preview

Discourse Community

Good Essays
Imagine a world where everyone was exactly alike and no one had their own identity. Thankfully, discourse communities help establish who one is. According to professor of literacy studies at Arizona State University James Paul Gee, “Discourses are connected with displays of an identity.” (282) Other than a source of identity, characteristics of a discourse community are to agree on a set of common public goals, intercommunicate among one another, and moderate the shared participation. The Filipino-American community is a discourse community that possesses these assets due to the common ties the members are affiliated with. FILAMemphis is the Filipino American Organization in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a nonprofit cultural awareness organization that preserves and promotes Filipino heritage through participation in public events. My family and I have been active members of FILAMemphis for over 11 years now. Not only do we attend the events hosted by this discourse community, we also participate in their programs. For example, every year they hold a Christmas Gala to showcase Filipino culture. During this event, I perform by doing a cultural dance and also dress in traditional Filipino attire to be a model. Throughout the years of being a member of FILAMemphis, I have acquired much knowledge about my culture. By being thousands of miles away from my actual home, the Philippines, this group has definitely molded me into the young, prideful, Filipino woman I am today which is a
Get Access