Chapter 2: Identity and Purpose
Who Are They?
Who do you recognize? Take a minute and write down anything you know about the people you recognize
You may know:
Their name, where they are from, what they do, something about their life, something you have heard about them, your own impression of them.
Most of what we know about someone at first comes from what we can see, hear or learn from the outside.
But does that tell us everything about who they are?
Now, Who Are You?
Take a blank sheet of paper. Draw yourself from head to toe. Below your drawing, write a short biography about yourself. When you finish, look at what you chose to include
Describing yourself is not as simple as listing what you look like, where you come from or what you do.
What Is Identity?
“Identity is who you are, how you see yourself, and how the world experiences you.”
— The Africentric Arts View
Identity includes the different characteristics, experiences, relationships, roles, beliefs and affiliations that help shape who you are.
People have identities.
Communities have identities.
Cultures and organizations can have identities too.
For this chapter, we are focusing on personal identity: the different parts that come together to make you who you are.
Understanding the Layers of Identity
Identity is made up of many connected parts.
People may notice
Your skin colour
Age
Hair
Clothing
Voice
Talents
How you carry yourself
The people you spend time with
The energy you bring into a room
What they may not immediately know
What you have experienced
What you believe
What you value
What you are afraid of
What you hope for
What responsibilities you carry
What challenges you have faced
What you have learned
What matters deeply to you
Two people can share the same race, culture, nationality or age and still be very different people.
Knowledge Check
