Christina Van Dueck: Mutual Aid, Freedom, and Family in Marin City
Excerpt from paper written by Christina Van Dueck (Dance; Literature ‘24) for HONO3206: Just Learning: Books not Bars
If you could describe the Marin city community in one word what would it be?
Mercedez, a prominent member of the Marin city community answered… “Family. We are all separate people but we work together in harmony and this is what makes the Marin city community so special. We are furthering the legacy of 8 generations and providing opportunities through education for the youth.” (Mercedez, Marin city) Marin city adjacent to Sausalito and Mill Valley, population 3126, originated eighty years ago in 1942. This city emerged through WWII when the W.A. Bechtel Company was contracted for the construction of warships. Because of this, African Americans would travel from Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas to Marin city for employment in construction. Due to redlining and racial segregation, the community of Marin city arose in response to this. Two years following this, the Marin City Council emerged to support necessary resources to residents in the community. Through these efforts made by the community alone, there was redevelopment of housing and education from the aftermath of WWII. In 1990, Felicia Gaston, a community member who migrated from Georgia, founded Performing Stars, a program that seeks towards creating opportunities for the future generations as well as providing sanctuary and refuge for oppressed individuals who reside in Marin city. Performing Stars places education at the center of their program through the practice of freedom in order to combat the historical, residential, and educational segregation in Marin city.
Before working with Performing Stars, I knew nothing about Marin City. Despite how often I would drive to Sausalito, I never gave a second thought to Marin City. I could chalk this up to lack of knowledge but in a critical way, I would categorize this to be a lack of consciousness. The people I have met at Performing Stars have encouraged me to have this constant awareness of my physical surroundings in order to be actively critically reflective of my conscience. Shae, a leader at Performing Stars, would always tell any kid that passed by her to, “look up. Take your headphones out. See what’s around you and face that.” This stood out to me as she clearly valued this sensitivity to your surroundings as well as reflection and acknowledgement. Shae has made me recognize the importance of presence; my mindset shift occurred when I began thinking of my mind as a system that unconsciously may equally and individually be capable of oppressing. From this shift of passive acknowledgement to active reflection I have learned how crucial critical consciousness is in order to understand unconsciously created stereotypes. Throughout this shift, I have learned the significance of every interaction whether verbal, physical, or mental. Furthermore, from this newfound understanding of my individual impact, I have learned the essentiality of mutual aid and collectivity in a community. The community of Marin city epitomizes mutual aid through focusing on education of critical consciousness.. .
. . . Marin city is grounded by mutual aid through the community to attain a sense of personal and collective freedom; it epitomizes and encapsulates the fight for equality in every child, woman, and adult. Marin city is more than a community it is a family centered around kindness and love where segregation is replaced with inclusivity and individualism is replaced with collectivism. Mercedez always talked of how despite not having any children, she treated each and every child in the city like her own. She would always tell me of how everyone looks out for one another, even the children.
On many peaceful walks throughout Marin city, the sense of family was all encompassing. Walking through the streets, people will come out of their way to say hello, front doors will be left open without a worry, and homemade food would welcome me whenever I walk into Performing Stars. The most important lesson that the community of Marin city has taught me is the importance in supporting those around you even if it requires sacrificing others’ needs before your own. Cultivating an environment of support and advocacy allows for the enrichment of education as well as the reclamation of identities ultimately fueling this pursuit in finding freedom.
My heart is overflowing with gratitude and love for Marin city as it taught me what it truly means to be in a community and more importantly the impact I have on those I interact with; I am truly empowered by the freedom I have found in gaining a new family. And, to honor my commitment to this family, I will consciously place their voices at the forefront, consciously think about my actions, and consciously work to educate those around me in order to combat the systemic injustices the community faces each and every day. Marin city, separated from the rest by the 580 freeway, my family flourishes as one in beautiful harmony through each hardship.
