Images: Vassar College
A Publication of the ALANA Center
A Beautiful Community
By Anonymous
Diversity,
Community,
People like me and unlike me.
A common space, common ground,
Common thread.
History told through photographs,
Lets me know I am not alone.
Chocolate honey in my blood,
Fluid, flowing, flooding
Like buttah
On biscuits
Sitting on the table
Next to the café con leche
The color of my complexion
Does not reinforce hierarchies of oppression
Is not about self-promotion
Does not shun.
Is a space of inclusion
Without fronteras
Goes beyond your own shade;
Incorporates all shades
Embracing my self-growth
Shedding light on the part towards
My ever-changing identity
A space
To overcome our personal and interpersonal struggles
To grow into ourselves while
We embrace the differences
Intrinsic in everyone
- is the ability to
acknowledge each other’s strengths
and build collectivity
on each other’s shortcomings and achievements
A physical space for growth..
This community poem was inspired by the diverse cultures represented in the ALANA Center. It incorporates the work of students of color who frequent the space and celebrates our beautifully diverse community on Vassar’s campus. Each addition to the poem was submitted by a new person.
Special Thanks to Contributors:
Aletheia Higgins ‘08, Angela Lam ‘08, Kenneth Miles ‘07, Yuridiana Rojas ‘08, Angelic X. Sosa ‘08, Mikey Velarde ‘09 and Jason Wu ‘07
The ALANA Center, 124 Raymond Ave Box 423, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604-0423