Activity 2: Discovering Whiteness
Activity time: 35 minutes
Materials for Activity
- Handout 1, Discovering Whiteness
- Newsprint, markers, and tape
Preparation for Activity
- Copy Handout 1 for all participants.
Description of Activity
Distribute and read aloud Handout 1, explaining that it is a first person narrative. Invite comments, insights, and observations. Lead a discussion, using these questions as guides:
- What elements of Gary Howard's story help you get a better understanding of a "White identity"?
- How might Gary Howard's experiences, which took place in the 1950s, be different today? How might they be the same?
Post a piece of newsprint and title it "White Identity." Invite participants to brainstorm answers to the question, How would you describe a "White identity"? Explain that in a brainstorm, all suggestions and ideas voiced are captured on newsprint with commentary or discussion.