INSPIRATION FOR THE QUEER DISRUPTORS PROJECT

In January 2022, I participated in a program called “Rocking The World: Disrupting Stereotypical Notions of Race, Class, and Religion” from Klein College of Media and Communication within Temple University. I enrolled in the course with the intention of developing a better toolset as an advocate and widen my perspective. I have long believed I cannot truly disrupt any system of oppression without greater knowledge or understanding of others’ experiences.

The course proved to be more valuable than I anticipated. Prior to instruction, I read Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. The book is a significant resource for examining what a caste system is, the implications of caste, and ways of disrupting these systems. Its insights helped me put language to the world I see around me. Classroom instruction occurred over three days, with Professors Tallapragada, Brown & Saewitz each lecturing on different caste systems: India, United States, and Nazi Germany (respectively). The sessions were enlightening and sparked engaging discussions among students and faculty about their perspectives and experiences. There is only so much one can learn in the classroom; it is just as important to seek education through experience. That is why the focus of the program consisted of a trip to the District of Columbia, the nation’s capital, which happened to occur one year after the United States Capitol attack. This fact strengthened my purpose behind taking part in this experience: to play a part in the healing of this country, rather than be a bystander to further division and violence.

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Two important aspects of this program were visits to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Both are institutions that educate the public on caste systems through immersive experiences. The museums are full of media, like videos, images, and artifacts, that serve to tell the stories of those affected by the caste systems in Nazi Germany and the United States. Reading, listening, watching, and overall experiencing the exhibitions in these museums led to not only more knowledge, but also a deeper connection to history. In the United States, there is a common attitude that the education we need is provided through the public education system. I have found, in my experience, that is not enough. We must continually seek out more sources and information, while considering who we are learning from. No single source can claim to contain a comprehensive version of history.

There are always more stories and interpretations to discover. It is this belief that urged me to critically evaluate my experiences at both museums. I felt as though there was not enough information about queer history, despite how powerfully the museums presented so much history. Queer people can be found within any and all identities, and their intersectionality is important. The intention of this project is to act as a spotlight on queer disruptors and history that I discover on my lifelong journey of learning.