Week 3: February 03–09

Move Beyond Borders

We live in a society of borders--geographical, sociological, and psychological. Migrants cross borders to build a better life for their families; same-gender couples navigate the boundaries of conventionally accepted love; and transgender individuals challenge the division of societally-defined gender. Some of us must reconcile our overlapping identities, and others must cross borders to embrace those we once considered “other.” Let us explore how we can break down these arbitrary barriers to achieve a more loving society.

The Month Ahead

Saturday, February 9

“Is life not a hundred times too short for us to stifle ourselves.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche

Individuals who live in intersections of more than one marginalized identity often experience multiple  overlapping layers of oppression–for example a trans person of color or a native woman or an undocumented person with a disability. Jonathan Jayes-Green will reflect with us on his experience of being gay, a person of color, and a DREAMer.

Daily Action:

Learn more about how intersecting identity works by reading Sam Killerman’s article “You Soup.” Take time to reflect on your own intersecting identities–how do your unique combination of identity and lived experience shape how you see the world?

Action for Families:

Make a person puzzle: Cut a piece of construction paper into at least 16 puzzle pieces. Write an adjective describing yourself on each piece. Put the puzzle together. Is your puzzle different from your child’s?

Resources:
- A Primer on Intersectionality from the African American Policy Forum
- “You Soup: A Graphic for Understanding Diversity and the Intersections of Identity”
- This AND That: Global Identities and Intersectionality
- “Oppression and Intersectionality” (with a great explanatory graphic)
- List of interlocking oppressions resources from the Institute for Welcoming Resources