Photo: Tilman Hurlin Photo: Tilman Hurlin
Does class consciousness still exist in our society? And if so, how does class-specific discrimination, exploitation, and oppression manifest itself? Does it affect us personally, and if so, how can we counteract it in everyday life? These were questions discussed by the volunteers of the Turkish Federation Berlin-Brandenburg at the wannseeFORUM.
In a total of five different workshops, nearly 50 volunteers from the 2018/19 cohort of the Federal Voluntary Service (FSJ) arrived at their own personal answers. Using media such as rap, performance, photography, theater, and a writing workshop, they filled the complex concept of "classism" with personal meaning and reflected upon it.
While the theater and performance groups developed a presentation exploring specific aspects, such as the gap between rich and poor on Instagram, the photography group traveled to Kreuzberg and Neukölln to document classism on the streets of Berlin. The writing workshop produced texts and poems, which they then visualized on a large scale for all participants. Therapcreated their own lyrics, which they compiled into a single track and performed in an accompanying music video. They also reflect on the association of the rap genre with a particular class.
The results presented by the participants on Friday were as diverse as the media approaches they used. From football to the education system, a wide range of topics were addressed and implemented creatively and innovatively. The group was thus able to artistically tell their inspiring stories and realize how classism affects them in many areas of life.
The wannseeFORUM Foundation is very pleased to welcome the FSJ participants back to Pohlesee during the next seminars in 2019.