Concepts of Community and Identity

Who am I?

Beverly Tatum briefly mentioned Audre Lorde in, Complexity of Identity: “Who am I?” during her discussion of the concept of subordinate and dominant allies. Audre Lorde happens to be a personal hero of mine. She once said, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” To begin any discussion on who I am, I have to communicate who I know I am not. I am not a racial or ethnic minority. I will never know what it is like to be a minority. However, I may have brief experiences in which I am the minority (for instance, this class!). Regardless, I am a White, educated, upper-middle class, US-born female. I do not feel shameful or abashed for being White. When describing myself, I’m not afraid to add “White” as a descriptor. I am a typical America mutt - consisting of Czech, Mexican, Scottish, and British. I’m a lot of things, but I guess if you are looking at my skin… I am White. I think that people who are White sometimes are afraid to advertise their Race because showing ‘white pride’ tends to have some negative connotations. Oftentimes, people from the US feel comfortable recognizing the region that they are from (the South, East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, etc). There is more comfort and social agreeableness to saying something like, “I am a southern girl” than “I am a white female”. I think that it’s important to embrace however you may define yourself, if you don’t, you could be denying yourself a true identity. That sounds incredibly cheesy, but true. Like Audre said, differences should not be uncomfortable, they should be revered.

Poverty at Home

While I was applying for Teach for America, I spent hours on the computer researching the different cities I could be placed in.  There are 45 cities that Teach For America sends corps members to, all of which house infamously tough communities. Why are groups like Americorps and Teach for America in so many US cities? Because America has a problem with poverty. When I think of poverty-stricken communities in the US, I think about president Johnson’s war on poverty that started in Appalaica. Central Appalachia has up to three times the national poverty rate, an epidemic of prescription drug abuse, the shortest life span in the nation, cancer and chronic depression. A few years ago 20/20 did a segment on the children on Appalachia and they called it “Inside a Hidden America: Children of the Mountains”. I think that there is something to be said with this title. The same problems the children are facing in Appalachia and the same problems the kids are facing in your city. Poverty does not decidedly go into hiding, the privileged just don’t want to see it. In my opinion the US is in denial about it’s own deficiencies. It reminds me of the AIDS pandemic. Under Reagan, all of America’s energies and expertise were used to go abroad rather than treat the epidemic in the US. I feel like the Reagan administration failed to address the issue in the US because a disease that killed people was too “foreign” to reside in the US. I think Americans would like to think they live in a safe haven, far from the pains of poverty or disease. Addressing poverty means addressing our inability to deal our own issues on our land.

Learning the Language: deficit-based/needs-based

We are taught in social work to call the low SES (socio-economic status) communities. People who are unaware of this terminology may call these communities “underprivileged”, “poor”, “at-risk” or “dangerous”. The reading put out by the Points of Light Foundation prefers the terminology “tough”. Negative language and terminology just further disenfranchises people. By pointing out a community’s deficiencies and problems, there is a wall put up that further segment these communities. This only highlights problems and deficiencies, not capacities or strengths. Deficit-based needs mapping for a community neglects the internal capacities of the individuals, unofficial associations (cultural groups) and formal associations (nonprofits, churches, businesses).  When we point out all of a community’s deficiencies and problems – people in communities become consumers of services. This needs-based way of analyzing a community can only guarantee survival, but not enact serious change or community development. When we use an asset-based model of mapping out a community, we locate all the available local assets and begin connecting them in ways that multiply their power and effectiveness and harness local institutions that can assist in development purposes. This path leads towards development of policies and activities based on capabilities, skills, and assets of the people in their neighborhoods.

Tory Reed

Tory Reed is a documentary photographer featured in our Community-based arts book. Before she became a documentary photographer, she was just a photojournalist with the associated press. She realized that photojournalism didn’t have the heart she did, and she left to document a reforestation project abroad. This event led her to her new passion: community development! I think I felt tied to Tory’s story because she was someone who found herself unfulfilled with what she was doing and decided to embark on a change. During her journey for internal change, she ultimately helped change an entire community in Denver, Colorado. She was an artist turned activist by wielding her knowledge in art for the good of a community, sparking dialogue and organizing an impact! All of the stories have a similar underlying basis, but to read about the power and will of one woman with a simple vision of reuniting a community deeply resonated with me. 

Here is a video on Venezuela's "Community Councils". Venezuela became Democratic only 10 years before people in rural areas began participating in community building projects. If anyone has the time to watch this entire documentary, Beyond Elections, I highly suggest it. The entire movie is on YouTube posted in segments.

Also, below I have posted a music video I find really inspiring - I call it my social work anthem. Enjoy!