solidarity

as my activist identity emerges, I struggle with questions of solidarity. how do i enact this locally, globally, and transnationally? how can i make change without unintentionally causing harm to those with whom I work? how can i move forward if i will never know the true implications of my actions. this creates within me an "unknowingness" or uncertainty about acting. however, i have slowly come to the realization that while i seek to do what is right, what is good, i must accept that i may never know if i am walking a good path.

as i contemplate these questions, i also wonder what has drawn me to this identity. what creates that deep call within a person to live unsettled in the face of injustice, the inability to remain silent? is working for social justice one way for me to find my place in the world? feeling suffocated by the increasing privatization and consumerism of western society, i seek out those places that provide community and a sense of belonging. a place where my opinions, my voice, and my understanding of the world are not judged as too eccentric or radical, but rather, imperative if we are to create a more just society.

questions, reflections

I live as a white, educated North American. I could turn my head and choose not to encounter any ideas or images that would disrupt my comfortable position. Instead, I absorb and analyse them, become enraged, cry, and scream, trying to understand how to work with them and create change. I also question my role in the change process. Where do I fit? As a white activist, I work with First Nations communities to challenge oppression and racism. As a woman, I seek out male allies who will walk by my side in the struggle to end sexism. In every space my role shifts. At all times, I can embody the oppressor and the oppressed.

The complexity of my identity, the entangled layers that constitute who I am, lead me to question where it is appropriate to challenge oppression. When should I step back? Yet, I cannot let these questions immobilize me. I cannot remain in the centre. I refuse to claim neutrality, thereby placing the onus of creating a more just world on others, for it is my complicity that adds to the perpetuation of the inequitable world in which we live. And if I choose to keep my mouth shut or turn a blind eye, I am maintaining the status quo.

So as the burning within me to make a difference grows stronger, I struggle with questions of insider/outsider, identity, solidarity, and ally. And yet, I must maintain the ability to act.

the spirit within

The transnational migrant, the citizen as activist, the global educator. These are but a few ways of categorizing those in the West who work for social justice. But these labels do little to describe the work being done. Pushed from the centre, they seek out spaces where...They are truth tellers, shouting out against the dominant ideology, demanding that society take heed of its complicity. Sometimes the challenges come in mass demonstrations, other times as small public displays of dissent. But it is the small, daily acts of resistance, the relationships built, the humanity and compassion created across borders. This is where the shift begins. This is where true change can happen.

a bit about me

hello everyone,

my name is anna. i'm originally from a small town in British Columbia, Canada, and moved to Edmonton, Alberta last year to begin my Masters studies in educational policy studies. my main focus is on social and environmental justice, activism and education. throughout this program, i have had many questions about solidarity work, my role as an ally, activism...

i speak english, spanish, and a tiny bit of portuguese. my focus of study in my undergraduate degree was anthropology and latin american studies, so in my third year i travelled throughout south america for four months, spending time in peru, bolivia, chile, argentina and brazil. i have also travelled throughout europe, to japan, uganda and other beautiful places. however, now i am beginning to question travel. i am so privileged to be able to jump no an airplane and fly across the world. when is it ok to use my privilege and do that, and when should i step back? so many questions, hopefully through these pages i will work through some of them.


anna