Exploring Diversity: Workshops for the UU Church of Sarasota
February-March 2018
Monday evenings, 6:30-8:00pm Lexow Wing, UUCS
February-March 2018
Monday evenings, 6:30-8:00pm Lexow Wing, UUCS
Week 1 - Introduction to Critical Thinking, Implicit Bias, White Privilege, Diversity, & Safe, Civil Discourse
February 5, 2018
Speaker: Dr. Jody McBrien
This session will be an introduction to critically thinking about diversity of cultures, race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, and more. What are our thoughts and beliefs? Where do they come from? We ALL struggle with stereotypes – WHY? How can we consider alternative ideas? We will also create our ground rules for making this space into a place of safety to discuss while respecting one another.
Recommended reading/video prior to the meeting:
TED Talk: Take “the Other” to lunch by Elizabeth Lesser - and feel free to do this exercise and tell us how it went! I will recommend this exercise throughout the eight weeks.
Peggy MacIntosh: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack - This piece is dated, but it is a classic on unearned privilege.
Challenge yourself to a couple of the Harvard Implicit Bias tests online!
Week 2 - Generational Diversity
February 12, 2018
Speakers: Dr. Kathy Black and Dr. Jody McBrien
I suspect we all recall when we thought that the older generation was behind the times and just did not understand. Here in Sarasota, the majority population is now that group that younger people would view as “behind the times”! At the same time, younger generations probably do not understand the needs of older generations and the need for mutual respect. These disconnects can create communication issues between generations. In this session we will consider the needs and capabilities of our elder generations as well as important communications between generations. It is hoped that young people will join this conversation!
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk on Ageism by Ashton Applewhite
Class of 2018 Worldview
Week 3 - Race/Ethnicity
February 19, 2018
Speaker: Janet Morgan
What is race? What does “person of color” really mean? How is it seen scientifically as opposed to socially? What is the difference between race and ethnicity? Is this a US issue only? We will explore race and ethnicity historically using the Civil Rights era in the 1950s-60s (Black and Hispanic) and current issues.
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
James White TED Talk on Renting a House
Frank Wu, “Yellow”
Week 4 - Religion
February 26, 2018
Speakers: See Religion Panel below
This week is co-sponsored by the Center for Religious Tolerance (CRT). Speakers will be community members from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu traditions. We will explore stereotypes and realities of the major religions in US society. What does it feel like to be a member of a particular religion (or to be nonreligious) in our society? Many UUs are agnostic or atheist. How can we work together?
Religion Panel
Islam
Shahnaz Ahmed, medical director of the Universal Crescent Clinic. She will speak about service as a fundamental part of Islam, free medical clinic.
Judaism
Rabbi Susan Marks, Professor of Judaic Studies/Klingenstein Chair at New College of Florida
Buddhism
Ismael Katz, Buddhist practitioner and musician
Christianity
Marion Larsen, Episcopalian and interfaith practitioner. She will talk about how her grounding in Christian faith and theology opened the door for interfaith understanding and communion.
Hinduism
Susan Marcus, Iyengar Yoga Center of Sarasota. She will talk about yoga as a spiritual practice based in Hinduism.
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk, Lesley Hazelton, The Doubt Essential to Faith
Week 5 - Immigration/Refugees
March 5, 2018
Speakers: Dr. Jody McBrien & Ivis Triana, Manager of Refugee Services for Lutheran Services of Florida in Sarasota
What is the history of acceptance and rejection of immigration in the US over the past 200 years? What is the difference between immigrants and refugees? What is the obligation of the US towards refugees and immigrants? Why don’t most Mexicans come to the US as legal migrants? What is our obligation to humanity?
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk, Luma Mufleh, Don’t Feel Sorry for Refugees
McBrien, “Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Education for Citizenship and Social Justice.” The Palgrave International Handbook of Education for Citizenship and Social Justice (2016).
Week 6 - Sexuality and Body Image
March 12, 2018
Speaker: Dr. Phil Wagner
This session will explore the issues of diverse expressions of sexuality as well as the issues brought up by heteronormativity. How do we respond as allies to the diversity of gender and sexual lifestyles?
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk, Phil Wagner, Bellies, Boobs, and Bulges
T. Avicolli, “He Defies You Still”
Week 7 - Special Needs
March 19, 2018
Speaker: Olivia Babis, Peer Mentor for the Suncoast Center for Independent Living and Nancy Janus
According to the 2010 US Census, 19 percent of the population (56.7 million) reported a disability, with more than half of those reporting with a severe disability. Their education can be compromised, and possibilities for living wage jobs are greatly reduced as compared to the rest of the US population. What should we know, and how can we help?
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk, Temple Grandin, The World Needs All Kinds of Minds
Week 8 - Pulling it All Together
March 26, 2018
Speakers: Rev. Brock Leach & Dr. Jody McBrien
We have covered a number of important diversity topics in this set of workshops. This is only a portion; for example, we have not had a week on homelessness and economic class. This final session will facilitate a review of the topics in hopes of describing what we have learned, what we still need to explore, and how we can move on to make a difference in our church community. Rev. Brock Leach will tell us about interesting new ways that liberal religions are “doing church”; Jody will facilitate a discussion on what we have learned and discovered about ourselves and others.
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
The Florida ALICE Report
February 5, 2018
Speaker: Dr. Jody McBrien
This session will be an introduction to critically thinking about diversity of cultures, race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, and more. What are our thoughts and beliefs? Where do they come from? We ALL struggle with stereotypes – WHY? How can we consider alternative ideas? We will also create our ground rules for making this space into a place of safety to discuss while respecting one another.
Recommended reading/video prior to the meeting:
TED Talk: Take “the Other” to lunch by Elizabeth Lesser - and feel free to do this exercise and tell us how it went! I will recommend this exercise throughout the eight weeks.
Peggy MacIntosh: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack - This piece is dated, but it is a classic on unearned privilege.
Challenge yourself to a couple of the Harvard Implicit Bias tests online!
Week 2 - Generational Diversity
February 12, 2018
Speakers: Dr. Kathy Black and Dr. Jody McBrien
I suspect we all recall when we thought that the older generation was behind the times and just did not understand. Here in Sarasota, the majority population is now that group that younger people would view as “behind the times”! At the same time, younger generations probably do not understand the needs of older generations and the need for mutual respect. These disconnects can create communication issues between generations. In this session we will consider the needs and capabilities of our elder generations as well as important communications between generations. It is hoped that young people will join this conversation!
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk on Ageism by Ashton Applewhite
Class of 2018 Worldview
Week 3 - Race/Ethnicity
February 19, 2018
Speaker: Janet Morgan
What is race? What does “person of color” really mean? How is it seen scientifically as opposed to socially? What is the difference between race and ethnicity? Is this a US issue only? We will explore race and ethnicity historically using the Civil Rights era in the 1950s-60s (Black and Hispanic) and current issues.
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
James White TED Talk on Renting a House
Frank Wu, “Yellow”
Week 4 - Religion
February 26, 2018
Speakers: See Religion Panel below
This week is co-sponsored by the Center for Religious Tolerance (CRT). Speakers will be community members from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu traditions. We will explore stereotypes and realities of the major religions in US society. What does it feel like to be a member of a particular religion (or to be nonreligious) in our society? Many UUs are agnostic or atheist. How can we work together?
Religion Panel
Islam
Shahnaz Ahmed, medical director of the Universal Crescent Clinic. She will speak about service as a fundamental part of Islam, free medical clinic.
Judaism
Rabbi Susan Marks, Professor of Judaic Studies/Klingenstein Chair at New College of Florida
Buddhism
Ismael Katz, Buddhist practitioner and musician
Christianity
Marion Larsen, Episcopalian and interfaith practitioner. She will talk about how her grounding in Christian faith and theology opened the door for interfaith understanding and communion.
Hinduism
Susan Marcus, Iyengar Yoga Center of Sarasota. She will talk about yoga as a spiritual practice based in Hinduism.
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk, Lesley Hazelton, The Doubt Essential to Faith
Week 5 - Immigration/Refugees
March 5, 2018
Speakers: Dr. Jody McBrien & Ivis Triana, Manager of Refugee Services for Lutheran Services of Florida in Sarasota
What is the history of acceptance and rejection of immigration in the US over the past 200 years? What is the difference between immigrants and refugees? What is the obligation of the US towards refugees and immigrants? Why don’t most Mexicans come to the US as legal migrants? What is our obligation to humanity?
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk, Luma Mufleh, Don’t Feel Sorry for Refugees
McBrien, “Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Education for Citizenship and Social Justice.” The Palgrave International Handbook of Education for Citizenship and Social Justice (2016).
Week 6 - Sexuality and Body Image
March 12, 2018
Speaker: Dr. Phil Wagner
This session will explore the issues of diverse expressions of sexuality as well as the issues brought up by heteronormativity. How do we respond as allies to the diversity of gender and sexual lifestyles?
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk, Phil Wagner, Bellies, Boobs, and Bulges
T. Avicolli, “He Defies You Still”
Week 7 - Special Needs
March 19, 2018
Speaker: Olivia Babis, Peer Mentor for the Suncoast Center for Independent Living and Nancy Janus
According to the 2010 US Census, 19 percent of the population (56.7 million) reported a disability, with more than half of those reporting with a severe disability. Their education can be compromised, and possibilities for living wage jobs are greatly reduced as compared to the rest of the US population. What should we know, and how can we help?
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
TED Talk, Temple Grandin, The World Needs All Kinds of Minds
Week 8 - Pulling it All Together
March 26, 2018
Speakers: Rev. Brock Leach & Dr. Jody McBrien
We have covered a number of important diversity topics in this set of workshops. This is only a portion; for example, we have not had a week on homelessness and economic class. This final session will facilitate a review of the topics in hopes of describing what we have learned, what we still need to explore, and how we can move on to make a difference in our church community. Rev. Brock Leach will tell us about interesting new ways that liberal religions are “doing church”; Jody will facilitate a discussion on what we have learned and discovered about ourselves and others.
Recommended video/reading prior to this meeting:
The Florida ALICE Report
