Section 6: 'yo soy tu otro yo - i am your other i"...forging common ground

The Biggest Challenge: Gaining Understanding of Difference and Constructing a Way to Sameness
By Charlie Mercer & Jean Chung

Intro: Identity Exercise
Question 1: Identify yourself in three words.
Question 2: Name two privileges that you have as a result of these identifiers.

Summaries

62. My Tears are Wings by Chrystos
Art piece expressing her soul

63. The Color Beneath Our Skin by Carmen Morones
Short story of Odilia analyzing her employer’s layers of personality resulting in self-discovery
64. Connection: The Bridge Finds Its Voice by Maria Priotsaki
Empowering poem of suffering that leads to the discovery of personal voice

65. The Body Politic - Mediations on Identity by Elana Dykewomon
Short essay challenging all identities to unite with humanity
66. Speaking of Privilege by Diana Courvant
Brief essay on hierarchy of knowledge and utilization of privileges to speak out
67. The Latin American & Caribbean Feminist/Lesbian Encuentros: Crossing the Bridge of Our Diverse Identities by Migdalia Reyes
History and analysis of the importance of creating safe space and welcoming conflict for the creation of knowledge
68. Sitting in the Waiting Room of Adult & Family Services at SE 122nd in Portland, Oregon, with My Sister and My Mother Two House Before I Return to School (April 1995) by Ednie Kaeh Garrison
Stream of consciousness of a woman locating oneself within multiple, possibly contradicting, identities
69. Tenuous Alliance by Arlene (Ari) Istar Lev
Personal story of a Lesbian Jewish mom working with oppressions that are invisible and advocating effective alliances for her multi-racial children
70. Chamizal by Alicia Gaspar de Alba
Poem about breaking through social identity to find oneself with help of love and partnership

Summary and Analysis
Section 6 of This Bridge We Call Home focuses on ways to better understand identities and build community in the face of difference. We all have unique life experiences and layers of self. It is important to understand and celebrate ourselves before we are able to understand the whole. With a more complete awareness of sameness and difference we are better equipped to voice for our collective and form alliances in and amongst different communities.

Discussion Questions
1. How did you describe yourself?
2. What privileges do you think you have as a result of your identifiers?
3. How do you deconstruct yourself?
4. How do we understand our differences and consequently a way into sameness?
5. What are ways to bridge ourselves within our classroom community?