Driver: Discussion Guide

Using This Guide

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Using This Guide

Film Summary

Credits & Acknowledgments

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This guide is an invitation to dialogue. It is based on a belief in the power of human connection and is designed for people who want touse DRIVER to engage family, friends, classmates, colleagues, andcommunities. In contrast to initiatives that foster debates in which participants try to convince others that they are right, this document envisions conversations undertaken in a spirit of openness in which people try to understand one another and expand their thinking by sharing viewpoints and listening actively.

The discussion prompts are intentionally crafted to help a wide range of audiences think more deeply about the issues in the film. Rather than attempting to address them all, choose one or two that best meet your needs and interests. Be sure to leave time to consider taking action. Planning next steps can help people leave the room feeling energized and optimistic, even in instances when conversations have been difficult. For more detailed event planning and facilitation tips, visit
https:// communitynetwork.amdoc.org/.

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About the authors

Anne Balay

Anne is a writer, educator, labor organizer, and former truck driver. She earned a PhD in Literature from the University of Chicago, after which she became a car mechanic. Though she later returned to academia as a professor at the University of Illinois, Indiana University Northwest, and Haverford College, she never lost her interest in blue-collar work environments.

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When Balay moved to Gary, Indiana, to teach, she immediately became interested in the steel industry of the region. She subsequently wrote Steel Closets, a book that tells the stories of gay, lesbian, and trans workers within the mill community. Anne then attended commercial truck-driving school, got her CDL, and drove over the road. Oral histories of truck drivers she collected in 2016 have led to her book, Semi Queer. Anne is now an organizer for SEIU, working with adjunct faculty in Boston. She continues to be a cherished member of the community of truck drivers that’s at the center of DRIVER.