Reflect on what you learned, observed and/ or felt during the activities with Dr. Blane Harding. Was there any part that was particularly easy or challenging? How did this activity build on what we learned last week? What did you learn from our discussion as a group? What was your biggest take-away from the evening? Feel free to share any other relevant thoughts or reflections.
Blog posts must be 200-400 words, proofread, and void of common grammatical errors.
Your blog posts are due before the start of class next week.
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ReplyDeleteThe activity did with Dr. Blane Harding were very eye-opening. At first, it was very easy and straightforward. I didn’t have any trouble choosing an identity for the first few questions. It was particularly challenging for me to choose one identity for some of the questions. For example, when Dr. Blane Harding asked us what identity was most important to us in high school I had trouble choosing between spirituality and socio-economic status. This is because we are placed in this high school based (roughly) on household income, but high school was a time where I was heavily exploring my religious views as well. This activity built on last week’s because last week we learned about different identities, but it was very brief. This week I think we went more into depth on these identities and how they shaped us, especially when we were asked questions after the activity. During the group discussion, I became aware that some people felt vulnerable during the activity due to some of their identities. Consequently, the biggest take away from this activity is that some people see things different than you. We all have different experiences and we all value certain identities over the other, which shape us into who we are. It would be unfair to say the person next to you feels the same way about what shaped them as you do. I feel like I have gained some sensitivity towards others that I will apply to alternative breaks and beyond.
The identity activity that Dr. Blane Harding led last week was an eye-opening experience. Initially, it didn’t seem like particularly challenging experience. We had learned last week how to understand and label certain identities—we even had experiencing stepping into them and acknowledging them with the color wheel activity. However, once we began actually having to move around the room and choose how the identities we held shaped us, or the weight they held in our lives, it became clear that it would not be a simple task. Personally, the hardest part for me was choosing a single identity to answer questions like, “Which identity defines your leadership strategy best?” or “Which one defined you in high school?” It was also difficult to do it in front of people who knew you—even if there wasn’t any judgment, the activity required personal and visible honesty on your part. I tried not to wonder about some people’s choices, because I didn’t want them to wonder about mine, but it was difficult. The discussion we had afterwards reflected this. Others in the group said that they had a hard time publically acknowledging an identity—something like sexuality, or ability, or religion—because, while they wanted to be honest, they knew others would see them and question the reason behind the choice. I’m glad I wasn’t the only person feeling this, but I’m also glad I wasn’t the only person questioning the potentially problematic nature of this either. It made me happy, and proud in a way, that a few people acknowledged this possibility, and that we could discuss it openly with each other. In a community as diverse and respectful as the one that students have helped create at KU, I think honest, authentic conversation about the problems and labels we face is critical to healthy relationships and a healthy community. That all starts with willingness to have the conversation, and I like that an organization for community service wants to start that conversation.
ReplyDeleteThe activity this past week was one I initially underestimated. Having participated in similar activities for leadership classes and camp staff training week, I assumed we would be asked simple questions that were more of a “get to know you.” However, these questions turned out to be very personal and were very difficult to answer. The ten signs around the walls each were labeled with one aspect of a person’s identity. Starting as a group from the middle of the room before each question, we were asked things like “What aspect of your identity did you most want to explore when you came to college?” and “what part of your identity has changed the most over the past year?” Not only was it very challenging to pick one as quickly as the activity went, but it was a bit unnerving doing so in front of peers. On a private, written survey it would have been much easier to write an answer down and not think too much about it, but in front of everybody else, the spotlight effect really takes a hold. It feels as though everyone is watching you, wondering why you picked the identity you chose. I also didn’t want to make anybody uncomfortable by seeing where they had chosen. It felt so private and intimate, yet it was out for everyone to see.
ReplyDeleteThis activity really built on the identity wheel activity from the week prior because it asked us to think about how these identities affect us in all types of situations, and how we recognize and deal with this identities in our everyday lives. The group discussion was very honest and open, and it was comforting to know that other people also felt a bit awkward moving about the room and showing off their selections like I did. My biggest take away of the evening was definitely that there are certain aspects of my personality that influence my life more than other, and some that I’ve hardly thought about. It really made me rethink, what does it mean to me to be a girl? Straight? Jewish? White? How do these parts of me impact my perception of the world? This activity gave me a lot to think about, and made me realize that there’s still of lot of me left to explore.