Cultural Practices
Many of us have heard the term ‘cultural work’ or ‘cultural worker’…but what is it, how do you know when you’re experiencing the work? Who is a cultural worker and what do they do? I am a cultural worker, and it has taken me over 30 years to claim that descriptor of my work and to find language to articulate what cultural work is.
First, cultural work is a part of the larger work of social justice and social change in grassroots communities. It is an undocumented partner to community organizing. The cultural worker too is concerned about the kind of world, communities and institutions we want to create. For example, after the walls of segregation tumbled, it was clear that the model of community and values that shaped that system would not be mirrored. So where do we find our architectural vision for just and healthy communities and institutions?
This is where we find cultural work and cultural workers. A definition of culture is ‘shared ways of behaving or traditions that are passed on by example or through learnings’. If we accept this definition, the question for those of us who work towards social change is whose ways of doing things and whose traditions or examples do we reference. Do we reference power over others or shared power; individually driven or a collective/ community spirit; “getting” or giving; individual control or community control; ‘formulaic’, prepackaged or creative approaches and ideas; bureaucracy or democracy. Will we formulate institutional policies that box people in, or will we design institutions that allow people to grow and be present with all of their intellectual and creative gifts? Depending on which set of values we embrace, it will be reflected in our work and institutions.
Not only does cultural work help us examine our values, but cultural work plays an important role in community organizing. More often we tend to see the skills of cultural workers first before we understand the impact of their work. They may be musicians, dancers, singers, songwriters, storytellers, photographers, filmmakers, videographers, muralists, oral historians, facilitators, educators, artists. But cultural workers whose experiences and work are grounded in social change can have a powerful impact on our goals to have just, healthy and creative communities and institutions.
The practice of cultural work and cultural workers are our reminders of the traditions and values we hold… and of the countless people in our communities whose courage, sacrifice and commitment have shaped and changed our lives. Cultural practices/workers are our guides to discovering and creating new traditions and possibilities by using tools such as stories, song, dance, oral histories, analysis, community- based strategies. Reviewing culture and the history of struggle awaken our imagination and remind us of the knowledge we carry as well as the need to hold and store our best practices.
Cultural work uses insights and practices from the arts. Because the arts move within our spirit and our soul, trans-formative experiences are more possible. And transformation is at the root of social change. A story or song, for example, can deepen our understanding and move us to action in ways that words cannot.
At its core cultural work is a set of practices and creative framework that encourages us to be reflective and interpretive in our work, to, remember our historical traditions and values, and to be confident that we can imagine, evolve and act within our own paradigm for social change and democratic communities.
A critical function of the tools of art and culture is the ability to connect. Through our culture and creative expressions, we are connected to our own humanity and reminded of the humanity of others. Like many who are involved in the work of social justice, cultural workers believe that that the ability to change lives in all people. Hope and courage also live in people, along with a sense of community, collective memory, and a spirit and a vision for bright futures. By infusing our work with the practices of cultural work, (stories, song, dance, ritual, spoken word, culture-based organizing, history, struggle, spirit), we create movements, institutions and communities where our knowledge, strategies, values, spirit and humanity can thrive.
First, cultural work is a part of the larger work of social justice and social change in grassroots communities. It is an undocumented partner to community organizing. The cultural worker too is concerned about the kind of world, communities and institutions we want to create. For example, after the walls of segregation tumbled, it was clear that the model of community and values that shaped that system would not be mirrored. So where do we find our architectural vision for just and healthy communities and institutions?
This is where we find cultural work and cultural workers. A definition of culture is ‘shared ways of behaving or traditions that are passed on by example or through learnings’. If we accept this definition, the question for those of us who work towards social change is whose ways of doing things and whose traditions or examples do we reference. Do we reference power over others or shared power; individually driven or a collective/ community spirit; “getting” or giving; individual control or community control; ‘formulaic’, prepackaged or creative approaches and ideas; bureaucracy or democracy. Will we formulate institutional policies that box people in, or will we design institutions that allow people to grow and be present with all of their intellectual and creative gifts? Depending on which set of values we embrace, it will be reflected in our work and institutions.
Not only does cultural work help us examine our values, but cultural work plays an important role in community organizing. More often we tend to see the skills of cultural workers first before we understand the impact of their work. They may be musicians, dancers, singers, songwriters, storytellers, photographers, filmmakers, videographers, muralists, oral historians, facilitators, educators, artists. But cultural workers whose experiences and work are grounded in social change can have a powerful impact on our goals to have just, healthy and creative communities and institutions.
The practice of cultural work and cultural workers are our reminders of the traditions and values we hold… and of the countless people in our communities whose courage, sacrifice and commitment have shaped and changed our lives. Cultural practices/workers are our guides to discovering and creating new traditions and possibilities by using tools such as stories, song, dance, oral histories, analysis, community- based strategies. Reviewing culture and the history of struggle awaken our imagination and remind us of the knowledge we carry as well as the need to hold and store our best practices.
Cultural work uses insights and practices from the arts. Because the arts move within our spirit and our soul, trans-formative experiences are more possible. And transformation is at the root of social change. A story or song, for example, can deepen our understanding and move us to action in ways that words cannot.
At its core cultural work is a set of practices and creative framework that encourages us to be reflective and interpretive in our work, to, remember our historical traditions and values, and to be confident that we can imagine, evolve and act within our own paradigm for social change and democratic communities.
A critical function of the tools of art and culture is the ability to connect. Through our culture and creative expressions, we are connected to our own humanity and reminded of the humanity of others. Like many who are involved in the work of social justice, cultural workers believe that that the ability to change lives in all people. Hope and courage also live in people, along with a sense of community, collective memory, and a spirit and a vision for bright futures. By infusing our work with the practices of cultural work, (stories, song, dance, ritual, spoken word, culture-based organizing, history, struggle, spirit), we create movements, institutions and communities where our knowledge, strategies, values, spirit and humanity can thrive.