SET AN EXAMPLE^189
Gather information about life from this person’s point of view. Sources might include:
- articles in newspapers or magazines
- stories on the news
- interviews with individuals at work or in your community
STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE
Step 1: Introduce the topic by setting the right tone for diversity: Have a
bouquet of several kinds of flowers at the front of the room and display a
poster or picture of a rainbow. Then pose these questions for discussion:
“How are people like this bouquet of flowers?”
“How do you raise and care for a rose versus an iris?”
“What is the significance of a rainbow to our topic of diversity?”
Then say, “Over the past two weeks, you were to gather information
about one type of person. Please do not reveal which person you were
researching. Instead, keep that new perspective in the forefront of your
mind during this workshop.”
Step 2: Switch shoes. Ask participants to place their right shoe on the floor near
the refreshments table. Then have each person take one different shoe
and wear it during the break (and until further notice).
Step 3: For this next segment on uniqueness, divide the total group into the
number of guests you invited (3–5). Tell Group 1 to move to one of the
tables you have indicated, where one of the guests is sitting. Do this with
each group until everyone is seated. Provide ideas or questions for
discussion, such:
Talk about what you have learned (before the workshop) about your
assigned “type” of person.
Describe how you are unique—tell something no one else in this group
would possibly guess.
What is it like to walk in another person’s shoes?
Step 4: Reassemble into the large group and debrief what was discussed at each
table. Have someone briefly record some general observations on the
flipchart.