This document outlines an agenda for a courageous conversations workshop about names, origins, and identities. It includes: 1) Small group discussions about family origins and guessing local demographics. 2) A large group discussion reviewing the demographics and perceptions. 3) A Key and Peele comedy skit and discussion about names, accents, and culture. 4) Recommended follow up activities and resources for continuing conversations about race, identity, and talking to families.

1. S
Walker School
Courageous
Conversations part 2
Names and Origins: Who We Are
and Where We Came From

2. Small Group Question #1
“When did your
family come to the
Chicago area?”

3. Large Group Discussion
S What did you learn from each
other's stories?
S What were the common elements?
S What were the differences?

4. Small Group Question #2:
Guess the Demographics
Within your group, guess
the racial/ethnic population
breakdown for Evanston,
Skokie and the U.S.

5. Large Group Discussion
S Let’s look at the actual numbers…
S Was this what everyone
expected?
S How did the reality match
perceptions?
S Why or why not?

6. Movie Break!
S Key And Peele, “Substitute
Teacher”

7. Large Group Discussion
S Is this video funny, or uncomfortable for
you?
S Where does the humor in this skit come
from?
S Does this remind you of situations
you've encountered because of your
name or way of speaking?

8. Small Group Discussion #3:
Names, Accents and Culture
S Have you ever experienced someone
mispronouncing or misspelling your name?
S Has your name or accent ever made you feel like an
outsider, or "lesser"?
S Have you ever been asked "where you're
from...really?" because of your name or accent?
S Is there a history in your family of changing names to
be more "American"?

9. Large Group Discussion - Being
Multicultural Americans
S What do we mean by "American"
names?
S What assumptions do we make about
names?
S How do we deal sensitively with names
and accents and pronunciations we're
unfamiliar with?

10. Follow Up Activities
S Coming Together Skokie/Niles Township
S Racial Justice Community Programming - YWCA
Evanston/North Shore
S Stand Against Racism - YWCA Evanston/North
Shore April 24th

11. Follow Up Activities, cont.
S Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate -
YWCA Evanston/North Shore June 21st
S Evanston Public Library History, African American
Literature, Latino Literature and GLTB Literature
discussion series

12. Follow Up Activities, cont
S Skokie Public Library “Coloring” Film and discussion
Monday, April 27, 2015, 7:00 pm
S How do we talk about our identities with our families, students,
and friends in our communities? Join us for an open dialogue
with filmmaker and professional storyteller, Arif Choudhury
about the questions we have and the conversations our
communities desire.
S Sponsored by Open Communities and in celebration of
National Fair Housing Month

13. Talking About Race With Our
Families: a Resource List
S A Family Guide to Talking About Race, American
Anthropological Association.
S Racial Justice Resources - YWCA Evanston/North
Shore
S How White Parents Should Talk to Their Kids About
Race, by Melinda Wenner Moyer in Slate

14. Resources, continued
S Talking to Our Children About Racism & Diversity, from
The Leadership Fund on Civil Rights and Diversity
S 37 Books That Teach Kids About Race, from Kristen
Howerton of Rage Against the Minivan
S Teaching Tolerance, from the Southern Poverty Law
Center

15. Thanks!
SMatt Walsh, Evanston
Township High School
SLesley Williams, Evanston
Public Library