Important Considerations
Explore the Subdecks & Individual Cards:
Before facilitating, take some time to explore the cards in each of the subdecks (Key Concept, Topic, Feeling, Strategy, Activity). If you can, spread them out on a table, as new connections and insights spring up when as many cards as possible are visible. Also, encourage participants to explore the cards. The Cards On Race decks are meant to be spread out, organized, sorted, and then reorganized. The process may seem messy to some. That is okay. The learning comes from the process of organizing our disorganized thoughts on race.
Group Dynamics:
Pay special attention to the makeup of the group you are facilitating. Aside from the group's size, take notice of the race, gender, and power dynamics within the room. Let these factors guide how you select topics and activities, or how you create breakout groups. Be mindful of who speaks and how often.
Intersectionality:
Every participant has a complex and nuanced racial identity and relationship with race. Create space to allow your participants to explore how the different parts of their identity interact with race.
Trigger Warnings & Emotions:
As the basic Cards On Race framework above suggests, engaging in reflection and conversation about race will bring a range of feelings to the surface. A topic will unearth a feeling, which will be responded to with a coping strategy or action. As you facilitate and ask participants to identify the topics, feelings, and strategies they see in the activity, keep track of the emotions and coping strategies that are happening in real-time in the group. It may make sense to pause the group and have them take stock of how they are feeling.
It will also make sense to build in time for participants to take a break. But take a break and come back. If there is a high level of connection and trust within the group, working through higher levels of emotional energy may be appropriate. Expect that unanticipated feelings will bubble to the surface. Also, be prepared for some participants who are unwilling to engage. C
Check in with your participants and have them check in with themselves. The CLCBE strategy card is an excellent way to help the group check in with themselves. The following questions may also be helpful:
What am I feeling now? / What are you feeling right now?
What does the participant need, feel, or want in this moment? / What do you need, feel, or want in this moment?
How is the environment, group, or activity, affecting the situation or feeling?
How do (should) I best respond to the feelings, emotions, or encounters?
Levels Within the Group May Vary:
Keep in mind that everyone is at a different stage in their racial literacy journey. Let this notion be your guide as you select or adapt the activities you decide to facilitate. Scaffold and progress incrementally.
Modeling & Storytelling:
Examples and context make everything easier. Especially for participants who are new to this work. Model the outcomes and analysis that you want your participants to complete. In short, explain then show. If the activity is the Do-Over, share your scenario and the cards that connect to it. Activities get up to speed faster when participants can see what they need to do. Facilitators may want to practice or role play with each other prior to engaging a group. Modeling is incredibly helpful during Online Facilitation. Create a slide deck in PowerPoint or Google Slides, use pictures of the Cards On Race cards to show how the desired process.
Processing & Co-Processing:
Allow time for each member of your group to process the prompt or scenario before asking the full group to co-process. While in some instances, it is appropriate to have a group discussion; the group work is more productive and collaborative when the individuals have each worked through the “Topic, Feeling, Strategy” framework first. When we know where we stand, it is easier to share and collaborate with others.