Racism and other forms of discrimination continue to be destructive forces that harm individuals and corrodes societies from within, impairing our ability to solve the problems of today or prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.

The Challenge: The best lessons come from lived experience. To fully understand how the various forms of racism and discrimination affect people at the individual and systemic levels, one must experience it. 

Numerous resources exist to teach employees, managers, instructors, and students about racism and other forms of discrimination. However, little exists that effectively elevates academic lessons into an experience that can be transformational. 

Goal: To use experiential learning techniques to demonstrate the root causes and effects of racism and other forms of discrimination, and pave the way for corrective action.

Format: The class will be tasked with the drawing of a geometric image on paper using instructions given by facilitators. After the drawing session is complete, dialogue will begin, leading to a greater understanding of a variety of concepts and principles. This experience "fertilizes the soil" for the uptake of future implicit bias or equity trainings.

Duration: 2-2.5 hours

Delivery options: In-person workshops, live virtual delivery, or licensing curriculum

Objectives: 

• Identify the different forms of discrimination
• Illustrate how racism and discrimination sap our strength, productivity, and health
• Articulate the need for corrective action
• Motivate to inspire change in your organization

What to Expect: 

• Academic principles driven by a fun activity
• A debriefing conversation that links the exercise to life
• Potential for an emotional revelation

What NOT to Expect: 

• Participants are not separated by any imputable characteristics. 
• There is no shaming through identification of personal privilege. 
• Does not involve re-harming people with disadvantage by asking them to share their experience.