An Open Letter to South Phoenix Residents


Dear South Phoenix Residents,

When I decided to take the course Learning from South Phoenix at Arizona State University-West last December of 2006, I had to confess that it was purely a selfish interest on my part:  I wanted to take a course that would stimulate me to write my field statements for my doctoral research in anthropology here at ASU.

But the course proved to be more than what it served my purpose.  It gave me the opportunity not only to learn from an unconventional teaching methodology, but also from understanding reflexively the changing urban culture and social space of South Phoenix.  It was through this course that I became not only an observer to the dramatic changes unfolding in South Phoenix, but also an active participant in advocating for subalterns’ rights to affordable housing and against all forms of discrimination, be it race, gender, class or ethnicity.  There’s no doubt that it has contributed immensely to my cultural and social experience here in Phoenix and to my intellectual growth as well.

Furthermore, through this class, I came to be acquainted with, or I should say, have a good grip on social issues surrounding your community writ large the United States.  I have come to realize what it means to be black, poor, women or immigrants in the US.  But it has also made me realize that despite all the difficulties you’ve been through, the courage you all have to overcome the obstacles of poverty, injustice and discrimination in order to gain respect and dignity is worth it.  I am proud of you!  Your experience and the struggles that you’ve won in whatever forms and degrees have taught me important lessons that I will certainly bring back with me when I go back to the Philippines, a place that I call home.

Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Kristin Koptiuch for giving me this amazing opportunity to learn from your experience, personal stories and struggles in life.  Without her, I would not have the chance to embark on this cool adventure.  She deserves to be commended for breaking the four walls of the university and letting her students experience the real world.  Her teaching style is more than just a tempest in a teapot, but a break from what Spivak has called the “teaching machine” plaguing American universities today.  She is truly an iconoclast!

I think it is fitting to end my letter to you with a quote from Antonio Gramsci, an Italian Marxist intellectual who said, “The challenge of modernity is to live without illusions and without becoming disillusioned.”

Sincerely,

Aloysius Canete
South Phoenix 2006 Class Home Page Modified 4/28/2006 Send me comments