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poster with question, "Is our empathy on the rise?" halfway torn from rusty pipe where it was posted.

Maybe not.  Maybe we do suffer from an “empathy deficit.”

But if we can learn what teacher Shelley Wright calls “the gift of empathy; the power of understanding and imaginatively entering into another person’s feelings” then we have a chance, a good chance of stirring everyone to move beyond feeling to action — action in a participatory culture where empathy is expressed in creativity and justice.

For a bit of inspiration, see how artist Megan Daalder’s art project evolved into an enlightening scientific study of empathy.  Ever hear of mirror neurons?

Hope you’ll enjoy this session’s exploration of empathy.  You’ll have a chance to explore it both conceptually with our Empathy PlayShop and then expressively in an Empathy Project.  This project will be your first required video.  Check out the Guide to Video Editing for some insights on learning to frame or storyboard the story you will tell in video.  I’ll be curious to see how many of you are familiar with the subject matter, Gunsmoke.

Heads-up: We are approaching “crunch period” in the semester when those long-term projects (think “Roots and Wings” Book Project and Creative Activism) will be due. Avoid the crunch.

Also, please note that your responses to Empathy blogs are due Tuesday, April 2, 11:59 pm. Gives you a day longer to celebrate your Spring holidays. See the full schedule here — Sessions and Schedule . . .

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