roll call

I am Jennifer. I am a predominantly hetero female of Italian/Portuguese/Irish/English/Creek Indian descent. I am interested in equal rights and acceptance especially for women, homosexuals and minorities because I have seen the destructive, demoralizing and debilitating effects of sexism, homophobia and racism first hand and through the experiences of my friends. I also believe oppression is insidious and sometimes not so easy to detect and I joined this tribe for heightened awareness and to be reminded to be vigilant. Thank You.

I'm Faith. I'm 27 years old and have German and Russian-Ukranian Jewish heritage, but my familial roots go back in the U.S. a couple of generations. I have been female from birth, and enjoy being so. I'm straight. I believe people should not have to hide who they are or worry about being harrassed or discriminated against. I am very interested in racial issues/relations. I'm not an "activist", but I try to perform "personal activism" in my life.

well, i tried replying once, but i guess it didn't work. so here we go again!
my name is najwa. pronoun: z. i'm Queer, working class, Irish/Cherokee heritage (given "white" status and privilege due to assumilation), 23 y.o., living in asheville, nc. i have been a dedicated activist for about 7 years and a very active antioppression facilitator and organizer for about 4 years. i am also a vegan, anti-authoritarian, autonomist, animal/humyn/environmental libber. my mission is to help people recognize the oppressor within us all so that we can better understand and dismantle all systems of oppression. i feel that although it is not the root problem, capitalism is a source of much oppression and helps to further all other forms of oppression. there is no doubt in my mind that all forms of oppression are interconnected and that we must study their interconnectedness and their semi-autonomy in order to be better able to destroy oppression. i recognize that oppression is a slippery and powerful monster, but i strongly believe that we all have the ablility to create a more egalitarian world. thanks, angel, for creating this tribe. i know there are many great discussions to be had.

I'm Alecs, 22, Genderqueer male/female/female/male/neither/both/both/neither...thing, born in Hong Kong, came here (San Francisco) when I was 15 and I'm currently interning at a nonprofit called Youth Gender Project located here in San Francisco.
As mentioned above, I identify as genderqueer, prefer "she"...commited to trans issues, queer issues, immigrant issues, working class issues, labor issues, anti-war/ pro-peace causes, homeless rights issues, women's rights...and many more...trying to do my part to end oppression by speaking out on one fucked up issue at a time.
One saying I've kinda live by is something I heard a friend say while at hir house:

"At the end of the day, when it's all over, I'd like to be able to say I've made a difference."

That's me!

Next...

i'm siam. okay, really it's nathalie or nat, but shhhhhhh (and the 'h' is silent).

i'm 33 and i've never used the term genderqueer for myself but i really like it. i'm a dyke. That being said, i can be a very masculine looking grrl. i mean, like i am rarely soft and demure and i have a more masculine and butchy build and some days that really comes through. Anywhoo, dyke works for me, the boish grrl.

So yeah, i'm canadian, i'm 33, a dyke with a disability, white, fat chick, middle-class bilingual french-canadian. i've been on my own since i was 17. Where i ended up living when i was 17 for 11 years was a 99% Jewish neighbourhood in Montreal. It felt safe. So just call me a wannabejew and i hope i am not offending anyone. i was born with mild cerebral palsy and i use an electric scooter to get around and sometimes crutches.

For me, to use that cliché phrase, the personal has pretty much always been political. The best job i have ever had thus far was being coordinator of women's centre in Montreal for 3 years. Incidentally, said women's centre is now a centre for gender advocacy and kicking some serious ass in terms of trans stuff. i really miss my home, Montreal. But i left cuz i was REALLY tired of the physical inaccessibility of that city. Vancouver is MUCH better for that, aside from all the rain which depresses me. But now i really realize how much i miss it culturally, Montreal that is.

Alas, now i am trying to be a West coast grrl and i am NOT doing a great job of it. i've recently embarked on another degree, this time a BSW. And i am so unimpressed by the fact that i seem to be surrounded by clueless, rich kids.

i've worked with women from all walks of life and of all ages, i've worked with dykes and queers, young single underprivileged moms and their young children, women with disabilities, people with disabilities, students....

i'm here because......of all those nasty 'isms'.

siam

Im Anthony. I am a member of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians. My dad was Miwok, my mother is Irish. I currently work in the field of Repatriation. Basically I work on a construction site/archaeological site, as a tribal representative. I make sure no one steals artifacts or buriels that are uncovered. I am passionate about this field because there is a long history of Native grave robbing in this country that has only recently been legally challenged (if your federally recognized that is).Having no control over the graves of our ancestors has been a constant form of mental-colonialism in the lives of first nation peoples here and around the world, that is the oppresion I curently fight against, among others. I majored in Native American studies at Berkeley and did much of my research on this subject. Ive done some film making on digital video, and am going to start my own production company. I am currently looking to invest in a DV camera . . . any suggestions.
Oh yeah and I'm a vegetarian with vegan tendencies, but eat fish every once in a while.

Wow, just wow!

Thanks for inviting me to this tribe. Hope I haven't posted too much today, but figured people might want an intro. I like playing these description games... it's so interesting (especially in a group of people who are simultaneously defying categorization...)

I'm Mika, a she, half Lebanese, half Eastern European, full Jewish. Went through the first part of my life self-identifying as "white" or "Jewish", now I identify myself as arabic. Probably white skin priveleged, as long as I'm not dealing with anti-semites.

Bisexual, though that term doesn't really describe it - I dig masculine people, male or female. I'm not usually sexually attracted to feminine people, male or female. Seems heterosexual to me... if you don't consider the physical organs ;) (damn that's TMI but figured people here may laugh!) I'm extreme poly (no restrictions, no "primary" partner, completely open...).

Grew up middle class in an educated family. I'm a mechanical engineer (actually just got my PE license). I also study and practice hermetic magick, alchemy, kabbalah.

My primary "missions" are to encourage and support personal freedom, whatever form that may take, though mostly in the context of spirituality, sex, sexuality and relationships. Also, to support education and professional empowerment (especially among women in traditionally male fields). It amazes me how many people were not encouraged by their families to persue an education! Damn! I'm not into direct political action, in fact politics depress me and activism drained me emotionally so I don't do it anymore. I just focus my energy on aiding personal growth in my immediate community of friends.

Also, I have arthritis (psoriatic, similar to rheumatoid), which would completely debilitate me, but luckily I have really great drugs that are working well (at least for now). I hate when people say "you're too young to have arthritis", because I still don't have a good come-back line. I don't usually consider myself "disabled", because the drugs are working so my problems don't interfere too much with everyday life... but I do use the disabled description when I need to.

Thanks for reading this.

I just read all the posts in this thread for the first time today, and had to say that ALL of you are wonderful, courageous people. You are a diverse group, but at the same time, you are all the same. I guess I should say "we".
Never give up, and never pay attention to anyone that does not accept and love you for who you are. Not easy, I know.

This is Scott in St. Louis. Years ago I started to sit in the notion that I was in some privileged classes: certainly, my white, male, christian, able bodied, assumed heterosexual side was that which I was giving a name. That would be tha "access", the "opportunities"! As time went on I realized what Class was and how it impacted my life. My family of seven had some tight quarters growing up. Of course, today I see that as an asset, one that I didn't appreciate. My father sold furniture just like his dad. My dad told me to choose a different path. So I did.

I am the only one of my siblings to go to college. I have been a scholastic under-achiever all my life. In fact, in high school I was encouraged to pick a trade as oppossed to journalism school, because I just didn't have the smarts. The boy who missed alot of recess now has a masters degree in social work. My interest is in community building.

Over the years, my queer side emerged and had reached a point where my gayness and my activism were the same. I can't recall a time when injustice didn't make me crazy. Like a superhero not knowing where to start. This is the evolution of my soul here. Figuring out my path and who I would like to walk with.

Historically, I have grown tired of seeing only white males faces around a table. I have hated not seeing young people at meetings. I have despised the notion of "we've invited them but they don't come to our events". I am tired and I am done with that conversation.

I have set a course to where the things I want to get behind, lead, etc have to be inclusive by design from the start or the work cannot begin. I still acknowledge the shit within myself. The times I speak over someone, maybe act without consideration. I catch it when I do and I appreciate it when others catch it too.

So...this is just a bit of who I am. A man in process at best.
Happy to be in the Tribe! Lots to do here.

i'm jeff.

joined the tribe some days back and just recently read some of the threads as a new post appeared.

i'm the quintensential stereotype of 'the man'. i'm white, male, degreed, heterosexual and work for the government (ok, i'm a school teacher but we are funded by the government).

i got my b.a. in philosophy w/a minor in african american history.

i really only recently (circa 1991) became drawn to cultural/religious divides. i spent a great deal of time in saudi arabia and met wonderful, caring, god fearing people. people my religion taught me would burn in hell.

it was that experience that necessitated me to realize there was something bigger to the picture i had been force fed in my prior years of existence. god could not abandon a whole culture of people simply because they worshiped him through a different book.

it was then that i realized that there are many paths to the mountaintop and to think the one i was on was the exclusive end-all be-all path was not only elitist but naive.

that does not mean to imply i have taken a path to learn all aproaches to the mountain top -- it just means i realized my journey was more then likely going to be a solitary one. and i'm fine with that.

in the early 90's after i returned from the desert i enrolled in college where i majored in philosophy and minored in african american history.

my acceptance of the fact that i have inherited unearned priveledge in this country based on my race came during my early college years.

i spent many years dialoguing with others and did much work with a group named 'ihr' (institute for the healing of racism).

more to come later. its late and the six year old calls.

I realized I never did the roll call. I am me. I am Black. I'm also African, Jamaican and American -- I prefer Black.

I'm also a skinhead like many of my other Black brothers and sisters before me. It may be surprising to some of you out there but skinheadism has its origins in Jamaica. One of the first classic skinhead albums was by a group called "Simaryp" (whose also performed as "The Pyramids"). Every now and then you'll see the band spelled "Symarip" but the easy thing to remember was that it was "Pyramids" spelled backwards without the "d".

That said, check out artists.iuma.com/IUMA/Band...ry,_Monty/ for a brief bio on one of the founding members of the Pyramids/Simaryp.

Like I said, this album, called "Skinhead Moonstomp" came out in 1969/70. Well before the Geraldo version of skinhead.

Marcus : I'm a person of mixed ethnic descent, Scandinavian-American & Mexican-American. I live in Los Angeles and have studied politics and history because I am very concerned about the world and want to encourage social change away from systems of oppression.

One of the most promising methods I've encountered to address
oppression in everyday life is the work of Augusto Boal, a theatre artist from Brazil who created the Theatre of the Oppressed. This method uses theatre to identify collective problems / oppressions in communities. It can also address the internalized voices of oppression that individuals carry around with them !

Since I believe this work can really make an impact to create community & social change, I set up the Theatre of Liberation Tribe to help spread information about trainings, workshops, conferences, and events which address Theatre of the Oppressed, and related methods. www.liberationtheatre.tribe.net

Liberation Theatre is theatre which opens people's minds and hearts to new possibilities in life for personal transformation, addresses social issues, and helps us to realize and discover how we want to make change in the world.

I also have a great interest in the use of art for healing purposes, and so to promote connections around art, drama, poetry, music, and dance/movement therapies we now have the Healing Arts tribe. www.HealingArts.tribe.net

Peace,
Marcus

Hi ya'll, I am Nunsequitur.. also known as Vince, or MaryMae, or Sister. I am a white, gay, bio-male, nun, with AIDS. 37 years old, living on disability in San Francicso, and a practicing buddhist.

I am an activist, for personal empowerment, responsibility and joy. I recognize my own privelege, and work very hard to continualy do so. Also have used my own privelege to facilitate change when possible. Like all double edged swords, it is a skill I am constantly refining, adjusting and learning about. I use camp, humor, and power to promulgate universal joy, and expiate stigmatic guilt.

The best way to describe my views:
"If everyone isn't free, no one is free"
"Suffering is a part of life.. Might as well find a good tune to dance to while ya do it"
"If war were the answer, we need to ask different questions."

Hey y'all. I've been a part of this group for a while and have been reading the msgs but have never introduced myself...anyhow.here goes.

My name is Danny, I'm a 27 yo white, queer/genderqueer FTM transgender person. I grew up in Maine, and have lived in San Francisco for the past 4 years. In my life I've experienced lots of transition, from female to male (or at least that's how the world sees me now) I grew up poor, went to college and now have a semi-middle class nonprofit job, I went from mostly a dyke to mostly a fag, etc. Politically I ID as progressive/left and am strongly committed to antiracist work. I do queer work for my paid & much of my volunteer work right now, but am often really frustrated by the queer communities single issue politics (i.e., forgetting that our mayor mr. newsome has done so meny bad things against poor people and homeless people as soon as he did the marriage thing). In my free time I really like to bake especially birthday cakes, pies, and tarts.

Hi
I am Bernice, I am a soon to be 40 y.o.,(which trips me out alittle) woman. As far as my sexuality, I don't feel like I fit in any of the boxes right now. I guess the closest would be queer. I grew up as what is now called working poor, but right now i feel more working class. My Father is Puerto Rican, My Mother is a mix of Native American, and I am not sure what else? perhaps french, Not sure what.
I mostly idenfiy (spelling) as Puerto Rican & Native. I grew up in Hayward Cal, and have lived in San Francisco sence 86/87. I grew up in a single parent household. Niether my mother or father finished High school. Me and my brother are the only ones in my whole family who have had the chance to go to college.
I am interested in Human sexualty, I work as a sex Educator, and I am Studying Human Sexuality at SFSU.
Along with learning about the many aspects of Sexuality I am learning about the Racisim and oppression that is oftern attached to Sexuality.
I would like to help/discuss/ educate people about what is fact and what is lies,and fears about sexuality and stop the myths of racial sterotypes, and the oppressions that are attached to Sexuality.

Hi everybody. I'm Ginger. Italian white female. 31 years old. I'd love to have a kid who can say s/he is half italian and half ...
I believe there's just one race, the human race.
I graduated with a thesis in human rights and humanitarian law. I'd like to have a job in this field and although I haven't succeded yet I keep trying. In the meanwhile I've always been a volunteer and I've worked with refugees and many other minorities. I'd like a word where everyone has the same chances. I love differencies and I think they should valued instaed than feared.

I want to change the world and make the difference. :)

G

Second generation italian/polish mutt, grew up poor on a small-town farm in a big family. We chased chickens and harvested kittens. I feel most restricted and misunderstood in society, in general, regarding anything "bipolar" or "trans."

The anti-oppression work I have the most self-work to do around is racial oppression, which I'm really only just starting to learn about.

I had a nightmare once that I was driving down a busy fourlane highway in the dark when it started to rain and my headlights went out. I realized the cars from the other highway were driving in my direction, but I couldn't see where I was going enough to get off the highway. It's a horrible analogy, but it's the best way I can explain the panic I feel when I start realizing, yet still not be able to understand the depth of, racial oppression.

I am Michelle. 28, white, female, bisexual, obese. I grew up in San Francisco, so diversity was all around and I was encouraged to be open-minded and open-hearted with all of humankind. I hate the whole tolerance idea...I mean, why should we only tolerate one another when we can respect and admire and even love each other...not just accept or tolerate. I joined this group because of its name and purpose.

My name is John, aka Floyd, call me either. Traveled around the sun 30 times. The word queer, when I hold it on the little name plate in front of myself before they take the mugshot, makes me feel very warm inside, years of self loathing slip away. I am Irish/German/English. I am a worker. Many privileges, some I am only dimly aware of, have been given to me by the oppresive/dominant society. Dedicated to using all the resources I have available to support people and organizations focused on positive social change. Have sought out and been fortunate to find mentors, from diverse cultural backgrounds, whom have helped me find a greater awareness. Spend most of my time trying to listen, finding situations more frequently where I should speak. I would like to become a better communicator to help spread awareness about oppresion. The first step to solving a problem, is being aware of it, correct?

Very happy to be able to communicate with all of you. I would like to help dismantle oppresion. This is a very good way to think about the problem and learn how to take it apart.

hey guys,

Im new and thought i'd give you all a little peice of me after seeing so much of you. I am a 21 yo female, hetero from nyc. as far as race, ethnicity or whatever you might want to call it today, i don't know what i am. I was raised by two white parents in brooklyn who told me i was african-american, but now with age and experience i realize that i dont fit the stereotype of being black in america. I get persian, puerto rican, and other suggestions all the time but i choose to enjoy my ambiguity.

my anti-oppression dedication goes beyond the injustices of a society based on commodification and "social-constructionalism" and towards the fights of people around the world for the rights we have and take for granted. I consider this my passion and something far beyond a hobby or a simple conversation.

in other words, I really happy to be here ;)

Kat