Face-2-Face Conversations

Face-2-Face (F2F) conversations are discussions dealing with race and racial conflict. Because race is a sensitive and controversial topic, F2F conversations provide a forum for interesting, illuminating and real conversation—student to student—without reinforcing tired stereotypes, amplifying hostility, or spreading more misinformation about the very real and complex racial conflicts playing out in America today.

The hope is that participants are ready to move outside their comfort zones, ready to examine implicit assumptions and thoughtfully challenge those of others. Even more basic, participants should be willing to listen without interruption, to someone expressing a view that you may not initially agree with, or may not fully understand; to let others tell their story and be heard with the same patience and attentiveness and respect others will demonstrate when you share your thoughts or concerns.

Everyone should be prepared to speak honestly, openly, and with decency and respect; to think critically about what is being said and heard; to try to place yourself in the position of those speaking, to feel what it might be like to walk a mile in their shoes so that you might better understand how the speaker came to hold the views that they are sharing. And for those who really want to learn something, there must be a willingness to expand consciousness about an uncomfortable and divisive subject, a topic that cannot be discussed without facing the very real pain and hurt and harm central to racial conflict, and to share an aspiration as old as America itself, that we might find ways to work together with everyone in the group toward justice, reconciliation, and redemption.

The conversations are held in a casual setting that encourages open conversation. There are no formal rules or format to a F2F conversation; it simply begins with a facilitator or moderator making a few opening statements, reading a selected passage, or posing a question, and then encouraging participants to join the conversation.

Wednesday, Feb. 4

1-2:30 p.m. in the Student Union 308
“Is it True that White People Just Don’t Get It?”
Facilitator: Dr. Amy Shriver Dreussi

5:30-7 p.m. in Bierce Library 154
“The Whitness Project” a look at how bias & prejudices impact the legal field.
Facilitator: Prad Georges

Thursday, Feb. 5

10 a.m. to noon in Student Union 312
"Diversity of Thought-Critical thinking-It’s Relational"
Facilitator: Naomi White

12:30-2 p.m. in the Student Union 314
“Helping a White Guy with The Talk – A discussion about what ‘the talk’ is about and why it is needed.”
Facilitator: Dr. Stephen Brooks

3:30-5 p.m. in Student Union 314
"P.R.I.D.E. (Promoting Resilence and Identity Development through Empowerment) in African American Manhood and Womanhood"
Facilitator: April Barnes

Friday, Feb. 6

1:30-3 p.m. in Student Union 314
"Race and the 2014 Election - Afternoon edition"
Facilitators: Stephen Brooks, Dylan Tracy and Steven Theobald

3-5 p.m. in Student Union 314
"Real Talk - Hour of expression regarding issues of racial injustice"
Facilitators: Soyeong Kim, Cierra Whatley, and Hether Cook

5-7 p.m. in Student Union 308
"Locs….Culture Resistance or Cultural Appropriation"
Facilitator: Dr. Jodi Henderson-Ross

3-5 p.m. in Student Union 314
"Real Talk - Hour of expression regarding issues of racial injustice."
Facilitator: Soyeong Kim, Cierra Whatley, and Hether Cook

Tuesday, Feb. 10

10-11:30 a.m. in Student Union 310
“Questions of Identity: A biracial dilemma”
Facilitator: Dr. Heather Burton

Noon to 1:30 in Student Union 310
“Interracial Relationships”
Facilitator: Dr. Toja Okoh

3-4:30 p.m. in Student Union 316
"Natural Hair: let's talk about it."
Facilitator: Symphonie Smith

3:30-5 p.m. in the Student Union 310
"Talking about Ferguson"
Facilitators: Geniro Dingle, Jasmine Brown, Dylan Tracy and Dr. Bill Lyons

Wednesday, Feb. 11

8:50-9:50 a.m. in Student Union 310 and 335
“Race and the 2014 Election - Morning Edition”
Facilitators: Stephen Brooks, Dylan Tracy, Steven Theobald

11 a.m. to noon in Student Union 312
“The Role of Diversity in STEM Innovation”
Facilitator: Terry Malone

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Student Union 310
“(Re)thinking body image.”
Facilitator: Christin Seher

12:30-2 p.m. in Student Union 312
"Race and Parenting Goals"
Facilitator: Pamela Schulze

3:30-5 p.m. in Student Union 335
"Rethinking Fear: What makes us all afraid to talk about race?"
Facilitators: Philathia Bolton, Amber Hewitt, Carolyn Behrman, Geniro Dingle and Bill Lyons.

5:30-7 p.m. in Mary Gladwin 305
“Does your health care provider consider race and culture in planning your care?”
Facilitator: Dr. Carolyn Sutter

Thursday, Feb. 12

3:30-5 p.m. in Student Union 314
"The Post Racial Myth"
Facilitator: Dylan Tracy