“Don't you hate that? Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel it's necessary to yak about bullshit in order to be comfortable? That's when you know you've found somebody special. When you can just shut the fuck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence.” (Pulp Fiction, 1994)

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In recent classes we've had a great dialogue about dealing with systemic injustices built into institutions. There is a theme going on about dismantling systems from the outside versus/while seeking to improve conditions from the inside. Are the two approaches mutually exclusive? Can the tools and system of the oppressing institution be used to fix said institution, or do we need something more radical than reformation? 

I'm not quite sure where this question will take me yet, or what thesis I'll be developing on, but I'd like to do some research into the prison abolition and prison reform movements. Are these movements so far opposed in their goals or can they harmonize?

In an essay written by Dalke, the word “slippage” appears. Living in a community, we cannot avoid committing a “slippage”. It is to unknowingly hurt someone. It is common to do it in daily lives since it is impossible to avoid dissent where more than two people gather. Even if they share lots of same features or have same hobbies, it is inevitable for them to be always the same or always have the same feelings unless they are clones of each other. All people are different from each other. In particular, in multicultural environment, “slippage” is more likely to happen. Even when we have knowledges of other races, religions or cultures, it is difficult to reflect on practice.

A lot of artworks and possibilities for multimedia expressions:

http://i-d.vice.com/en_gb/article/the-art-of-the-black-lives-matter-movement

Plan for 10-15 minutes of silence to open our shared classtime.
Thurs, Sept 17 Abby: a writing meditation
Tues, Sept. 22 Rosa: "power rooted in conviction shapes action"
Thurs, Sept. 24 Madison: Quaker style
Tues, Sept. 29 Joie: working with clay
Thurs, Oct. 1 Kieres: energy circle

9:00 Joie
9:30 Madison
10:00 Rosa
10:30 Rhett
11:00 Han
11:30 Sylvia
12:00 Riley
12:30 Meera
1-3 BREAK!
3:00 Sula
3:30 Farida
4:00 Julia
4:30 Kieres
5:00 Abby
5:30 Shirah
6:00 Tong

Lesson Plan 9/17/15 

Rhett: Introduction: names, PGPs, power color, etc.

Madison: Share homework from last Thursday --> as this is happening, Abby can put the Katrina photos on the wall (with paper for ideas and thoughts under photos)

Abby: Introduce Katrina photo gallery (silent activity)

Farida: Pass out Renee Martin’s personal account of Katrina --> read as a group and leave time to discuss thoughts

Rhett: in-class writing prompt: When did you have to deal with the consequences of an event that was out of your control? --> anyone who wants to share 

Abby: Homework writing prompt: ??