This week I finally got my hands on a part of the Mixed Race in a Box that we all put money towards for our American literature module. It was published by the Asian American Literary Review in 2013. It is a multimedia project to teach mixed race in a different artistic and innovative way. It is used in classrooms here in Ireland as well as in America, Poland, Germany, Hong Kong and Argentina.
The box itself includes:
– a set of playing cards
-mixed race is a black box
-mixed race is a Pandora’s box
-mixed race is an inbox
– a poster
They all come in a lovely wooden box. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the pack of playing cards that I had my eye on. Every card has a quote from an author or a story on the back and the front of the cards contain beautiful images displayed in artistic form.
I have studied William Faulkner and Nella Larsen as part of the curriculum for this module so seeing quotes from them on the cards themselves is a nice memento to have of this semester. These authors are inspiring when it comes to issues of mixed race. I find that the box is a perfect way to teach about mixed race using a modern way of teaching as opposed to the old-fashioned form.
I have attached two personal photographs of a selection of cards in the pack. I must say that each and every individual card is worth taking a photograph of. The other pieces in the box were taken home by the other students in my group. Mixed Race in a Box is by far the most exciting literature I have studied this semester. I feel it may open up the eyes of students that find it hard to learn about race.
What's My Point? 