This Poem Further Continue to Perpetrate the Sterotype That White is Superior to All Race
Film Club
26 Mini-Films for Exploring Race, Bias and Identity With Students
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A Conversation With Asian-Americans on Race
Asian-Americans confront stereotypes about their community.
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Conversation - 07 (Asian-American) Cut 2016-03-09 00:00 ESTHER: I think the conversations I had about race with my family was primarily lead by my dad, and it would just be in little lessons. Like I'd pick up the phone and I'd say hello, and he goes, "I can tell you're Korean over the phone," and I was like, "It's because I am Korean, and I'm on the phone with you," and he goes, "No, no one should be able to tell you're Korean on the phone, people should just think you're American." 00:24 RINKU: When my parents talked about Americans they clearly meant white Americans, when they meant any other type of Americans they named them, they said Black people, or Latinos, or Native- American Indians was the language they would use for Native people, so I understood early on that a real American was a White American, everybody else had to be qualified. 00:53 MONIQUE: Well, Asian-American to me is um- is a political identification, not like Democratic or Republican, but meaning a way to organize, a group identification that has political implications and meaning, and power and strength. 01:13 ADEEL: Wearing this skin color is a big deal to me, which is why I don't say I'm just American anymore because America doesn't see me as just American. 01:26 HASAN: My first experience with race was, when I was six years old I fell in love with this girl named Janis Mallo and I went up to her in the sandbox and I was like, "Janis I love you!" and she was like, "You're the color of poop!" And that was memory number one with racism, and I didn't know what that was, I just took that literally and was like, "What? Ahhh it's not rubbing off," like it was very terrifying. 01:47 MONIQUE: These children around me already had the racial epithets to use against me. You know it's the first time in my life of course that I heard, you know, chink, and jap, and gook. 02:03 CHITRA: When I was in 2nd grade I used to walk a little bit to the bus stop away from my school, and there was a boy who used to beat me up, and when he used to beat me up he used to call me the N-word. Which I didn't quite know what it meant but I knew that it was something negative, and- people who evoke the most fear in me is like 10-year-old white boys, like I will cross the street. 02:25 ESTHER: My dad used to run a small business and I remember people coming in who weren't Korean and just white customers coming in, and they would just tell my dad to go back to his country. And this was before my dad had a full grasp on the English language and I remember seeing my dad's hands like being balled up in fists underneath the counter but my dad just saying, "Ok thank you, come back soon." 03:00 HASAN: My dad he grew up in a very interesting time in Indian's sort of development and growth. So he grew up when partition happened. During the time of partition there was a lot of aggression, so for him to hear my stories of micro-aggression he just didn't have a whole lot of room or empathy to understand what it meant, because he's like, "I'm dealing with full on aggression, like I've seen full on riots, people being killed, you know, fine kids call you Saddam Hussein just deal with it, we have an amazing opportunity here. We have freeways, Wi-Fi and Jamba Juice you better go be president, no excuses. 03:34 VISH: I had enough of stereotyping and not knowing who I was that I decided, Ok I wanted to become invisible, I didn't want any eyes on me. So I took a big step of basically taking off my turban, cutting off my hair, and that worked for a while. 03:50 CHI-HUI: You know on one hand there's this idea of foreignness of not belonging, and then on the other hand there's this idea of being a successful minority who has achieved, and who should be modeled after, and there's not a whole lot of room to work in between these. 04:07 RINKU: Immigration was opened in 1965 to professional Asian families, so we were really chosen and creamed from our countries, that we were meant to occupy a position as the solution to the problem of black-rebellion and of black resistance, and that's not a good position for us, that we should join the problem, rather than join that false solution. 04:34 ANDREW: Was I ever a model minority? Of course, you know I was a good student, and that's probably the extent of it. But you know, I had a cousin who had a murder rap. 04:45 CATHY: You know, I was the only Asian kid in Ridgewood, in a working class neighborhood, and I went to high school I hung out with gangs, I got into a lot of trouble, and I barely made it into college. 04:55 CHHAYA: The Bronx is home for me, and I think that, that growing up with black and brown folks, you know, again, determines our political alignment and solidarity work around like BlackLivesMatter and things like that, because we came from the same community, we lived in the same ghettos and we know what it means to be invisible and abandoned in the US. 05:20 KELVIN: Just because I'm Malaysian doesn't mean I'm exempt from the conversation on anti-blackness, simply because this system was setup in a global setting. And even within Asian countries like Japan, Korea, India, you see colorism as a very wide spread phenomena, because anti-blackness is so entrenched and so just deeply embedded in like the global psyche, and like the global construction of race— yeah. 05:44 CATHY: When you look more deeply within our own community, and how we're treated even differently within colorism and the spectrum of our skin tone, you know, Vietnamese people are treated differently and better than Cambodians, or Laos people or Hmong people, because we're lighter. And I think with our own communities we have to acknowledge that, and acknowledge privilege of our skin color, and how we play a role being complacent and not being complacent and fighting back against what the system is between white supremacy and anti-blackness and everything in between the systems that upholds those two. 06:18 ESTHER: And I don't think this is unique to Asians, I think every racial group is made to feel like their situation is siloed from other groups of people, and it's very keep your head down, eyes in your own lane, and make sure things are better for us, and I think that I saw that a lot growing up, and I've definitely thought that at some point in my life, where I would see injustices happening to other groups of people in this country and I would tell myself, no you have your own things to worry about, make sure things are better for you. But then I realized when I grew up, that it's not any of us that's the problem, it's the system that's the problem and when the tide rises, all boats rise, so we need to stand by each other and support one another. 07:09
How do we get students to consider perspectives different from their own? How do we get them to challenge their own biases and prejudices? If, as Atticus Finch famously said, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it," how do we get our students to do that?
Teachers traditionally turn to literature, history and current events to open up these conversations, but it's always helpful to have a bigger toolbox to tackle such important and difficult issues. That's why we pulled together these 26 short New York Times documentaries that range in time from 1 to 7 minutes and tackle issues of race, bias and identity.
To help teachers make the most of these films, we also provide several teaching ideas, related readings and student activities.
In the comments, we hope you'll share how you use these films in your own classroom.
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The 26 Films
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A Conversation About Growing Up Black
In this short documentary, young black men explain the particular challenges they face growing up in America.
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CNVS 02_NYT Final Script_150429 Transcript Start time: 00:00:00 Rakesh: Racism means basically like... Miles: A large, a large part of uh...a race feels that they're superior to another race and so and so not only do they believe that but they act on it. Malik: Examples would be in class sometimes I'd be the only black kids and we'd read a book like, I don't know, Huck Finn and then there's that uncomfortable moment...the "magic" word would come up and people look at you like "What's his reaction?" Things like that. Miles: I was walking home from school with this one white girl and we had just gotten off the bus and we were about to, we were almost home and there were these groups of black kids that had just gotten out of school. She was like "Oh, let's cross the street, there's a group of black kids. I don't want to run into them." And so she told me...which, I don't even know why she would do that. Marvin: I used to wear a sweatband like just to reinforce my wrist and I had a teacher come up to me and say, "You should take it off because it looks gang affiliated." Shaq: I've been in situations you know where I've had to cross the street because I didn't want to scare the white lady that was walking. Marvin: I would actually, it would get to the point where I would start to count how many times a woman would clutch her bag. Bisa: When I was 16, I was leaving my mom's house in my pajamas, which had snowmen on them um, with my brother and we were actually stopped by the police rather aggressively. Jumoke: I've been stopped by the cops on my way between classes, because we have two separate buildings, walking from one building to the other building. As my white students in the same class walk by me. Malik: It's kind of upsetting because we live in a world where my mom has to be afraid when I walk outside from the people that are like meant to protect me and I just, I don't like when my mother feels like that you know, I love my mother. She should always, I want her to always be happy... Bisa: You know I walk tall, I keep my head up, very you know, try to be very articulate and and polite...um and so of course I was like "Okay I'm going to be fine because I act a certain way." And of course that has absolutely nothing to do with it. Um, people, the way people perceive you you know, is not up to you. 00:02:06 Jumoke: My parents taught me oh you know, "Cops are your friends, you're supposed to, you know they're here to protect you." But all I'm seeing is the opposite. So how can I not be afraid when I feel like I'm being hunted? When I feel like I'm there to fill a quota? Shaq: We are in a so-called free society and as a black man we literally don't feel free. We don't know "freedom" is. Jumoke: Every time we're killed, the first thing you see on the news is: criminal record. Or something like that. So from the second the bullet hits us, already we're starting to be dehumanized. Malik: Black people like myself, we don't get as many chances as they do so you have to be aware and you have to watch out and you can't mess up. Bisa: This was an extremely emotionally taxing process for me in terms of coming to terms with maybe...the nature of of racism in my own life and in this country and in this world and if you wait until somebody is 12, 13, 14 to put that on them...it's...it's really, it can be really difficult. Malik: My dad, he's just like the honest one he's like "Listen son, like, there are things in this world that you have to, you kind of have to watch out..." He doesn't want me to live in fear, but he wants me to be aware. Maddox: I want people to know that I'm perfectly fine and I'm not going to hurt anybody or do anything bad. Rakesh: I should be judged about like who I, who I am and like and what kind of person I am. Marvin: My parents would tell me, especially my mom, she would tell me, you have to endure. You have to muscle through it. And like, this is no different, it's a part of being a person of color in America. Bisa: And there's a certain comfortability associated with that because if I know that something is inevitable then I know how to deal with it. Fortunately, I've had parents who have said "this is what you do." 00:04:00 Marvin: Mom and dad, I'll be fine because you did a good job raising me. You gave me all the resources and the time and the blood, sweat and tears to make a good man, an honorable man and the foundation to survive in this country. Myles: I want you to know that I will act in an appropriate manner and do everything that you told me to do because I do love you and I know that everything you say is for a reason and not just to talk the talk. And I love you. Credits DIRECTED & PRODUCED BY: Joe Brewster / Perri Peltz DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Rudy Valdez SOUND: Chase Horton EDITORS: Geeta Gandbhir / Clare Vance CONSULTING PRODUCERS: Blair Foster / Geeta Gandbhir / Michele Stephenson ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Clare Vance THANK YOU: Rakesh / Miles / Malik / Marvin / Shaq / Bisa / Jumoke / Maddox / Myles NYTIMES CREDITS End time: 00:04:57 Music: "Rolling Emotions," Composed by Adam Dennis (PRS) and Bob Bradley (PRS), Library: Bruton TV Series (BTV). Track ID: BRU_BTV_0146_01301
• The Collector "We Are Not That" (2 min.)
• The Activist "They Think We're Just Historical" (3 min.)
• The Seller "It's Weird to Me, but It Sells" (2 min.)
Hyphen Nation — What makes someone American? How do you define American identity? In these films, nine American citizens describe their struggle to belong in a nation that both embraces and rejects them.
• Mallika (2 min.)
• Jason (2 min.)
• Amanda (1 min.)
• Roy (1 min.)
• Russell (2 min.)
• Wendy (1 min.)
• Ayman (2 min.)
• Armando (2 min.)
• Michaela (2 min.)
The latter three series were produced in collaboration with "POV," television's "longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films." For more educational resources from "POV," visit its website.
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Teaching Idea #1: Ask Open-Ended Questions for Reflection and Discussion
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Sometimes the best way to prompt reflection and discussion after watching a film is simply to let students share their personal reactions. The four open-ended questions we use in our weekly Film Club are intended to encourage thoughtful and honest dialogue. Students might write a response first, or meet in partners or small groups before discussing with the class as a whole.
• What moments in this film stood out for you? Why?
• Were there any surprises? Anything that challenged what you know — or thought you knew?
• What messages, emotions or ideas will you take away from this film? Why?
• What questions do you still have?
While students watch the film, they can take notes using our Film Club Double-Entry Journal (PDF) to help remember specific moments.
Teaching Idea #2: Offer Students Choice
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Different film topics might appeal to different students and classes. If you plan to watch one or more of these films as a class, you can do a quick survey to decide which film in a series to watch. Or, if students are watching on tablets or laptops, you can let them decide individually or as small groups which film or films they'll watch.
If students do end up watching different films, you can have them share their observations and reflections with the rest of the class in a jigsaw activity or class share.
Teaching Idea #3: Go Further With Short Activities
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Peanut Butter, Jelly and Racism
What is implicit bias? NYT/POV's Saleem Reshamwala unscrews the lid on the unfair effects of our subconscious.
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These 26 films raise all sorts of questions about how we see other people, how they see us, and even how we see ourselves.
Extending classroom discussions with formal activities can help push the conversation forward and help students draw connections between their own lives and the ideas expressed in these films. Here are just a few possibilities that can be used before, between or after watching.
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A Conversation With White People on Race
This short documentary features interviews with white people on the challenges of talking about race.
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[chord] [beep] It's very uncomfortable to talk about race. It's not something — it's not something I do. I am — I am feeling apprehensive, because I think there's a lot of reasons why I feel like I should be able to talk about race. I don't want to say anything, you know, that would offend anyone. It's a very touchy subject. It's still difficult, even if you feel like you're on the right side of it, you know, to have a dialogue about it. Especially for white people, because we don't want to see if the racism that we may be holding onto. I don't know. Maybe I am racist. I certainly don't like to think that I am. And I think that's, too, because the perception — in this society, perception of a racist is a guy in a robe. Now I understand that it's a system of advantages and disadvantages based on race. So as much as there's the disadvantage piece of it, there's the advantage piece of it, which is what I experience as a white person. I want to bring up race, and I want to bring it up in a frame that helps my children think that there's no difference. But the mere fact that I might be bringing it up could suggest that there is a difference. I remember asking a friend of my father's, who was black, why he was called black, because his skin was brown. And I've learned that lots of people that are white ask this question, and maybe they also received the answer that I got from my parents, which was like, oh, my gosh, we're so sorry that she asked that. And it's just a term. Like, move on. One of my third grade students seemed pretty rocked after the Eric Garner case, or death, and came up to me and said, you know, why — when you were little, like, were you worried about this stuff too? And I knew what he was talking about before — I mean, I didn't say, what do you mean, what stuff? I didn't want to, you know, play dumb. And I said, no. I didn't have to be. And that's not fair. And that was really hard, because he just kind of sat there. And it honestly seemed like the first time that he had considered the fact that not everyone had to think about race all the time. I know that I'm white, and I guess I'm part of that collection. But I don't think about being white. I don't. I really did not know that I had a racial identity. I knew I was white. I had no idea what that meant, how that had shaped my outlook on life, how that had shaped my sense of optimism, sense of belonging, sense of safety, sense of feeling entitled to go help children that I thought were part of a community that couldn't figure out how to help themselves. I think that impulse, that kind of colorblindness impulse, comes mostly from white people. Like, I've never heard — I mean, I don't know. I'm sure it comes from all people of all kinds. But I've heard it most from white people who are saying like, let's do this as a way of getting past this racism thing. And I think, in part, it comes from a sense of shame and guilt about what racism has done, and kind of how racism was built by white people. I don't want to be ashamed of being — and plus, I'm a male. It's like, every group out there can be pissed off at me because I'm white and a male. And that's a weird kind of burden that some people do feel. And I certainly feel it sometimes from people, that I'm privileged, I get stuff that other people don't get. I think we're all implicated in a racist system. And I play my part in it as a white person. So I do have individual responsibility and accountability. I mean, I'm part of the system, and I do things that both perpetuate, and I try to certainly do things that challenge it. I realize I've never said anything. When I've heard racist jokes, when I've heard racist comments, I've never said anything. I've never spoken up and said, hey, that's racist. Not once. In my mind, there's no — I'm not involved in any conflict that involves race. I've only been the beneficiary of it, so. To talk about it is — I don't think I would sound very wise. Being white means that I have the privilege to think that I'm not affected by racism. Or that I don't even have a race, because I have all these other things like a gender and a sexual orientation, and those are pretty neat, so I don't have a race. But I do, and I'm white. [music]
Short readings that provide additional perspectives or entry points for exploring issues of race, bias and identity can also deepen the conversation. We selected the following from Facing History and Ourselves' collection of resources:
• "Little Things Are Big" by Jesús Colón (also used in our Text to Text lesson plan)
• "The Bear That Wasn't," an illustrated children's book by Frank Tashlin
• "The Danger of a Single Story" by Chimamanda Adichie
• "Orientation Day", a short personal essay by a 17-year-old student, Jennifer Wang
• Defining Race, short readings about "race" as a shifting social construct
• The Blink of an Eye, short readings about unconscious or implicit bias
• Words Matter, an interview with Niin, an Anishinaabe woman of both Cree and Ojibway descent
• The 'In' Group, a reflection by Eve Shalen, a high-school student
• Street Calculus, a cartoon by Garry Trudeau
For most of these readings, Facing History provides connection questions or even a related lesson plan.
Teaching Idea #5: Take Action
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The Activist
A native American in Ohio has waged a decades-long struggle against a baseball team's racist logo.
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A native American in Ohio has waged a decades-long struggle against a baseball team's racist logo.
These films naturally raise questions about the daily choices we make, consciously or unconsciously, to treat others with respect and dignity. They also push us to think about the lengths we should go to as schools, communities, a nation and as a world to make sure that all people are treated fairly — so, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, people "will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
Students can brainstorm:
• What can we do in our individual lives to make sure others are treated with respect and dignity, and not based on stereotypes and prejudice?
• What can we do as a class or as a school to make sure our community is welcoming of people from different backgrounds — different races, ethnicities, religions, disabilities, gender and sexual orientations?
• And what about as city, state, nation or world? What can we do to make a difference in promoting equality and understanding across divides and in the face of intolerance?
Then, as individuals or as a class, students can come up with their own plans of action to challenge stereotypes and fight against discrimination.
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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/15/learning/lesson-plans/25-mini-films-for-exploring-race-bias-and-identity-with-students.html
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