Towards the end of our diversity training, we were encouraged to try and understand the “why” behind another individual’s behaviors. One of the examples given during our training was as follows: if someone eats a large meal, despite the fact that they are already incredibly satiated, it may be due to the fact that they grew up in an environment of low socioeconomic status, where food was sometimes hard to come by, and where children were taught to eat their entire meals, as a future meal wasn’t always an immediate guarantee. A second example went as such: an individual may have a habit of being late, not because of a lack of responsibility or respect for other people’s time, but because they witnessed another individual take their own life, and ever since then they have been committed to devoting their time and energy towards going above and beyond the cursory and brief greeting of “How are you?”, and actually making sure that others are doing well, and are not in danger of self harm. There were similar examples seen in Difficult Discussions’ presentation. For instance, Brittany was unsure about the use of the “n-word”, not because of racism or stupidity, but because she was raised in an area that was not home to many African American individuals, and therefore lacked exposure to the African American community and the issues that African Americans face. Difficult Discussions’ presentation reminded me of the fact that we must continuously try and put ourselves in another person’s position, and we must continuously ask ourselves, “What might this individual have been through in their life to prompt this behavior?” We must continue to do this not only on our breaks, but throughout the rest of our lives.
ReplyDeleteWhen I learned what the Alternative Breaks class discussion aim was going to be this week I was really intrigued. I wondered what kind of skit or scenario was going to be played out. When I got to class and Max and Hannah said there was going to be a scenario that would be played out called the N-word I was slightly hesitant. Knowing this was a sensitive, emotionally charged topic I was unsure of how people would react. As the skit got underway I was slightly uncomfortable, but as the scenario progressed I became more relaxed and engrossed in the scene that was playing out in front of me. I was surprised by how realistic the skit was, when I was watching I could really visualize this happening in a class room. I was later informed by the theater instructor that this had happened in a KU class about seven years ago. I was really impressed by the three girls that went up to the front and participated in the scene. It’s a scary thought to be in that kind of situation, and the skit was really good practice. Some of the places that people are participating in are going to have to face similar issues and being able to diffuse a situation and approach the topic in a respectful manner will be valuable. Kait going first was really brave. I thought she did a spectacular job mediating the situation and understanding where everyone was coming from. As the other two girls went in succession they were each able to learn from the person that went before them, to change their approach and make what they were saying more effective. The scenario was a very helpful technique to allow us, Alternative Breakers, to experience possible situations that could arise on our trips and effective ways to approach the problem.
ReplyDeleteWell, the great news is that I'm volunteering with animals. And although I pretend they know what I'm saying to them, we all know they don't. I really enjoyed the Difficult Discussions presentation. I thought it was a very interesting way to interactively deal with pretty awkward situations involving conflict, offensive language and how people interact in general. It was really cool to be in a situation with trained professionals, instead of role-playing with other awkward individuals, such as my self, who actually have no idea how to react to some situations. I really enjoyed the chance to be able to participate in the skit as well! Although I was confused on the context as to when I was actually entering the skit, I learned a lot about my self as a communicator and mediator. I was able to actually put my self in the situation and respond to the conversation in the moment. Towards the end of the skit, I used the word “you,” in an accusatory manor with out even being aware I was doing it. I remember once some one told me saying the world “you” is like pointing your finger at some one. I think it is so important to keep the context of conflict in mind, and to make sure to not single people out with the y-word. (See what I did there.) One word can change the whole tone and outcome of the conversation in a totally negative way. I also think the subject matter is very interesting, and a hard subject to approach at times. The group members were all about my age or a year younger, and they were all very professional and talented! Overall, I thought this was a really cool activity, and it would be interesting to be able to participate in other scenarios in the same way.
ReplyDeleteThis weeks panel on difficult decisions was interesting. I think that the actors did a great job of staying in character and reacted well to the different approaches people took to try to alleviate the situation. I had no idea what to expect going into the panel and I was impressed with how realistic it seemed. The most helpful part, for me, was when we were able to ask one on one questions and try to understand the background of each character and what sort of environment they grew up in. I think when volunteering with people it is important to make sure you have an understanding of that. Obviously everyone comes from different social environments and their experiences will shape the way they interpret your words and actions towards them. I think the scenario that was acted out succeeded in portraying people from different backgrounds struggling to understand each other. It also illustrated how important it is that everything you do and say is done with consideration. Sometimes the hardest part is even trying to find out about another’s background without appearing condescending or ignorant. I think being able to practice asking questions to these actors helps each of us become more aware of our tone of voice, phrasing, and reactions. I think Nana was so impressive in her ability to remain calm and assertive in the situation and listen to everyone express his or her own opinion. She just seemed very smart and respectful the entire time. I think this week was very relevant to my break in particular, since my group will be in Denver for One Colorado. I know that on this trip I am going to meet a very diverse group of people and also may meet people who don’t agree with what we are doing. Understanding how to communicate intellectually and being able to practice conversations without losing my temper is very valuable and important so that we can help educate people on our social issue and with what we are trying to help One Colorado achieve.
ReplyDeleteI would first like to point out how grateful I am to be a part of Alternative Breaks here at this University and have the opportunity to be involved in activities such as this one. While watching the session “The N Word” being performed by Difficult Discussions, I thought to myself “Only in college..” Only in college will you have these kinds of opportunities to discuss such important issues such as racism in such a fun and interactive way. I thought Difficult Discussions did an amazing job at presenting an issue such as racism and engaging the audience in order to help resolve it. I found their session very interesting and thought provoking because I could relate in some ways growing up as a Pakistani American in post 9/11 America. Several times I have had people ask me questions which came off as offensive whether it was intentional or not. The situation never got out of hand like it did in “The N Word” because I am very non-confrontational. It is very important that when you ask questions such as the one Brittney asked in the skit to make sure you ask it in a respectful and polite manner. It is also the other person’s duty when he or she is asked these types of questions to respond appropriately and educate them. An important concept that has been touched on several times in the Alternative Breaks class such as in Ivan Illich’s essay, the panels, and the “The N Word” is to educate yourself on the background and culture of the people you will be working with on your Alternative Breaks trip. You should understand their socio-economic status and what is most important in their lives but most importantly you should understand that they are humans such as yourself with the same types of desires and emotions.
ReplyDeleteThe discussion this week was extremely impressive to me. I had no idea what was about to happen, whether it was going to be cheesy or actually thought-provoking or just uncomfortable. When the skit began, I was completely taken aback. I did not know we were getting into such an intense discussion in class that week. I was also very impressed by the actors’ abilities - they certainly conveyed the possible tension of such a situation, and presented ideas that I really had never been forced to consider before. I also have not personally been in any discussion or argument like the one they played out. Really, I’m glad I haven’t encountered that already, because I probably would not have been able to handle it well at all. But the skit and my classmates’ participation helped me consider how I actually would go about handling the situation. I can see myself acting as a sort of diffuser in that case, using my ability to be calm and rational to help each person maintain respect for the others.
ReplyDeleteHearing about each character’s background and personal perspective was interesting for me. Since I’m interested in psychology, I like to examine how a person’s upbringing and environment affects his or her personality and character, especially as opposed to the influence of genetic factors. I also believe it is simply a good thing to make an effort to understand the people around you before making judgments, or rather to not judge at all. I can never understand everything going on in a person’s life, so who am I to make decisions based solely off their behavior, especially if I have not taken the time to get to know them well? This connects back to the panel discussions we’ve had; many speakers emphasized the fact that we must enter this time of service with open hearts and minds, ready to do our jobs humbly and respectfully.
I felt that the Difficult Situations exercise was incredibly valuable. We've all been in situations that were extremely uncomfortable and being able to practice what to say and how is an amazing idea. Part of what made the exercise so great was the actors. I felt like they wore their emotions on their sleeves and made everyone feel that the situation was real. Specifically, they showed how naive and ignorant someone can be if they have not had any experience dealing with African-American culture. Furthermore, they showed how a simple question can spark so much emotion and anger from somebody. I don't think the girl who asked the question, "Why can't I use the n-word," had any bad intentions whatsoever. She only went about asking the question wrong and all hell broke loose. This indicates how careful we need to be with our language. Nana pointed out that the questioner (Jessica was her name if I remember correctly) should have detached herself from the situation. Instead of asking why she personally couldn't use the word, she should have asked why the word is commonly used between African-Americans but other races are unable to use it. Also, the phrases "you people" and "your music" are destructive and put up a wall between Tyree and Jessica. When addressing such difficult issues, I think it's so important to find a way to avoid inciting a reaction and get people to think. Nana proposed great ways to do so. This workshop was great at getting people to think about how to address these questions, but it also a great skill to be able to diffuse a tense situation such as the one that developed between Tyree, Leon and Jessica. Its so simple, but Nana showed how powerful slow speaking with a calm tone of voice can be. She made each party take a step back and asked Jessica if she could ask the question in a less offensive way. I cannot think of a better strategy. As I head to Chicago to work in inner-city schools with Teach for America, I need to think about how to ask certain questions. Of course I won't ask students questions as charged as the one we worked through, but the last thing I would want to do is ask a question in the wrong way that makes me look ignorant and infuriates the students.
ReplyDeleteThe presentation by Difficult discussions was very interesting and I think a good experience for all of the different alternative breaks. I thought the topic of “The N word” was good, but it wasn’t the first time I have interacted a presentation like this. I grew up in a very diverse community where in middle school we had presentations like this. It was interesting at the sub topics they brought into the conversation. Making it not just about the word, as they did in middle school, but really about judging by appearances. Racism is a large issue for anyone to tackle and it’s not a simple one either. The group also made the point that a person needs to be careful how they say something to be careful it doesn’t come across the wrong way. Whether it’s in a situation like this or a more social situation where someone just says something that’s is taken the wrong way. For leadership skills, it presented a good opportunity of how to taken a hotheaded situation and de-fuse it. While everyone did a good job, the things I took from it was to explain in a calm manner of what people did wrong without offending them at the same time. Without having many leadership skills, it was nice to see different ways to tackle not just this issue, but other issues as well. It also got me to understand that not everyone grew in the same neighborhood that I did and that I need to not to assume that everyone grew up in a diverse environment or near a city. Lower Nine, is going to be a new experience for me and with the help of the presentation by difficult discussions I feel better prepared and ready for the trip.
ReplyDelete-Laura Damon
I loved the difficult discussions class. It was so interesting to recognize these common issues with such a diverse group of educated people. In highschool we had a black box theater which did similar excercises, but the majority of the group had the same opinions. This time it was interesting to see everyones take on the situation and turning it into a hands on lesson with getting people into that exact situation. I was really happy with the idea of taking the negative as a means to educate not get pessimistic. Many of us will run into these issues or ones of similar natures on our breaks. There will be difference that can be considered awkward but this gave us the means and the tools to turn these conversations around and into something we can remember fondly. While, I am going to be working with sick children there could easily be controversial conversations about why are you healthhy and I'm not? Or asking about death. These are topics many shy away from, but now we can utilize these skills to not sit in fear at them and combat each obstacle.
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