Cultural Identity
Alex Escalada & Carlos Yaque
Alex Escalada & Carlos Yaque
"Culture is the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterizes a society or a group. It includes creative expressions, community practices and material or built forms"
-- UN World Commision on Culture and Development Report
One's identity and sense of belonging in the context of culture is one's cultural identity
An organization that is involved with the surrounding community and helping those of all ages.
We certainly could tell how vibrant of a culture and history the school had
On the flip side, it was very difficult to hear that many students believed that the school was not a conducive environment for learning
"Summer high school represents an era of excellence, in spite of the state that it is in. There is a sense of belonging, family and better times. Even families who have moved away come to the city to experience homecoming at Sumner. It also represents a sense of identity. There are things that are iconic to Sumner...It also represents hope--if it happened under the circumstances it happened under before, it can happen again."
-- Warice Blackmon-Davis, alumni
Portraits of famous Sumner Alumni created by past students
Timeline and different subjects that pertained to the Civil Rights Movement
Formed out of a desire to develop literacy and a love for reading amongst youth in St. Louis
Every place we visited, every individual and community we interacted with all contributed to our understanding of the complex, multi-faceted, and ever-changing culture of St. Louis. Some of the things we experienced were very frustrating and hard to understand, but if they weren’t, we wouldn’t think that we were getting an accurate picture of the community in the first place. If we learned one thing on this trip, it is that we inevitably will have to encounter things that are difficult to face and understand in order to expand our perception of ourselves and the world. Even though it can be hard, opening one’s eyes, ears, and heart to the lives and experiences of individuals can all the while inspire, uplift, and empower. And being more conscience of the lives and experiences of the people in St. Louis lead to us to reflect on and better understand our own cultural identities, as well. Through this experience, we hope that we can continue to become more receptive, empathetic, and understanding to individuals and communities that differ from us—as well as inspire others to do the same.