OPPRESSOR
A Workshop on Anti-Violence
Size: 15 to 30 participants.
Estimated Duration: 60 to 90 minutes.
Purpose and Overview:
This workshop gives a social justice perspective on violence prevention. It exposes
youth to the “divide and conquer” theory that when those on the bottom fight each
other, regardless of who wins, the people who benefit the most are those on top. The
oppressed are often too distracted to recognize the real oppressors who are keeping
them down.
In the game Oppressor, teams of players race around a life-size board based on the roll
of a giant die. When a player lands on the same square as another player, a scenario is
read that describes a potential conflict between two groups of young people. Depending
on what the player chooses to do (with help from her/his team), the player whose square
was landed on can be sent back to Start. The point of the game is to demonstrate that
intercommunity violence prevents us from moving forward in our work for justice.
Learning Goals:
1. To learn how to make personal decisions about whether to use violence in our lives.
2. To understand the concept of “divide and conquer” which poor people are forced to
play and how it all ties into racism and classism.
3. To make a community decision about whether and where violence fits in at
our organization.
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Facilitators Needed: Two: one to lead the group discussions following each scenario and
one to run the whole game.
Note: The game can get hectic. The facillitators must keep track of each team, whose
turn it is to roll, and who is moving on the board while everyone gets excited and loud.
Materials Needed:
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Life size Oppressor game board (see below). Squares can be marked off on the floor
with chalk or masking tape. Each square should be large enough for at least 2 people
to stand in it.
Different colored cone shape hats made out of construction paper (one color per team,
one hat of same color per team member).
Big Die (a packing box – as close to a perfect cube as possible – covered with butcher/
plain wrapping paper, with the six faces of a die drawn on it).
Oppressor cards (see below)
Masking tape
Creating the Oppressor game cards:
1. Copy the scenario pages onto card stock, then copy the Oppressor page onto the back
of each sheet of card stock.
2. Cut each sheet into thirds.
Creating the Oppressor game board:
1. Using masking tape, re-create the game board on the floor.
2.Using construction paper, add “Chute” arrows.
3.On butcher paper or construction paper, write out the word “OPPRESSOR” in the
middle of the board.
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OPPRESSOR
Introductory Statement:
Our program is about community organizing and we’re fighting to promote social justice
for those who are being oppressed by others. How many of you believe that you are part
of an oppressed group? (Ask some youth to say what group. Each time a youth gives a
new answer, for example “youth,” repeat for the entire crowd.)
If you are a youth, then you are part of an oppressed group. (Try to get 3 or 4 of the
following answers: Youth, Person of color, Immigrant, Woman/female, and Poor.)
(Then repeat the question:) How many of you believe that you are part of an oppressed
group? All of you.
But now the question is: Is it possible for someone who belongs to an oppressed group to
oppress another person? How?
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Examples: A black school superintendent making policies that hurt students of color;
headlines of black on black or brown on black violence, inner city homicides, working
class people blaming immigrants for taking jobs, black churches blaming LGBT
community for destroying families, etc.
The purpose of this workshop is to show some of the consequences when groups are
pitted against each other and try to bring each other down.
Rules:
1. Divide into 4 teams. Each team wears a different color cone-shaped hat. Ask each
team to choose one person to be team captain.
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2. Setting up the life-size game: Each human represents a game piece, except the
team captain stands to the side and makes the final decision on how to move the
team’s pieces.
• Note: This game can also be played as a board game if space is limited or the
life-size game seems too unwieldy.
3. All members of the same team gather in the team’s respective START. Each team
lines up in the order that they will leave START. (Team captain can assign an order if
they cannot agree.)
4. Each team rolls the Big Die to see who goes first. Play will continue counter-clockwise
starting with the highest roller.
5. The team captain from the first team rolls the Big Die and the first player on the team
goes the number of spaces indicated, and so on. (Note: No special number is needed
to leave START.)
6. When a team has one or more players out of START, the team can decide which player
to move the number of spaces on the die. This is where the strategy comes in. They
should decide as a team which player to move, but if they cannot agree within 30
seconds, then the team captain has 10 seconds to decide. If the team captain does
not decide in 10 seconds, then the team loses the turn.
7. If a player from one team lands on the same square occupied by a player from another
team, then the landing player selects an Oppressor card. The facilitator reads the card
and leads the entire group (not just the team) in a discussion about what they would
do in that kind of situation. Do not read all the multiple choice options, this should be
an open discussion. After a few minutes, the player who landed on the square (not
the team captain) makes final decision on what s/he would do. The facilitator then
decides which one of the multiple choice options is closest to the player’s answer,
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with agreement from the player. Based on that decision, the player landed on (or the
oppressed person) may or may not have to move back to START. The facilitator will
have special hidden instructions and will read out the appropriate result. The player
doing the landing stays where they are with either result.
• Note 1: You only do the Oppressor scenario when you land on a player, not when
you pass a player, except for the CHUTE rule.
• Note 2: The reason to lead the entire group in the discussion is that we want the
entire group thinking about these situations. If only one team discusses the situation,
other team members’ attention may wander off when it’s not their turn. The reason
we want players to give an open answer rather than a multiple choice answer is that
the multiple choice answers are similar for all the questions, so that exercise would
become repetitive.
8. If the team captain rolls a six, and the team still has at least one player in START, the
player in START can “land on” any player on the board (except for players in START
and the SAFETY ZONE). The landing player selects an Oppressor card, the group
discusses the scenario, and the player decides what to do. The landing player can
only leave the START if the “landed on” player is sent back to their START. Otherwise
the landing player stays in START. (Note: The team also has the option of moving
6 spaces.)
Special Squares:
CHUTE If a player lands on the beginning of a CHUTE, s/he slides to the end of the
chute. Any players standing anywhere on the chute are considered “landed
on” or “Oppressed.” Note: Do not slide if you land in the middle of the chute.
CENTER When a player has gone all the way around the board, s/he can enter the
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SQUARE Oppressor square at the center of the board. A player in the Oppressor
square must wait for the rest of his/her team. A player cannot be landed on
or “Oppressed” in the CENTER SQUARE.
Winning the Game:
(Don’t tell the youth this until the end). The first team with all their players in the CENTER
SQUARE does not win. Instead everyone wins when there are enough players who
have reached the CENTER SQUARE (from all teams combined) to cover the entire
OPPRESSOR word in the center with their feet. Continue playing until everyone wins or
until youth get tired of playing.
Reflection Questions:
1. Did we win? If not, why not? If yes, how?
Answer: Didn’t win because teams kept sending other team members back to
START; could win when some players realized they weren’t getting anywhere using
that strategy.
2. Did everybody feel like they were tricked in terms of how to win the game? How is
this trick a reflection of real life? How is the way that you win the game a reflection of
social justice organizing?
Answer: In life, sometimes we’re tricked into believing that the way we get ahead is
by bringing other people down (sending them back to START) especially if they’re
people from different teams (meaning different race, different gang, from a different
neighborhood, different school, etc.). In reality, this is all part of the Oppressor’s Plan.
As long as those of us down at the bottom keep fighting each other, then the Oppressor
doesn’t have to worry about us. But if we unite with the other teams, then we can “win”
the game and defeat the Oppressor. That’s what social justice organizing is about.
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3. Were there any scenarios where you felt there was no good solution? What can you
do to prevent from being in these scenarios in the first place? If we can’t avoid the
situation, how can we check ourselves during a moment of anger so we don’t give into
the use of violence?
Answer: No correct answers. But this can be an intro to de-escalation trainings. Or if
they’ve already had it, then this can be a review of what they learned.
4. A lot of times we don’t have total control over the situations that we get caught up in.
But we do have control within our work and our organization. What are some things
that we can do to make sure that we don’t fall into the Oppressor’s game?
Answer: See above.
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SCENARIOS FOR OPPRESSOR GAME CARDS
Do not include the facilitator’s hidden instructions on the game cards.
SCHOOL PRIDE
You’re a senior at your high school, and you think your school is the best in the area. The
basketball team from another town brags about how they always beat your school team,
which is not true. Your basketball team starts arguing, someone throws a punch, and a
fight starts. What do you do?
Choice of Action:
1. Jump in and join the fight.
2. Try to break-up the fight.
3. Run to tell the coaches and security guard.
4. Stand and watch.
5. Instigate and egg them on.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1 and 5, other player goes back to START. If 2, 3, or
4, both stay.
MOCKING EACH OTHER
You pride yourself on being tough and strong so no one will pick on you. When you went
on your youth group’s snow trip, you thought you heard someone from another group
mocking you, so you go over to him/her and angrily say, “Why are you talking about me?”
But s/he says s/he wasn’t doing anything. What do you do?
Choice of Action:
1. You beat him/her up so everyone will know not to insult you again..
2. Say that it’s cool and walk away.
3. Don’t say anything and just walk away.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1, other player goes back to START. If 2 or 3, both stay.
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FAMILY PROTECTION
You are the oldest in your family and very protective of your siblings. When you go to
school to pick one of them up, you see people cornering him/her and about to beat him/
her up. What do you do?
Choice of Action:
1. Ignore it.
2. Go over and tell them nicely that violence destroys our community.
3. Go over and beat the crap out of the kids who are trying to beat up your bro/sis.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1 or 2, both stay. If 3, other player goes back to START.
TURF WARS
You and your buddies are going to a youth group event in town. On your way there, you
run into a group of youth who tell you that “your kind” can’t pass on the street they hang
out on.
Choice of Action:
1. You say this is a public street, and you have the right to walk by and keep walking.
2. You turn around and walk a few blocks out of your way to get to the event and pay
no mind to the other group.
3. You and your buddies fight your way through.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1 or 2, both stay. If 3, other player goes back to START.
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GANG INITIATION
You want to join a gang for protection at school. The gang leader tells you that you need
to rob as many people as it takes to bring in at least $500.
Choice of Action:
1. You tell the gang leader you are not interested in joining anymore.
2. You borrow a gun and go rob a liquor store.
3. You jump an old lady and some other people to get the money you need.
4. You steal the money from your family.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1, both stay. If 2, 3, or 4, other player goes back
to START.
TAKING OUT YOUR ANGER
Your parents are always on your case about staying out late and failing in school. Before
you left for school, your father called you “a stupid good-for-nothing.” When you get to
school someone accidentally bumps into you coming down the stairs. What do you do?
Choice of Action:
1. You snap and lose control by pushing and kicking the person until they are no
longer moving.
2. You say “Excuse you” and hope they will say something to provoke you.
3. You keep walking so you won’t be late to class.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1, other player goes back to START. If 2 or 3, both stay.
GROUP FIGHTING
Some of your friends get into a fight after school because there were rumors that another
girl called a friend of yours the “B” word.
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Choice of Action:
1. You jump in and defend your friends.
2. You try to separate the people and break up the fight yourself.
3. You go get a security guard to stop the fight.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1, other player goes back to START. If 2 or 3, both stay.
SUPER BOWL RIOTS
Your favorite football team just won the Super Bowl, and you feel like celebrating. You
see on TV that people are partying in the street and decide to go. When you get there,
someone yells out, “Let’s set the Asian grocery store on fire.”
Choice of Action:
1. You yell out to the crowd, “That’s not right” and try to stop them.
2. You sneak away.
3. You join in setting the store on fire.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1 or 2, both stay. If 3, other player goes back to START.
RACIAL PRIDE
A group of 5 Mexican kids have been jumping Asian and Pacific Islander kids after school.
A group of ten Asian (or Pacific Islander) kids decide to attack the Mexican kids after
school today.
Choice of Action:
1. You tell the principal/a teacher there’s going to be a big fight after school.
2. You stay out of it.
3. You join the group of ten Asian (or Pacific Islander) kids.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1 or 2, both stay. If 3, other player goes back to START.
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THE WAR
You’re 18 and a senior in high school. There is a military recruiter on campus who tells
you that the only way you will get to go to college is if you enlist in the army to fight in the
war in Iraq. If you go, you will have to kill innocent people. (Most of the victims of war are
women and children.) What do you do?
Choice of Action:
1. Go and find out about other options, such as scholarships and community programs
that can help you get into college.
2. Decide not to enlist because you find out the recruiter lied to you.
3. You enlist and then are sent to Iraq the next week.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 3, the other player goes back to START. If 1 or 2,
both stay.
RUMORS
Someone has spread a rumor that your boyfriend/girlfriend cheated on you because
you’re ugly.
Choice of Action:
1. Talk to the person and your girlfriend/boyfriend to clarify the matter.
2. Tell the person that you don’t care about rumors and gossiping.
3. Fight the person who told you the rumor.
4. Find out who started the rumor, and get some of your friends to fight the person.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1 or 2, both stay. If 3 or 4, the other player goes back
to START.
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BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND
You just started dating this football player (or cheerleader) from another high school who
just broke up with someone. The ex found out about it and came down to a youth group
meeting to fight you.
Choice of Action:
1. Step outside with the ex and fight him for causing a scene.
2. Get a group of your friends together and fight the person.
3. Talk calmly to the ex and tell him or her you will never date their ex-boyfriend/
girlfriend again.
4. Ignore the person and pretend you don’t know the person they’re talking about.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1 or 2, the other player goes back to START. If 3 or 4,
both stay.
POST 9/11
After watching the video tape of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center for the
100th time, some of your friends say they want to trash a liquor store owned by a Middle
Eastern family.
Choice of Action:
1. You don’t know what else to do so you go along with them.
2. You believe all the hype and misrepresentations about Middle Easterners in the
media and bring some spray paint to tag racial slurs.
3. You tell your friends it’s not right to blame someone who is just trying to make a
living to support their family. The real terrorist is Bush, so you take them to an antiwar rally.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1 or 2, the other player goes back to START. If 3,
both stay.
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STOLEN CD
A group of youth stole your favorite hip hop CD during a break-dancing battle. They claim
it was their CD.
Choice of Action:
1. You and your friends jump the other youth to try to get the CD back.
2. You challenge them to another battle and the winner gets the CD.
3. You offer to burn them a copy.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1, the other player goes back to START. If 2 or 3,
both stay.
SCHOOL LUNCH MONEY
Your mom gives you $5 each day for school lunch. But everyday that you bring the
money to school, this bully takes your lunch money. After a week you are tired of being
bullied. What do you do?
Choice of Action:
1. Fight with the student next week if he tries to get your money again.
2. Tell your parents and have them speak with the principal about the student.
3. Do nothing; s/he can have your money.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1, other player goes back to START. If 2 or 3,
both stay.
BULLYING
All the cool kids and jocks at school pick on you because they think you’re a nerd. They
do stuff like throw you in the dumpster, make fun of the way you walk and talk, make you
do their homework, and beat you up.
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Choice of Action:
1. You show up at school one day with two automatic weapons and shoot everyone
you can.
2. You tell your parents about it so that they can tell the principal.
3. You put up with it. It’s only 4 more years of high school.
Facilitator’s hidden instructions: If 1, other player goes back to START. If 2 or 3,
both stay.
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