Diversity in heArts: Uniqueness Ch.8

Pepe Cruz - CISV Mexico

NOTES FROM KOMPAZ

With or without labels and boxes – each and every single one of us are individuals. Unique individuals with different hopes, dreams and fears. Whatever we would like to call ourselves, each one of us exist in only one example. The combination of thoughts, ideas, skills and motivation is a unique package that you should share with as many as possible. Only you can contribute with what you have and only you can give away your combination of skills in your particular way.

have something to give others. Now is the time to do what you have been thinking about. To step up and be one whom others can look up to and take inspiration from. Our society needs every individual and different contribution. We are all unique and irreplaceable.

The first thing to do if you want to contribute to a better society is to have faith in yourself. How can you do that if you are not acting like yourself? Think about who you want to be, not whom you think other people would want you to be.

Who will live the story of your life if it is not you? And how can you help others so that they can live their story in the best possible way? We all need help at some point, and we all

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EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS

Michelle Clark – CISV Costa Rica

UNIQUENESS INSPIRATION

It never got weird enough for me

Today you are YOU that is TRUER than true. there is NO ONE alive who is YOUER than YOU - Dr. Seuss

- Hunter S. Thompson

Being the best is great, you're the number one.

Being unique is greater, you're the only one.

One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.

- Anonymous

- Shannon L. Alder

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“THE ICEBERG”

You can compliment the activity by watching our video

Time, Group size & Age: (20 participants, 1- 1 ½ hrs, Any Age)

< What makes you unique? >

BOXES & ICEBERG: MATERIALS: Paper and markers.

Society places us in boxes (this is what everybody sees, and is often based on our first impressions) — How would you define yourself outside these boxes? (What people see when they really know you). The participants are going to introduce themselves in groups, without using boxes, but by using other information about ourselves.

DO: DESCRIBING THE ROOM:

o Divide the participants in groups of maximum ten people. o Give each group a profession (example: firefighter, police,

Ask the participants for examples of the boxes; gender, age, culture, spirituality, ability, profession, ethnicity, political views, social class and sexual orientation. (Help them with these examples if needed). To avoid confusion, it can be a good idea to say that interests are not necessarily a box (eg: “music is very important to me”). Then give them five minutes to think for themselves about how they are going to introduce themselves. They can help one another.

thief, salesperson, designer, stuntman etc.) It is important that they do not share their profession with someone outside of the group.

o Ask them to discuss in their groups what is good and bad with the room they are in - with the perspective that they are given in mind(everybody in the group will have the same occupation). Give the group ten minutes to discuss. o Each group will present what they like and do not like about the room, without giving up their profession.

When the activity is explained, and it is clear what they are to do, divide them into groups of ten. They will then introduce themselves to the group without the boxes, and look into the connection between the boxes and the individuals of the group.

o The other groups can then try to guess the profession and the “perspective” of your group. When all the groups have presented, you split up in as many groups as you have facilitators for the debrief.

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Debrief o What did you think while doing this activity? o What things were easy about the activity? o What was hard? Why? o Did you recognize the boxes that were mentioned in the second part?

How do you relate to them? o What did you think when you were “forced” into one perspective where you had to think as one group? Was it difficult to agree? o For 16+: o Can you think of times where you were not allowed to share your own personal opinion? o Do you think it sometimes can be difficult to think outside of the box or perspective you are placed in? Or comfortable to agree with the

(likeminded) people around you?

Why? o Can you think of cases in a broader perspective where we are placed together with people with similar ideas or interests as our own? (Private schools, clubs, internet (such as Facebook) adapts pop ups on your feed to your preferences). What are the consequences locally and globally? o How do these boxes shape you as an individual? Is it just the “tip of the iceberg”? o what you see in an iceberg is just a small percentage of what it truly is) o Would you like to share a situation where a box or some boxes have been very present in your life? o Can you see any connections or

differences between the boxes? (Power dynamics when you have a combination of boxes that have more “Value” eg: Male, White & Young) o Do you think it is possible to exist outside of these boxes? Why? How? o Is there any space where you feel they do not exist? o Can you think of concrete actions about how we can open the boxes? o Do you know about people or organizations who fight against prejudices and stereotypes to “open up the boxes”? What do they do? o How can we open opinions and encourage a diversity of personalities within CISV or LMOs

Tips: o It is important to explain the first part well-articulated and give clear instructions, since it might seem confusing for the participants. o It is important to spend a lot of time on the debrief for this activity. The activity (the debrief) can be adapted to fit any age group.

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Christian Flores â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CISV Ecuador

UNIQUENESS INTERACTION

Draw something inside the shapes that describes yourself without any labels like gender, age, ethnicity, spirituality, political views and disabilities.

How doesit it look like compared to the first time you described yourself in the intro chapter ?