Convenings

Past Learning Exchange Reports:
Los Angeles, November 15–17, 2002

Andrea Assaf
2002
Diversity and Dialogue Session: What's Particular About Race?
National Conference for Community and Justice dialogue specialist Diane Burbie and artist Marty Pottenger offered an opportunity to look at the particularities of race as an issue (or interconnected set of issues) present in our work in arts-based civic dialogue. Creating an environment of collective inquiry and peer exchange, they invited us on a journey with various stages of exploration, in which participants engaged questions, issues, and challenges arising directly from the experiences of the Lab projects. Together we reflected on the complexities of race and its intersections with various forms of diversity, exploring how to make connections and when it’s important to be specific.

Marty Pottenger (MP) and Diane Burbie (DB): Introduction to the process which is intended to spur discussion of and explore issues of race. Asks each group to choose a process monitor (NOT a facilitator). The process is intended to give people time to talk about issues from their projects and discuss issues in general.  We’ll split into 10 groups. In our groups, we will use metaphor. There will be 50 minutes of small group, 15 minutes for each question.

Format
A journey. Participants will journey through various stages of exploring “race,” beginning with one aspect of the subject, then being prompted to take on additional dimensions of the subject as the dialogue progresses.

Every 15 minutes, each group will symbolically move to the next stage of the journey by switching seats with someone in their group.

Fishbowl (15 minutes)
“What is particular about race? What is a fundamental concept, principle or model you’ve found to be particularly effective when intentionally inviting the consideration of race into the process? When the issue of race just shows up during the process?”

Small Group Dialogue—Questions:

  • Taking Stock: What’s happening in our projects around race? Is the consideration of race invited or just showing up? How are issues getting on the table? Are there issues under the rug?
  • Challenges: When/Where/Why is it still to scary to take on the issue of race? What are some effective ways of moving groups into conversations about race? What invites engagement and what offends?
  • Learned: How does race intersect with other issues, experiences and forms of diversity? Is there a “pecking order” among diversity issues? When is it important to be specific about race? When is it important to make connections to other diversity issues? When is it “not about race?”

Large Group Closure Process

  • The process concludes in the large group, where participants are invited to pose “harvested questions” inspired by the exploration.
  • We end with questions vs. statements (answers) in affirmation of the notion that “what matters most is not the destination, but the journey.”
  • Question used as the catalyst for the large group dialogue: “What are the net results when race is part of the process (intentionally or unintentionally): rewards, surprises, regrets, etc.?”