In|Dignity is a mobile and online exhibition prepared by faculty and students at Cal State San Bernardino, as a resource for San Bernardino County schools. The title – “In|Dignity” – is a double entendre, simultaneously reading as the single word “indignity” and two separate words, “in dignity.”
These two meanings capture what the exhibition explores: experiences with oppression, discrimination, and prejudice, and simultaneously the pride and self-respect that we must have for ourselves and for others facing marginalization.
In|Dignity builds students’ understanding of the experiences of individuals different from themselves, and provides assurance for those who themselves feel different that they are not alone. The exhibition, together with this curriculum unit, are envisioned to be useful as a tool for schools to:
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Promote empathy
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Discourage bullying
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Support students with marginalized identities
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Stimulate critical thinking about current events
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Encourage a sense of community
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Inspire civic engagement
The exhibition, along with this curriculum unit, are made available to you as a teaching resource. The mobile exhibition includes 42 pop-up banners that each feature a biographical portrait of Inland Empire community members, where they share personal stories of hurt, frustration, revelation, and hope. The online materials also include audio clips, photographs, and a virtual tour of the physical exhibition on which In|Dignity is based.