I teach a seminar for first-years at Columbia College Chicago. For one of our first assignments, I ask students to name and discuss three communities they belong to. Here are a few remarkable samples from that assignment:
I am an average white person. I identify with this community on color alone. I do not believe that color matters. I can only identify with this community based off of color, my skin tone. I don't know anything different so being wonderful or painful, there really isn't an answer to that. Having said that I do like being white. My role, with race I really don't know what role I would have that would help reflect my race.
So much going on here. I can't do the invisible knapsack / privilege exercise soon enough. I write back to the student: "You say that you don't believe that color matters, yet you list your race as an important "community". This seems to be a contradiction, no?"
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I feel that I am a part of the Apple community because I support their products as well as their innovative drive. I like this community because I can use my Apple products to its full advantage, feeling a sense of power in the technological world. I believe I am a user and supporter in this community.
This student seems to be one of the few who reads the news regularly, so I'm wondering if she heard the news about Apple's human rights & labor violations. I asked what her responsibility would be to respond to these issues.
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I identify myself with the "scummy" community. This is one that I have observed in many different places, and not every member understands that they are even part of this. It is more of a realization. I identify with this one for several different reasons. Most of them are just day to day happenings as well. I will provide an example. I see a cigarette on the street, and it looks brand new. Never lit. I pick it up, and smoke it. However, certain members of the "Scummunity" take it to another level. They will retrieve a butt that actually looks like a butt, and bum a lighter to get it going. The best thing about this community is that I will never be dissapointed again. I will never find myself bored, in need, or anything of that sort. If I can accept a low standard of living, then everything better than that will seem like a Ritz Carlton.
This is new to me. I ask the student if he has heard of Freegans.
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The first community I think of is the most general one; being a human. This is a wonderful community to be a part of because as humans we can learn, love, and progress. My role right now is to go to school and experience new things and new opportunities. As for the future hopefully I will accomplish something and be part of something big.
This is when I'm reminded how the word community is meaningless.
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POP Culture Community- I would say this community is for the young generation of our decade which make up the Pop Culture Community. What is included in this community is fashion, Music, Rights, Education, and other social groups included as well. I am a part of this culture because i am relevant to my generation and I pay attention to what ever is mainstream in our culture. The Pop Culture community continues to grow as time passes by and states what is popular. Celebrities and the Media are usually the highlight of this community. The only thing i have against this popular culture community is things I personally disagree with. Other than that, this community is extremely powerful because the young generation is really the deciding factor for whats popular and what is not. I am still in tune with Pop Culture, therefore, I am a part of it.
"I pay attention to what ever is mainstream in our culture."
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Latino Community: What makes up this community are people of Mexican descent in America. I am considered a part of this community because I am Mexican American. The Latino community is all about Pride within the Culture and in all standing as Mexican American. What I like about this community is there movements for American Rights for Mexicans living in America. I have always been grateful for seeing Mexican Americans stand up for what they believe, as far as education, jobs/work and being able to become Citizens in America. Some of the things I don't really like are so called members who sometimes forget why this community even started and focus more on the "Culture". I have no shame in my culture whats so ever. But if people wanted to know more about the culture of Mexicans/Latinos then they should start a Latino Culture Community. A memory I have with this specific community took place in High School. I remember the L.A.S.O Club (Latino Academic Social Organization) put out a flyer saying "come join the Latin Community and talk about news and goals and join our Fiesta traditional Mexican meals and music will be provided". I threw this flyer in the garbage. This as a Mexican made me not want to join. Putting that disturbing memory aside, this community is strong and there goals for what their fighting for have reason. So Go LATINO COMMUNITY!
I'm not sure what disturbed this student about the flyer. What does he mean by "culture"? I hope it was a critique of the food and music angle, but I'm not sure.
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I consider myself a part of the church/Christainity community. In this community we share the same goals which is to become more Christ like and to get into heaven when we pass away. Also there is no limit to how many people can join the church because we encourage other people to come and be a part of the body of Christ. I'm proud to be a part of this group because the people in it are supportive and they lift me up when I'm down. My role in this community is to educate others about our religion and to be the best person I can be. Everyday when I walk out the door I'm not only representing myself but the community that I associate with as well.
I like the idea that the Christian community is possibly infinite as it accumulates into the body of Christ. I also like hearing such clarity of goals: packing for the road trip to heaven.
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I was born and raised in Zurich, Switzerland. I only moved to America to go to boarding high school when I was 15. I speak fluent German and the local Zurich-dialect, which is so strong, Germans can't understand what we say. I know the slang, I know the town inside and out, I know the history, I support the local sports teams, I stick to the local beer. I love Zurich and one day I'll move back there and raise my family there. Switzerland is where my heart is, but I guess there are it's flaws. Things are more expensive there, we have a pestering population of immigrants from the Balkan peninsula, we don't celebrate Thanks giving. That's about it. I am apart of the community as a citizen and as a patriot.
As an immigrant in the U.S. (whether permanent or temporary, you are still an immigrant), I found it quite contradictory when you said "we have a pestering population of immigrants from the Balkan peninsula". Do you feel that immigrants in the U.S. are also bothersome?
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This is my favorite:
1. Women- I am a woman, obviously. I like being a woman because if I didn't, well I probably wouldn't identify as one. There isn't really anything that wonderful about being a woman. I know I definitely am one, but that doesn't mean I necessarily like it. A lot of people berate or degrade women. I feel like a lot of people don't think I'm capable of doing things or certain things that I do are inappropriate because I am a woman. As part of the community of women, I feel that it is my job to prove those people wrong. I'm not a crazy raging feminist but I do what I want and don't give a fuck who cares because I am a woman. I like heavy metal, baggy t-shirts, beer, cars, dirty jokes, and no one is going to tell me otherwise. My role in the community is to gain respect. I can do anything I want regardless of my gender.
2. Art School Kid- Unfortunately I'm part of this community as well. No matter where I go I always seem to hate the people surrounding me. Art school kids are no different. A lot of these people think they are so creative and poetic and different when really they just have internet access and a trust fund. I feel like the black sheep in this community. I just sit there and take in as much information as possible so I can get my degree doing something I like. A bunch of these people think they are going to be awesome and famous when really they are just self-centered assholes. I know I'm a cynical fuck when I say this, but seriously get a job. I love Columbia don't get me wrong, but some people are just too much.
3. Metal Heads- I am a metal head and proud of it. This is the only group of people that I really feel that I belong with. I love head banging, beer, all my friends who I know would have my back no matter what, and most of all the music. The music makes me feel like I can do anything, be anything I want, and no one will judge me. I feel almost like I've made a connection with a higher power when I listen to heavy metal. It's almost surreal, it just takes me away. Some people are annoying, the people that go there and get too drunk or people who pretend they are hardcore into heavy metal when really they don't know anything. Most of the time I don't even care though, everyone at a show is like your best friend or your brother as long as they don't try to start shit with you. This is the one place where yes, I am a woman; and yes, I am an art school kid; but no one cares. We are all metal heads and we are all a family.
