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Rassemblement 2021

On Francos and Belonging

This year’s theme is BELONGING (and not belonging.)

What does it mean to belong? How does the Franco community create a sense of belonging for its members? Where or when have you felt included and excluded, within the Franco community or elsewhere? Why do we wish to feel that we belong, and what are the values and dangers of that feeling? How is assimilation related to belonging?


With that in mind, please answer the following questions. Your responses are anonymous, and will help us shape the program for this year’s Rassemblement.


It should take about 10 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for your help!
1.Demographics:

Age
2.Connections to French Canada

How many generations of your Franco family have lived in the US? Select all that apply.
3.Community connections

Did you grow up in a community that you’d describe as predominantly Franco/French-Canadian/Acadian?
4.Did you grow up speaking French?
5.How important was religion in your family when you were growing up?

Not important
Not very important
Neutral
Somewhat important
Very important
6.Were you brought up Catholic
7.What best describes your relationship to religion, now?
8.Belonging


Factors of belonging


Rate the following on how much they factor into creating a feeling of belonging for you, when you share them or hold them in common with others:


Not important
Not very important
Neutral
Somewhat important
Very important
Ideas about cleanliness or tidiness
Traditional Franco arts (music, dance, theater, visual, others)
Preference for competition or cooperation
Ways of making decisions in groups
Patterns of conversation (e.g., everyone talking all at once — or not)
Feelings about social mobility
Emotional expressiveness
Definitions of personal space
Ratio of work to relaxation
Traditional crafts (knitting, sewing, woodworking, others)
Attitudes towards authority
Hearing people speak French
Traditional Franco foods and cooking
9.Are there any other important factors that when you discover them with others, you feel a deep sense of belonging? If so, what are they?
10.Wrap-up


Would you be willing to explore this topic further in a half-hour (or longer) interview?  If so, please leave your name and email address, below, and we’ll be in touch.


11.Do you have any last comments for us?