Hello readers,
Since day one in all of our CAP (Coordinated Arts Program) classes we have been discussing what it means to be a global citizen. The word “citizen” refers to a legal member of a state or nation, and is a huge part of identity today. Being a global citizen not only means being culturally aware and global-minded, but also being a “citizen” of the world. Yet if I say I am a citizen of the USA, does one automatically associate me with freedom fries, obesity, and poor gun control?
My name is Olivia Richardson. I was born and raised in the United States of America with dual citizenship with Canada from my father. Yet, I do not feel as though I am “from” the USA (all 50 states), or all of Canada; I consider myself to be from the places I am most familiar with, the places where I feel like a local. If one were to ask me, “where are you local?”, my response would go something like this:
I am local in a small, country town located in the mountains of Vermont where I grew up, the bustling streets of Tokyo, and the café cramped sidewalks of Montreal.
Asking someone where they are from demands for a broader answer and leaves out the details, the true story. Author Taiye Selasi questions in her TED talk how a human being can come from a concept such as a nation. Nations change, appear, and disappear. But, as Selasi says “history [is] real, culture [is] real, but countries [are] invented”. While we should remain loyal and participate in on a national level, small communities are what make the world so rich with diversity. So why do we identify on a national level, rather than on a local one?
In this globalizing world not only is it important for us to be mindful of our growing global community, but also for us to be mindful of our local community.
So, where are you local?
