Regularly, we ask or are asked the question, “Where are you from?” For some, this question is easy to answer and doesn’t elicit any followup questions. But for others, the question can often be followed by statements such as, “Oh, I meant where are you really from?” or “Really? But you speak English so well!” For people of color, people with immigrant families, and people who are adopted, their birthplace may not accurately represent their lived experiences. In her Ted Talk, writer Taiye Selasi suggests that we should learn to replace the question “Where are you from?” with “Where are you a local?” Our experiences, more than our birthplace, make up our identity. Selasi says, “We’re local where we carry out our rituals and relationships, but how we experience our locality depends in part on our restrictions.” Give this talk a watch and think about how your rituals, relationships, and restrictions shape who you are and how your co-workers experience life in America. Facebook link here. Full Ted Talk here.
|