Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence 2011 National Summit From Gender Violence to Gender Democracy: What Will It Take? July 24 26, 2011 San Francisco, California I am From A Collective Poem I am from family I am from a huge and long line of story-tellers I am from followers of dreams I am from a family continuum I am from 50-60 extended family members and all the little babies and children I am from a Muslim family where education was the first priority I am from kind, caring, loving, silly, close, sensitive, loud, intelligent, I am from crazy, always interesting I am from complicated I am from hard to like, easy to love I am from somewhat dysfunctional? I am from a family that provides meaning to my life I am half Pakistani and half Native American I am half Paraguayan and half Japanese I am from proud of religion and culture I am from where men were more valued and girls were sex objects I am from where girls were considered more special I am from a lovely childhood I am from nestled between 2 beautiful sisters and a furry pup I am from my mum celebrating her 80th birthday doing the twist I am from poor, but happy I am from drunk and insane I am from my father was president of Liberia who empowered all his daughters I am from a feminist father and grand-father, strong women I am from loving parents embracing lesbian daughter and new daughter-in-law I am from an abused and abandoned birth mother, with amazing parents I am from the importance of keeping connected despite distance I am from survivors of war and violence, struggling but able to smile I am from all my four grandparents were holocaust survivors I am from addiction survivors I am from a tree of ripe mangoes, sweetening yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows I am from unconditional love.
I am from places, lands, surroundings, and home I am from Vietnam, Si Lanka, Laos, Bhutan, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, I am from Iraq, Kurdistan, Kabul Afghanistan, Beirut Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, I am from the border between India and the U.S. I am from China, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Bangladesh, Japan, India, I am from Hawai'i, Maui, Kappa, Oahu, Molokai, I am from Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, American Samoa, I am from Uganda, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Liberia, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico I am from the Bronx and Kerala - urban jungle and green paradise I am from Jerusalem and Saudi - lived in Lebanon, Jordan and Spain I am from the suburbs of Houston, Jersey burbs, Chicago, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, I am from a cold place with lots of Norwegians, I am from a hot, humid, flat place in the U.S. that never felt like home I am from cool, red clay, rice paddies, I am from cozy rainy evenings in my Seattle apartment I am from hot dry summers, the amazing maddening scent of monsoon rains on the parched earth I am from majestic lush rain forests, fresh water ponds, luscious fruits, I am from Palestine hot sun on the pavement and green olive trees I am from Egypt and a Japanese bi-lingual school I am from loving the fragrance of jasmine and mangoes I am from Singapore with high rise flats filled with Chinese, Malay, Tamil, Eurasians & others I am from a struggle to survive in a world of violence I am a refugee from poverty and war I am from expensive, beautiful I am from the only teen girl to go to school from my village I am from a violent home I am from gangs and violence I am from everywhere, a nomad, a traveler, an explorer I am from making my home in language, the beauty of justice real and imagined, made and yet to be made. I am from foods I am from hot and spicy, fragrant I am from loving any kinds of food but Chinese is my favorite I am from curries, fish, goat meat, pork, biryani, pho, kababs, I am from apples off the tree, vegetables fresh out of the garden I am from Rice! Baby! Rice! I am from kimchee with every meal 2
I am from foods that remind me of all my aunties who cooked for me cuz they loved me I am from Palestinian foods, Persian foods, Arabic, Egyptian, Turkish, Ethiopian, Chamorro, Italian foods, I am from Southern U.S. comfort foods, Mexican foods, grandma s foods, I am from Thai, Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese, I am from banana doughnuts, spam sushi, lumpia, poi, lentils, stuffed grape leaves I am from creamy coconut milk and hot chilies, I am from foods once called stinky but now called trendy I am from pizza, lasagna, tacos, dosas, sushi, taro, couscous, fried potatoes, I am from I cannot survive without RICE I am from rice cooked in a rice cooker! I am from anything my mom cooks I am from organic food growers, I am from street foods everywhere Indian, Thai, Singaporean, Sri Lankan, I am from mouth-watering, tongue-licking foods I am from my mother s rum cake I am from exquisite sweets I am from going fishing, eating fish, steaming fish, I am from making dumplings from scratch, eating lobster on the pier in Maine I am from cheeses, chocolates, popcorn on rainy days, I am from mangoes, bananas, avocadoes, lychees, fresh stolen pineapple, I am from rice, rice, rice, rice, rice. I am from celebrations, traditions I am from the birth of new beginnings, I am from Tet, Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year, Navrouze, Ugadi - the Kannada New year, Khmer New Year, I am from celebrations in church, I am from spring day I am from anniversaries I am from anniversaries of survival, I am from living life fearlessly I am from welcoming ancestors back home I am from Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Yom Kippur, 4th of July I am from a small pagoda in the house to show gratitude to elders I am from Diwali, Durga Puja, Holi, I am from birthdays, especially 1st birthdays, I am from family dinners, being hospitable I am from opening Christmas presents after midnight mass and eating arroz caldo afterwards I am from red envelopes I am from sports teams, cultural get-togethers 3
I am from dance! I am from Muslim celebrations Ramadan, Eid, Hajj, Iftar, I am from music, performance, poetry, nature I am from joyousness - excuses to come together to eat I am from we re expecting! I am from full moon prayers, full moon viewings, moon festival I am from traditions that hold our families and friends together I am from coming home I am from celebrations that renew our bonds of togetherness I am from love I am from the celebration of life! I am from how I see myself I am outspoken, the odd one, stubborn to the bitter end I am from quietness I am from the one who stands up to things, organizes I am from warm, friendly, passionate, loving, I am from darkness I am hilarious, so hilarious! I am from being surrounded by strong women I am from activism for gender rights I am from lying down on a basketball court and watching the night sky through the hoop I am from creating communities we all long for I am from rabble rousing, change-making I am depressed, devastated, struggling I am tentative, finally feeling strong in my intentions I am from creativity, fun, I am sophisticated, kind and pleasant I am a leftist, a Marxist, a feminist, I am from continuing to advocate for my community I am from I can do anything if I want to, resilient I am from trying my best to be what others think of me I am from trying to make a difference I am from defiance, curiosity, ambition, learning I am weak and strong at the same time I am blessed I am a perfect mess I am from constantly trying to sleep I am neurotic but funny, artistic, thoughtful, playful I am a bridge 4
I am tired I am from sometimes strong, sometimes weak I am from committed to peace and safety, gender democracy, I am from new motherhood of the best baby in the whole entire world I am from a dot of ink that creates a colorful picture I am a work in progress. 5