sometimes a job is more than a j-o-b
with spring fever in full effect, there’s something in the air.
the past two weeks, there has been a jump in violence among the young people here in boston. not so unusual for this time of year, as the weather gets nicer, people are finally allowed to occupy the public and push beyond their enclosed buildings.
in my neighborhood of jamaica plain alone, there have been 3 shootings, with one being fatal in the course of a few days, leading youth organizers, social justice orgs, city officials, cops, and residents to gather and dialogue. as usual, it’s a series of rants of progressive neighborhood adults coming to testify on behalf of the youth, how they are misunderstood, how the cops are ineffective, how only now—when the shootings are creeping into the other side of the tracks—are city officials beginning to pay attention… all good points, but never any suggestions or strategies to address the root of this social violence. and of course, the cops’ and politicians’ strategies are basic: more cops on duty (meaning more overtime, more money spend in the wrong places…)
the young people were straight up. they said: “WE HAVE THE SOLUTION, we need more jobs for young people in the city of boston.” simple. they got to the pressure point of the problem before the outcome of violence. their strategy was not reactive, but pro-active and preventative… but how to make this happen, and in a way that reaches a critical mass to alter the system has been a fight organizers have been tackling for a long, long time.
which brings me down a long winding road to this post and its relevancy to the apia community… with jobs being scarce and in dire need, you take what you can get, but when you have the privilege to choose your path, why take the one that’s “expected” or deemed “more valuable?” within the asian immigrant/refugee community there has always been a divide between jobs and professions, physical and mental labor, blue collar and white collar.
my question is, where do the jobs with no-collar fit? those jobs that transcend these old socialized notions of value… the type of work where you are engaged creatively, have no direct social structure of hierarchy or power, craft new programs without borders, invent job descriptions along the way… the type of job where you can’t be categorized and have the freedom to explore boundaries. i’m talking about the community organizers, the freelance dreamers, the artists, poets, musicians, social entrepreneurs, the innovators, that put their nose to the grindstone day in and day out, but work from such a specialized skill set, it takes a lifetime to perfect.
white collar vs. blue collar. i’ll take no-collar everyday.
Last 5 posts by theresa
- east meets words meets three years - March 5th, 2008
Tags: Boston, Community, social expectations, youth.
word. a new collar’s been long overdue.
interchangeable collars would be sweet.
somewhere i came across something that broke employment down in to three categories - a job, a profession, and a calling.
calling sounds pretty intense, but i think it’s a good word, and has some degree of overlap with the no-collar jobs that you’re talking about. for folks who work no-collar jobs, it almost needs to be a calling if you’re going to survive. you need an inner drive. i think that’s where immeasurable satisfaction and inspiration can be gained.
Not everyone is afforded the opportunity to pursue that dream job or the “no-collar” job. I don’t think folks choose to become janitors, or dishwashers, or laundromat owners. Not everyone has the opportunity to choose or pursue that no-collar job.
i think no-collar has carried different labels throughout time to describe creative and “intentional social change” lifestyles, e.g. hippies, bohemians.
eugene: i totally agree, which was why i prefaced this with if you are able to, priviledge enough, have the luxury to choose jobs….
i’m aware of the overwhelming majority that can’t choose.