1 00:00:01,501 --> 00:00:03,870 The following content is provided under a Creative 2 00:00:03,870 --> 00:00:05,238 Commons license. 3 00:00:05,238 --> 00:00:07,474 Your support will help MIT OpenCourseWare 4 00:00:07,474 --> 00:00:11,544 continue to offer high quality educational resources for free. 5 00:00:11,544 --> 00:00:14,080 To make a donation, or to view additional materials 6 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,051 from hundreds of MIT courses, visit MIT OpenCourseWare 7 00:00:18,051 --> 00:00:22,956 at ocw.mit.edu. 8 00:00:22,956 --> 00:00:25,458 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, so this is the second part of the class, 9 00:00:25,458 --> 00:00:27,861 and this the last for the semester. 10 00:00:27,861 --> 00:00:33,694 So I think we've traveled a lot. 11 00:00:33,694 --> 00:00:35,235 We see many difficult issues I think. 12 00:00:35,235 --> 00:00:37,037 And I want to give you credit, I think, 13 00:00:37,037 --> 00:00:41,508 for-- during the semester for being so open, and honest, 14 00:00:41,508 --> 00:00:45,245 and being able to engage into difficult issues. 15 00:00:45,245 --> 00:00:47,213 And each time that you guys were presenting you 16 00:00:47,213 --> 00:00:49,916 might remember me liking you to you 17 00:00:49,916 --> 00:00:52,786 to get deeper into personal issues 18 00:00:52,786 --> 00:00:54,054 and not just the abstract. 19 00:00:54,054 --> 00:00:56,890 And the reason is because I think you make a better 20 00:00:56,890 --> 00:00:59,759 case where everyone is of use you can bring 21 00:00:59,759 --> 00:01:01,628 your own narrative into it. 22 00:01:01,628 --> 00:01:05,131 And I think it's-- overall I think it has worked and myself 23 00:01:05,131 --> 00:01:08,701 learned so much from the semester from listening to you, 24 00:01:08,701 --> 00:01:11,905 some of your own personal discoveries about yourself, 25 00:01:11,905 --> 00:01:15,775 about issues of race, language, gender, sexuality. 26 00:01:15,775 --> 00:01:18,111 And I give you lots of gratitude. 27 00:01:18,111 --> 00:01:20,847 It's risky, and because when you came here, 28 00:01:20,847 --> 00:01:22,782 you didn't know each other, most of you right? 29 00:01:22,782 --> 00:01:26,286 And yet to be able open yourself to the difficult questions 30 00:01:26,286 --> 00:01:29,021 and to give answers that were so thoughtful. 31 00:01:29,021 --> 00:01:33,193 And so-- many of them I didn't expect some of you 32 00:01:33,193 --> 00:01:36,628 to literally come out in this class, in a way. 33 00:01:36,628 --> 00:01:37,729 Right? 34 00:01:37,729 --> 00:01:40,100 So I thought that very well in this class. 35 00:01:40,100 --> 00:01:44,503 So I give you my respect for that. 36 00:01:44,503 --> 00:01:48,475 So I'm going to end passing to you. 37 00:01:48,475 --> 00:01:49,709 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 38 00:01:49,709 --> 00:01:51,544 MICHEL DEGRAFF: You get a little while more, 39 00:01:51,544 --> 00:01:55,315 maybe you've got things that you feel 40 00:01:55,315 --> 00:01:57,417 you take with you to the next steps 41 00:01:57,417 --> 00:01:59,119 so that you feel that all this will come 42 00:01:59,119 --> 00:02:02,322 after you this class might benefit from anything that you 43 00:02:02,322 --> 00:02:05,191 want share, in terms of your learning 44 00:02:05,191 --> 00:02:08,294 experience in this class, and how you think 45 00:02:08,294 --> 00:02:12,532 can bridge those gaps that we've seen because 46 00:02:12,532 --> 00:02:15,168 of our societies, our families? 47 00:02:15,168 --> 00:02:17,670 So I wasn't here last Thursday but I watched 48 00:02:17,670 --> 00:02:20,667 the video of the whole class. [inaudible] too, 49 00:02:20,667 --> 00:02:24,277 actually really impressed by how you guys brought up 50 00:02:24,277 --> 00:02:25,612 your personal issues. 51 00:02:25,612 --> 00:02:28,748 And so but these are going to have worked on. 52 00:02:28,748 --> 00:02:30,350 I assume you have to make some. 53 00:02:30,350 --> 00:02:34,988 For this class-- for this class 40 minutes or so 54 00:02:34,988 --> 00:02:37,557 you have to be something to bring out. 55 00:02:37,557 --> 00:02:40,260 We'll go to Nicky. 56 00:02:40,260 --> 00:02:41,427 You're going to take a pass? 57 00:02:41,427 --> 00:02:43,329 OK we'll go to Edna. 58 00:02:43,329 --> 00:02:44,797 AUDIENCE: She's quicker with words. 59 00:02:44,797 --> 00:02:49,636 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Yeah. 60 00:02:49,636 --> 00:02:52,491 AUDIENCE: So I'm not sure if I fully understand what 61 00:02:52,491 --> 00:02:53,740 I'm supposed to say, but I'm-- 62 00:02:53,740 --> 00:02:54,841 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Anything. 63 00:02:54,841 --> 00:02:56,242 AUDIENCE: --going to say what I was thinking. 64 00:02:56,242 --> 00:02:59,045 So for me personally throughout this class I think I realized-- 65 00:02:59,045 --> 00:03:02,443 I explored myself and my identity way more, 66 00:03:02,443 --> 00:03:04,984 and I think I was forced to ask questions about myself that I 67 00:03:04,984 --> 00:03:06,853 hadn't. 68 00:03:06,853 --> 00:03:08,388 And for me the main thing I realized 69 00:03:08,388 --> 00:03:12,444 is like how uncomfortable I am with being multiracial. 70 00:03:12,444 --> 00:03:14,027 I enjoy being multiracial but I didn't 71 00:03:14,027 --> 00:03:16,629 realize that there's parts of me that don't necessarily 72 00:03:16,629 --> 00:03:20,867 fit together, and how I don't really see myself as one 73 00:03:20,867 --> 00:03:22,702 certain race, or whatever. 74 00:03:22,702 --> 00:03:28,374 And I think the things that with that were our personal essays, 75 00:03:28,374 --> 00:03:31,644 and definitely free writing assignments 76 00:03:31,644 --> 00:03:34,147 that one of the guest professors had us do, 77 00:03:34,147 --> 00:03:35,409 that got pretty deep. 78 00:03:35,409 --> 00:03:36,783 And I was kind of like, oh crap I 79 00:03:36,783 --> 00:03:38,949 have to write at 9:30 in the morning, when she first 80 00:03:38,949 --> 00:03:39,619 said that. 81 00:03:39,619 --> 00:03:42,589 But then I really enjoyed it. 82 00:03:42,589 --> 00:03:47,393 And I think like maybe bringing out more multi-racial topics 83 00:03:47,393 --> 00:03:49,996 next year would be beneficial to people 84 00:03:49,996 --> 00:03:55,134 to know that that was a problem with themselves. 85 00:03:55,134 --> 00:03:57,103 And I think also a really interesting topic 86 00:03:57,103 --> 00:03:58,471 that we went over was-- 87 00:03:58,471 --> 00:04:00,106 I think-- What did we call it? 88 00:04:00,106 --> 00:04:01,241 Faking? 89 00:04:01,241 --> 00:04:04,444 Passing, passing-- and how it's a privilege. 90 00:04:04,444 --> 00:04:08,281 And talking about like all the controversial issues on that 91 00:04:08,281 --> 00:04:10,550 and don't think I really also thought about that 92 00:04:10,550 --> 00:04:11,618 before this class. 93 00:04:11,618 --> 00:04:14,120 So that was something I benefited from. 94 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,490 MICHEL DEGRAFF: So you say faking instead of passing? 95 00:04:17,490 --> 00:04:18,858 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 96 00:04:18,858 --> 00:04:21,461 And it reminded of a comment Cynthia made back then, right? 97 00:04:21,461 --> 00:04:22,996 That often, when we think of passing 98 00:04:22,996 --> 00:04:26,599 we think of it as something which is negative-- 99 00:04:26,599 --> 00:04:27,834 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 100 00:04:27,834 --> 00:04:28,968 MICHEL DEGRAFF: But contained in that point, which 101 00:04:28,968 --> 00:04:30,884 I remember very well, I thought very important 102 00:04:30,884 --> 00:04:33,606 that passing should not be viewed from that perspective. 103 00:04:33,606 --> 00:04:35,508 I say to that point that we can think 104 00:04:35,508 --> 00:04:39,812 of passing as a normal survival strategy in a way. 105 00:04:39,812 --> 00:04:40,380 So maybe-- 106 00:04:40,380 --> 00:04:41,781 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 107 00:04:41,781 --> 00:04:46,772 MICHEL DEGRAFF: That's a nice segue to think of [inaudible].. 108 00:04:46,772 --> 00:04:48,688 AUDIENCE: I actually have another one I think. 109 00:04:48,688 --> 00:04:49,789 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Say it again? 110 00:04:49,789 --> 00:04:51,539 AUDIENCE: Nothing, can I have another one? 111 00:04:51,539 --> 00:04:59,475 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Sure of course. [inaudible] [laughter] 112 00:04:59,475 --> 00:05:01,100 AUDIENCE: So I guess it's sort of hard, 113 00:05:01,100 --> 00:05:03,369 I think it sort of takes a lot of reflecting-- 114 00:05:03,369 --> 00:05:04,771 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Yeah. 115 00:05:04,771 --> 00:05:07,707 AUDIENCE: Sort of think about all that that we've discussed. 116 00:05:07,707 --> 00:05:11,344 Sort of a quick note, one of things that this class has 117 00:05:11,344 --> 00:05:16,215 sort of solidified for me is the importance of conversations. 118 00:05:16,215 --> 00:05:20,653 And so I think most of learning that I've done in this class 119 00:05:20,653 --> 00:05:24,957 and other sort of seminar based classes sort of pales 120 00:05:24,957 --> 00:05:27,460 in comparison-- or what I've learned in my technical courses 121 00:05:27,460 --> 00:05:28,834 pales in comparison to the things 122 00:05:28,834 --> 00:05:32,031 that I learn in classes like this 123 00:05:32,031 --> 00:05:35,268 because at the end of the day, I think most of the learning 124 00:05:35,268 --> 00:05:37,136 comes from those around you. 125 00:05:37,136 --> 00:05:38,471 Class needs this. 126 00:05:38,471 --> 00:05:41,741 So, experiences that they have more so 127 00:05:41,741 --> 00:05:45,144 than what you learn in these technical classes. 128 00:05:45,144 --> 00:05:47,880 There's a saying that says five years after you graduate 129 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,484 you won't remember 90% or whatever of what 130 00:05:51,484 --> 00:05:52,885 you learned in college. 131 00:05:52,885 --> 00:05:55,455 But I think what you do remember is 132 00:05:55,455 --> 00:05:57,724 these sort conversations that boil down 133 00:05:57,724 --> 00:06:01,060 to personal experiences. 134 00:06:01,060 --> 00:06:04,430 And so I think, again, there is a challenge 135 00:06:04,430 --> 00:06:06,966 in this world of sort of approaching 136 00:06:06,966 --> 00:06:12,171 people who aren't really willing to have these conversations. 137 00:06:12,171 --> 00:06:14,874 But sort of changing yourself is the first step. 138 00:06:14,874 --> 00:06:17,577 And I think if everyone sort of makes this, or has 139 00:06:17,577 --> 00:06:21,914 this realization, takes a step toward making this change, 140 00:06:21,914 --> 00:06:23,483 It's very idealistic, but I think 141 00:06:23,483 --> 00:06:24,984 the world be a better place. 142 00:06:24,984 --> 00:06:28,054 And so I think that's probably one thing that I've 143 00:06:28,054 --> 00:06:31,858 gotten from this class. 144 00:06:31,858 --> 00:06:34,360 AUDIENCE: Go man. 145 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:41,033 AUDIENCE: Bouncing off of what Burk said, 146 00:06:41,033 --> 00:06:44,604 I think one way in which I would like to see his class grow is 147 00:06:44,604 --> 00:06:49,175 the integration of having some sort of conversation like open 148 00:06:49,175 --> 00:06:54,280 discussion instead of debate with someone who does not come 149 00:06:54,280 --> 00:06:59,385 from a similar theological-- not theological-- 150 00:06:59,385 --> 00:07:00,319 AUDIENCE: Ideological. 151 00:07:00,319 --> 00:07:01,421 AUDIENCE: Thank you. 152 00:07:01,421 --> 00:07:03,289 Ideological background as opposed to people 153 00:07:03,289 --> 00:07:08,261 in this class, to try to see and sort of gain practice 154 00:07:08,261 --> 00:07:10,730 in having a session with someone who 155 00:07:10,730 --> 00:07:15,201 is a lot different from you, and developing a common trust, 156 00:07:15,201 --> 00:07:18,371 and come to see each other's viewpoints 157 00:07:18,371 --> 00:07:24,177 in a way that would be more informative than what 158 00:07:24,177 --> 00:07:30,516 one could do among a set like-minded individuals. 159 00:07:30,516 --> 00:07:31,617 AUDIENCE: Let's see. 160 00:07:31,617 --> 00:07:35,588 So one thing that I enjoyed about this class 161 00:07:35,588 --> 00:07:37,623 I can distinctly remember one class 162 00:07:37,623 --> 00:07:40,626 that literally blew my mind I think I turned to Sonny 163 00:07:40,626 --> 00:07:42,562 and was like, oh my gosh. 164 00:07:42,562 --> 00:07:44,997 And that was when we interrogated 165 00:07:44,997 --> 00:07:47,666 what MIT was as an institution and where 166 00:07:47,666 --> 00:07:51,571 we sit in this hierarchy of social-- 167 00:07:51,571 --> 00:07:55,107 in the social hierarchy in the US. 168 00:07:55,107 --> 00:07:57,844 And I think when coming to MIT I was 169 00:07:57,844 --> 00:08:00,947 willing to give the institution a free pass a lot 170 00:08:00,947 --> 00:08:03,216 because I felt that I was getting 171 00:08:03,216 --> 00:08:05,017 a lot from the experience. 172 00:08:05,017 --> 00:08:07,854 But I think now that I'm senior and all the seniors here 173 00:08:07,854 --> 00:08:10,685 graduate-- last day of class with you 174 00:08:10,685 --> 00:08:13,226 guys-- now that I'm at this point where I can think back 175 00:08:13,226 --> 00:08:15,862 on what MIT has done for me and what 176 00:08:15,862 --> 00:08:18,064 and how it functions I think I'm better 177 00:08:18,064 --> 00:08:24,470 poised to think more critically about the institutions I choose 178 00:08:24,470 --> 00:08:32,477 to join future for postgraduate education and after. 179 00:08:32,477 --> 00:08:34,480 AUDIENCE: So I took this class as a challenge 180 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:36,115 to myself because at the beginning, 181 00:08:36,115 --> 00:08:39,217 I knew about the prejudices and stereotypes 182 00:08:39,217 --> 00:08:42,488 that I had been taught, and I wanted to get rid of them. 183 00:08:42,488 --> 00:08:44,891 And I think this has helped a lot with that 184 00:08:44,891 --> 00:08:47,527 just by hearing everyone else's perspectives from the readings, 185 00:08:47,527 --> 00:08:51,831 from looking at the world, by taking a step back 186 00:08:51,831 --> 00:08:54,267 and looking at things as they are 187 00:08:54,267 --> 00:08:58,504 and not how we were specifically taught that they are. 188 00:08:58,504 --> 00:09:00,940 And I really appreciate that. 189 00:09:00,940 --> 00:09:05,444 I want to- from here on I want to move forward 190 00:09:05,444 --> 00:09:11,017 and try to figure out how to be an ally 191 00:09:11,017 --> 00:09:12,785 from an asian-american perspective 192 00:09:12,785 --> 00:09:16,923 because a lot of the times asian-american families 193 00:09:16,923 --> 00:09:19,625 try to be the status quo. 194 00:09:19,625 --> 00:09:23,262 Like my parents have always taught to try to be, 195 00:09:23,262 --> 00:09:27,934 not explicitly, but implicitly try to be as white as you can. 196 00:09:27,934 --> 00:09:31,704 And I think that that was a really difficult lesson 197 00:09:31,704 --> 00:09:34,407 to go through, and then come to a place like MIT which 198 00:09:34,407 --> 00:09:37,109 is so diverse and which has so many different backgrounds. 199 00:09:37,109 --> 00:09:39,445 And so come in thinking there's a hierarchy where 200 00:09:39,445 --> 00:09:41,213 there isn't and now going forward, 201 00:09:41,213 --> 00:09:47,553 trying to break that down. 202 00:09:47,553 --> 00:09:49,655 AUDIENCE: Related to what you said actually 203 00:09:49,655 --> 00:09:53,759 is this concept of being multi-racial, and interrogating 204 00:09:53,759 --> 00:09:55,261 that for yourself. 205 00:09:55,261 --> 00:09:58,931 But also within a context of being in a society 206 00:09:58,931 --> 00:10:03,836 of multiple races, and understanding the spaces that 207 00:10:03,836 --> 00:10:06,906 exist for meaningful conversations 208 00:10:06,906 --> 00:10:10,176 across cultural, and ethnic, and other sometimes 209 00:10:10,176 --> 00:10:13,145 just socially constructed boundaries 210 00:10:13,145 --> 00:10:16,315 that don't necessarily need to be boundaries. 211 00:10:16,315 --> 00:10:21,454 And I remember in one conversation Cynthia actually 212 00:10:21,454 --> 00:10:27,727 really challenged this idea of forming alliances especially 213 00:10:27,727 --> 00:10:31,030 between historically, systematically 214 00:10:31,030 --> 00:10:33,299 oppressed groups. 215 00:10:33,299 --> 00:10:35,868 And in a class like Black Matters 216 00:10:35,868 --> 00:10:41,140 I think that we actually think about people who don't identify 217 00:10:41,140 --> 00:10:43,909 as black, and who may not be read as black in society, 218 00:10:43,909 --> 00:10:46,445 and we've engaged critically with the issues 219 00:10:46,445 --> 00:10:49,115 that they face as well. 220 00:10:49,115 --> 00:10:53,285 When we talked about immigration from Mexico, and in other times 221 00:10:53,285 --> 00:10:56,555 where I insist upon interjecting indigenous 222 00:10:56,555 --> 00:10:59,325 North American issues into the conversation. 223 00:10:59,325 --> 00:11:01,327 But there seems to be space for all of that, 224 00:11:01,327 --> 00:11:05,097 and so what I want to take away from all of these discussions 225 00:11:05,097 --> 00:11:11,404 is how can we create meaningful alliances, and be allies, 226 00:11:11,404 --> 00:11:13,973 and how can we collaborate between groups 227 00:11:13,973 --> 00:11:19,111 who are distinct and different, and face similar challenges 228 00:11:19,111 --> 00:11:24,617 in this society, but also have really specific perspectives 229 00:11:24,617 --> 00:11:27,153 and experiences, and future goals. 230 00:11:27,153 --> 00:11:29,922 So the idea of collaborations, especially 231 00:11:29,922 --> 00:11:31,524 among historically oppressed groups 232 00:11:31,524 --> 00:11:33,259 is one that I want to continue thinking 233 00:11:33,259 --> 00:11:37,697 about outside of this class. 234 00:11:37,697 --> 00:11:39,532 AUDIENCE: A lot of what I was thinking about 235 00:11:39,532 --> 00:11:42,268 during this class for me personally 236 00:11:42,268 --> 00:11:47,139 was comparing and contrasting because I come from a very-- 237 00:11:47,139 --> 00:11:48,074 I'm from Zimbabwe. 238 00:11:48,074 --> 00:11:49,875 So there's not a lot of diversity, 239 00:11:49,875 --> 00:11:52,672 and this is an entirely new experience to me, 240 00:11:52,672 --> 00:11:54,046 so a lot of what I were doing was 241 00:11:54,046 --> 00:11:57,383 comparing my past, my history, my experiences 242 00:11:57,383 --> 00:12:00,920 with you guys experiences and everything around me, 243 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,589 and thinking about for instance, in the readings 244 00:12:03,589 --> 00:12:05,224 how they analyzed different situations, 245 00:12:05,224 --> 00:12:07,827 the situation in America, the situation in Haiti. 246 00:12:07,827 --> 00:12:10,329 And thinking about where these things are connected 247 00:12:10,329 --> 00:12:11,697 how they are different. 248 00:12:11,697 --> 00:12:13,966 What could have been done what should be done? 249 00:12:13,966 --> 00:12:18,504 And I think I rarely thought about issues like this 250 00:12:18,504 --> 00:12:20,272 before this class, and now I'm starting 251 00:12:20,272 --> 00:12:23,042 to think about it more, especially in education. 252 00:12:23,042 --> 00:12:27,646 I'm really interested in education, and how we can help 253 00:12:27,646 --> 00:12:31,283 teach people in the future how to use their skills that they 254 00:12:31,283 --> 00:12:34,186 learn, how to think about, how to approach certain problems 255 00:12:34,186 --> 00:12:38,390 in a way that challenges them, and also challenges the status 256 00:12:38,390 --> 00:12:41,327 quo, and challenges the hierarchies that are set up. 257 00:12:41,327 --> 00:12:44,396 So personally, I think that this class definitely 258 00:12:44,396 --> 00:12:46,832 helped me think a lot more, and I 259 00:12:46,832 --> 00:12:49,201 hope that in future it will help a lot more people think 260 00:12:49,201 --> 00:12:52,238 about their actions, think about what they're saying, 261 00:12:52,238 --> 00:12:54,073 think about what they're doing, and think 262 00:12:54,073 --> 00:12:56,175 about how they can help and how they 263 00:12:56,175 --> 00:12:58,110 can engage their communities. 264 00:12:58,110 --> 00:12:59,578 For instance, I remember when we're 265 00:12:59,578 --> 00:13:04,150 talking about how we came to MIT we might graduate, 266 00:13:04,150 --> 00:13:06,352 and then what are we going to do would we 267 00:13:06,352 --> 00:13:08,873 go back to the communities where we come from? 268 00:13:08,873 --> 00:13:10,289 How we are going-- how do you plan 269 00:13:10,289 --> 00:13:12,324 to affect those communities? 270 00:13:12,324 --> 00:13:15,661 Do you go back as experts, or do we go back as one of them, 271 00:13:15,661 --> 00:13:17,196 do we to fit in? 272 00:13:17,196 --> 00:13:18,697 Questions like that are definitely 273 00:13:18,697 --> 00:13:22,168 things that we should think about, and I think 274 00:13:22,168 --> 00:13:24,539 are very important. 275 00:13:24,539 --> 00:13:26,205 AUDIENCE: Yeah I think the biggest thing 276 00:13:26,205 --> 00:13:30,109 for me was learning about what we were learning, 277 00:13:30,109 --> 00:13:33,846 but then thinking back to how I grew up in a really white area, 278 00:13:33,846 --> 00:13:36,849 and I was always taught there is one correct way to speak, 279 00:13:36,849 --> 00:13:41,654 there is like one correct way to teach kids. 280 00:13:41,654 --> 00:13:45,391 And thinking back now with all this information 281 00:13:45,391 --> 00:13:48,961 how damaging that really is, and how it it's 282 00:13:48,961 --> 00:13:51,797 not really about the language, and it's not really about 283 00:13:51,797 --> 00:13:54,733 how we speak it's more about marginalizing groups 284 00:13:54,733 --> 00:13:56,936 that might speak that way. 285 00:13:56,936 --> 00:14:02,441 And it's just thinking about how my entire school system was 286 00:14:02,441 --> 00:14:07,379 based on what they thought was correct, and was telling us 287 00:14:07,379 --> 00:14:08,981 what we should think is correct, and I 288 00:14:08,981 --> 00:14:13,652 think coming out of this hopefully 289 00:14:13,652 --> 00:14:17,923 we can try to change some of that in the school systems 290 00:14:17,923 --> 00:14:21,393 because it can really affect how kids 291 00:14:21,393 --> 00:14:25,731 view the world as they grow up. 292 00:14:25,731 --> 00:14:28,033 AUDIENCE: I think one thing I gained from this class 293 00:14:28,033 --> 00:14:35,040 is, I guess, verification of the idea that listening is very 294 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,943 important, and there's kind of various ways 295 00:14:37,943 --> 00:14:39,011 you can think about it. 296 00:14:39,011 --> 00:14:40,479 Just in the context of this class, 297 00:14:40,479 --> 00:14:45,384 whether it's listening to other people share their experiences, 298 00:14:45,384 --> 00:14:48,621 and really taking in and understanding 299 00:14:48,621 --> 00:14:52,558 how they fit in within whatever social hierarchy, 300 00:14:52,558 --> 00:14:54,827 or whatever kind of issue we're discussing. 301 00:14:54,827 --> 00:14:57,663 And seeing how it's kind of played a role in their lives, 302 00:14:57,663 --> 00:15:00,766 and kind of seeing how you could apply it to either better 303 00:15:00,766 --> 00:15:04,670 someone else's life, improve your own interaction 304 00:15:04,670 --> 00:15:05,871 with the world in some way. 305 00:15:05,871 --> 00:15:09,041 Or whether it's listening in terms of language. 306 00:15:09,041 --> 00:15:12,177 We talked a lot about language and how 307 00:15:12,177 --> 00:15:15,247 certain modes of speaking are somewhat marginalized. 308 00:15:15,247 --> 00:15:18,784 So ensuring that as you go forward you really 309 00:15:18,784 --> 00:15:21,987 listen to people regardless of how they present their ideas, 310 00:15:21,987 --> 00:15:24,523 or present their thoughts, or whether it's 311 00:15:24,523 --> 00:15:26,625 listening as far as engaging people who 312 00:15:26,625 --> 00:15:29,161 have opposing opinions as you. 313 00:15:29,161 --> 00:15:31,090 Really understanding that in order 314 00:15:31,090 --> 00:15:32,464 to strengthen your own positions, 315 00:15:32,464 --> 00:15:35,067 and really understand why it is that you think the way it is. 316 00:15:35,067 --> 00:15:37,202 You have to be able to listen to people who think 317 00:15:37,202 --> 00:15:39,271 in a different way than you. 318 00:15:39,271 --> 00:15:41,740 So yeah, I've just seen a lot of different things 319 00:15:41,740 --> 00:15:46,445 in this class that speaks to the importance of listening. 320 00:15:46,445 --> 00:15:47,980 AUDIENCE: I think what this class 321 00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:52,451 has made me call into question a lot is my lack of analysis 322 00:15:52,451 --> 00:15:57,909 of my racial background because I'm Japanese-American. 323 00:15:57,909 --> 00:15:59,325 It's not really something that I'm 324 00:15:59,325 --> 00:16:03,595 forced to address all the time because no one's really calling 325 00:16:03,595 --> 00:16:05,731 that much attention to it because neither one 326 00:16:05,731 --> 00:16:12,071 of those groups is really that attacked in modern society 327 00:16:12,071 --> 00:16:14,173 for being a racial group. 328 00:16:14,173 --> 00:16:17,343 And something I didn't really even think, 329 00:16:17,343 --> 00:16:18,544 my mom is an immigrant. 330 00:16:18,544 --> 00:16:20,045 I didn't really address that ever 331 00:16:20,045 --> 00:16:25,184 because no one was calling in to question her immigration here. 332 00:16:25,184 --> 00:16:28,120 And that also leads to a lot relating 333 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:34,426 to how the opinions of other people, and especially 334 00:16:34,426 --> 00:16:36,595 my very conservative extended family, 335 00:16:36,595 --> 00:16:40,232 and how their opinions about certain things 336 00:16:40,232 --> 00:16:43,168 such as immigration are relying on people being 337 00:16:43,168 --> 00:16:46,071 of certain races, and being from certain places because it 338 00:16:46,071 --> 00:16:49,608 isn't something that they've ever seen negatively 339 00:16:49,608 --> 00:16:50,943 about my family. 340 00:16:50,943 --> 00:16:54,146 But it is something that's a cornerstone of why 341 00:16:54,146 --> 00:16:57,016 my family exists. 342 00:16:57,016 --> 00:17:03,255 So I think things like that, having people address 343 00:17:03,255 --> 00:17:06,759 their own identities, and their own backgrounds 344 00:17:06,759 --> 00:17:08,394 and how that's affected how they see 345 00:17:08,394 --> 00:17:10,695 everything else in their interactions with other people 346 00:17:10,695 --> 00:17:15,060 I think is a really great part of this course. 347 00:17:15,060 --> 00:17:17,435 AUDIENCE: I'm having trouble just to lay everything down, 348 00:17:17,435 --> 00:17:19,938 but I guess one big takeaway from this class 349 00:17:19,938 --> 00:17:23,675 was accepting that there is no one right 350 00:17:23,675 --> 00:17:30,182 way to exist as a human across individuality, race, and class, 351 00:17:30,182 --> 00:17:31,116 and things like that. 352 00:17:31,116 --> 00:17:33,752 And that was a realization that I 353 00:17:33,752 --> 00:17:37,089 think I came to in this class. 354 00:17:37,089 --> 00:17:38,824 And it all goes back to the importance 355 00:17:38,824 --> 00:17:40,592 of interrogating your beliefs, and why 356 00:17:40,592 --> 00:17:42,561 you think the ways that you do. 357 00:17:42,561 --> 00:17:45,330 And it's really eye-opening and I think 358 00:17:45,330 --> 00:17:46,465 that it's really important. 359 00:17:46,465 --> 00:17:49,268 You have to open yourself up to that 360 00:17:49,268 --> 00:17:51,737 and it takes a certain level of vulnerability. 361 00:17:51,737 --> 00:17:56,975 I wasn't expecting to come out in this class at all, 362 00:17:56,975 --> 00:17:59,645 but I did because this was a place where I felt safe, 363 00:17:59,645 --> 00:18:01,547 and it was really surprising that I felt 364 00:18:01,547 --> 00:18:04,116 so safe in this environment. 365 00:18:04,116 --> 00:18:08,987 And I think that's something we need to recreate elsewhere. 366 00:18:08,987 --> 00:18:11,690 A lot of people I would like to take for this in the future 367 00:18:11,690 --> 00:18:14,326 is therapy who are seniors taking this class, 368 00:18:14,326 --> 00:18:15,794 what do you do now? 369 00:18:15,794 --> 00:18:18,430 What class do you take next, or what actions 370 00:18:18,430 --> 00:18:21,233 can you take because of what you've learned in this class? 371 00:18:21,233 --> 00:18:22,868 I think something that maybe they 372 00:18:22,868 --> 00:18:25,104 could have it in this is thinking about concrete ways 373 00:18:25,104 --> 00:18:26,738 to actually do stuff. 374 00:18:26,738 --> 00:18:29,942 Because we had Professor Chomsky in here on Tuesday and he said, 375 00:18:29,942 --> 00:18:32,811 almost anything, is the answer to what do we do. 376 00:18:32,811 --> 00:18:36,895 So maybe having some sort of an initiative coming out of this 377 00:18:36,895 --> 00:18:40,547 class is to make tape just at MIT for just impulsive 378 00:18:40,547 --> 00:18:46,058 [inaudible].. 379 00:18:46,058 --> 00:18:48,026 AUDIENCE: So kind of piggybacking off 380 00:18:48,026 --> 00:18:49,995 of what Chris said, I think the most 381 00:18:49,995 --> 00:18:52,297 those meaningful conversations and talks 382 00:18:52,297 --> 00:18:58,737 that we've had for me, where when we talked to professors, 383 00:18:58,737 --> 00:19:01,907 people all over Cambridge who were using 384 00:19:01,907 --> 00:19:06,178 their own backgrounds, their own field of study, 385 00:19:06,178 --> 00:19:08,380 and they're making tangible changes. 386 00:19:08,380 --> 00:19:09,581 It's Christmas day. 387 00:19:09,581 --> 00:19:13,318 So for example, when we watch the virtual reality 388 00:19:13,318 --> 00:19:18,223 kind of simulation in terms of the Israeli-Palestinian 389 00:19:18,223 --> 00:19:19,825 conflict. 390 00:19:19,825 --> 00:19:22,895 And I feel like those conversations and the fact 391 00:19:22,895 --> 00:19:25,264 that I have had the privilege of taking 392 00:19:25,264 --> 00:19:28,967 this class in my semester has really kind of driven me 393 00:19:28,967 --> 00:19:35,507 to really to take action outside of MIT, 394 00:19:35,507 --> 00:19:38,177 and hopefully in the future back at MIT. 395 00:19:38,177 --> 00:19:42,014 And to really take that with me in my specific field 396 00:19:42,014 --> 00:19:48,720 of medicine, and how these various identities can really 397 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:57,596 affect people's health care, and that's life or death. 398 00:19:57,596 --> 00:20:01,800 And so I feel like that is really been eye-opening for me 399 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:06,605 and that's driven me to action. 400 00:20:06,605 --> 00:20:10,576 AUDIENCE: Yeah, I think for me, from this class 401 00:20:10,576 --> 00:20:14,780 has made me more aware of how many things they go through. 402 00:20:14,780 --> 00:20:18,717 Compared to what I didn't know about the Haitian Revolution 403 00:20:18,717 --> 00:20:20,586 as it occurred. 404 00:20:20,586 --> 00:20:24,756 And I didn't really know how to question during the time. 405 00:20:24,756 --> 00:20:28,160 But it's all things that we are taught just 406 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:30,195 because a lot the history that we 407 00:20:30,195 --> 00:20:34,533 learn is taught from a very westernized perspective. 408 00:20:34,533 --> 00:20:36,668 So I feel like it's very important 409 00:20:36,668 --> 00:20:40,305 that this class teaches that there's always many ways 410 00:20:40,305 --> 00:20:44,910 to view certain things, and there's many things that aren't 411 00:20:44,910 --> 00:20:52,618 necessarily taught just because society just doesn't want us 412 00:20:52,618 --> 00:20:54,653 to know about these things, so that we 413 00:20:54,653 --> 00:20:58,457 could learn from this, yeah. 414 00:20:58,457 --> 00:21:00,993 AUDIENCE: I think similar to what Hermann was saying, 415 00:21:00,993 --> 00:21:04,062 I think this class is really about the idea 416 00:21:04,062 --> 00:21:05,697 of taking action. 417 00:21:05,697 --> 00:21:11,270 In a lot our readings passivity was just there all the time. 418 00:21:11,270 --> 00:21:14,373 People I remember it, the need to settle down, 419 00:21:14,373 --> 00:21:19,711 or afternoon it's just like, oh that's really strange 420 00:21:19,711 --> 00:21:22,347 but I guess the way things are. 421 00:21:22,347 --> 00:21:25,651 He noticed that things were wrong but he didn't anything, 422 00:21:25,651 --> 00:21:29,321 so I think just trying to take action, 423 00:21:29,321 --> 00:21:33,425 and Megan you mentioned interrogating yourself 424 00:21:33,425 --> 00:21:34,960 is an important way to do it. 425 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:36,461 And I really liked first assignment, 426 00:21:36,461 --> 00:21:38,330 which was the linguistic autobiography, 427 00:21:38,330 --> 00:21:42,634 and I felt that just thinking of my whole life in terms 428 00:21:42,634 --> 00:21:46,438 of the languages I grew up with, reading, writing, 429 00:21:46,438 --> 00:21:48,473 and how they were presented to me 430 00:21:48,473 --> 00:21:53,779 was a really good way just to look into my own self. 431 00:21:53,779 --> 00:21:56,348 What I think would have been, would be better, 432 00:21:56,348 --> 00:22:00,552 in future versions of class would be maybe talking together 433 00:22:00,552 --> 00:22:02,254 in smaller groups. 434 00:22:02,254 --> 00:22:02,982 Would be harder. 435 00:22:02,982 --> 00:22:04,523 I guess I think it's just easier just 436 00:22:04,523 --> 00:22:08,827 to talk about yourself that way for some people 437 00:22:08,827 --> 00:22:11,163 are more comfortable, I think. 438 00:22:11,163 --> 00:22:13,965 The only time we got to that was last Tuesday we 439 00:22:13,965 --> 00:22:19,271 had Professor Olive ub here, and we worked in groups of three, 440 00:22:19,271 --> 00:22:20,572 and that was really cool. 441 00:22:20,572 --> 00:22:22,774 AUDIENCE: OK, thank you, thank you. 442 00:22:22,774 --> 00:22:27,713 I think so what's adjusted also, you mean like a [inaudible].. 443 00:22:27,713 --> 00:22:30,482 So what Chris said we can try together 444 00:22:30,482 --> 00:22:34,263 because this class I hope will be often many, many, 445 00:22:34,263 --> 00:22:38,990 many, many times again here, [inaudible] I hope. 446 00:22:38,990 --> 00:22:43,722 Actually thinking of next year, I might do it with 447 00:22:43,722 --> 00:22:44,296 [inaudible].. 448 00:22:44,296 --> 00:22:47,299 So from that perspective maybe you guys 449 00:22:47,299 --> 00:22:49,835 could share with me what you think 450 00:22:49,835 --> 00:22:51,837 will be done to implement what you guys think 451 00:22:51,837 --> 00:22:55,901 in terms of taking this knowledge into action. 452 00:22:55,901 --> 00:22:57,275 Because throughout the semester I 453 00:22:57,275 --> 00:23:00,879 was struggling with what kind of project do I assign? 454 00:23:00,879 --> 00:23:02,814 Because I often felt that it would 455 00:23:02,814 --> 00:23:06,084 be so nice to do a project that puts you guys in the world, 456 00:23:06,084 --> 00:23:08,687 not just writing an essay. 457 00:23:08,687 --> 00:23:10,749 And I try to see what-- 458 00:23:10,749 --> 00:23:12,290 Something could come up spontaneously 459 00:23:12,290 --> 00:23:16,161 from you that could bond in to out of space. 460 00:23:16,161 --> 00:23:19,765 So how would you advise me in next cycle of this course 461 00:23:19,765 --> 00:23:21,400 to make that happen? 462 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:25,937 To do projects, maybe throughout the semester only 463 00:23:25,937 --> 00:23:28,440 or optional projects that would really 464 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,075 turn knowledge into action? 465 00:23:30,075 --> 00:23:34,379 OK so it's getting that, and then that. 466 00:23:34,379 --> 00:23:35,781 AUDIENCE: So, maybe some things-- 467 00:23:35,781 --> 00:23:37,783 I still think you should have the essays because 468 00:23:37,783 --> 00:23:41,086 at least for me they were pretty beneficial in exploring myself, 469 00:23:41,086 --> 00:23:43,321 but maybe instead of having the essay revision, 470 00:23:43,321 --> 00:23:45,290 although I think revising essays is important, 471 00:23:45,290 --> 00:23:47,559 I think that can be done throughout your essay process 472 00:23:47,559 --> 00:23:48,420 instead. 473 00:23:48,420 --> 00:23:50,128 And maybe like putting in a project where 474 00:23:50,128 --> 00:23:53,965 you have to create a policy, or like a lesson plan, 475 00:23:53,965 --> 00:23:58,336 or something like that, and then present that. 476 00:23:58,336 --> 00:24:00,305 And maybe even have a plan of action of who you 477 00:24:00,305 --> 00:24:01,907 would go to talk to about this? 478 00:24:01,907 --> 00:24:03,775 I think if you just come up with a plan it 479 00:24:03,775 --> 00:24:07,512 can be pretty philosophical, or just an idea 480 00:24:07,512 --> 00:24:09,181 and will never be done with it, what 481 00:24:09,181 --> 00:24:11,216 would be your next step now you have an idea, 482 00:24:11,216 --> 00:24:12,884 how do you implement it? 483 00:24:12,884 --> 00:24:15,153 And then also, something I forgot mention before, 484 00:24:15,153 --> 00:24:17,255 but I thought I was really useful about this class 485 00:24:17,255 --> 00:24:19,458 was when we went to go to the movies 486 00:24:19,458 --> 00:24:21,460 all together on a Saturday. 487 00:24:21,460 --> 00:24:25,096 At first I was like, oh crap, now I have to like allot time, 488 00:24:25,096 --> 00:24:27,199 but I actually really enjoyed that 489 00:24:27,199 --> 00:24:30,068 and was hoping the conversation would keep going. 490 00:24:30,068 --> 00:24:34,239 So maybe having more things outside the class, 491 00:24:34,239 --> 00:24:37,375 because I think it's really hard to explore all the things 492 00:24:37,375 --> 00:24:40,345 that we want to do in an hour and a half. 493 00:24:40,345 --> 00:24:42,280 So maybe having somewhere-- 494 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:43,748 I don't know what types of places 495 00:24:43,748 --> 00:24:45,750 you can go to-- but maybe going to an inner city 496 00:24:45,750 --> 00:24:48,453 school in Boston together, and seeing how it's taught there, 497 00:24:48,453 --> 00:24:49,654 and what you would change? 498 00:24:49,654 --> 00:24:51,654 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, that's good to hear actually 499 00:24:51,654 --> 00:24:54,092 because one thing I'm toying with the Fox, Mr. Harald, 500 00:24:54,092 --> 00:24:56,528 is to see whether we could change the format, instead 501 00:24:56,528 --> 00:25:00,332 having a hour and a half to add once a week from three hours. 502 00:25:00,332 --> 00:25:03,502 In the past I tried that because of the schedule for MIT 503 00:25:03,502 --> 00:25:06,505 it's hard for students to enroll with a three hour class. 504 00:25:06,505 --> 00:25:07,666 when they graduate. 505 00:25:07,666 --> 00:25:09,207 So we stepped away from that, but now 506 00:25:09,207 --> 00:25:11,710 I don't whether we should do that. 507 00:25:11,710 --> 00:25:15,313 In admitting with three hours we could go someplace else. 508 00:25:15,313 --> 00:25:17,482 AUDIENCE: Yeah, I that might be beneficial. 509 00:25:17,482 --> 00:25:21,052 I know negotiation at Sloan does it at Thursday at 5:00 510 00:25:21,052 --> 00:25:22,387 or something like that. 511 00:25:22,387 --> 00:25:24,055 So it's hard to schedule a three hour class during the day, 512 00:25:24,055 --> 00:25:25,624 but if you do it as a night session. 513 00:25:25,624 --> 00:25:28,093 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, OK, OK. 514 00:25:28,093 --> 00:25:29,427 Thank you for saying that Alisa? 515 00:25:29,427 --> 00:25:32,430 I will report back to Colton and see what-- 516 00:25:32,430 --> 00:25:34,342 So it goes Dana, then Sarah then Jackie. 517 00:25:34,342 --> 00:25:35,800 AUDIENCE: Well its related directly 518 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:36,883 she just said about time-- 519 00:25:36,883 --> 00:25:37,936 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, OK. 520 00:25:37,936 --> 00:25:39,070 AUDIENCE: It's just like a short thing, 521 00:25:39,070 --> 00:25:40,944 but having a class at 5:00 would be difficult 522 00:25:40,944 --> 00:25:42,474 because there is a lot of athletes 523 00:25:42,474 --> 00:25:45,977 who participate because they practice from 5:00 to 7:00. 524 00:25:45,977 --> 00:25:47,546 MICHEL DEGRAFF: I see, I see, OK. 525 00:25:47,546 --> 00:25:49,514 AUDIENCE: Yeah there's another section at 7:00 526 00:25:49,514 --> 00:25:50,315 I'm pretty sure. 527 00:25:50,315 --> 00:25:51,060 So. 528 00:25:51,060 --> 00:25:53,018 AUDIENCE: Closing class are from 7:00 to 10:00. 529 00:25:53,018 --> 00:25:54,519 MICHEL DEGRAFF: 7:00 to 10:00, yeah. 530 00:25:54,519 --> 00:25:55,220 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 531 00:25:55,220 --> 00:25:56,354 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK. 532 00:25:56,354 --> 00:26:00,325 AUDIENCE: Yeah we were talking about projects. 533 00:26:00,325 --> 00:26:02,827 And I think that could definitely work in this course, 534 00:26:02,827 --> 00:26:07,858 and I think one thing that I've really wanted is to be able 535 00:26:07,858 --> 00:26:10,368 to affect change in this-- within the context of this 536 00:26:10,368 --> 00:26:15,874 course and sort of have a reason to do so based on everyday's-- 537 00:26:15,874 --> 00:26:17,642 I would like to go into school and say, 538 00:26:17,642 --> 00:26:20,946 let me try my at teaching kids in this way 539 00:26:20,946 --> 00:26:23,949 and see if it actually works there. 540 00:26:23,949 --> 00:26:26,818 So if you wanted to organize that sort of thing 541 00:26:26,818 --> 00:26:29,521 it could be cool to also work in small groups 542 00:26:29,521 --> 00:26:31,189 and we diversify the-- 543 00:26:31,189 --> 00:26:35,060 I mean we have a ton of courses in here, 544 00:26:35,060 --> 00:26:37,862 but I think there's a lot of working, going out 545 00:26:37,862 --> 00:26:39,831 into the real world and I think-- 546 00:26:39,831 --> 00:26:41,166 I mean this is just me agreeing. 547 00:26:41,166 --> 00:26:45,036 I think a three hour course could be good. 548 00:26:45,036 --> 00:26:48,006 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK. 549 00:26:48,006 --> 00:26:49,474 Sarah? 550 00:26:49,474 --> 00:26:51,676 AUDIENCE: So I just think add stems 551 00:26:51,676 --> 00:26:53,111 from what Colin said about talking 552 00:26:53,111 --> 00:26:55,880 to someone with a different ideological perspective 553 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:58,516 than yourself, so maybe having students 554 00:26:58,516 --> 00:27:01,820 go in groups of two [inaudible] out into world and maybe 555 00:27:01,820 --> 00:27:04,489 interview someone, or share some of the information 556 00:27:04,489 --> 00:27:06,458 about the Haitian Revolution should have, 557 00:27:06,458 --> 00:27:09,928 it was like one of visionary revolutions to have. 558 00:27:09,928 --> 00:27:11,463 [interposing voices] 559 00:27:11,463 --> 00:27:12,597 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Yeah, yeah. 560 00:27:12,597 --> 00:27:14,180 AUDIENCE: Something along those lines. 561 00:27:14,180 --> 00:27:15,467 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, OK, OK. 562 00:27:15,467 --> 00:27:16,929 So going back to the last point. 563 00:27:16,929 --> 00:27:18,470 So in terms of going into the schools 564 00:27:18,470 --> 00:27:20,182 I have some good news, which is that, I 565 00:27:20,182 --> 00:27:22,807 think I should have [inaudible] with you about this new program 566 00:27:22,807 --> 00:27:25,243 that has been launched in the Boston public school, 567 00:27:25,243 --> 00:27:26,444 this new program. 568 00:27:26,444 --> 00:27:29,981 And Vindlam Khan actually she's I think Chinese, 569 00:27:29,981 --> 00:27:33,018 and she actually, she launched-- she had launched 570 00:27:33,018 --> 00:27:34,452 the program in Chinese and English 571 00:27:34,452 --> 00:27:36,254 can be introduced as going reasonable well, 572 00:27:36,254 --> 00:27:37,555 from what I hear. 573 00:27:37,555 --> 00:27:41,793 And then she's also responsible launching this Creole 574 00:27:41,793 --> 00:27:43,261 to English learning program. 575 00:27:43,261 --> 00:27:45,430 And she has offered that if there 576 00:27:45,430 --> 00:27:47,599 are students in this class and other classes 577 00:27:47,599 --> 00:27:52,103 at MIT if they want to come and volunteer, and take advantage 578 00:27:52,103 --> 00:27:55,874 of that new program in terms of doing research that's 579 00:27:55,874 --> 00:27:57,742 socially based, or empirically based, 580 00:27:57,742 --> 00:27:59,110 or even like [inaudible]. 581 00:27:59,110 --> 00:28:00,512 Measuring students learning games 582 00:28:00,512 --> 00:28:03,014 she would be happy to work with you. 583 00:28:03,014 --> 00:28:05,583 There's one student in the other class 584 00:28:05,583 --> 00:28:08,463 posted it's [inaudible] with the [inaudible] twice, 585 00:28:08,463 --> 00:28:11,632 and was to be going on a weekly basis 586 00:28:11,632 --> 00:28:14,631 to the meetings who try understand how they are 587 00:28:14,631 --> 00:28:17,589 creating this new program where there would be I 588 00:28:17,589 --> 00:28:19,942 think half kids who speak creole and half who 589 00:28:19,942 --> 00:28:21,499 don't speak creole. 590 00:28:21,499 --> 00:28:23,234 And this would be truly bilingual, 591 00:28:23,234 --> 00:28:28,139 so you get American or other of these kids learning creole 592 00:28:28,139 --> 00:28:30,175 and get the Haitian creole kids. 593 00:28:30,175 --> 00:28:32,711 We've got to include both the English and bigger English, 594 00:28:32,711 --> 00:28:36,848 so I think it's really I think very radical move 595 00:28:36,848 --> 00:28:37,949 for the government school. 596 00:28:37,949 --> 00:28:39,573 They've had other programs of that sort 597 00:28:39,573 --> 00:28:42,353 but never one involving the non-imperial language. 598 00:28:42,353 --> 00:28:46,591 Typically it's Spanish-English, French-English, 599 00:28:46,591 --> 00:28:48,526 Chinese-English, but it's the first time 600 00:28:48,526 --> 00:28:50,829 that they are doing one that includes 601 00:28:50,829 --> 00:28:53,732 a language like Haitian Creole that's been over the years 602 00:28:53,732 --> 00:28:56,334 as you know [inaudible] history. 603 00:28:56,334 --> 00:28:58,503 So we're excited, we've hit some push back 604 00:28:58,503 --> 00:29:02,307 including push back back from Haitian parents, some of them 605 00:29:02,307 --> 00:29:05,310 would prefer to have it in French, as you can imagine. 606 00:29:05,310 --> 00:29:10,749 They don't speak French, it's a difficult neo-colonial 607 00:29:10,749 --> 00:29:15,487 [inaudible] into an imperial language, so to speak. 608 00:29:15,487 --> 00:29:18,022 But I think there has been some good progress on that front. 609 00:29:18,022 --> 00:29:21,192 Noam Chomsky was here, Tuesday he 610 00:29:21,192 --> 00:29:23,795 had an interview which I put on my Facebook page-- 611 00:29:23,795 --> 00:29:27,165 I can show it to you-- where it goes me, 612 00:29:27,165 --> 00:29:35,707 him, and I think that's [inaudible] together 613 00:29:35,707 --> 00:29:38,743 from Mexico, but he grew up in California. 614 00:29:38,743 --> 00:29:41,513 And this was a very interesting exchange between the two of us. 615 00:29:41,513 --> 00:29:45,216 Where Chomsky might be important of promoting these so 616 00:29:45,216 --> 00:29:46,851 called [inaudible] support for really 617 00:29:46,851 --> 00:29:50,421 of duration of the [inaudible]. 618 00:29:50,421 --> 00:29:53,124 So, I think those are good suggestions, 619 00:29:53,124 --> 00:29:55,627 those are very good suggestions. 620 00:29:55,627 --> 00:29:59,197 And since Harrell is from a background in computation, 621 00:29:59,197 --> 00:30:02,967 and as we saw doing the project on involving virtual reality 622 00:30:02,967 --> 00:30:09,107 that might be another part where we can do action in the course. 623 00:30:09,107 --> 00:30:11,743 AUDIENCE: With the-- just based off like the Fox Harrell 624 00:30:11,743 --> 00:30:15,113 computation part, I thought it was really interesting learning 625 00:30:15,113 --> 00:30:16,381 about what he was doing. 626 00:30:16,381 --> 00:30:18,835 I think if there was-- but I don't know if this 627 00:30:18,835 --> 00:30:20,084 is where you're going, but it. 628 00:30:20,084 --> 00:30:21,820 I think there was a more of a requirement 629 00:30:21,820 --> 00:30:23,822 to do more computation based things I probably would 630 00:30:23,822 --> 00:30:25,072 straight away from this class. 631 00:30:25,072 --> 00:30:26,043 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK. 632 00:30:26,043 --> 00:30:28,459 AUDIENCE: Because, so I'm not like the stereotypical major 633 00:30:28,459 --> 00:30:30,195 here, I'm a business major, I think 634 00:30:30,195 --> 00:30:31,963 I would been slightly intimidated if there 635 00:30:31,963 --> 00:30:34,666 was a CMS type project in here. 636 00:30:34,666 --> 00:30:37,620 So maybe making that one of the facets of what you can do, 637 00:30:37,620 --> 00:30:38,536 but not a requirement. 638 00:30:38,536 --> 00:30:39,804 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, that's OK. 639 00:30:39,804 --> 00:30:40,429 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 640 00:30:40,429 --> 00:30:42,345 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Yeah, good for you, thank you. 641 00:30:42,345 --> 00:30:43,141 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 642 00:30:43,141 --> 00:30:45,810 CYNTHIA: I think also taking advantage of the learning 643 00:30:45,810 --> 00:30:48,446 styles of the students in the class could be interesting. 644 00:30:48,446 --> 00:30:50,682 So maybe doing more creative projects, 645 00:30:50,682 --> 00:30:52,784 or doing projects that people feel 646 00:30:52,784 --> 00:30:56,688 like allows them to use their best skills 647 00:30:56,688 --> 00:30:58,156 and actually have fun I feel like-- 648 00:30:58,156 --> 00:31:00,124 MICHEL DEGRAFF: So tell me Cynthia if you could 649 00:31:00,124 --> 00:31:03,661 a project that was creative what would you have done? 650 00:31:03,661 --> 00:31:08,166 Just to the extent of what you could think of in the future? 651 00:31:08,166 --> 00:31:09,901 CYNTHIA: Just off the fly I maybe would 652 00:31:09,901 --> 00:31:15,907 have made a fucking 10 foot tall papier-mache person 653 00:31:15,907 --> 00:31:21,579 and written stuff all over it and then put it in lobby 10. 654 00:31:21,579 --> 00:31:22,647 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, OK. 655 00:31:22,647 --> 00:31:24,396 AUDIENCE: Like negative comments or like-- 656 00:31:24,396 --> 00:31:26,851 CYNTHIA: Anything, just like stuff that's interesting. 657 00:31:26,851 --> 00:31:28,253 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, and then they 658 00:31:28,253 --> 00:31:30,889 would have to the part that includes communication 659 00:31:30,889 --> 00:31:32,557 of some sort. 660 00:31:32,557 --> 00:31:34,158 So how would do that, so you do that 661 00:31:34,158 --> 00:31:36,728 and have a paper describing why you did it, 662 00:31:36,728 --> 00:31:39,163 the mission of what you've done and the objective 663 00:31:39,163 --> 00:31:40,331 it's trying to accomplish? 664 00:31:40,331 --> 00:31:42,233 CYNTHIA: I mean if it just like a black body 665 00:31:42,233 --> 00:31:44,135 or like a brown body of some sort 666 00:31:44,135 --> 00:31:46,204 I would even just to leave markers and stuff 667 00:31:46,204 --> 00:31:48,172 for other people to put messaging on it 668 00:31:48,172 --> 00:31:49,874 I feel like would be giving-- 669 00:31:49,874 --> 00:31:51,709 I think art is a great way to give people 670 00:31:51,709 --> 00:31:54,979 an entry into having this conversation. 671 00:31:54,979 --> 00:31:56,281 It would be an artifact. 672 00:31:56,281 --> 00:31:57,949 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Excellent, excellent I'm 673 00:31:57,949 --> 00:32:00,612 so glad this is being recorded so that way we have this. 674 00:32:00,612 --> 00:32:02,153 No really, so that way we have this-- 675 00:32:02,153 --> 00:32:03,855 I can watch it with Fox, Carol and we 676 00:32:03,855 --> 00:32:06,991 then we can play around with the idea, it's great too. 677 00:32:06,991 --> 00:32:11,062 Actually, anyone has concrete suggestions like that? 678 00:32:11,062 --> 00:32:11,949 So they told you-- 679 00:32:11,949 --> 00:32:14,032 AUDIENCE: So my class one of those I don't-- maybe 680 00:32:14,032 --> 00:32:17,035 you've taken it, Psychology of Gender and Race? 681 00:32:17,035 --> 00:32:17,535 No? 682 00:32:17,535 --> 00:32:18,803 OK. 683 00:32:18,803 --> 00:32:22,740 This [inaudible] psychologist who works in local area, 684 00:32:22,740 --> 00:32:25,043 I think her first name is Shiby I forget her last name. 685 00:32:25,043 --> 00:32:30,381 But part of the class is training or doing mock training 686 00:32:30,381 --> 00:32:33,851 on how do you present cultural awareness presentations. 687 00:32:33,851 --> 00:32:36,721 Where you go with-- you basically 688 00:32:36,721 --> 00:32:39,043 form a group of students and kind of teach 689 00:32:39,043 --> 00:32:42,593 the other students her role play and how to college frat, 690 00:32:42,593 --> 00:32:45,573 members of a college frat or sixth graders 691 00:32:45,573 --> 00:32:48,032 out of a local Boston public school 692 00:32:48,032 --> 00:32:53,671 about how some things that they could be doing 693 00:32:53,671 --> 00:32:56,007 may be disparaging to minority groups, 694 00:32:56,007 --> 00:32:58,443 and it could be interesting having a conversation with her 695 00:32:58,443 --> 00:33:00,011 to see what things she incorporates 696 00:33:00,011 --> 00:33:01,946 into those presentations and if that would be 697 00:33:01,946 --> 00:33:03,281 useful inside of Black Matters. 698 00:33:03,281 --> 00:33:07,285 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, that would be useful, be very useful. 699 00:33:07,285 --> 00:33:07,952 Dana? 700 00:33:07,952 --> 00:33:09,787 No I was-- I'm done. 701 00:33:09,787 --> 00:33:14,659 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK. [laughter] 702 00:33:14,659 --> 00:33:16,627 AUDIENCE: With the wiki that I think 703 00:33:16,627 --> 00:33:18,596 was a new thing this semester, I think, 704 00:33:18,596 --> 00:33:21,299 it's another way for us to communicate as students, 705 00:33:21,299 --> 00:33:23,162 it would be great because just maybe someone 706 00:33:23,162 --> 00:33:25,203 said something to you that was really interesting 707 00:33:25,203 --> 00:33:26,804 and you only have their email. 708 00:33:26,804 --> 00:33:28,206 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Right. 709 00:33:28,206 --> 00:33:30,808 AUDIENCE: It's hard to get in contact so maybe an opt-in way 710 00:33:30,808 --> 00:33:32,043 to have-- 711 00:33:32,043 --> 00:33:35,513 MICHEL DEGRAFF: So the wiki didn't really work, huh? 712 00:33:35,513 --> 00:33:36,914 Why does the wiki not work? 713 00:33:36,914 --> 00:33:37,849 AUDIENCE: It's hard. 714 00:33:37,849 --> 00:33:39,317 AUDIENCE: It's not a good platform. 715 00:33:39,317 --> 00:33:41,319 MICHEL DEGRAFF: The wiki is not a good platform, 716 00:33:41,319 --> 00:33:44,660 all because we have you here. [laughter] The wiki not 717 00:33:44,660 --> 00:33:48,517 a good platform, I heard that as well in my other class, 718 00:33:48,517 --> 00:33:50,495 the students say, we don't like the wiki. 719 00:33:50,495 --> 00:33:51,429 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 720 00:33:51,429 --> 00:33:53,424 AUDIENCE: Yeah. [interposing voices] 721 00:33:53,424 --> 00:33:55,132 AUDIENCE: What about like a Slack Channel 722 00:33:55,132 --> 00:34:00,316 or something like where you be more-- [interposing voices] 723 00:34:00,316 --> 00:34:02,607 AUDIENCE: Or like a Facebook, something that we already 724 00:34:02,607 --> 00:34:04,742 all use and wouldn't have to go out our way to use. 725 00:34:04,742 --> 00:34:05,810 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 726 00:34:05,810 --> 00:34:08,012 AUDIENCE: Yeah. 727 00:34:08,012 --> 00:34:09,781 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Who had their hand raised? 728 00:34:09,781 --> 00:34:11,349 Was there a hand raised over here? 729 00:34:11,349 --> 00:34:13,985 Was it Shope, was your hand raised? 730 00:34:13,985 --> 00:34:15,719 Oh, OK. 731 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:17,021 AUDIENCE: Yeah sure. 732 00:34:17,021 --> 00:34:20,324 So first, you were asking what kind of projects right? 733 00:34:20,324 --> 00:34:23,027 So from the teaching perspective, 734 00:34:23,027 --> 00:34:26,197 I think after the classes last week I'm 735 00:34:26,197 --> 00:34:30,735 learning about open and fixed mindset. 736 00:34:30,735 --> 00:34:32,804 Something that would have been interesting 737 00:34:32,804 --> 00:34:36,139 as the project would be to create a curriculum, just 738 00:34:36,139 --> 00:34:40,645 a lecture or a workshop for an age group, whatever age, 739 00:34:40,645 --> 00:34:43,748 it could be college, it could be lower 740 00:34:43,748 --> 00:34:48,119 and try to implement the like teaching 741 00:34:48,119 --> 00:34:53,224 techniques that we learned to foster a more open mindset. 742 00:34:53,224 --> 00:34:55,793 That would have been a school project to explore. 743 00:34:55,793 --> 00:34:56,893 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, great. 744 00:34:56,893 --> 00:34:59,664 OK so, Fenny, Dana and Edna. 745 00:34:59,664 --> 00:35:01,632 AUDIENCE: But mine is off of that. 746 00:35:01,632 --> 00:35:02,834 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK. 747 00:35:02,834 --> 00:35:05,369 AUDIENCE: OK, so I think that would be a good idea. 748 00:35:05,369 --> 00:35:08,061 Also we can still enlist the help of the professors who 749 00:35:08,061 --> 00:35:11,943 made these lectures because I think that will give us 750 00:35:11,943 --> 00:35:15,613 a little more-- when we actually go into these schools 751 00:35:15,613 --> 00:35:20,685 and say we'd like to bring this plan to you because have 752 00:35:20,685 --> 00:35:23,154 professor backing, we have this whole slew 753 00:35:23,154 --> 00:35:27,325 of research behind us. 754 00:35:27,325 --> 00:35:29,494 AUDIENCE: Another cool thing that you could do about 755 00:35:29,494 --> 00:35:34,866 community outreach, is I know one time a couple weeks ago 756 00:35:34,866 --> 00:35:39,604 in Amphibious Achievement we had a bunch of people from 757 00:35:39,604 --> 00:35:44,492 Chocolate City come in, and also it's-- there's a group-- 758 00:35:44,492 --> 00:35:46,844 it's like something something Latinas. 759 00:35:46,844 --> 00:35:50,047 And I don't know-- [interposing voices] Yes! 760 00:35:50,047 --> 00:35:52,517 And so they came in and Chocolate City came in and-- 761 00:35:52,517 --> 00:35:55,330 AUDIENCE: But you have to give some background about Chocolate 762 00:35:55,330 --> 00:35:58,890 City and Amphibious Achievement, make it self-contained. 763 00:35:58,890 --> 00:36:01,983 [interposing voices] So Amphibious Achievement 764 00:36:01,983 --> 00:36:07,632 is we-- it's a program at MIT and we work with Boston public 765 00:36:07,632 --> 00:36:11,702 high schoolers and it's an academic mentorship program, 766 00:36:11,702 --> 00:36:13,289 but also we just work with them to try 767 00:36:13,289 --> 00:36:14,872 to build their confidence, and we also 768 00:36:14,872 --> 00:36:19,076 help them apply to college, and things like that. 769 00:36:19,076 --> 00:36:23,430 But, and then Chocolate City is just like it's 770 00:36:23,430 --> 00:36:30,172 a living group here on campus, and it's African-American men 771 00:36:30,172 --> 00:36:33,224 and then-- say it again? 772 00:36:33,224 --> 00:36:34,625 AUDIENCE: Mujeres Latinas. 773 00:36:34,625 --> 00:36:38,763 AUDIENCE: That's a-- [laughter] 774 00:36:38,763 --> 00:36:42,700 AUDIENCE: --group of Latina women, 775 00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:46,871 and so they came in to talk to the high schoolers 776 00:36:46,871 --> 00:36:52,243 in Amphibious Achievement and we just had a discussion about how 777 00:36:52,243 --> 00:36:56,047 they feel about what they've been told they can and cannot 778 00:36:56,047 --> 00:36:59,183 do because of who they are. 779 00:36:59,183 --> 00:37:03,120 And it was really, really interesting for everybody. 780 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:05,423 And I think that would be something cool to do-- 781 00:37:05,423 --> 00:37:07,358 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Do you have a Facebook page? 782 00:37:07,358 --> 00:37:10,928 AUDIENCE: We do, it's called Amphibious Achievement. 783 00:37:10,928 --> 00:37:11,862 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Right. 784 00:37:11,862 --> 00:37:14,065 That's great. 785 00:37:14,065 --> 00:37:16,701 Thank you, thank you. 786 00:37:16,701 --> 00:37:18,803 Actually, so which Facebook would be a better way 787 00:37:18,803 --> 00:37:21,606 to communicate instead the wiki. 788 00:37:21,606 --> 00:37:22,940 AUDIENCE: Yeah, yeah way better. 789 00:37:22,940 --> 00:37:24,342 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Way better. 790 00:37:24,342 --> 00:37:26,842 So maybe next year we create a Facebook page for the course. 791 00:37:26,842 --> 00:37:28,913 AUDIENCE: Yeah, a page for the course 792 00:37:28,913 --> 00:37:31,916 and then a messaging group for the students. 793 00:37:31,916 --> 00:37:34,752 OK, OK. 794 00:37:34,752 --> 00:37:37,588 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, OK that was good idea, good idea. 795 00:37:37,588 --> 00:37:38,522 All right. 796 00:37:38,522 --> 00:37:40,091 I should maybe [inaudible] a page, 797 00:37:40,091 --> 00:37:42,460 a Facebook page for this group, and that way you guys 798 00:37:42,460 --> 00:37:43,327 can keep in touch. 799 00:37:43,327 --> 00:37:46,864 And if there are ways that-- even what [inaudible] has 800 00:37:46,864 --> 00:37:49,527 explained and then we should do other projects that might bring 801 00:37:49,527 --> 00:37:51,235 your strength and your knowledge together 802 00:37:51,235 --> 00:37:52,903 to bring actual change, that might be 803 00:37:52,903 --> 00:37:54,338 something we could figure out. 804 00:37:54,338 --> 00:37:56,674 But you would have be responsible for it. 805 00:37:56,674 --> 00:37:57,535 Colin? 806 00:37:57,535 --> 00:37:59,243 AUDIENCE: Bouncing off of your idea here, 807 00:37:59,243 --> 00:38:01,445 I think it would be really interesting to actually 808 00:38:01,445 --> 00:38:06,512 have one part of that would be a [inaudible] support literacy 809 00:38:06,512 --> 00:38:12,189 class, or presentation or something like that. 810 00:38:12,189 --> 00:38:14,992 Where you going to take a certain section of literature, 811 00:38:14,992 --> 00:38:17,094 maybe just one book like Madam Bovary, 812 00:38:17,094 --> 00:38:21,732 and dissect the ways in which the society in which it 813 00:38:21,732 --> 00:38:24,935 is embedded create the themes within it. 814 00:38:24,935 --> 00:38:26,437 A major thing inside of Madam Bovary 815 00:38:26,437 --> 00:38:29,273 is centered on this one woman who's 816 00:38:29,273 --> 00:38:32,743 married in countryside of France back in 1900s or 1800s, 817 00:38:32,743 --> 00:38:35,913 and she gets really depressed because she has nothing to do. 818 00:38:35,913 --> 00:38:39,617 And just explaining that she has no options for employment, 819 00:38:39,617 --> 00:38:43,387 and is stuck at home because that's what was expected 820 00:38:43,387 --> 00:38:44,655 of women back in that day. 821 00:38:44,655 --> 00:38:48,893 And dissecting both that cultural phenomenon 822 00:38:48,893 --> 00:38:55,433 and then examining how that may play out in today's terms 823 00:38:55,433 --> 00:38:58,069 with different patterns in society. 824 00:38:58,069 --> 00:38:59,837 MICHEL DEGRAFF: OK, good, goo. 825 00:38:59,837 --> 00:39:04,175 SO a statistic fact, you may have the last word. 826 00:39:04,175 --> 00:39:05,810 AUDIENCE: Wow, OK. 827 00:39:05,810 --> 00:39:08,612 So something that I was thinking about 828 00:39:08,612 --> 00:39:12,594 was what you had about having an art project, 829 00:39:12,594 --> 00:39:14,885 and I realized I'm not artistic at all, so I was trying 830 00:39:14,885 --> 00:39:16,821 to figure out what I would do if there was an art assignment. 831 00:39:16,821 --> 00:39:18,989 And I was thinking about something that's in a show, 832 00:39:18,989 --> 00:39:21,659 where like you put yourself up, you stand up there 833 00:39:21,659 --> 00:39:23,260 and then you have a projector screen, 834 00:39:23,260 --> 00:39:24,662 and you write words on it of what 835 00:39:24,662 --> 00:39:26,097 you don't like about yourself. 836 00:39:26,097 --> 00:39:27,483 And that could be instead of what 837 00:39:27,483 --> 00:39:28,899 we don't like of ourselves, things 838 00:39:28,899 --> 00:39:31,440 we've been told about ourselves based of our race, or gender, 839 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:33,871 or sexuality, and also having things you would rather 840 00:39:33,871 --> 00:39:37,375 have been said, because what I really liked about this class 841 00:39:37,375 --> 00:39:38,743 was the self-exploration, so. 842 00:39:38,743 --> 00:39:39,877 MICHEL DEGRAFF: Good, good. 843 00:39:39,877 --> 00:39:43,053 All right guys so thank you so much.