Breaking Down Barriers

Welcome to orientation in an interfaith center at Stony Point, New York! I did not get to see the beautiful grounds until my second day because I did not get in the first night until everyone was just wrapping up activities at 10:30pm, but already a couple of my Tucson sitemates had sought me out and welcomed me, as well as my adorable roommate Sarah, who was preparing to head to Northern Ireland, one of the international YAV sites. While the travel day was a long one to be sure, the upcoming days would also be brimming with new faces, amazing fresh vegetables, engaging but intensely draining sessions, small group discussions and reflection, worship and prayer, and possibly some shuteye.

Meet our group for the week! A collection of current YAVs, YAVAs (YAV Alums), and other PC(USA) and Stony Point Center leaders. (Photo credit: YAV program)

 

Here at orientation, Bible study is part of our morning routine, as we set the tone for our days with physical and then spiritual nourishment. Unlike many of my YAV brothers and sisters, formal Bible study is still a pretty foreign concept to me, and I was interested to see how this spectrum of Presbyterians would approach it. What I found jived with what I had been taught in my own academic career as well as in my family socialization and home church congregation: we must be critical thinkers! We set the tone with the circle of praxis created by Brazilian sociologist Paulo Freire: ver (to see), pensar (to think/reflect), actuar (to act), evaluar/celebrar (to evaluate/celebrate), representing an intentionality about studying the Bible that no matter how many times we read it or study the same passages, we can interpret it differently or take something different away each time, and that is okay! We are called to not only read but delve deeper, connect to the passage, research and understand the historical/social/economic context in which it was written, and connect it to our own contexts and lives, however it speaks to us. Living out the lessons you learn, the third step of "actuar," is perhaps the most important to not just me personally, but to all of us YAVs as we seek to act out our faith by working for justice. A quote our Bible study leader Rick shared was from a woman he met in Central America during his work there in the 1980's: "You have not heard the word of God until you have taken action because of it" - that we are called to not just ingest words and think of them in an academic or philosophic manner, but embody them in all we do - truly live out Jesus' teachings to love all our neighbors and to work for the kindom of God on earth.

To be in a room with so many others grappling with where they fit in the social justice world is so inspiring, and I'm thankful to be part of this! Sometimes I do feel the weight of the world on my shoulders, internalize the pain and plight of others, and get overwhelmed. And it has always been my home church that has grounded me, reminding me that there are other bleeding hearts out there, and we need to recruit more to the ranks of peacemakers so that all may thrive. To remember that I am part of something, that I'm not alone in wanting a more just world, and to see that there are other young people with drive and energy and privilege to serve others, is such a powerful part of this orientation, and I am thankful for that. I will return to that concept of privilege in a little while, because much of the first two days was spent on discussing privilege and power, topics that can be touchy but are so crucial to take on thoroughly so as to hopefully build trust and understanding with the communities in which we will be serving.

This circle of praxis is also a healthy way to approach our upcoming year of service as we live our new experiences, reflect on them, be challenged by them, act for justice, and as it gets hard and struggling against the systems of injustice is unending, take time to pause and celebrate the small victories - the incredible people we meet, feeling like we have a handle on our new geography, navigating new social customs and constructs, making even the smallest wave in the political system, or sprouting something in the neighborhood garden. Life isn't all peachy, and the work may seem unending (which social justice work really is - the end goal is to work yourself out of a job!), but lift up and celebrate the work you're doing, and then keep going!

But even before we get to where we are going, we needed Critical Cultural Competency. By that phrase, they emphasized a community-centered process, historical understanding, and appreciating a community's assets and affirmed the goals of enhanced quality of life for all, access to resources for everyone, and community partnerships.

To obtain/horde resources, make sense of our world, and whatever other reasons (cue sociological theory with which I am not well-versed), human beings have put up walls to divide us, and we began by "unveiling" those walls. "To tear down the walls, we must first tear away the veils," announced our presenters. So many important trains of thought came out of this training, but my overall reaction was that I was just happy to be back in open and critical dialogue of race/culture/ethnicity/gender identity/socioeconomic status/sexuality/privilege again. Many in the room may have been receiving this training for the first time in these moments. I was thankful for at least some exposure and some healthy discussions at Carleton, formally in the classroom, institutionally following incidents that challenged the nature of Carleton's culture and wholehearted intentions at inclusiveness and diversity, and informal conversations with other students of similar and different experiences than my own. To sum up what we learned from two amazing presenters and further broke down and discussed with our fellow YAVs, we all need to recognize that to be at this orientation and to be in this program is a privilege.

For those of you who want the actual visual reference of the "box" versus the "borderlands":

Some of us come from more privileged backgrounds than others, and some are privileged in every way that society affirms has power: white, male, upper-middle class, straight, cisgender, born here, etc., all illustrated in a permeable box our presenter drew with dichotomous characteristics outside, in a region she called "the borderlands." Some of us do not fit any of those characteristics in the box and may "fit" in the borderlands in every way. We all come from different backgrounds and different experiences, and some of us bring more box characteristics to the table than others.

But to be in the position to choose to do a year of service inherently denotes some sort of privilege, if only that you have the choice to do this program and at least the bare financial means to live off a stipend rather than seeking out the best-paying work so you can feed yourself and/or your family. We come from different places, but we are united in that we are blessed to be here. 

The bottom line is that we need each other, and we all need to be doing this work. Those in the borderlands will unfortunately never expand the inner box just by working within the borderlands, no matter how much they recognize their own power and strength. They must indeed recognize their importance and the validity of their collective histories as well as personal experiences, but those within the box must also work to expand the box and make it more inclusive. Here is where solidarity work comes in: those of us with more privilege within the social constructs in which we are operating have a greater responsibility to dispel the guilt about our position and instead be proactive about forming partnerships across the permeable lines. I cannot change that I am a white woman from a family that was financially able to provide me with resources and opportunities. But with this position I have the responsibility to perhaps use the nonthreatening "nice white lady" social construct to convince others like me and within the box that we are all better off and will have healthier communities when we start treating immigrants more like human beings worthy of inclusion and understanding in our communities!

When going into our communities of service for this next year, the most important thing will be to acknowledge that we are privileged to be there and to recognize we will not know all the effects and consequences of that privilege. We cannot live an experience other than our own, but we must walk into every situation with the intention of being humble enough to admit we do not know everything and trying to understand the circumstances and experiences of others. It takes time to feel out a new community, just as it does with new individual relationships. This sense of mission is much different than the traditional mission of seeing a need or problem with our own lens and forcing our religion, our social constructs, our own preconceived notions, and our help on others. I dearly hope we will all keep open minds and hearts to practice humble service to meet the needs of the community as they determine and call for.

Phew. That's a lot. Don't worry, we got to breathe a little bit too. (Photo credit: YAV program)

Within these two emotionally- and process-heavy days, here are more important threads of note:
- As we plainly laid out in my small group: "With great power comes great responsibility." Anyone catch the nerd reference? Spiderman.

- "Homeland" is the place that shapes us. When going to a new place, "wonderland," option 1) replicate the ideals, standards, and comforts of our homeland. Option 2) try to blend in, but everyone knows you do not belong. Or option 3) recognize that "you can never leave home" - home being the place that socialized and shaped you and is always inside of you. See what you carry with you in every context, and only then can you transform, and later become an agent of transformation. Acknowledge that this is all beyond comprehension, and see/smell/taste/listen/observe/learn.

- Much of this work requires the ability to think flexibly and to see and hold multiple perspectives as valid. Over the course of this year, different vantage points will challenge your most basic ideas and truths you thought were proven long ago. If we only see and defend our point of view rather than listen and be open to another, even if we do not agree with the other, we never allow for the possibility of the imagination being sparked, thereby allowing for creativity and evolution of thought.

- Culture is how a group of people does life together. Deep, core worldviews are lived out through lifeways (the most visible, surface-level actions such as food consumed, body art, dress, rituals) and mediated through language (which includes music, feeling, and other modes of meaning-making). Invest time in understanding the worldviews that shape a culture's lifeways!

- In a culture or society, the center inherently defines what characteristics are pushed to the borderlands. And I use that verb quite intentionally - the center pushes out what it finds weird and dangerous, or conversely exciting and exotic. The wall between the two is often reinforced as the borderlands are conquered, converted, controlled, and criminalized. Can you think of examples within U.S. society and politics? Institutions and systems are the vehicles through which those four trends are reinforced, so if we ever want to shift the balance of power, we need to think power and accountability. We are bound by the rules of the institutions, but we are responsible to advocate for others, so social justice work must figure out how to navigate the system with that understanding, as well as the understanding that while we are not all on equal footing, we all have power!

- And on a final note: "It takes two groups to break down a wall. If only one group is trying to take down that wall, that's called an invasion!" Breaking down socially constructed barriers to community work takes time, patience, listening, and mutual investment from both sides.

As we step into our new communities and new contexts next week, may we all as YAVs be mindful to listen, observe, be aware of our own privilege, and be aware that we will not always be aware of how that privilege works (hopefully you followed that!). May you, dear readers, also be mindful of the privileges you have in your own life and your social contexts, as it is all relative, but our liberation as people is bound up together:

"If you have come here to help me, you are wasting our time.
But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."
~ Lilla Watson, Aboriginal Australian artist and leader