Observations from the Field

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Observations from the Field

• DIALOGUE ACROSS RACE

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13 Challenges for Facilitators of Race Dialogues

• Defining racism
• Dispelling the myth of biology
• Dispelling the myth of the choir
• Interpretations of anger and emotion
• Voices that monopolize to control
• Allowing time for the evolutionary process of
  learning
• Personal dialogue history Ah ah! to Oh, no...
• Avoiding racial polarization
• Group size and composition
• Lived experiences and objective data

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Interpretations of Anger and Emotion

• Challenge
• Expressions of anger and strong emotion are often
  interpreted to be threatening or inappropriate
  across race.
• Response
• Acknowledge that expressions of anger and emotion
  are culturally determined and will vary within
  the dialogue group. Invite conversation In
  your culture, what is an acceptable expression of
  anger/emotion?

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Race Dialogue From Ah ha! to Oh, no...

• Challenge
• Oftentimes, dialogue participants will have a
  wide variety of personal experiences with
  cross-racial dialogue. Some participants may
  find it new, intellectually challenging and
  personally liberating.
• Others may experience race dialogue as a
  frustrating rehash of painful, old conversations
  that required great personal vulnerability but
  resulted in little meaningful change.

• Response
• Acknowledge these differing experiences openly at
  the start of the dialogue program and ask
  participants to be aware of these differing
  emotions. Talk without action is disheartening
  and it compromises trust.
• At the close of the dialogue, invite participants
  to reflect on what theyve learned AND how they
  intend to embed their learning within their own
  behaviors, assumptions and decisions. How will
  you apply this to your life?