Life is Water, Life is Words: Draft plans for Day 1

Monday

1.  (3 min) Hellos. Briefly introduce session and facilitators.

2.  (15 min) Ice breaker(s)

1. Name Circle plus object: The group sits in a circle - with facilitators (Ashley and Alex) interspersed among them. One person says their name and an object they’ll bring to [what?]. Each person then says the name and object of all the people who’ve gone before them, adding their name and object at the end. (That’s Sarah, and she’s bringing soup. This is Ashley, and she’s bringing an aardvark. I’m Alex, and I’m bringing ashes.)
2. Circle: “I am/have…” everyone who does, rotates, till last person standing.

3. Intro to water politics:

1. How many of you regularly think about water? Has anyone been in a situation where good, clean water was scarce?
2. We’re going to think this week about the role of water in the world, learn a bit about how people around the world struggle over water issues, and share stories about the role of water, struggle, and power in our lives.

4. Flint.

1. Ask: How many of you have heard about the Flint water crisis? What do you know about it?
2. Share some background on it. Brief history of Flint, focus on race and economics. And water crisis itself. (Powerpoint? A few images?)
3. Show this performance: “5 Students Slam Poetry Is Exactly Flint Michigan Water Crisis” (2:15). Or this one (but probably not. Bad video quality.)
4. Share article saying Flint’s water is safe.

5. Blackout poetry on Flint.

1. Using a section of the City of Flint’s 2014 Annual Water Quality Report, black out words until you have a new text. (Show sample.) Work with partner or individually.
2. Share out.

6. Discussion.

1. What does this event have to do with identity? Race? Gender? Age? Geography? Could this have happened anywhere?

7.  Writing personal connections

1. Need prompt.
2. Share out.