Spectrum Series: Michele Norris

While listening to much of Norris's speech at Bovard last Wednesday, I found myself not one hundred percent engaged. I sat there respectfully trying to piece together exactly what this "post-racial" society is and disagreeing on the fact that the term exists period. It was laughable that anyone could've come up with that term and truly believed that this is where society is today. For most of the beginning I was lulled by the conversation and deep in thought about that term. It wasn't until later in the speech where I really perked up and hung on to every word Norris said.

What was interesting about the section of the event that I keyed in to was that none of the words were Norris's. She created a dialogue using a smorgasbord of six word race cards that could float back and forth between similar ideas and concepts. They ranged form humorous, to dark and traveled through every kind of discrimination in the process. It showed me not that these cards could have an entertainment value to them, but that six words alone is not enough. I was correct in my assessment in how limiting the experience is and while I agree with Norris in forcing you to nutshell your story, I believe that each is a puzzle piece of conversation. Once put together, we will see what the vision of a post-racial society can truly be. Right now, we're still assembling the pieces.