This anthology was authored by members of Borderland Practice, a CRG graduate working group that aims to create an interdisciplinary space to examine the intersections of race, class, gender, and citizenship within health, social service, and practice settings; and foster meaningful collaborations with community-based organizations that support immigrant and migrant communities.
We draw inspiration from Gloria Anzaldúa’s writings, in particular, Borderland/La Frontera:
“Borders are set up to define the places that are safe and unsafe, to distinguish us from them. A border is a dividing line, a narrow strip along a steep edge. A borderland is a vague and undetermined place created by the emotional residue of an unnatural boundary. It is in a constant state of transition. The prohibited and forbidden are its inhabitants.”
A note on our community interviews:
Throughout the 2014-2015 academic year, we interviewed practitioners from a variety of spaces – schools, political collectives, health services, cultural centers, and universities. We recorded and transcribed these interviews, with highlights on key topics excerpted here in this anthology. We are so grateful to these practitioners for their openness, generosity, and honest, whole-hearted throwing down. They have immensely contributed to our learning together this year.
Editors: Adrianna Alexandrian, UC Berkeley | Diana Austria Rivera, UC Berkeley | Margaret Mary Downey, UC Berkeley | Jill Porzucki, UC Berkeley | Julie Yeung, UC Berkeley | Yvette Flores, UC Berkeley
Cover art: Downtown Oakland Mural by Zio Ziegler, photo by Diana Austria Rivera, 2015