1. S.E.E.D. 1 Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity
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April’s Theme:
The Color of Fear
Essential Questions: How are our perceptions impacted
by race? How does race impact our
role as educators?

2. Racism - Definitions Read through the definitions on the handout.
Discuss (in your small group) the key elements to a definition of racism?

3. Small Group We Can’t Teach… Chapter 6
How are tensions about race and “whiteness” manifested in your school/setting? Among faculty? Administration? Parents? Students?
Discuss the different “ways of being white” described by the author in his White Identity Orientations model. Do you recognize people in these different stages? For white people, how do you see yourself reflected in these stages? For people of color, how do you see these stages represented among your colleagues?

5. Small Group We Can’t Teach… Chapter 6
What is the relationship between White Identity Orientation and student success?
For your colleagues who are very effective at teaching across differences, how did they grow to that place of skill and competence?

6. Small Group
Using Discipline of the Circle, share something related to your racial autobiography (either an excerpt or something that came up during the process of writing it).
When everyone has shared, discuss this assignment… was it worthwhile, did it spark new thoughts related to race etc. (Should we repeat this assignment in the future?)

7. Uprooting Racism – Paul Kivel
Page 40: Retaining Benefits
– Avoiding Responsibility
Tactic Typical Statement
Denial “I didn’t hit her.”
Minimization “It was only a slap.”
Blame “She asked for it.”
Redefinition “It was mutual combat.”
Unintentionality “Things got out of hand.”
It’s Over Now “I’ll never do it again.”
It’s Only a Few Men “Most men wouldn’t hurt a woman.”
Counterattack “She controls everything.”
Competing Victimization “Everybody is against men.”

8. Break!
Enjoy the food
– Thanks to Kelsey!

9. The Color of Fear
The Color of Fear is an internationally acclaimed film about eight men of various ethnicities engaging in an intimate and honest dialogue about race and the effects of racism on their lives and families.

10. Color of Fear
Lee Mun Wah (director) started this work after his Mother’s death (during a robbery of their store by a black man)
Filmed in Ukiah, CA over a span of 3 days
Dialogue is unscripted and unrehearsed
Cast = 9 men: 2 African American, 2 Asian (+ director), 2 European American, 2 Latino
No women in the film … to maintain a focus on race; later films include all women

11. While watching the film…
Try to focus on your own personal thoughts about race/racism – not on the individual characters
The goal of the film is to stimulate personal experiences – not to simply discuss the film/characters
How is the film affecting you and/or reflecting your own views of race and racial identity?

12. Color of Fear – Journal Break
Take 2-3 minutes to write about what you’re thinking after seeing this section of the film.
Try to focus on your own personal thoughts about race/racism – not on the individual characters
The goal of the film is to stimulate personal experiences – not to simply discuss the film/characters
How is the film affecting you and/or reflecting your own views of race and racial identity?

13. Debriefing Prompts
I am an American. I'm an all-American man. The reason I say that is that I was born here, educated here, and that makes me an American. David Lee
What is presented to me as an American does not look like me, does not think like me, does not smell like me, does not cry like me, does not play like me. To name 'American' as my primary identity would be to deny most of who I am. Roberto Almanzan
I have Native American friends and I like their culture. I seek artifacts. David Christiansen
For years I've said, “Why do these guys have such a problem being of color?” Why aren't we just humans? David Christensen
In our culture “American” and “white” and “human” have become synonymous. Telling a black person to be “just a person” is like saying, “‘Why don't you become like a white person?” Victor Lewis
Lee Mun Wah’s response to David & Victor's conversation:
What if that really is how things are (racism) - what if that is true?

14. Homework for May Last Meeting: 5/13/14
Read: Chapter 7 & 8 in We Can’t Teach…
After reading, journal about the following prompts:
Discuss the elements of knowing and doing that Howard incorporates into his description of transformationist teaching. Select one of the elements that particularly speaks to you and reflect on this.
What are the barriers to the creation of this place the author calls La Tierra Transformativa? What dues must we each pay to enter this space?
Prepare Final SEED Activity (see attached handout)