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Statement
BORN: NO ONE PLACE

It’s really hard to say one moment or place where I was born. It’s been a lot.

There was:

Growing up in extreme poverty, and then trying to find my way out through academia and education, which was always pushed in my family.

Seeing my family work through so many things, I developed a beautiful work ethic which helped me push through undergrad, my first graduate program, and my second graduate program.

Me having to become the patriarch of the family at such an early age.

Me having to witness extreme violence in the neighborhood I grew up in when I was young.

Me having to learn how to navigate racism, how to deal with racism, the institution of racism, even when people didn’t realize it was there. Except, I did.

I took a class about genetics in racism. I learned that there really was no difference between the races; just what we see. There’s more genetic difference among people who are considered to be the same race versus people who have been classified as different races.

But we still use this belief because it feeds capitalism. It feeds so many different things. It’s really too much. And its really a lot to think about in all my 43 years.

—Kuma

All images copyright Ellen Jacob

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