Thank you for volunteering to guide the discussion group through our next chapter of “White Rage.” Here is what we are asking of discussion leaders.
  1. After reading the chapter yourself, take one to two hours to meet with your partner to co-develop a set of facilitation questions for the group. We suggest having at least eight questions on hand, but you may not get through more than five.
  2. The main goal of the initial questions is to review the content of the chapter. Most of us have read the chapter a week or two before our session, so we want to make sure folks can get the content back in their heads. We also want to make sure people are fluid with the chapter content so they can use it as a springboard to add their analysis. The conversation can go in any number of directions, but we should begin with a thorough grounding in history and the evidence presented in the text.
  3. Add some questions that challenge us to think about what is presented in the chapter and how the facts in the chapter relate to current political, social, and economic structures of racial inequality.
  4. Structure the conversation in a way that gives everyone else great latitude to contribute and build on each other's points.
  5. Send one or two of those questions to the entire group the Tuesday before we meet.
  6. Write up a timeline of key events from the chapter and share it with the group in an engaging way. However you do it, we'll want to remind people of key events from the chapter before we delve into conversation.
  7. You'll have about 80 minutes total. We meet for two hours, but this includes dinner, arrival time, and time to make announcements and discuss logistics towards the end.
  8. Try to ensure that everyone has a chance to speak. If you notice some people are talking a lot, try to encourage others to speak. If you notice that we are staying on one topic for too long, you can move us along in the conversation. Conversely, if we are more scattered, you can help us focus on a particular issue, then guide us to the next issue.
  9. Feel free to put your own stamp and spin on the session.
  10. We are here if you need us, so don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions at all.