Students and faculty explored the meaning of race in their lives at the “Race Card Project” discussion today at 12:30 on the Arnold campus.

AACC’s Black History Month Committee hosted this event to initiate a thought-provoking conversation about racism and cultural differences through race cards.

This month, the college set up three different areas around campus that displayed note cards written by students. The Race Card Project asks people to write a card about their thoughts on race in six words.

“[This event] is an opportunity for people to speak truth to power, and to be real and authentic in terms of [people’s] feelings about race and racism,” human resources professor April Anderson said.

Throughout the event, groups of audience members discussed their interpretations of the race cards with each other.

“I filled [a card] out last week or maybe two weeks ago for sociology,” first-year dance student Brandon Yenger said. “I ended up writing on it that … I don’t notice race in my life because I’m white.”

The Race Card Project’s website features submissions from people around the world on their personal experiences with race.

“For me [the race card project] means it’s a conversation in writing,” communications professor April Copes said. “People walk by and they read other people’s ideas and they get to think about them. And if they wanna participate they can join the conversation by writing their own six words.”

During today’s event, Copes brought one of her communications classes to have conversations about “difficult topics.”

“This is a great way for people to put themselves in situations that maybe they otherwise wouldn’t,” Copes said. “And learn about some topics that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.”