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POETRY(Poly-Occular Engagement and Transnational Research Yearnings): Innovations in Research Across Community-Academic Divides

Team:

Principal Investigator: Dr. Denise L. Spitzer (University of Alberta)

Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Julie Ham (Brock University)

Co-Investigators: Mr. Rey Asis (Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants), Ms. Yuni Asriyanti (Women Human Rights Defender), Mr. Arman Hernando (Migrante Philippines), Ms. Karsiwen (KABAR BUMI), Ms. Hanindha Kristy (Independent Women’s Rights Defender), Ms. Eni Lestari (PILAR), Ms. Sriarti (KABAR BUMI), Ms. Sringatin (Indonesian Migrant Workers Union)

Project Coordinator: Ms. Marian C Sanchez (University of Alberta)

Summary of Project:

Utilizing the Lives of Migrant Remittances project as a case study, Poly-Occular Engagement and Transnational Research Yearnings (POETRY) aimed to: 1) Document the impact of COVID-19 on our research methods, 2) Bridge divides and deepen conversations amongst community based and academic researchers to develop strategies to address ongoing and emerging challenges, and 3) Consolidate lessons learned, facilitate knowledge translation activities, and co-create resources to help inform transnational research engagement practices moving forward. Reflecting on the emerging spatial and temporal challenges facing transnational research, POETRY highlighted the role of knowledge production from grassroots organizations and community informed academic traditions within the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. This work hopes to ultimately de-centre Western epistemic traditions and provide resources and inspiration for other scholars and activists to do the same, contributing to a more just world.

LOMR T-Shirt for survey takers
Please hover over the purple plus signs to read the descriptions.
Hong Kong
My name is Rey Asis, the program coordinator for advocacy and campaigns of Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants I have lived in Hong Kong for 20 years+, seeing how the situation of migrant domestic workers is not changing for the better. Policies on migrants have become more oppressive here as in other countries, reinforcing my belief that the migration for development framework shrinks migrants and migrant workers to disposable labor commodities. Through my work with the grassroots migrants, I look forward to and will work toward a world without inequality, injustice and forced migration.  
Canada
My name is Marian C. Sanchez. She/They. Friends and folks also call me Ayan. Through participatory research and community-centered health-development programs, I have spent the past 18 years working with different equity-seeking sectors in Asia and Canada.Any research or social development initiative must uplift people’s dignity and increase their capacity to help themselves—this principle and the active struggle to constantly learn are the core my every engagement.
Indonesia
My name is Karsiwen, usually called Iweng since childhood by my family. I come from Cilacap, Central Java Indonesia. Cilacap is  the third biggest sending migrant area in Indonesia. As a former migrant worker, I have spent 11 years forced to separate from my family because I had to work for a higher salary.  I experienced being underpaid from  the standard wage, not being given holidays, having my wages cut (deduction salaries), not being given enough food and being laid off. I felt cheated after I read the contents of my new employment contract after a year of being held by the agent and employer. From personal experience and cases experienced by other migrant friends, I finally realized that the root of the migration problem is in Indonesia, one of which is the Indonesian government’s policy that does not protect. So, after I returned to my homeland I continued to fight and build organizations in Indonesia. Because I realized that improving the conditions of migrants and their families can only be obtained from our own struggles.
Philippines
I am Arman Hernando (he/him), born and raised inside a working class family. My parents were both trade union leaders since the Martial law era. I grew up with the workers: at their mass actions, picket lines, offices and such other places where union power is exercised and camaraderie is expressed. Growing up with them, I knew from the start that I would be in the trade union movement, somehow. I started my active participation in the movement when I joined the Kabataang Migrante para sa Bayan (KAMIYAN, youth organization of Migrante) as one of its founding member in 1999. In 2015, at the height of the campaign to save the life of  Mary Jane Veloso, I rejoined Migrante. And as a multitude of issues affecting migrant workers and the people followed, I saw myself completely devoting my life for the migrant and local workers’ cause.
RENGA
Collectively written poem

Mothers. Daughters. Sisters
Wreathed in Pain, Armored with Strength.
We Share Knowledge; We Break Chains.
Enhancing Expertise, Sharing and Caring
Living Life, Looking to the Future
Changing the Story of “National Heroes”
We Build Mutual Trust to Face Challenges to Achieve the Changes We Want
Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win 
Dare to Break Old Ideas and Usher New Ideas In

Recipes for Collaboration:
Food for Thought

When we cook, we don’t only look at the recipe, but also consider who for are we making the menu.

Trust the process. Substitute ingredients with have you have on hand or what you grow. Balancing flavours and creating dishes that are as beautiful as they are delicious and nutritious. Attending to one’s emotions and thoughts when cooking as they can infuse the dish—so cook with love.
If LOMR is a dish, we cook it from raw materials. We begin from knowing, learning and listening to each other. We dive into each other’s vision and expertise. Then we unite into a collective wisdom – what migrants need.
LOMR presents a new dish with a new taste, which debunks the myth and challenges the wrong concept of commodification of migrants.
Solidarity

Come together with knowledge and vision, and journey to achieve hope, peace, and home.

Image by:

Sringatin & Jepy
Hong Kong

Funded by New Frontiers in Research Fund

New Frontiers in Research Fund logo