Final Due Date

Wednesday, May 31st

Through the remainder of May, we will be studying the vexing problems that surround Americas historical legacy of racial and class inequality in
America. Many American historians, sociologists, and political scientists see the problem of class and race as forever intertwined. Like the election
of 1828, 1898, 1932, and 1968, the election of 2016 turned on class and race in America. Central to the core of race in America is the concept of
access.

The purpose of this assignment is to examine this issue in a manner that is of interest to you. There are several options listed below, from which you
can either do in a small group of no more than three students or on your own. Instruction in class over the next few weeks is meant to support and
compliment your understanding of these issues. However, it is worth noting that the concept of access is a constant presence in every-day America.
If you look closely enough, you see this discussion embedded in the following public policy discussions:

Housing Tax code

Transportation Immigration
Education Drug policy
Climate Change Public lands
Religious freedom Gun ownership
Military affairs Civil Rights
Criminal justice Campaign finance and elections
Healthcare Government ethics and administration
Food production and policy Job training and hiring practices
Family values
Yes, that is every policy. During this unit, you should consider one facet to examine in your project. The project choices range from local to national,
from active to passive. Find something that fits your needs. Please note, all options include a written paper that includes research. It should be in 11
pt font, Times New Roman, double spaced, with one inch margins. You should also include a Bibliography in MLA format. Remember to use in-text
citations.

Part I: Research

Book Review and Policy Brief - SOLO

Select one of the books listed to
read independently. Each of them
discusses many different facets
of public policy. At the conclusion
of your reading, research an issue
and a probable policy solution.
Summarize this in a three to five
page policy brief using the format Have a book in mind you would like to propose? Email me your proposal.
discussed here.
Interviews GROUP UP TO THREE
Interview a policy entrepreneur
who is at the nexus of race, class,
and policy in our community
(Fairfax), state, or country. This
interview should be completed on
your smart phones device, edited
using Audacity or a similar audio
editing platform to no more than
Books to select from:
Michelle Alexanders The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (2010)
TaNahisi Coates Between the World and Me (2015)
JD Vances Hillbilly Elegy (2016)
Nancy Isenbergs White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America (2016)
Bryan Stevensons Just Mercy (2014)
Suggestions:
Social activist in community/state/nation like Representative John Lewis, Delegate Eleanor
Holmes Norton, or someone who has an amazing history and role that we do not know about yet.
Someone who has a pivotal role at some level of the government like but not limited to:
o Your mayor, David Meyer
o Representative Gerry Connolly
o State legislator Chap Peterson
A community activist with some recognized role within a special interest group
ten minutes, and uploaded onto A party leader in your community
Classroom. Bonus if they agree to
upload it onto StoryCorps. Please tell me who you plan on interviewing.
Please include a one page
summary of your interview, the
questions you asked in your
interview, and the historical or
political reason for asking them
(one paragraph answer per
question), You must post your
Bibliography as well.
Documentary Short - GROUP UP TO 3
Complete a 15-20 minute Suggestions:
documentary researching a Do metros problems affect different communities in our area equally?
historical or contemporary story Does where you live impact your educational opportunities?
that examines race, class, and What happens to displaced residents during times of urban renewal (gentrification)
policy in our community. Upload How does our historical roots in our community impact contemporary politics in Fairfax?
the finished product onto YouTube
and share onto Classroom. Please Please tell me what you plan on covering in your short.
include a one page summary of
your video, which summarizes
your answers to the question you
posed. You must post your
Bibliography as well.
Original Art - SOLO
Complete one original piece of art, Examples:
whether it be music, poetry, or U2s Sunday Bloody Sunday
based in fine arts. You must do Rage Against The Machines Killing in the Name of
research on a policy issue that is Public Enemys Revolutionary Generation or Cant Truss It
plaguing a target community and Langston Hughes I, Too
type up a three to five page policy Glenn Lignons Double America
brief using the format discussed Glenn Lignons I Am A Man
here. that accompanies your Kerry James Marshalls Great America
artwork. Your artwork should Jenny Holzers Left Palm and Knife Edge 000417
address some aspect of the issue
and/or impact of the suggested
policy.
Museum Visit - SOLO
Visit the Smithsonian African American History Museum. Find five installations that highlight inequality of access that are meaningful to you. Take a
picture of these five installations. Complete five page reflection paper that includes research beyond what the museum shows that answer the
following question: How has equality of access been denied to different communities in America? You must include yourself in each picture.

Part II: Reflection

You are to write a 500 word reflection answering the question listed below. It is to be posted onto Classroom by Wednesday, May 31st. (Second
period is exempt from this portion of the activity due to their participation in the KIA survey.)

Do you believe diversity and equality is possible in America? Why or why not? Please provide evidence from your project to support your response,
and describe at least one barrier that acts as an impediment, whether it is able to be overcome or not.

I need to know who you are working with on Classroom May 10th. I will post a question on classroom and ask you to post your answer, your
project proposal, and your partners here.