Pertenencia/Belonging

Grounding our conversation in love and connection

Othering / 他者化

The opposite of belonging

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Othering (他者化): "A set of dynamics, processes, and structures that engender marginality and persistent inequality across any of the full range of human differences based on group identities."

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Othering & Belonging Institute, University of California, Berkeley
Building on John a. powell's framework

Othering Examples

Visualizing the impact of othering

Case file labeling youth as ward of the state

When a child enters foster care and suddenly their identity is reduced to a case number

The Label: "Ward of the State"

Reducing identity to bureaucratic labels

When the state provides subsidies to institutions that keep youth from experiencing family life

The Institution vs. Family

Systems that prioritize efficiency over human connection

When the U.S. government moved thousands of Japanese families to makeshift detention centers and sites

Japanese Internment Camps

Historical examples of systematic othering

Use arrow buttons or spacebar to cycle through examples

IFCA: Building Bridges Where Belonging Was Denied

Foster Youth

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Caregivers & Professionals

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Orquesta de la Luz: Cultural Bridge Building

Redefining "America": Bad Bunny's Inclusive Vision

America = Caribbean + Latin America + united states

Challenging u.s.-centric definitions

Creating space for multiple identities to coexist

1

Inclusion

People need to feel included in the community

2

Connection

People need to feel connected to others

Belonging

3

Recognition

People need to feel seen, heard, and valued

4

Agency

People need to feel control over their actions

Belonging is a Bridge We Build Together

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Puerto Rico

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Japan

From Puerto Rico to Japan

From foster youth to policymakers

From isolation to community

Gracias / ありがとう / Thank You