what does it mean to be a racialized settler?
For so many of us, this has been a period of intense turbulence. Navigating climate emergency, a global pandemic, overt and systemic racism, and all of the ways that these and other challenges intersect.
But despite it all, we witnessed (and joined in) as our communities came together in solidarity, through mutual aid, reciprocity, and collective care. These concepts are not new to Indigenous or racialized communities, and it is this shared sense of responsibility for each others’ well-being that offers us a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak time.
While we did not originally set out for this project to be a residency, we are so excited to share with you the beautiful reflections that could have only been gathered through the dedication of this unique group of artists.
We leave you here with the questions that framed the 2021 joss paper library online residency, with the hope that they spark further discussion and reflection into our experiences on unceded lands:
What does it mean to be a racialized settler? How does settler colonialism impact the way we understand ourselves in relation to land? What is our understanding of “homeland,” in the many varied ways that we relate to the land?
Thank you to our artists in residence, Tanvi Bhatia, Charlene Sayo, Jane Shi, and Jackson Tse for all of their time, thoughtfulness, and vulnerability; to Ta7talíya Paisley Eva Nahanee for opening our residency and sharing Sḵwx̱wú7mesh teachings; to Jackie Wong and to hua foundation staff for their guidance from beginning to end; and finally, we are so grateful to our communities for your support and encouragement.
Content is copyright of joss paper library and individual contributors. © 2021
This program was funded by the City of Vancouver and hua foundation.