Activity
Race: The Power of an Illusion
Watch the clip below and follow the discussion prompt below. The full documentary is also worthwhile, and available to here.
My Racial Journey
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Week 5
Racial Knowledge Part II
We hear that race is a social construct, but what does that mean exactly? How can something be ‘real’ and ‘not real’ at the same time? And if race is not biologically based, then how can it have such a strong impact on our lives?
Discussion
What do you want to remember from this clip or the whole movie that: – Surprised you?
– Made you want more information?
– Confirmed something you already knew?
– Made you want to tell someone something they need to know?
Now is your chance to explain it to someone else.
What would you say if a child asked you what your race is? What information would you want them to know to make sure they were getting the whole story?
For More Information
Everyone Is African: How Science Explodes the Myth of Race by Daniel J. Fairbanks
Race: Are We So Different? by Alan H. Goodman, Joseph L. Jones, and Yolanda T. Moses
The History of the Idea of Race and Why it Matters by Audrey Smedley
Need help?
My Racial Journey was developed at the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development and with the Office’s Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education (P.R.I.D.E.) Program. This work was funded by a 2019 Open Education Resource Grant from the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of the Provost.
If you are interested in hiring experts on racial literacy guide you through My Racial Journey, please fill out the form below.
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My Racial Journey was created by the University of Pittsburgh
Office of Child Development and the Office’s P.R.I.D.E. Program.