Martin Luther King Jr.

Day of Service

www.nyhumanities.org/conversations

Thank yo u for hosting a Co mmunity Conversation for Young Adults !

Community Conversations provides an opportunity for people to come together for thoughtful discussion and dialogue about their shared values as Americanspast, present, and future. Focused on central themes in American life such as service, freedom and democracy, Community Conversations allows New Yorkers to join in discussions that offer an alternative to received wisdom and provide the chance to take part in a shared national dialogue.
O ve rvi ew Community Conversations are stand-alone, text-based discussions led by a facilitator from the local community. Each toolkit includes a text that tackles an important aspect of American life and encourages community dialogue. Your Community Conversation should last between 60 and 90 minutes without interruption. Discussions should be guided by a facilitator and focused on the text and the theme. Hold your conversation in a room where a group of 10-30 participants can hear each other clearly. Use the tips sheets for host sites and facilitators included in this toolkit for ideas about how to encourage everyone to participate in the discussion. Faci litato r A good facilitator is the key to making a Community Conversation successful. The facilitator should be someone in your community who enjoys working with people, is interested in what others have to say, and believes in the merit of conversationbased programs. The facilitator does not need to be someone with an advanced degree in the humanities, but rather someone who has some experience leading open conversations and who is enthusiastic about learning how to facilitate. We encourage all prospective facilitators to attend one of the Councils free facilitation webinars* to learn more about best practices for guiding successful and meaningful discussions. *Facilitators at featured sites must attend a facilitation webinar. Commencement Address, Fisk University, 1898 by W.E.B. DuBois Discussion Questions for Commencement Address, Fisk University, 1898 Tips for Facilitating Tips for Hosting Sample Schedule Participant Evaluation Keep the Conversation Going Partners page 3 page 4 page 5 page 6 page 7 page 8 page 9 page 10

Struc ture

In clu d ed in th is to ol ki t:

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Commencement Address, Fisk Unive rsity, 1898 by W.E.B. DuBois

Never before have so many hands and heads joined to make the earth yield to her increase, to make glad the waste places of the earth, to ply the loom, and whirl the spindle, and transform the useless and the worthless [We] have made the earth smaller and life broader by annihilating distance, magnifying the human voice and the stars, binding nation to nation, until to-day, for the first time in history, there is one standard of human culture as well in New York as in London, in Cape Town as in Paris, in Bombay as in Berlin. Is not this, then, a century worth living ina day worth serving? And though toil, hard, heavy toil, be the price of life, shall we not, young men and women, gladly work and sacrifice and serve? And we serve first for the sake of servingto develop our own powers, gain the mastery of this human machine, and come to the broadest, deepest self-realization. And then we serve for the real end of service, to make life no narrow, selfish thing, but to let it sweep as sweeps the morningbroad and full and free for all men and all time, that you and I and all may earn a living and earth, too, more than that, a life worth living. But you who, firm and inspired, turn toward the work of living, undismayed, knowing the world that was, loving the world that is, and believing in the world that is to be, just what can you dowhat careers can you follow to realize the ideals and hopes of this day? You cannot surely be knights and kings and magicians, but you can choose careers fully as wonderful and much more useful You see the laborer, the wizard who places his weak shoulders against the physical world and overturns mountains and pushes away forests, and guides the rivers, and garners the harvests. You see the manufacturer guiding the laborer with brains and with capital: he is the alchemist in whose alembic dirt turns to houses, grass to coats, and stones to food. The merchant you see standing beside him, the prophet who enables us to laugh at famine, and want, and waste, by bringing together buyer and seller, maker and user, reader and writer. There is the teacher, the giver of immortal life, the one who makes the child to start where his fathers left off, that the world may think on with one mind. Yonder stands the physician with the long sought elixir of life, the lawyer clothed in justice, the minister who seeks to add to justice righteousness, and to life ideals higher than life. Your restless eye may easily overlook the corner where sits the scientist seeking the truth that shall make us free, or the other, where the artist dies that there may live a poem or painting or a thought. All these ways of earning a living you may see in the world, and many more. But it does not follow that you may idly or thoughtlessly choose one as you pick a flower on a summers day. To choose a life calling is a serious thing: first, you must consider not so much what you want to do as what wants to be done; secondly, you cannot wander at will over all the world of work that wants workers, but duty and privilege and special advantage calls to the work that lies nearest your hands And with the life work chosen, remember that it can become, as you will it, drudgery or heroism, prosaic or romantic, brutal or divine. Who of the world to-day cares whether Washington was a farmer or a merchant? Who thinks of Lincoln as a country lawyer, or reads St. Peter, the fisherman, prays to Jesus Christ the carpenter? If you make the object of your life calling food and drink, food and drink, food and drink it will yield you grudginglybut if above and beyond mere existence you seek to play well your part because it is worth playingto do your duty because the world thirsts for your service, to perform clean, honest, thorough work, not for cheap applause, but because the work needs to be done, then is all your toil and drudgery transfigured into divine service and joins the mighty lives that have swept beyond time into the everlasting world. In this sense, is it, young men and women, that the vision of life you have gained here is truer and holier and more real than the narrow, sordid views of life which you meet on the streets and in the homes of smaller souls. Cling to those ideals, cherish them, and in travail and sorrow, if need be, make them more true.
Adapted from Careers Open to College-Bred Negroes by W.E.B. DuBois New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org 3

Discussio n Questions for Commencement Address, Fisk Unive rsity, 1898 by W.E.B. DuBois

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is often observed, through service, as a day on, not a day off. Is community service an appropriate way to commemorate his life? Why or why not? What does W.E. B. DuBois mean when he says we serve first for the sake of serving? Do you think hes right? DuBois connects serving with self-realization. Do you see a connection between the two? How does one lead to the other? Have you ever felt that way? DuBois says you must consider not so much what you want to do as what wants to be done. What does he mean? What do you think? DuBois says you cannot wander at will over all the world that wants workers, but rather that dutycalls to the work that lies nearest your hands. Does that make sense to you? DuBois talks a lot about serving through our work, but many people do service occasionally, as volunteers. Is one more valuable than the other? Do you think there is a difference between a calling and a career? Do you feel called to perform service in your studies or your career path? Is the most valuable service that which we do in our own communities? What about service we perform for people who arent like us, who live in other communities or even other countries? DuBois suggests that young people have a special role to play in serving. How important are young people to service projects in your community? Why do you think our society often looks to young people to do service work? What are some examples of service you and your peers perform? Service projects and service learning are common in many high schools and colleges. Do you think service should be a required part of [high school/college] coursework? DuBois observes that technological changes have magnified the human voice. Is service a way to also magnify ones voice? How? DuBois addresses the graduating class as you who, firm and inspired, turn toward the work of living, undismayed. Do you feel inspired to serve? What do you see as the work of living? When DuBois gave this speech in 1898 he predicted that his listeners lives of service could make the next hundred years a century worth living in. Have we lived up to DuBois vision? Has service made the last century worth living in? Do DuBoiss reasons for serving match your motivations? What motivates you to perform service? DuBois called on his listeners to serve in 1898; in the mid-twentieth century Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired a new generation to serve. Where are we now? Are there similar figures today that call on us to serve? Do we still need leaders to inspire us?
New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org 4

Tips for Facilitating a Co mmunity Conversation for Young Adults

Community Conversations are simple gatherings that encourage thoughtful, engaged dialogue using a short reading to foster discussion. The goal is a comfortable, lively discussion free of bias and judgment. We hope the following suggestions will help you create an inviting environment for you and your community.
Pl an ni ng fo r th e Co nv e rsatio n
Expect a healthy conversation to last between 60 and 90 minutes. Read the text several times, paying attention to the parts that were difficult or that made you pause. These will be the places that generate the most conversation. Use the sample questions in this toolkit as a starting point for writing questions that will resonate with your group. Decide how you will begin the conversation. The first few questions will set the tone for the discussion, so think about what themes in the text you would like to explore. Prepare about three times as many questions as you think youll cover with the group. You wont get to everything, but extra planning will help you follow the natural progression of the conversation. Plan a closing question or exercise that signals the end of the formal discussion, but encourages the group to keep the conversation going at home or among friends.

Ge ttin g Starte d
Arrange chairs in a circle or semi-circle so that participants can easily see one another and be heard by all. Start by establishing some basic guidelines with the group. For example, be respectful, make sure that everyone has a turn to speak, and focus your comments on the reading. Introduce yourself at the beginning of the session and ask each participant to do the same. Keep introductions short. Begin by reading the whole text aloud together. This allows everyone to have the opportunity to hear a fluent reader and invites people with lower levels of literacy to actively participate. Plan an opening activity to help participants get comfortable: ask a discussion question and encourage participants to share their thoughts in pairs and report back to the group.

Aski ng Go o d Q u e stio ns
Ask short, open-ended questions that dont have a right or wrong answer. Invite the participants to interpret the text in their own ways. Focus on places where opinions may differ (not on facts that cannot be disputed). Look for ways to connect the subject matter to everyday life. Encourage participants to form their own questions. Prioritize keeping the conversation going over getting to all of your questions. Use the text as a neutral place to return to if the conversation gets heated.

Li sten an d Le arn
Focus on listening, not teaching. Be flexible and let your questions follow the natural course of conversation. Dont feel that you need to ask every question youve prepared or in the order you planned. When the conversation is flowing, share your opinion last or not at all. Avoid answering your own questions. If there is a lull in the conversation, let people think about their answers before you move on. Look at the person speaking, and try not to cross your arms or legs. Address group members by their first names.

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Tips for Hosting a Co mmunity Conversation for Young Adults

Fin d in g a Facil itato r

Find a facilitator who is a good fit for your group. (The host-site coordinator and the facilitator can be the same person.) The success of your conversation is highly dependent on the skill of your facilitator. o Look for someone who is open, friendly, and enjoys working with people. Your facilitator should believe in the program and share your enthusiasm for doing it! o Look for someone who is interested in what others have to say. Keep in mind, the facilitator is not there to teach the text or lecture on the topic, but rather to ask questions and let the group do the talking. o Look for someone who is willing to learn how to be a facilitator and can commit to doing the training webinar (if you are a featured site).

Re crui tmen t
Plan to begin publicizing your discussion at least three weeks in advance. The Council provides templates for press releases, fliers, and Community Conversation logos on our website. For public conversations, make fliers and post them at local libraries, community centers, coffee houses, school campuses, churches, veterans or union halls, and store bulletin boards. Be sure to get permission to leave or post fliers. Make every effort to draw a diverse audience to your program so that a variety of perspectives are represented in the discussion. If your conversation is for a closed group (staff, club, etc.), consider including the discussion at a time when you already meet, such as at a staff meeting. You may consider including the conversation on the day of a planned service project, either to start or conclude the project. Consider making fliers with the time, date, and location on one side and the text on the other.

Ro om Set-U p
Be sure to choose a room with good acoustics so that everyone, including people who may be hard of hearing, can hear each other. Choose a room that is free of other distractions. Seat participants in a circle or semi-circle so everyone can make eye contact with each other. Create a welcome table with copies of the text near the entrance to the room. Provide nametags and ask participants to use their first names. You may also want to include other literature or pamphlets from your organization related to the theme of the discussion. Make more than enough copies of the text so that everyone has a copy. Invite participants to take an extra copy after the discussion and share it with a friend or family member. Its a great way to keep the conversation going! Test any audiovisual equipment ahead of time to make sure that the volume is loud enough for everyone to hear. Dont play off of built-in computer speakersits difficult to hear in large groups and people may feel uncomfortable saying so. Provide light refreshments like juice, coffee or tea, and cookies. You can use the stipend to cover the cost of drinks and snacks. Make sure the facilitator has a view of a clock or other time-keeping device. If you are not the facilitator, seat yourself across from him or her so that you can easily make eye-contact.

Wrap -U p
Decide whether you will ask participants to fill out an evaluation form. Have copies on hand to distribute after the discussion has concluded. The Council has included a short evaluation form in this toolkit that you can use, or you can design your own. Be sure to share participant feedback, formal and informal, on the host-site coordinator evaluation form. Keep accurate attendance data for your own records to report back to the Council. The Council does not require you to share names or contact information of attendees. If you are a featured site, complete the online evaluation for host-site coordinators within two weeks of the event.!
New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org 6

Sample Schedule for a Co mmunity Conversation for Young Adults

Planning Guidelines for Community Conversations

Activate prior knowledge: What is service? What does it mean to serve your community? Is service just about volunteering? What are some ways that young adults serve their communities? Ask students to write down one or two surprising facts or quotes from the text as they listen.

Get students thinking about the topic " 15 minutes

Read the text aloud " 10 minutes

Check comprehension " 5 minutes

Did everyone understand the vocabulary? Are there any phrases that need further clarification?

Discuss " 50 minutes

Use the discussion questions in the toolkit and add your own. Focus on questions that ask kids to interpret and evaluate the authors words and how they feel about what is going on.

Wrap-Up " 10 minutes

What does service mean in this text? How can you serve in your community? Are there ways that young adults can serve alone and together?

Ne w Yor k State S tandards for Grades 6-12 Com mon Co re En glish Langu age Arts: Comprehension and Collaboration and Conventions of Standard English

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Participant Evaluatio n

Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Di d this co nv ersa ti on h el p yo u to th in k ab ou t th is to pi c in n e w wa ys? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

Di d yo u le arn f rom yo u r pe e rs du rin g the co n ve rsatio n? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

We re you e n cou rage d to sh are yo u r re actio ns to th e to pi c an d tex t? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

We re o th e rs e nc ou rage d to sh are th ei r re actio ns to th e to pi c an d tex t? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

Di d the f acil itato r ask re le van t an d in tere stin g qu e stio ns abo u t the te xt an d top ic? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

Ho w v alu ab le was it to you to p arti cip ate in thi s pro gram? Not at all valuable Not very valuable Somewhat valuable Valuable Very valuable

Ho w i mpo rtant is i t to hav e pro grams like th is o n e in you r co mmu n ity? Not at all important Not very important
Somewhat important

Important

Very important

Do yo u pl an to tal k to frie n ds and f amil y abo u t th e i de as rai se d i n thi s pro gram? Yes No

Wo u ld you pa rti cip ate in thi s kin d of pro gram agai n? Yes No

Pl e ase add an y add iti on al com men ts ab ou t to day s Co mmu nity Co nve rsatio n .

Would you like to receive the Councils e-newsletter? Email: _______________________________________________________________________________

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Keep the Conversation Going with Support from the New York Council for the Humanities

Explore more of what the Council has to offer! These grants and programs support conversation-based programming.

Conversations Bureau Discuss ideas based on a short text, led by a scholar-facilitator

www.nyhumanities.org/programs/cb

90-minute discussion guided by a scholar-facilitator. Centered on a short text focused on American identity. Explore African American Studies with some of these Conversations: " The Black Migration: Agent of Change " The Gettysburg Address Challenges America! Series of thematically linked texts over the course of four, five, or six sessions. Serving: Why and how do we choose to serve others? How does service impact our communities? The readings in this series are taken from The Civically Engaged Reader anthology. Other themes include: Working, Muslim Journeys, Growing and Aging, Making Sense of the Civil War, and Lincoln on the Civil War. A forum for parents and their 9- to 11-year old children to come together to talk about books and ideas. Six 90-minute sessions are co-facilitated by a librarian and a humanities scholar from the local community. Explore key themes in American life such as courage, freedom, and being American. Design your own conversation-based programming about important humanities ideas or texts that encourage informed public discourse in communities. Apply for a Planning, Project, or Directors Project Grant. Grants ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 are available. Over 200 humanities-based lectures on a wide variety of topics. Host a lecture on African American Studies: " The Writings of MLK and Malcolm X and the American Conscience " Harriet Tubman: Myth, Memory, and History " Images of the African Diaspora in NYC Community Murals

Rea ding & Discussion Progra ms for Adults Read and talk about books and ideas in a group setting
www.nyhumanities.org/adultrd

Tog ether a nd Unidos Family reading and discussion program for parents and kids
www.nyhumanities.org/together

Grants Funding for projects using humanities to engage the public

www.nyhumanities.org/grants

Speakers in the Humanities and Spea kers in the Schools Lectures on humanities topics
www.nyhumanities.org/speakers

Visit us at www.nyhumanities.org for all program information, guidelines, and application forms. Any not-for-profit organization in New York State is eligible to apply for Council grants and programs.

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Co mmunity Conversations Partners

Partners

Media Partner

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

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