WHY DIVERSITY IS GOOD for Intentional Community by Kara Huntermoon
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Power, Gender, Class, and Race WHY DIVERSITY IS GOOD for Intentional Community By Kara Huntermoon Eight Heart-Culture Farm Community children, ranging in age from two to 13. hy is diversity good for intentional communities? Challeng- beaten until they complied. While these laws have been repealed, and ing systems of oppression takes place on all levels, from the today Oregon is known as a liberal state, we are still living in strongly micro to the macro. Understanding the macro dynamics, the segregated communities. White liberal people have little opportunity patternsW of the wider society, lends significance to interactions on the to learn, through relationships with people of color, about their own personal level. The work of linking the macro to the micro can help privilege and racism. This leads to a kind of white denial, where we are us make personal choices that affect our bigger society. In my life, as a genuinely liberal and anti-racist, but unaware of our own privilege, so white woman in an intentional community in Oregon, I can tie these we perpetuate the institutions of racism without even knowing it. levels together through three vignettes from different levels of reality: Intentional communities in Oregon are generally white dominated macro (Oregon history and politics), micro (personal feelings and rela- and attract mostly white middle class people. If we want to change this tionships), and community-scale (interpersonal decision-making). (and I do!) we have to reach across color lines to create diverse com- munities. For communities to succeed in retaining residents long-term, Macro Level: Oregon History and Politics we have to develop an awareness of the larger societal dynamics that Segregation practices over 500-plus years have succeeded in making affect our personal relationships. History, sociology, anthropology, lib- close interracial relationships harder. For example, 12 percent of Or- eration theory, and co-counseling are my favorite resources. If we don’t egon’s population is non-white, so one out of every nine people I meet seek out education about race, class, and privilege, we will remain well- on the street ought to be a person of color. But I do not meet that many intentioned but ineffectual—perhaps claiming to be “color blind,” but people of color, and I notice when I see one because it seems so rare. We actually incognizant of colorism, classism, and their remedies. Our com- have to reach out specifically across segregation lines to make relation- munities will suffer as a result, usually by unawarely repeating the social ships. Our separation from people of color is one sign of white privilege. dynamics of the oppressive society. Why do I have to seek out people of color in order to find them? Oregon’s history is strongly racist, including active recruiting of KKK Micro Level: Personal Feelings and Relationships residents with advertisements describing Oregon as a “white haven.” It is very healing to have close relationships with people who are dif- The entire state was a sundown town, with an 1859 Constitution that ferent. For example, two of my close friends are heterosexual men, and banned blacks from living or working in Oregon, owning property, or both relationships help highlight the fact that not all men will rape and voting.1 Black people who failed to leave the state could be physically attack me if I don’t give them sex. I occasionally have to educate one of Spring 2018 COMMUNITIES 43 247 178_Issue_pg.40-65.indd 43 2/19/18 2:59 PM Communication in Community: Wisdom of Communities, Volume 3 them about microaggressions they’ve aimed at me or at another woman, cluding some people of color. They explained that they had spent some but since they respond positively I experience this as an empowerment time interviewing the homeless couple, and assessed that though they exercise. I can stand up against oppression in my personal relationships weren’t a good fit, they also weren’t dangerous. “They’re not going to and move those relationships forward, even if I am shaking with fear. steal from us, hurt us, or make life hard on us,” explained one young On the other side of the oppression spectrum, I have several friends man. Those of us with “safer” more sheltered, more privileged back- who are Latinx, black, or Asian-heritage. As a white woman I tend to be grounds trusted their judgment, because they knew. They had lived hesitant to express myself around people of color, but my close friends en- through conditions where these kinds of assessments had to be made courage me to be big and make mistakes. When they tell me I have erred over and over, and empirical evidence collected from the outcomes. We in my treatment of them, I thank them. I am genuinely glad they feel safe trusted our community mates. We may not have trusted the homeless enough to tell me some version of “Shut up, white girl, you have no clue.” couple, but we trusted each other. Both my self-education on racism, and the corrections I receive from my Several white middle class residents insisted that we not allow the friends, serve to sink me into a deeper sense of security. I can have close homeless couple to birth on the property. Even though the community relationships with all kinds of people, without fear of acting oppressively had several born-at-home babies, they felt it was too much to risk when towards them. Since the last thing I want is to hurt others, it’s reassuring we didn’t know the parents. As it turned out, the mother needed the to have evidence that my relationships can recover from my mistakes. hospital to save her life during a true birth emergency, a rare complica- tion that would have killed her before she could reach help if she had Community Level: Interpersonal Decision-Making tried to birth unassisted on our land. Because we insisted they not birth The oppressive society hurts groups of people in patterned ways, and here, they chose the hospital, and both mama and baby turned out fine. those hurts shut down some aspects of emotional and mental function- Our community mates were right: the couple was safe for us, and we ing. For example, boys and men repeatedly hear admonitions like “Boys shouldn’t allow them to birth here. Two positions, from diverse voices, don’t cry”; “Buck up! Be a man!”; and “You’re a sissy!” As a result, most combined to create a good outcome. We housed the couple for two men find it difficult to access tears as a healing process. Girls and women months, they birthed safely, the dad found a job, and they moved on. generally are allowed to retain more access to their emotions. Although several residents felt relieved when they left, all agreed it was A diverse group of people includes individuals who have been subject- a good experience. ed to different patterns of oppression. The areas of functioning impaired by these hurts are different for members of different identity groups. Conclusion That means the areas of functioning retained or developed are also dif- Most intentional communities are motivated by a goal to be differ- ferent. Each person has a piece of the truth, and together we can make ent from the mainstream: more ecological, more egalitarian, or more a whole story; we can make more functional accurate responses to chal- supportive of personal and spiritual growth. Social justice conscious- lenges that arise in our communities. ness and intentional diversity are one possible response to the problems For example, our community once agreed to help a pregnant homeless of racism and classism in the wider society. Taking on the challenge couple be housed long enough to birth and recover from it. The family of creating diverse communities can lead to personal and interpersonal was not eligible for residency at Heart-Culture because of several details, growth for residents. Successful relationships with all kinds of people including drug use, communication style, and the number of residents strengthen our communities, adding to our long-term resiliency. n who felt triggered or unable to relax around them. About half of our resi- dents gave impassioned pleas to accept them temporarily, as we didn’t like Kara Huntermoon is one of seven owners of the community land at Heart- to see a hugely pregnant woman on the streets. “The difference between Culture Farm Community, where the ownership structure encourages low- this pregnant homeless woman, and all the other pregnant homeless income residents to buy in. She has lived at Heart-Culture for 10 years with women, is this one is asking us for help,” explained one resident. her husband and two daughters. Kara teaches Liberation Listening, a form of The deciding argument came from several raised-poor residents, in- co-counseling that focuses on understanding and ending systems of oppression. 1. “Oregon’s Racial History, Diversity Explored.” Mail Tribune, www.mailtribune.com/article/20131020/News/310200330. Sunset over the North Pasture. Photos by Myriad Huntermoon 44 COMMUNITIES Number 178 248 178_Issue_pg.40-65.indd 44 2/19/18 2:59 PM Power, Gender, Class, and Race August The October 2014 “Requiem 2014 action for Mike Brown” action led by the included a banner drop and Organiza- added an important song to tion of Black the St. Louis Symphony Struggle, program that night: “Which attempting side are you to ask Gov. on, friend? Nixon to Justice de-escalate for Mike police tactics Brown in Ferguson is justice and not for us all!” bring in the National Guard.