This resource is an accompaniment to our podcast, “I” Statements, where people with different identities come together to share their own beliefs, experiences, and perspectives, demonstrating both the power and the possibility inherent in communicating across difference.
CDP Resource: Listening & Learning with "I" Statements
Episode 9. Imagination
Episode Overview
In this episode, Bert, Janani, and Rachel talk about the things they imagined when they were children, how they imagine what’s possible for themselves, and the role of imagination in creating a more just and equitable world.
Discussion Questions
- How has your experience of imagination changed throughout your life?
- Where do you notice social identity showing up in what you imagine for your own life? For the society you’re part of? For the world and its future?
- Who is a role model of yours and how does this person spur your imagination?
Writing Prompt
Describe a time when your imagination “filled in the gaps” of an incomplete story: what did you know, and what information did your imagination add? What kind of emotions, assumptions, or stereotypes emerged in what you imagined?
Related Readings
- Why social movements need the radical imagination (Khasnabish & Haiven, 2014)
- The importance of diverse role models (Evenson, 2019)
- What happens to creativity as we age? (Gopnik & Griffiths, 2017)
- The coronavirus is rewriting our imaginations (Robinson, 2020)
About CDP Resources
Written by the Center for Dialogue & Pluralism (CDP), CDP Resources are intended for noncommercial, educational use by members of the Cornell community. This content represents CDP’s intellectual property and may not be reproduced or repurposed for commercial use without prior written permission.
For inquiries about reprint or linking permissions, please contact dialogue@cornell.edu.