Join us for a talk/workshop on "Other histories of Santa Monica and the Bay District" and decolonial approaches to storytelling.
The mural in the lobby of Santa Monica City Hall is titled “History of Santa Monica and the Bay District.” In this part-lecture and part-workshop, we’ll delve into the histories of the communities and locales that are not represented in the mural, and discuss decolonial approaches to recording history and transmitting stories of place, belonging and connectedness. This event takes place at Santa Monica College's Barrett Art Gallery amidst the beautiful setting of photographer Matika Wilbur's "Project 526" exhibit.
Decolonization is the process of centering ideologies and practices that are not rooted in Western thought and approaches, and can include honoring the knowledge-building and cultural production of Indigenous communities as equal to those of institutionally centered forms of learning, teaching, and accreditation such as universities, for the purpose of social growth rooted in the places one resides and is in community with.
For a more expansive definition of Decolonization please read: https://www.queensu.ca/ctl/resources/decolonizing-and-indigenizing/what-decolonization-what-indigenization
Belonging is a concept that takes into account how race, class, poverty, discrimination, and other factors such as the built environment, like public art and government buildings, shape "place" to ensure one can feel they belong. Understanding the pre-colonial history of places, critical racial theory, and politics alongside the impacts of spatial planning (visible and invisible markers and boundaries) helps us identify why and when people feel they don't belong.
For more information on the concept of Belonging please visit: https://belonging.berkeley.edu/podcast-belonging-oakland & https://usdac.us/belonging
*photo courtesy of Santa Monica College