“Gay Rights Are Wrong”

Program Resource Submission

Program Title:    “Gay Rights Are Wrong”                                                                                Date:                                                    

Staff Member(s):             Cherkira, Chukwuemeka                                                                                                             

Staff Member Area(s): 156 High (Writer’s Block)                                                                                                              

Were any other student groups/offices/organizations involved?  If so, please list:            UJAMAA, QueerWes, WeSlam                                                                                                                                                                              

Please provide a brief description of the program:

This program was designed to facilitate dialogue across very different groups on campus. It consisted of a workshop on White Supremacy in the Gay Rights Movement. It also, had an incredible spoken word performance by a group called “Dark Matter.”

Please list any materials/items/supplies needed for the program, as well as an approximate budget:

This program costs about 3500 for honorarium and travel of the performers and workshop facilitators.

In your opinion, what made this program such a success?

The group “DarkMatter” was the biggest success of the program because they are brilliant, movement builders and are dedicated to restorative justice. Also, advertising and planning ahead was key. 

On-Line Resource

From Deja:

I just wanted to share with you a link that I find helpful for planning programs. It is fun putting your personal spin on programs that were successful around the United States! Hopefully you can share this with other staff who might find this helpful!

http://www.reslife.net/html/program_possibilities.html

Sex & Candy

Program Title: Sex and Candy     Date: 09/24/2014

Staff Member(s): Deja Knight

Staff Member Area(s): Butterfields

Were any other student groups/offices/organizations involved?  If so, please list:   No         

Please provide a brief description of the program:

This program was done in two parts. The first part is about sex. So all of your residents enter the room. You let them know that for the purposes of this program, all of them are single and they have just entered speed dating. Give the residents a couple of minutes to get adjusted and mingle, however, let them know by the end of said time period (that you decide on) they should each have one or two partners, depending on the number of people you have playing. When the time limit is over, go around and give each partnership one envelope. Tell them that in the envelope is the results of their speed dating. After they find out their results, go around and give them another envelope, and tell them not to open it. Tell them that this is the gift that their partner gave them. Now, they must take their gift and go find new partner because their relationship did not work out. After they are happy with their new partner, tell them to exchange gifts with their new partner. Tell them to open their new gifts. Inside the envelope is STD’s or a baby. Give them a minute to ponder their gift and then have a debriefing session about the consequences of having sex. Make sure to encourage them to always use protection, get tested, don’t have more than one sex partners and allow them to come up with ways on their own to have a safe sex life. Take the time out to hear their thoughts and feelings about the activity. Remind them of where the health center is and give them some of the services the health center provides.

The second part is quicker. Give each person a cup with some juice. Tell them for the purpose of this activity that they are all over the age of 21. Tell them that they are at a bar having drinks. Tell each person to close their eyes and put their hand out. Give each person a piece of candy. Only use three colors. One represents being extremely intoxicated, one represented being drugged and the other represented an attempt of being drugged but it did not work for whatever reason. Three people are standing at the front of the room. Each person represents an attacker. Now each person much blindly identify their attacker. Afterwards, have a debriefing session on how sometimes you do not know your attacker, what to watch out for, not taking drinks from people, mixing your own drinks, knowing your limit and allow them to vent about the activity.

This program took approximately an hour. Stay after for a minute to see if anyone wants to talk.

Please list any materials/items/supplies needed for the program, as well as an approximate budget:

·         I made all the envelopes from construction paper that is in the ResLife central office. The number of cards you need depends on the number of people playing. For example, if there are 40 people playing, you would need 20 cards for the outcome of the speed dating and 40 cards for the gifts. The couple cards should say things such as couple, friends with benefits, married, divorced, polyamorous relationship and any other type of relationship you might have. Be sure to be gender neutral and use the word partner instead of telling them to pair up with opposite gender and be sure not to put boyfriend or girlfriend on the card but couple or dating. This adds an added affect to the game. For the gift cards, put one STD on a card or put a baby on the card. Also be sure to be gender neutral and not put pregnant but instead a baby or if you put sterile also put infertile.

·        Get enough small cups for each person a thing of juice for approximately $6

·         Get one bag of candy for approximately $3-4

·         Total should be no more than $10 but it would be more if you by envelopes instead of making them

In your opinion, what made this program such a success?

·         I used three pieces of colored paper instead of candy. I put the colored pieces of paper in their hands but I put the candy on the table for them to eat to reduce spreading germs and being messy.

·        Also warn them that this activity could be a trigger warning for them and to use self care. Allow them to dismiss themselves if they feel uncomfortable.

·         Allow them to come up with ways to have safe sex and drink responsible without telling them not to do it because then they will dismiss what you are saying.

·         Remind them that you are there for them if they need to talk.

·         I think it would help having a HR or an AC there for damage control if something get out of hand or something you say is taken the wrong way. Also it is important for moral support because this is a tough activity.

If you have any questions feel free to email me at dknight01@wesleyan.edu

Diplomacy and Decision Making: The Island Simulation

Program Title: Diplomacy and Decision Making: The Island Simulation     Date: September 29th

Staff Member(s): Gabriel Borelli and Dreisen Heath

Staff Member Area(s): CLARK

Were any other student groups/offices/organizations involved?  If so, please list: N/A 

Please provide a brief description of the program:

Professor Gallarotti came to do an activity with us involving citizenship and community building.  It was a simulation from his government class in which everyone involved is “abandoned” on an island and then challenged to form a successful community in order to survive.  Success of the simulation depends on the cooperation and teamwork of everyone involved, though there is no single solution to answer the “survival” question of the activity.  The activity itself, overall, is open-ended, allowing room for creative but nonetheless doable solutions if the hypothetical situation were real. 

Please list any materials/items/supplies needed for the program, as well as an approximate budget:

We ended up using $100 in faculty funding for pizza from Mondo, though the food itself wasn’t necessary for the program and was bought mainly because we held the event at dinnertime.

In your opinion, what made this program such a success?

I honestly don’t think that the program was successful because of the food.  It might’ve drawn a few extra residents to the event, though some didn’t eat and came because the activity itself seemed interesting.  I drummed up a lot of hype among my residents by reminding them every time I saw them and telling them how great Professor Gallarotti was, having gone through one of his classes and done the same activity with him that he did with my residents. I think the fact that Professor Gallarotti is someone who I know and who I have worked with influenced my residents’ decision to come, as they trusted me enough to believe that I would only have asked Professor Gallarotti to come if I knew the activity that we would do would be fun, interesting, and insightful.  Once the event began, the activity just carried itself.  The residents got really into the simulation and had an excellent discussion on community building.  This hypothetical island served as a fun metaphor for the ResLife community on Clark 3, and the residents really enjoyed it.  I think this spin on our community really boosted the event, as a conversation based solely around making Clark 3 a community as a hall would have come across stale and boring.