Guidance for Grown-Ups
May 2008
Growing up Multiracial
This Discussion Guide contains the following Activity Sections:
- The Answers to Your Questions
- Problem Solving: Exploring Options, Giving Advice
- Make a Historical and Global Connection: Changing Options
I. The Answers to Your Questions
The purpose of this activity is to help teens explore the growing population of multiracial people in the United States.
- Ask the teens to read “A Blending of the Races” and “Did you Know?”
- Community groups are divided over whether or not to identify as multiracial on census or other government documents. Ask the teens to read a letter to the US Department of Education by Project Race. Take a vote to see how many would sign this letter and how many would not. Ask the teens to explain their decision.
- Give the teens time to read, “I Am Fed Up With Being Judged” by Malory Hom and “What Are You?” by Tadina. In response, ask the teens to write an advice column about how to stay cool when faced with other people’s lack of knowledge about race. You could also ask teens to write an advice column to the annoying people who ask, “What are you?” or “Where are you from?”
Resources
Letter to the US Department of Education by Project Race - http://www.projectrace.com/statefederalcensus/federal/091706-praceletter.php
II. Problem Solving: Exploring Options, Giving Advice The purpose of this activity is to help teens think critically about how they identify race.
- Hand out index cards or slips of paper to all the teens. Ask them to write the one racial/ethnic group that best describes them. They can only choose one. Have them tape the card to their shirts, with the writing side down. On a new sheet of paper, ask the group to write down everyone’s name, then guess what one racial/ethnic group best describes that person. Ask everyone to keep what he or she has written private.
- Hand out a second index card and second piece of paper. Repeat the previous exercise but allow the teens to list as many racial/ethnic groups as they want, for themselves and for their peers.
- Starting with the first card, have every group member identify her race. The teens can compare their guesses on the first sheet. How accurately did the group guess each other’s race? Did group members use different words for the same race? Why did they choose the word they chose (white or Caucasian, for example)? Go around the circle again, but this time, have the group members give their answers first, and then again, compare results.
- Ask the group to talk about the exercise. What did it feel like to think about other people’s race? What did it feel like to hear what other people thought about their racial/ethnic background? Were there any surprises? Were there awkward moments? What is gained when people are unsure of your race? What is lost when people make incorrect assumptions about race? How much of one particular race is enough to make you check off the box on forms? How does anyone in the group know for sure what their entire racial background is?
- Ask one teen to read the list of questions from “Understanding My Own Diversity.” Give the teens time to either pair off, and answer one question through dialogue, or answer one question in writing.
Resources
“Understanding My Own Diversity” - www.diversitydtg.com/tools/myown.html
III. Make a Historical and Global Connection: Changing Options The purpose of this activity is to think about how to think about multiracial identities as sources of community strength.
- On the 2000 Census questionnaire, "race" and "Hispanic ethnicity" are listed as separate questions. A person of Hispanic ethnicity is anyone who identifies with that social group, and so can be of any race. And Census race categories have changed over time. Ask the teens: What new data can the US government collect, now that Census participants can check more than one race box?
- Ask the teens to read, “Interview with Chandra Prasad.” After, have them write three new questions they wish they could ask her. If there is a willing volunteer duo, have them role-play a Teen Voices interviewer asking Ms. Prasad these questions in person.
- Ask the teens to research the history of interracial marriage. Have the teens think of themselves as lawmakers and prepare short speeches either for or against interracial marriage, based on their research. Give them two minutes each to defend their position.
- As a flip side to the previous activity, ask the teens to break into small groups and rehearse skits about a young woman telling her parents she plans to marry someone outside of their racial/ethnic group. Have the teens envision and act out a variety of responses from the parents (both supportive and not) and subsequent conversations.
- Many celebrities have multiracial backgrounds. Have the teens read, “The Multiracial Influence.” Give them time to find a bio for one of these celebs online. Can they find any anecdotes about how she felt about her multiracial status growing up?
Resources
US Census information - www.censusscope.org/us/chart_race.html
Have you used Guidance for Grown-ups with your class or teen group?
Tell us which ones you used and what kind of success you had with it. Did you put your own spin on it? Let us know.
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