Class Activities

Activity #1

Privilege walk (virtual) and written reflection- Main goal is to recognize our own privileges, reflect on what our privileges are and how we can use our privilege to help others.

Before class: Reading: “White privilege; Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh

In-Class: In this activity, students will be asked a series of questions and asked to take a step forward if the statement applies to them. Other questions will ask them to take a step backward if the statement applies to them. We transferred this activity into a virtual setting by using Padlet and using a plus symbol to represent a step forward and a minus symbol to represent a step backward. Finally, we summed all our plus symbols, and all our minus symbols then subtracted the sum of the minuses from the sum of positives to get a single number that represents where we would be in a physical room compared to our classmates.

Possible Post-Class Activity: Write a maximum two-page reflection on the following prompt:

Take 5-10 minutes after completing the Privilege Walk activity to write a reflection. What did it mean to you? What were some of the thoughts and/or questions that you had before, during, and after the activity?

Activity questions:

Do people in your community have adequate access to food?

Adequate access to clean water?

Adequate access to education?

Healthcare?

Housing?

Do environmental disasters impact your community's safety?

Are children safe playing outside in your community?

Is violence a concern in your community?

Has your personal safety or that of your family ever been threatened by someone in your community?

Has your community's safety ever been threatened by bombs, air raids, or other forms of violent efforts by warfare technology?

Have you or your family had to rely on social welfare programs for food, housing, or care?

Have you or your family ever been discriminated against for your physical appearance, names, language?

Have you or your family been harassed for your cultural/ethnic/racial background?

http://doloreshuerta.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/privilege-walk.pdf

Course objectives met

C1. Identify the multiple ways that “Chicanas/os/x” have been named and defined in the United States;

C2. Understand the civil rights contributions by Chicanx that affect the larger U.S. culture;

C3. Analyze intersectionality so as to understand the impact of the social constructions of race, class, gender, sexuality, etc. as related to Chicanx communities in national and transnational contexts;

Activity #2

Close reading analysis of Anzaldúa -The goal is to have students think critically about the theory presented.

Before class: read ¨ How to Tame a Wild Tongue¨ before class, pick 2-3 quotes from the reading, and draw a visual representation of the imagery the reading provokes.

In-class: Split into pairs in breakout rooms to discuss quotes and drawings. Bring the whole class together for large discussion.

Possible Post- Class Activity: Write a journal entry on why that quote is significant to you

Course objectives met

C4. Assess the social, historical, and cultural development of New Mexico’s Hispana-o/Hispanic/Chicanx/Latinx/Mexican American communities within the larger context of U.S. civil rights movements; and

C5. Interpret, analyze, and evaluate textual and cultural production among diverse Chicanx communities; and

C6. Explicate the social and historical context of such cultural production.

Activity #3

Debate on raising the minimum wage - The main goal is to research the arguments on both sides and evaluate them.

Read before class: Latinx Hotel workers

In class: Students will be randomly assigned one of two groups as pro/con and prepare for a debate in groups. There will be a debate on raising the national minimum wage to $15.

Students will have time to prepare for the Debate in class Tuesday then the debate will be held Thursday.

Dr. Gómez and Aida (and if there is an odd number in class a randomly selected student) serving as moderators.

Course objectives met

C2. Understand the civil rights contributions by Chicanx that affect the larger U.S. culture;

C6. Explicate the social and historical context of such cultural production.

Activity #4

Identity collage- The main goal is to familiarize the students with each other; their identity and lived experience. Hopefully building a relationship of trust and mutual respect.

In preparation for the class activity- write a reflection based on the following prompt:

How privilege or lack of impacts your identity? What else has shaped your identity? What imagery, symbols, colors, or other visuals do you identify with?

In class: Students will be asked to create a collage on Tuesday using any combination of 2-dimensional art medium and pre-existing images from magazines, printed off the internet, or other resources as a response to the following prompt:

Create a collage using any materials you like that are representative of how you have come to understand your identity and your role in your community?

The collage will be shared and discussed on Thursday with the class.

Possible post-class activity- Expand on your written reflection. What was something you learned about your identity? What commonalities did you have with your classmates?

Course objectives met

C1. Identify the multiple ways that “Chicanas/os/x” have been named and defined in the United States;

Activity #5

Poetry session - Expanding our understanding of the role of art in protest beyond visual as well as understanding that most of us are immigrants in this country.

In class-read poetry by immigrant youth and write your own origin/immigration poem.

Share the poetry in class and reflect

Course objectives met

C2. Understand the civil rights contributions by Chicanx that affect the larger U.S. culture;

C5. Interpret, analyze, and evaluate textual and cultural production among diverse Chicanx communities; and

Activity #6

Short Art analysis -Formulate an understanding of the role of art in protest

In class- we would look at the art by the artist we read and analyze/discuss

In preparation for discussion, students can write an outline for a paper on that piece or write a short paragraph analyzing it

Course objectives met

C5. Interpret, analyze, and evaluate textual and cultural production among diverse Chicanx communities; and

C6. Explicate the social and historical context of such cultural production.

Activity #7

Full-length art analysis

Course objectives met

C1. Identify the multiple ways that “Chicanas/os/x” have been named and defined in the United States;

C2. Understand the civil rights contributions by Chicanx that affect the larger U.S. culture;

C5. Interpret, analyze, and evaluate textual and cultural production among diverse Chicanx communities; and

C6. Explicate the social and historical context of such cultural production.

Activity #8

UROC 180 style presentations on Art Analysis paper topic