These articles are all linked by questions of identity and how one’s identity affects one’s activist work. For Jessica Greenstone, feeling discrimination first hand as a child led to her be sympathetic for all who are oppressed.
Allison Attenello struggles through how important a common identity is in working towards a common goal. This article was particularly helpful for me because she provided a definition of identity politics. I hear this phrase a lot but was never able to understand what it means. I enjoyed her conclusion that identity can be broadened and redefined. You can be a part of a group and work towards its goals even if you are not a part by some outward markers. It is important to acknowledge ignorance as Attenello does and defer to more knowledgeable members of the community when applicable. I understand her wanting to disaffiliate with the group because they did not focus on her passion: defending women against violence; however, I think she could have still been an active member of the group though she was not Mexican etc. This is the whole idea of allies. Male feminists add an important strength and solidarity to the group. This is the same for straight allies of queer groups. I think Attenello’s point that identity can be redefined to include passion and not simply societal markers allows for these instances of allegiance to occur.
Shira Lynn Pruce discusses how her identity as a Jewish American greatly influenced her involvement in activism. I appreciated how she entertained both a Zionist and feminist identity. Some might think these points would conflict, however she does not shy from this tension but entertains it. She is influential in running a march for queer pride in Jerusalem despite working towards Right Wing politics simultaneously.
The beginning of her article echoed events that have recently played out on our campus. Though not seeming quite so serious as her instance, recently there has been an opinion article in the maroon news which some interpreted as anti-Semitism. It was self-declaredly anti-Zionist. This created a stir particularly in the Jewish community but beyond it as well. Whatever your position on the issues, it is encouraging to see students take initiative in responding and generating a dialogue.
4/26/11
ReplyDeleteAllison Attonello, “Navigating Identity Politics in Activism: Leading Outside of One’s community”
Attonello begins this excerpt with her personal mantra: “Locate yourself in your writing. Acknowledge that your voice is raced, classed and gendered. Recognize your privilege.” Her mantra accurately summarizes her main theses. She talks about identity politics in social movements as well as her involvement and experiences. Specifically, she discusses activism in New Brunswick regarding Latina immigrants and their marginalization. At first, her involvement was due to the fact that she was working to combat violence against women. However, she soon assumed responsibilities in the Latin organization, Unidad de New Brunswick and learned that the group was not focused on fighting against gender-based violence. Attonello began to organize as a member of Unidad de New Brunswick, but not without any qualms. She writes, “I worried obsessively that by representing the Mexican community in New Brunswick, I was reproducing exploitive power structures by acting as a white, educated authority speaking for a minority group” (Trigg, 104). She later claimed that it is important to participate in organizations that are not representative of our own communities. However, we must not take leadership if we are not a part of the community because it could be detrimental and even inappropriate.
Shira Lynn Pruce, “Blurring the Lines That Divide”
In this excerpt, Pruce discusses her identity as a Jew, which shaped her as a leader. She talks about how her experiences in Israel have influenced her life in the United States after 9/11. She describes an editorial after the event, blaming 9/11 on Israel and calling for “the total destruction of the Jewish state as the solution to the United States’ problems and the conflicts in the middle east” (Trigg, 186). Moreover, her advocacy surrounded the struggles pertaining to persecuted groups.
Allison Attonello, in “Navigating Identity Politics in Activism: Leading Outside of One’s community” talks about the role that race and gender play in activism. Iny my opinion it is crucial that you are passionate about the group or groups that you are fighting for. For this reason, usually the most successful activists fall under the racial of sexual category of the people who they are fighting for. Take Martin Luther King Junior for example. He fought for civil rights as a black man because he had lived through segregation and persecution. He was passionate about the subject that he was fighting for and so he became a leader in the cause. Attonello talks about how one must be careful, however, in becoming a leader for a activist movement because if you lead in the wrong way people might think that you are talking down to them. She explains how someone might take on the role of an educated white person, leading a group of inferior persons. It is important while leading to gain/have the respect of those who you are leading and to have them understand that you are their equal even if you are leading their cause. People who are being persecuted in society and join an activist group to try and change things do not want to feel like they are being persecuted and talked down to within their own activist group. Again, MLK jr. was outstanding at motivating and leading without stepping on any toes. This is why he was such an outstanding leader.
ReplyDeleteShira Lynn Pruce in "blurring theLines That Divide", also talks about how her identity shapes the activism she participates in. She explains her Jewish background and how her activism has been tailored to the fact that she is Jewish. My family and I are Jewish so I can relate to this article. My family and I belong to a temple, a local Jewish Community Center, amongst other Jewish organizations. My parents are always giving time and money to Jewish organizations because that is who we most closely relate to. While we identify with the larger group of white Americans, being Jewish is a subgroup and a religion that means a lot to my family. If personal experience and identity does not shape the kind of activism that you participate in, chances are you will not be successful or heavily involved in any activist project you take on. Without that passion and sense of personal connection, there is nothing to truly motivate. All of this being said, about both articles, it is crucial that people from outside of a specific group or gender ally with people who are within the group who is fighting for equality. Without alliances it is almost impossible for a group to advance. Nevertheless, these alliances must be formed out of shared experience. Those who are not within the group they are fighting for must have a personal reason for participating in the fight, because without that passion it is very difficult to keep interest.
When reading Allison Attonello, in “Navigating Identity Politics in Activism: Leading Outside of One’s community” I began to see the importance of activism and people's role in the community. I believe that Attonello speaks to us and wants us to be able to take part and do something like she did. Her experience talks about the divide in the race lines. She didn't believe that because she wasn't like the Latino group that she shouldn't be the leader of it or speaking out for them. She liked that she could take part in the group and was able to help out because that was what she wanted to do. I think that she made the right decision when she left. The group was a great stepping stone to different activism that she wanted to do.
ReplyDeleteAs a Colgate student, we speak about all the activist groups on campus. Are we really doing enough? The final project allowed me to see how easy it would be to make a difference. There are many things that people just do not know about and it would be easy to inform them. We should also step up for students on campus. When the racist attacks happened we should have made a bigger deal about it. We did form some activism groups but it only lasted a day or two. Issues like these need to become a bigger deal and should be way to allow our community on campus to come together.