Introduction
Here are resources to talk about race from the Living Room Conversations. The motto of Living Room Conversations is respect, relate, connect. Living Room Conversations works to heal society by connecting people across divides – politics, age, gender, race, nationality, and more – through guided conversations proven to build understanding and transform communities.
We know that in the pursuit of racial equity, individual conversations are not the final stop in the journey. Conversations can help us better understand individual bias and racism, as well as consider how racism is part of our systems and institutions.
They have created a resource page in response to increased demand and desire to have conversations about race.
Living Room Conversations is an open source project. You are welcome to use, share and modify with attribution to Living Room Conversations.
Resources
Conversation Guides
We acknowledge there are many different ways to approach a conversation around race. We’ve offered five different pathways to help you enter the conversation where it feels most aligned with your framework, interests, and experience.
The conversations are meant to be done in the order they are outlined within the pathways, as they build upon one another, preparing participants for more challenging conversations.
Here are 5 Conversation Guides including:
- Race: Where do I Start?
This is a great entry into talking about race for those who are just beginning their journey. Empathy sets the tone to bridge our “us vs. them” perceptions. - American Aspirations
This conversation pathway invites you to consider America’s founding aspirations, the history of this nation, and your own experiences of race. - From Intra to Inter racial Conversations
We celebrate the desire to have conversations about race in racially diverse groups, and also acknowledge that it can be of value to have intra-racial conversations prior to coming together for interracial dialogue. - Criminal Justice
This conversation pathway invites you to consider America’s founding aspirations, the history of this nation, and your own experiences of race. - Race and Ethnicity Series
In this series of three in-depth conversations, participants explore the complexities of the concepts of Race, Ethnicity, and their impacts on people from all walks of life.
Educational Resources
Our conversation guides have always been a tool for individual connection, but we recognize that talking about race goes beyond individuals to systems. Because of that, as you prepare to enter or continue the conversation around racial equity consider looking beyond individual racism to systemic racism.
In our Educational Resources section, you will find additional resources including
- Recommended readings – books, documentaries, websites…
- Glossary of terms
- Living Room Conversations Videos e.g. Systemic Racism Explained
About Living Room Conversations
Living Room Conversations has many resources on their website including:
- Host Toolkit
- Hosting Best Practices Rubric
- Unpacking the Conversation Agreements
- Topics including
Belonging
Tribalism 101: Next Door Strangers
The Power of Empathy
Relationships over Politics: Connecting with Friends and Family
Unity
Explore Further
- Conversation Guide: Democracy, Extremism, and Outliers
- Persuasive Conversation Campaigns Guide
- Deep Canvassing to Shift Hearts, Mind and Votes
- How Powerful Conversations Won Abortion Rights in Ireland
- Framing Issues for Social Justice Impact: Directory of Messaging Guides
- The Race Class Narrative: A race forward messaging framework to engage the base and persuade the middle
- Brave New Words Greater Than Fear – Minnesota