“Here’s what we know about race,” says JJ Rutherford, Director of Education at History Colorado. ”Race is a short word with a long history in the United States of America. Think of the history of America and our ideas of race together, mixed-up, and ever-changing.”

According to the content in History Colorado’s new exhibit, Race: Are We So Different?, in reality, race is a powerful idea that was invented by society. Race is an enduring concept that has molded our nation’s economy, laws, and social institutions. It is a complex notion that has shaped each of our destinies.

The workshops will be facilitated by Dena Samuels, Director at The Matrix Center for the Advancement of Social Equity and Inclusion. Samuels says, “we also know and are often taught to believe that if we don’t talk about race then racism will go away. This is known as colorblindness. Considered a form of racism by many scholars, colorblindness has become a widespread method of letting ourselves off the hook, not having to deal with the huge systemic problem of racism – embedded in people of all ethnic backgrounds.”

These upcoming interactive, self-reflective workshops – How to Talk to Your Kids About Race -- will challenge the notion of colorblindness, providing the opportunity to consider how families can break the silence with their kids and others to confront the insidious system of racism that affects all of our lives.

Held at the History Colorado Center, these workshops will begin with the RACE museum exhibit, and then proceed through a facilitated discussion of the legacy of racism in the U.S. and how it affects us as a culture and on an individual level. How do notions of race, unconscious biases, and learned stereotypes play out in our lives, and the lives of those with whom we interact? How can we challenge those notions of race to become agents of change, leading toward a more equitable world? And, what strategies can we consider for starting/continuing the conversation around race with our kids and others? “It is our goal to provide resources and suggestions for further self-reflection, contemplation, and action,” says Rutherford.

How to Talk to Your Kids About Race workshops will all be held on Saturdays:

• October 18: 9:30-11:30 a.m.
• November 1: 4:00-6:00 p.m.
• December 6: 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Tickets for adults are $25; children are free and museum admission is included. For more information about these workshops call 303-866-4689.

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History Colorado's mission is to inspire generations to find wonder and meaning in our past and to engage in creating a better Colorado. We serve as the state's memory, preserving the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through our museums, educational programs, historic preservation grants, research library, collections, and outreach to Colorado communities. Find History Colorado on all major social media platforms. Visit HistoryColorado.org or call (303) HISTORY for more information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Deborah Radman
deborah.radman@state.co.us
303-866-3670 (direct)