“I’ve Got Your Back” Exercise

Please note: You can adapt the questions below to fit your objectives.

Implementation:

Clear a large space of floor & ask all to stand up get with a partner.

Explain what is going to happen in this mixer game: "I will call out 2 different types of phrases.

  1. Whenever I call out the phrase 'I've got your BACK,' you have to find a NEW partner and put your pack up against his/hers.
  2. However, when I say, I've got your _____, you REMAINwith the same person you are with and touch corresponding body parts. I will then pose a question that both you & your partner should respond to. Be sure to take turns.

Sample Questions:

These are the questions as best I remember them. In general I would say to go from personal to political, and back and forth between self and other.

  1. “I’ve got your BACK!” (Back to Back)
  2. “I’ve got your HEAD!” (Head to Head): What is oneprivilege you know you possess?
  3. “I’ve got your BACK!” (Back to Back)
  4. “I’ve got your HAND!” (Hand to Hand): Which of your identities do you want to share? (If they want an example, rattle off something like (me) "I am a Southern white middle class heterosexual woman, a Christian, and a social justice advocate, an artist.")
  5. “I’ve got your BACK!” (Back to Back)
  6. “I’ve got your FOOT!” (Foot to Foot): Name a time when you have stood up for yourself when something unfair was happening.
  7. “I’ve got your BACK!” (Back to Back)
  8. “I’ve got your PINKY!” (Pinky to Pinky): What is the first time (or one of the first times) you remember encountering racism? What role did you play?
  9. “I’ve got your BACK!” (Back to Back)
  10. “I’ve got your HIP!” (Hip to Hip): What is a time that you recall encountering another ism, such as classism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, anti-semitism, etc.? What role did you play?
  11. “I’ve got your BACK!” (Back to Back)
  12. “I’ve got your ELBOW!” (Elbow to Elbow): What is a recent memory of encountering injustice?
  13. “I’ve got your BACK!” (Back to Back)
  14. “I’ve got your KNEE!” (Knee to Knee): Name a time when you have stood up for someone else (or been an “ally.”)

Ending:
You can use this exercise as a warm-up for another more serious discussion, or you can process the exercise itself:

What feelings came up?

What did you learn?

How will it change how you act in the future?

Or (a little lighter):

Any surprises?

Any new realizations?