'Conversations on Race' begins Monday

Race isn't easy to talk about. But Conversations on Race, which starts next week and lasts five weeks, aims to make talking about a touchy subject a little easier.\nBarry Magee, assistant director for diversity education, said CoR offers students a unique opportunity.\n"It provides students a chance to really explore issues of race," Magee said. "It lets students ask questions that we're often afraid to ask. We don't ever really take the time to understand someone else's experience. We assume others have the same experience we have, and that's not always the case."\nMagee said the groups are kept small because the same group meets together for the duration of the program. The group, along with a facilitator, meets for two hours a week for five weeks. He said that when a group is discussing a subject as volatile as race, comfort and open lines of communication are key. Magee also said the turnout of 150 students per semester on average shows race is still an important issue.\n"We were surprised at how many students want to do it, because it's a large time-commitment," he said. "The fact that so many students want to do it shows that it's really on people's minds. There's just not really a safe environment for people to discuss it."\nFrank Motley, the associate vice chancellor for academic support, will be serving as a facilitator for the fall discussion series. He said that while his job is difficult, the fate of the discussion lies in having willing participants. \n"Part of the challenge is that people don't know how to talk about race," he said. "We think about race and tell jokes about race, but we don't talk about it. Part of the challenge is to create a hospitable environment in which people feel comfortable asking questions. It's always a challenge." \nMotley said there will be some new material incorporated into the programs, but for the most part, CoR will be sticking to the formula that works. Motley also said one of the most rewarding parts of facilitating is watching people move from naïve questions and misunderstandings to a deeper understanding of another person's experiences with race.\n"People have all those discussions and the paradigm shifts," Motley said. "It's a challenge to facilitate it, to allow for honest dialogue without being provocative, and sometimes it's a fine line. Some of the sessions are quiet, some are pretty heated and emotional."\nWhile registration for the fall discussion series is closed, a Spring Retreat is being offered for those who can't commit a large amount of time to the program.\nConversation on Race's Web site sums up the reason for the program: "At IU, we frequently pass each other in the hallways, work together in our classes and living communities, and on occasion we socially interact. But when do we honestly talk about our experiences as racialized beings?"\n-- Contact staff writer Kehla West at krwest@indiana.edu.