I'm Currently Working On Part Two To This Project, This Time Asking Participants What Groups They Feel

I'm currently working on part two to this project, this time asking participants what groups they feel they don't identify with that they've been lumped into by others. For my own responses I chose capital G' gay, white person, and baka gaijin. The first comes from multiple encounters I've had with gay and straight people alike who assume I'm familiar with certain books, show tunes, divas, bars, etc. because of my sexuality. A former roommate of mine, surprised I hadn't heard of some gay icon,  told me, "I have to teach you your culture."  White person is naturally the category I'm placed into most in the American media. While I understand it's a useful term for talking about issues surrounding inequality, oppression, and discrimination, I think too often it's conflated with cultural identity. I really take nothing from the term when it comes to that. Baka gaijin is Japanese for idiot foreigner. Though I've never been called this directly, on a weekly basis I encounter preconceptions others have of me because of my status as a foreigner. I had my car and body searched for weapons by the police because of this and have been thought to be incapable of a long list of things like: speaking, reading, or writing Japanese, using chopsticks, eating rice, drinking tea, eating sushi, etc.

My intent with I Identify With is to create a positive counterpoint to these external categorizations; I feel that showing the negative side of things will help highlight the positive.  For more information visit the project site.

I gave this to my friend Hana and asked her to give the kanji a meaning. As one of the estimated 3-7,000 rare kanji, we didn't know what the real meaning was anyway. Without hesitation she began to write.  "To be used when someone naively enters into a place they're ill-equipped for, and they need to be firm and move forwards." It turns out in reality, it's an alternate way to write 飛 (to fly). I feel like, in a way, her definition fits that. More info on this project, Jiji.

Anonymous. I'm Doing The Best I Can, August 2009. Vancouver. I rediscovered this while going through photos I took while on a trip in the Pacific Northwest in college. I really like it.

The twelfth piece in my photo series on group identity. This one comes from the Minamata Cultural Exchange Festival where I photographed attendees. Noriko was especially friendly and enthusiastic about taking part. More info on the series at the project site.

More thoughts about where my life's headed right now. Click high res to read my text at the bottom. The image was scanned from a 1970's Japanese English text book.

The 11th piece in my photo series on group identity.  Throughout this project, I've rarely asked participants how they decide on their words. I've often been surprised by what people choose and leave out, so I wonder about their thought processes. So, as this is my own response, I thought I'd explain my words. Batavian: Really I'm surprised that no one has chosen their hometown and very rarely do people put down a regional or national identity. I feel such a connection to the places and people of my hometown. My childhood and adolescence took place there. My parents and oldest friends are from there; it's my home base. Midwesterner: My family history is tied up in the Midwest, and it's the part of the country I know best. I think exploring the area in college helped cement this identity for me. I wonder if I live outside of the Midwest, if this part of my identity will become less prominent, but for now I feel like it's the part of American I know and have connections to. Greek-American: For me this is less about countries than my family. I've never been to Greece, but Greek foods and traditions make me feel connected to my family and family history. I like that when I'm making koulouria for Easter, I know that my great-grandparents did the same thing. I also wanted to use this word to include America, as I do feel connected to the States, especially as someone living outside of them. Quaker: Though I only became Quaker in college, it's changed the way I live and think about my life. A lifestyle-centered faith, through it I've become more passionate about environmentalism, social justice, and moral issues like compassion and honesty. When I meet a new Quaker, I feel a deep connection with them right away because I know that we hold some of the same deep values and beliefs. More broadly as a Christian, I feel connected to my current family and pacifist ancestors. Artist: A community I feel totally at home in and am always excited to be a part of. Living outside of an artistic community has been one of the hardest parts of being in rural Japan for me. Japanese speaker: Two years ago I wouldn't have put this, but living in Japan, it's definitely on my mind. Through the Japanese language, I feel closer to Japanese people. To an extent, I can enter their world and experience it as they do. That broadened perspective is something I love. Environmentalist: Becoming interested in green living and exploring Quakerism were both experiences that began my junior year of college and have thus always been closely tied together for me. It feels at times that environmentalism effects more of my daily decisions that anything else. I'm shy about discussing it with others because I think the subject can seem judgmental or make people feel guilty, but I feel so happy when I can share opinions with other environmentally-concerned people. For more photos and information, check out the project site here.