“We Are...” – The Traveling Experience
Common Circles is currently bringing a traveling educational museum experience called “We Are White Plains: Bridging, Belonging, and Building Community” to the White Plains Public Schools in Westchester County, New York.
![Students at White Plains High School learn about the Holocaust in the Dimensions in Testimony room of the We Are White Plains exhibit](https://commoncircles.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/WAWP-students-in-DIT-room-WPHS.jpg)
![Image](https://commoncircles.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/White-Plains-students-viewing-OKOP-exhibit.jpg)
Common Circles Partners with USC Shoah Foundation
One of the exhibits in the “We Are White Plains” experience includes two interactive biographies from USC Shoah Foundation's Dimensions in Testimony. They highlight Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and liberator Alan Moskin.
“We Are White Plains” launched in March 2023. This experience can be customized for other school districts, municipalities, and organizations. Email info@commoncircles.org for more information.
![We Are White Plains Bridging, Belonging, & Building Community logo](https://commoncircles.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/WeAreWhitePlains-logo-stacked-600.png)
![We Are White Plains -- Common Threads display -- teacher showing her card](https://commoncircles.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/White-Plains-Common-Threads-display.jpg)
![Image](https://commoncircles.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/WAWP-DIT-intro-panel.jpg)
The Common Circles Interactive Art Experience
Common Circles has developed plans for a community art experience specifically designed for corporations and educational communities (middle school, high school, and college students, faculty, administrators and staff).
Using cutting-edge technology and proven techniques for reducing bias, the Common Circles Interactive Art Experience will engage participants through emotional and educational videos and interactive photo-capturing devices that encourage identity exploration. The experience will culminate with a large cycling video wall that provides unexpected insights to challenge preconceptions. The purpose of this experience is to inspire greater cohesion and harmony and to help participants consider one another’s personalities and perspectives in more layered and nuanced ways.
Watch this video to see how our interactive experience was customized for the Tri-Faith Center in Omaha, NB.
![Hand holding up photo of young woman](https://commoncircles.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/CommonCircles-ArtInteractive-PhotoBooth.jpg)
Step into the shoes of others
The Workshop & Game Jam
Imagined for students by students
Common Circles designed, developed, and implemented an identity and game workshop for high school students in St. Louis, Missouri. Students from seven area high schools came together to learn about identity, unconscious bias, and the fundamentals of game design. Using techniques from psychology that have been proven to increase empathy and decrease bias, the students then worked collaboratively alongside game designers and experts on bias and intergroup relations to create games to address these difficult topics in an engaging way. The students generated innovative and viable ideas, including a card game called Common Threads that was further developed and is now part of the “We Are...” exhibit and curriculum.
![Image](https://commoncircles.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/common-circles-student-workshop-2018.jpeg)
![group of students in workshop to develop a game to teach about bias and identity](https://commoncircles.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Student-Workshop-Game-Jam.png)
The Common Threads Game
Common Threads is an innovative multi-player character card game linking Malcolm x and P!nk in less than 5 minutes.
Developed by high school students, the Common Threads card game highlights the richness of both personal and social identities and seeks to find connection and commonalities across lines of difference. The character cards address the many layers of identity among various historical figures, artists, celebrities, politicians, scientists, athletes and musicians.
The game uses several proven methods from psychology including "finding commonality," a technique that tasks players to explore commonalities among the varied 100-character card deck. This highlights that our identities are multi-layered and made up of diverse factors and allows us to focus on what we have in common. Experts agree that this identity work is a crucial starting point in the difficult but vital education necessary to ensure inclusive, anti-racist schools, workplaces and organizations. The Common Threads card game is being integrated into curriculum in classrooms and other organizations as part of the “We Are...” exhibit and curriculum.
![illustration of Common Threads Game Cards](https://commoncircles.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CommonThreadsGameCards.jpg)