Belonging There, Here

An original crowdsourced poem edited and read by Quraysh Ali Lansana

Quraysh Ali Lansana is the award-winning author and editor of dozens of books — including poetry, children's literature, textbooks and more. (Photo: Tulsa Artist Fellowship / Tri-City Collective)

The word belonging carries a lot of weight. For some of us, feeling at home in a place and in our skin can be a lifelong project — for others, our deep connection to our environment and our selves is as natural as the weather.

The concept is made even more complex by institutional and social pressures. As Bright Golden Haze artist Tavares Strachan asks: "Who gets to determine who belongs where? And where is here? And why does it matter?”