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November 20-22, 2009
Host: District VII
Virginia Commonwealth University
907 Floyd Ave, Richmond VA 23220

Depth of Field
Zoom in to self. Zoom out for history. When in focus, take the picture.
 
Statement of Purpose
In hosting FIND National Dialogue 2009, the purpose of FIND D7 is to promote Critical Filipino-American Studies and a sense of agency to delegates of all backgrounds.  General history of the Philippine struggle, including colonization in the Philippines, immigration to the United States, etc. are important in understanding self, being aware, changing world views, sharing that knowledge, and applying it to present-day perspectives. The workshops will spark the interest to take action individually using the knowledge acquired.  
 
Zooming In: Understand how power and privilege shape identity via race, class, and gender.
 
Zooming Out: Illuminate history of colonization to show how power and privilege is constructed.
 
Taking the Picture: Show how knowledge of identity, the struggle, and history can be applied to transform peoples’ lives.
 

Depth of Field: the amount of space within lens view which will maintain acceptable focus at given settings.

The concept of photography is an individualistic idea. The photographer holds his tool, the camera in hand, and holds the power to look through the viewfinder, focus on a subject, and capture the image. The delegates will feel empowered to take action and critically analyze their history and its effects on their environment. 

“It is not enough to simply know history…we must know what to do with history.”
-Francis Tanglao-Aguas, opening keynote speech at FIND Conference 2008

“…Thinking critically is at the heart of anybody transforming their life and I really believe that a person who thinks critically (who may be extraordinarily disadvantaged materially) can find ways to transform their lives that can be deeply and profoundly meaningful…”
-bell hooks, Cultural Criticism as Transformation
 
“The questions which one asks oneself, begin to illuminate the world and become one’s key to the experience of others”
-James Arthur Baldwin