Workbook • Disparity Trap Board Game

Discussion Questions: Throughout each stage of the game, there are thought-provoking questions the group can ask themselves to spark conversation about where each player currently is in the game and what led them to be in those positions.

Journal Sections: Before/During/After the discussions, the participants are encouraged to journal their thoughts within the workbook so that they can refer to them later.

Homework Assignments: After the dust has settled and the participants had time to think on their experience, there are post-game questions provided for them to complete and turn in as a homework assignment or to share in wrap up discussion at a later time.

The Disparity Trap board game leans on the research and work of Dr. Debra (Debi) Jenkins, a professor in Education and Psychology, and consultant in Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion for academic, non-profit,

and corporate institutions.

The following are her words about the Disparity Trap board game.

"Racism is a system created before anyone today was born and remains one of the most unfinished conversations within the United States. Disparity Trap brilliantly provides a learning opportunity to acquire a deeper understanding of inequity and to begin conversations about racism in an innovative yet poignantly strategic way! Links to statistics give players a relevant connection to how racism continues to impact on systemic, institutional, and interpersonal levels.

Systemic racism, as a system of oppression, has beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries. I created the language systemically dominant (SD)- those a system was created to benefit and systemically non-dominant (SND) - those a system was not created to benefit for my IST of an ISM paradigm. The paradigm and language prevent misunderstandings about who holds systemic power and privilege which is at the root of inequity. The language SD and SND are used in Disparity Trap to provide language which can promote forward movement and help participants understand inequity as the intended outcome of systemic oppression.

The Disparity Trap board game is fun, educational, and insightful! Youth (ages 14) up to adults can learn how race as a system impacts those of us who live within the United States. Disparity Trap can encourage a step towards the work of dismantling oppression and can bring conversations about race to effective levels whether played at home with friends and family, in professional settings, or in junior high through college- level classrooms."

-Dr. Debra (Debi) Jenkins