Blog Post 4-Emma E
Gloria Anzuldua’s poem, “To live in the Borderlands,” describes the internal and external conflicts of a mixed identity. Anzuldua states “the battleground/where enemies are kin to each other;/ you are at home, a stranger.” Here, the poet describes that living in one’s own skin feels strange, and that arguments and battles are fought because of identities as a mixed person. By declaring mixed-identity-holding people’s at “the Borderland,” Anzuldua describes that mixed people and those holding multiple identities are both unable to fit completely inside the “borders,” whether they be the borders of a state or community or culture, but are also unable to exist completely outside of these borders.
Gloria Anzuldua’s poem, “To live in the Borderlands,” describes the internal and external conflicts of a mixed identity. Anzuldua states “the battleground/where enemies are kin to each other;/ you are at home, a stranger.” Here, the poet describes that living in one’s own skin feels strange, and that arguments and battles are fought because of identities as a mixed person. By declaring mixed-identity-holding people’s at “the Borderland,” Anzuldua describes that mixed people and those holding multiple identities are both unable to fit completely inside the “borders,” whether they be the borders of a state or community or culture, but are also unable to exist completely outside of these borders.
In the Home Alive documentary interview by Laina Dawes, the filmmakers, Rozz Therrien and Leah Michaels, explain what they found about the organization by interviewing and utilizing verbal storytelling. They explain that the self-defense information and training was not only not given to protect people from abuse, but systems continue to perpetuate systems of abuse and violence. The women who started Home Alive created their own systems, and had to redefine safety and security within the context of a system that perpetuates violence. They recreated techniques and trainings and guides. The group was unable to survive under a traditional non-profit structure, but offers free support and self-defense and anti-violence training. This group operates at the Borderland, working to fight an oppressive system within the oppressive system. They work to train and protect those who are continually affected by violence and abuse.
SZA-Drew Barrymore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp45V_M4Akw
Kali Uchis-Miami https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R896fNYXKKw
In SZA’s debut song off her most recent album, CTRL, SZA sings about not feeling enough for someone. In “Drew Barrymore,” she describes “forgetting her worth,” and apologizes for not being “ladylike” enough. Although the song likely relates more literally to a personal relationship, the song seems to encompass identity as well, as those with intersectional and mixed identities often feel ‘not enough.’ As a black, Muslim woman in an all-male hip hop label, Top Dawg Entertainment, I’d imagine SZA often feels she is in the Borderlands, and conveys this to her listeners. Similarly, Frank Ocean, as a queer black person, identifies “seeing both sides” in his song, “Chanel.” Like Anzuldua, seeing “both sides” also means not belonging to any single one, and belonging to the borders instead. In Kali Uchis’s “Miami,” Uchis asserts her place in music and entertainment. In this song, Uchis says she was offered a place in a music video, but wanting to be the artist, instead of the backup to the artist, she says “I could be Kanye.” She new that her place was not to remain in the background, though being a woman of color, that’s where she was automatically placed. No, she ain’t here to be cute, she’s here to collect.
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