5-years and 3 states (Connecticut, North Carolina, Minnesota) later, where is my community and who is my community? As a transplant to Minnesota, I often ask myself these questions.
- Is my community a psychological construct of my internal making to create a sense of belonging for survival? (Sense of Community)
- Is my community a sociological norm created by society that I learn that I must adopt? (Socialization)
- Is community a geographical connection I attach myself to define who I am?
As a transplant, I seek a sense of community to people I can regularly and meaningfully interact with, share a common identity, find integration and fulfillment, and exercise influence.
My community includes many sub-communities.
- Geographic communities: range from the local neighborhood, suburb, village, town or city, region
- Communities of culture: range from the local clique, sub-culture, ethnic group, religious, multicultural or pluralistic civilization, or the global community cultures of today, virtual
- Community organizations: range from informal family or kinship networks, to more formal incorporated associations, political decision making structures, economic enterprises, or professional associations
My current geographical community is Minnesota. Within Minnesota, I belong to a range of cultural communities (world citizen, 1st generation American of African descent, cosmopolitan, arts oriented, athlete…) and community of organizations (my employer, professional associations, community groups, Facebook…). I log on to my virtual online Facebook community to keep in contact with relationships on four continents.
As a transplant, I have had to identify and learn the cultural-social expectations and norms of Minnesota to survive in my new community. For example, I have had to learn to understand and adapt to “Minnesota Nice” which is SO REAL.
Building community is not a simple exercise. Severance from familiar interactions with relationships in a former geographical community can involve a cycle of grieving and social isolation. I have grieved for the physical presence of relationships and places left behind as I’ve floundered to create new relationships and assimilate into a new life in Minnesota.
Some communities openly welcome transplants. Some communities appreciate the differences transplants bring. Community can only be built when others let the newcomer in.
So where is my community and who is my community?
~ Elizabeth Swanzy-Parker is a guest contributor.
We are also Minnesotans by choice (we are NYC natives), having lived in the fair state of MN since the early 90′s. We did a year in Bloomington and then moved out to Dassel, a small town about an hour west of the Mpls metro. As an outsider (aka – not a 3 generation native), I can tell you native Minnesotans are, a funny group.
On the one hand, Minnesotans generally have large, close-knit family groups and deep social ties to their communities & church. This is a ‘good thing’, in my opinion. Strong connections bind people to the together in social networks and contribute greatly to a sense of ‘belonging’, building a stable base from which to engage the world.
On the other hand, because Minnesotan’s social cup is already overflowing, they are pretty particular about establishing relationships with outsiders. This makes it very challenging for outsiders to integrate with the existing community beyond the fairly superficial ‘Minnesota Nice’. The further outside the metro you live, the more pronounced this becomes.
Fortunately, ‘community’ in 2009 is more aptly defined by ‘common interests’ than ‘geographic proximity’. With the Internet as the ubiquitous vehicle for interpersonal communication, you can belong to as many communities as you like. You can observe. You can participate. You can lead. The opportunities to directly connect with other people anywhere on the planet has never been greater.
As technology continues to push back the boundaries, what was pure science fiction a few short years ago are now cutting edge products and services. Just wait until holographic conferencing (think “Star Wars”) goes mainstream. Community – people connecting with people – will never be the same.
57 Years, numerous states/countries later, who is my community?
I am a “Minnesotan by choice” (I am a native Californian). I view myself, simultaneously, as a member of my neighborhood (Normandale Place), my city (Bloomington), my county (Hennepin), my region (The Twin Cities), my state (Minnesota) and my nation (the US). However, my lifelong and worldwide experiences have left me first and foremost a human being, a “Citoyen du Monde”.
(Intellectually, I am also a member of the “Smart Growth Community”, the “Complete Streets Community”, the “Livable Communities Community” and many others.)
Human beings are, by nature, “tribal”. Evolution has made us tribal by the need to, first, band together to protect ourselves from predators from other species (lions and tigers) and, later, from other, competing, tribes of human beings.
In the absence of actual “tribes”, we form ourselves into various artificial communities to satisfy our innate tribal instincts. We rally around our local pro sport teams or our college football teams (my fondest wish is to attend a Rose Bowl game as a University of California, Berkeley Alum) to satisfy our basic tribal instincts.
These basic tribal instincts can be channeled innocuously (as in the case of our allegiance to sports teams) , negatively (as in the case of religious/ideological wars) or positively (in the case of neighborhood communities banding together to improve their local communities) .
Minnesota, as a geographic/cultural community, is a community into which natives are born. The rest of us have to barge our way into it. Minnesotans are, by nv ure, politeg, but not outgoing. We integrate ourselves into it by connecting with our geographic neighbors and/or by joining other sorts of interest group “tribes”.
Steve Elkins
Hi Aylin Lyn Jepsen.
Thanks for reading the “Community – A Transplant’s Tale” and the response to the blog. How long have you lived in Minnesota and where are you a transplant from? Additionally, what have been some of your transplant experience?
Elizabeth
I ran across this article through a facebook post. And I have to admit, as a transplate, I can relate to it all… Very well thought and written.