Tabor Academy honored the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a program that focused on the history of the civil rights movement and current day race relations, highlighting micro-aggressions and visible and invisible aspects of privilege. The day started by gathering together in advisory groups to discuss the different kinds of privilege.
The first exercise was a privilege walk, an activity meant to highlight the different forms of privilege.
An adult read statements that signified privilege, such as “Have you grown up in a household with 50 or more books?” or “Does one or both of your parents have a college degree?” If you answered yes, you stepped forward.
Then, there were statements that revealed a lack of privilege, such as “Has anyone ever assumed you were lying based on your race, gender, sexual orientation, or identity?” or “Have you ever felt unsafe walking at night?” If you answered yes to any of these, you took a step backward. At the end of the activity, people were scattered all across the room based on their movements during the activity.
There was another exercise in which students and teachers gathered in a circle and stepped into the circle when they identified with a certain group (i.e. English was my first language, I was born in the U.S., etc.). After these two activities, the groups gathered to discuss their reactions and thoughts on what was shared.
“I really enjoyed the exercises in the morning,” said one student. “It forced us to step out of our comfort zone and admit some of the judgment we’ve passed on others and recognize some of the judgment passed on us.”
“The ‘privilege walk’ was a very eye-opening and liberating experience,” said Tabor student, Kellie Navarro. “The activities proved to be difficult for many since it involved the exposure of sensitive information that is uncomfortable and private. However, it was interesting and refreshing to observe how willing the members of the group were to share their experiences.”
Anika Walker-Johnson, the coordinator of the day, emphasized the importance of “leaning into discomfort.” This method of embracing vulnerability helps to “facilitate honest discussion,” as Walker-Johnson described it.
The expectation was that everything said was truthful, said with good intentions, and confidential. Thus, students were able to open up about their experiences with racism, sexism, classism, privilege, and other forms of discrimination. Many mentioned Tabor’s supportive environment that made them feel safe sharing such personal stories and thoughts.
After this group work, speaker Dr. Kimberly Ellis spoke about being a “Global Digital Citizen in the Era of Unfinished Business.” She said that while we often consider racism an issue of the past, it is still very present in today’s society, and a prominent method of activism is through social media. She discussed various important hashtags in recent history – #BlackLivesMatter and #SayHerName, for example – and how they catalyzed widespread protests.
“Dr. Kimberly C. Ellis did an excellent job in reflecting on the way history has shaped our lives and touching upon topics that are frequently overlooked for its controversy,” said Navarro. “Martin Luther King Day was an opportunity to explore and educate oneself on the idea of privilege and the stereotypes that are associated with all ethnic groups.”
Overall, the day led to a lot of internal reflection and productive conversation. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive, and everyone felt more exposed to the differences of others and more educated about both the history of activism and present day examples.
By Madeleine Gregory