An activity for current volunteers from the St. Vincent Pallotti Center's Volunteer Community Activities Resource Library:
Description: The purpose of this exercise is to provide participants with an opportunity to understand the intricacies of privilege in American society.
Activity: Since this is a powerful exercise and should be thoroughly processed, please plan on spending at least one hour for this exercise. You can spend more or less time depending on the number of statements you make to participants.
Participants should stand shoulder to shoulder facing the same direction in a straight line without speaking. Ask participants to listen carefully to each statement, and take the step required if the statement applies to them.
Possible statements include, but are not limited to:
1. If your ancestors were forced to come to the USA not by choice, take one step back.
2. If your primary ethnic identity is American, take one step forward.
3. If you were ever called names because of your race, class, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.
4. If you were ever ashamed or embarrassed of your clothes, house, car, etc., take one step back.
5. If you parents were professionals: doctors, lawyers, etc., take one step forward.
6. If you were raised in an area where there was prostitution, drug activity, etc., take one step back.
7. If you ever tried to change your appearance, mannerisms, or behavior to avoid being judged or ridiculed, take one step back.
8. If you studied the culture of your ancestors in elementary school, take one step forward.
9. If you went to school speaking a language other than English, take one step back.
10. If there were more than 50 books in your house when you grew up, take one step forward.
11. If you ever had to skip a meal or were hungry because there was not enough money to buy you food when you were growing up, take one step forward.
12. If you were taken to art galleries or plays by your parents, take one step forward.
13. If one of your parents was unemployed or laid off, not by choice, take one step back.
14. If you attended private school or summer camp, take one step forward.
15. If your family ever had to move because they could not afford the rent, take one step back.
16. If your parents ever told you that you are beautiful, smart, and capable, take one step forward.
17. If you were ever denied access to academics or jobs because of race, class, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, take one step back.
18. If you were encouraged by your parents to attend college, take one step forward.
19. If you were raised in a single-parent household, take one step back.
20. If your family owned the house where you grew up, take one step forward.
21. If you were ever offered a good job because of your association with a friend or family member, take one step forward.
22. If you were ever accused or cheating or lying because of your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.
23. If you ever inherited money or property, take one step forward.
24. If you had to rely primarily on public transportation, take one step back.
25. If you were ever stopped or questioned by the police because of your race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, take one step back.
26. If you were ever afraid of violence because of your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.
27. If you were ever uncomfortable about a joke related to your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, but felt unsafe to confront the situation, take a step back.
28. If you were ever the victim of violence related to your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.
29. If your parents did not grow up in the United States, take one step back.
30. If your parents told you that you could be anything you wanted to be, take one step forward.
31. If you can get band-aids the color of your skin, take one step forward.
32. If you see people of your race widely represented in the media, take one step forward.
Ask the participants to remain where they are and to look at their position and the positions of other participants. Suggested questions for processing are: What happened? How did this exercise make you feel? What were your thoughts as you did this exercise? What have you learned from this exercise? What can you do with this information in the future?