[Music]
[Applause]
do any of you know someone who was born
somewhere else than where he has to live
many of us probably do because these
days there are more displaced people in
the world than there have been at any
other time I would like to share my
story about how after being forced to
leave my homeland I found ways to
strengthen my ethnic identity and
connected to my roots I hope it will
help others who find themselves far from
home imagine a place where three
generations had spent a week together to
celebrate being with their family and
their tribe people who share their
language and history traditions songs
and dances a phenomenon a place what a
teenager a 90 year old a middle-aged
person and a toddler are all less until
heard and know that they belong a place
where they can learn about their ethnic
heritage and about each other there is
such a place and we call it three times
three symbolizing the three generations
and in fact I started the three times
three camp movement to help lesbians all
over the world to connect affirm their
ethnic identity and to enjoy being
together I was born in Latvia a small
country in northeastern Europe along
with my parents and many others I fled
the Soviet occupation in 1944 spent five
years left
camps in Germany and emigrated to the
United States where I have spent most of
my life but I’m immensely glad that I
feel I belong here in Latvia as well
life in America was hard in the
beginning we had lost everything
including the very identities as the
people were used to be my father was an
officer in the Latvian army but in the
United States he became a farm worker
whose wages barely earned enough to buy
the family groceries my mother who had
been a clerk in a district court was a
maid on the farm I went to school but
only because my parents insisted it was
humiliating I was placed in a grade much
below my age level because I couldn’t
speak English
we felt weird and inferior life became
easier after we moved to a city where a
number of lesbians had settled
my parents had menial jobs but I
continued in school and eventually
earned a PhD in counseling over time I
held a number of great jobs as a teacher
and the counselor and I no longer felt
weird as a matter of fact I was proud of
being their friend being unique most of
my friends were Latvian but I had
participated in few organized activities
in the Latvian community to tell the
truth I felt like I didn’t quite belong
there like I wasn’t good enough Latvian
by the standards of the older generation
because in many respects my opinions
there furred from theirs eventually I
did find some ways I could contribute by
working in the summer high school and
some youth seminars and then much to my
surprise
I was elected to chair the Bureau of
culture in the American Latvian
Association now I had to do something
but I had absolutely no idea what I kept
thinking of something I had overheard at
the Latvian summit High School in
gutters Michigan a mother was berating
her teenage daughter who apparently
diffused the sing in the choir mom said
oh good lesbian sing in the choir really
and how did she know this
her mother had said so and what was the
big deal about being a good Latvian
anyway when you lived in America
although lesbians in diaspora had the
number of organizations and activities I
felt that there was room for something
else something new something different
next sure I was on the right track in
1979 I interviewed the number of people
roughly within my own age range 40 to 55
years old and asked about their
experiences in the Latvian community
what they liked and disliked it turned
out that we had a lot in common
we shared an appreciation of Latvian
culture and friendships with other
lesbians we also shared the feeling that
some of the traditional activities and
some characteristics of lesbians as a
group in general tended to discourage
our participation living in the past
expecting everybody to sing in the choir
or adhering to a rather rigid definition
of what the Latvian should be and you
alienated us I wanted to do something
that was fun that I would truly enjoy
not participate in because I had to be a
good Latvia such participation
and had a lot to offer all of us
especially people who have been forced
out of their homes are better off when
we have a sense of connectedness
opportunities to develop strong stable
lasting face-to-face relationships and
strong multi-generational family ties a
reference group with shared roots goals
and values would help meet the need for
belonging and I was convinced that a
strong sense of experience or ethnic
identity would enrich my life and those
of others as long as it was compelling
rather than proscribed I had a hunch
that we had to start with why do it and
there were many wise to get to know more
about our rich cultural heritage about
our history precarious political
situation in brief know more about the
meaning of being a Latvian to know more
about each other who we actually were
not who we should be to qualify I
thought that in an informal non
traditional front setting we could learn
from and about each other regardless of
age educational level profession or
economic situation participating in
interactive educational recreational
activities hopefully would promote
thinking about and sharing with others
what it meant the one personally to be a
Latvian child parent at grandparent
surrounded by a different culture and
language to think about what were the
good and not-so-good aspects of being a
member of the Latvian community share
how you feel what do you do
and how you do it how you cope with life
in two different cultures and languages
and hopefully discover what it’s worth
to you to affirm your Latvian identity
and feel that you belong to a group of
your own people the more I thought and
talked about it the more Kerry the way I
became and you know what happened my
enthusiasm and belief in the project
helped to connect with others who spread
the idea further and offered suggestions
in fact many of them became involved in
the development of what we named the
multi-generational ethnic heritage camp
three times three so what is three times
three it’s a week-long camp but you can
make it two additional Latvian ring or
necklace for your sweetheart learn how
many dinosaur folk songs are dedicated
to the son discuss the current situation
in Latvian politics help draw an
animated film folk dance tilt down
single heart out make friends and watch
your children make friends that may last
a lifetime and much much more
it’s where family members who live in
different countries can spend quality
time together it’s also well you don’t
have to worry about cooking and cleaning
house your time is your own to enjoy the
activities and each other three times
three camp programs meet the needs of
participants by providing various
seminars and ethnic crafts workshops for
the adults and activities for children
of different ages in the evenings there
are programs and activities for families
folk singing and dancing as well as time
for socializing playing
and whatever else you may want to do so
children their parents and grandparents
all three generations and joy came
together well the organizers come from
various backgrounds the seminar
presenters and crafts people usually are
well known professionals in their fields
shows are not only for their mastery of
the subject matter but also for the
ability to present it in an interesting
inaccessible manner all the work is done
on a volunteer basis in 1978 I was
elected to chair the Council on
Education of the world federation of
free Latvians and this provided a
wonderful opportunity to travel and
engage people in different countries
that had a sizeable latvian population
the movement rapidly spread from the
United States to other countries our
goals were simple learning about all
things Latvian strengthening
multi-generational family ties and
developing friendship and support
networks many types of learning could
take place not only about Latvian
culture and society but also about and
from each other and about ourselves
three times three came about and
flourished because it was conceived from
the bottom up by asking people what they
want to do and making it clear that it’s
up to each participant to make the
experience meaningful to him or herself
and it means different things to
different people
for example the acclaimed folk musician
Yoga resonance says it’s hard to
describe the happiness I feel playing
into the early morning hours and seeing
the joy and energy of the dancers
undiminished a 19-year old man from New
York who has participated in a can
a Latvia for many years says that the
people he has befriended there or his
family since he has none other families
often enthusiastically talk about how
sharing experiences at three times three
camps has helped them to communicate
like never before
teenagers love being allowed to stay up
till all hours the folk dance or
socialize as long as they don’t
oversleep and miss any seminars or
workshops the next day many came
participants view three times three as
the opportunity to recharge their
latvian batteries
currently there are eight camps
worldwide one in Australia in January
two in Latvia in July two in the United
States and one an island in August until
in July August in Great Britain a ninth
camp will be joining us in Germany in
2018 so far now in the spring of 2017
the total count of camps is 232 with
over 34,000 participants since the first
camp at gaara’s s Michigan in 1981
although no two camps are exactly alike
all of them have the same goals and
follow the same guidelines three times
three was started so that we could learn
about more about our ethnic heritage and
about each other the informal atmosphere
and activity format at the camp’s foster
interaction among people of different
age groups and an understanding that all
lesbians are not alike that they don’t
all have to sing in the choir we could
learn certain things from our elders but
they have to learn from the younger
generations what is important to them
how big
Veon feels to them I strongly believe
that unless there is an understanding
and acceptance of the ideas goals and
values of all age groups it’s impossible
to build a strong Viton sustainable
community with the three times three
camps we started a social movement which
grew from a few simple ideas eventually
shared by more and more people we wanted
to have a sense of belonging a tribe
have fun learn from and about each other
without the barriers that age and
background often create and we found
that there are many ways to be Latvian
with or without singing in the choir it
has been a fantastic experience and a
great privilege to be able to be part of
the three times free movement from its
inception and to continue coordinating
camps in three continents and six
countries it’s great to see that many
organizers and presenters of today
started their three times three
experience in a baby carriage and I’m
able to relate to them not as a
grandmother but a person with shared
goals values and activities a colleague
and equal three times three continues to
evolve as each new generation adds to
the concept of what it means to be a
Latvian and why it feels great to be one
father yes [Applause]
[Applause]
do any of you know someone who was born
somewhere else than where he has to live
many of us probably do because these
days there are more displaced people in
the world than there have been at any
other time I would like to share my
story about how after being forced to
leave my homeland I found ways to
strengthen my ethnic identity and
connected to my roots I hope it will
help others who find themselves far from
home imagine a place where three
generations had spent a week together to
celebrate being with their family and
their tribe people who share their
language and history traditions songs
and dances a phenomenon a place what a
teenager a 90 year old a middle-aged
person and a toddler are all less until
heard and know that they belong a place
where they can learn about their ethnic
heritage and about each other there is
such a place and we call it three times
three symbolizing the three generations
and in fact I started the three times
three camp movement to help lesbians all
over the world to connect affirm their
ethnic identity and to enjoy being
together I was born in Latvia a small
country in northeastern Europe along
with my parents and many others I fled
the Soviet occupation in 1944 spent five
years left
camps in Germany and emigrated to the
United States where I have spent most of
my life but I’m immensely glad that I
feel I belong here in Latvia as well
life in America was hard in the
beginning we had lost everything
including the very identities as the
people were used to be my father was an
officer in the Latvian army but in the
United States he became a farm worker
whose wages barely earned enough to buy
the family groceries my mother who had
been a clerk in a district court was a
maid on the farm I went to school but
only because my parents insisted it was
humiliating I was placed in a grade much
below my age level because I couldn’t
speak English
we felt weird and inferior life became
easier after we moved to a city where a
number of lesbians had settled
my parents had menial jobs but I
continued in school and eventually
earned a PhD in counseling over time I
held a number of great jobs as a teacher
and the counselor and I no longer felt
weird as a matter of fact I was proud of
being their friend being unique most of
my friends were Latvian but I had
participated in few organized activities
in the Latvian community to tell the
truth I felt like I didn’t quite belong
there like I wasn’t good enough Latvian
by the standards of the older generation
because in many respects my opinions
there furred from theirs eventually I
did find some ways I could contribute by
working in the summer high school and
some youth seminars and then much to my
surprise
I was elected to chair the Bureau of
culture in the American Latvian
Association now I had to do something
but I had absolutely no idea what I kept
thinking of something I had overheard at
the Latvian summit High School in
gutters Michigan a mother was berating
her teenage daughter who apparently
diffused the sing in the choir mom said
oh good lesbian sing in the choir really
and how did she know this
her mother had said so and what was the
big deal about being a good Latvian
anyway when you lived in America
although lesbians in diaspora had the
number of organizations and activities I
felt that there was room for something
else something new something different
next sure I was on the right track in
1979 I interviewed the number of people
roughly within my own age range 40 to 55
years old and asked about their
experiences in the Latvian community
what they liked and disliked it turned
out that we had a lot in common
we shared an appreciation of Latvian
culture and friendships with other
lesbians we also shared the feeling that
some of the traditional activities and
some characteristics of lesbians as a
group in general tended to discourage
our participation living in the past
expecting everybody to sing in the choir
or adhering to a rather rigid definition
of what the Latvian should be and you
alienated us I wanted to do something
that was fun that I would truly enjoy
not participate in because I had to be a
good Latvia such participation
and had a lot to offer all of us
especially people who have been forced
out of their homes are better off when
we have a sense of connectedness
opportunities to develop strong stable
lasting face-to-face relationships and
strong multi-generational family ties a
reference group with shared roots goals
and values would help meet the need for
belonging and I was convinced that a
strong sense of experience or ethnic
identity would enrich my life and those
of others as long as it was compelling
rather than proscribed I had a hunch
that we had to start with why do it and
there were many wise to get to know more
about our rich cultural heritage about
our history precarious political
situation in brief know more about the
meaning of being a Latvian to know more
about each other who we actually were
not who we should be to qualify I
thought that in an informal non
traditional front setting we could learn
from and about each other regardless of
age educational level profession or
economic situation participating in
interactive educational recreational
activities hopefully would promote
thinking about and sharing with others
what it meant the one personally to be a
Latvian child parent at grandparent
surrounded by a different culture and
language to think about what were the
good and not-so-good aspects of being a
member of the Latvian community share
how you feel what do you do
and how you do it how you cope with life
in two different cultures and languages
and hopefully discover what it’s worth
to you to affirm your Latvian identity
and feel that you belong to a group of
your own people the more I thought and
talked about it the more Kerry the way I
became and you know what happened my
enthusiasm and belief in the project
helped to connect with others who spread
the idea further and offered suggestions
in fact many of them became involved in
the development of what we named the
multi-generational ethnic heritage camp
three times three so what is three times
three it’s a week-long camp but you can
make it two additional Latvian ring or
necklace for your sweetheart learn how
many dinosaur folk songs are dedicated
to the son discuss the current situation
in Latvian politics help draw an
animated film folk dance tilt down
single heart out make friends and watch
your children make friends that may last
a lifetime and much much more
it’s where family members who live in
different countries can spend quality
time together it’s also well you don’t
have to worry about cooking and cleaning
house your time is your own to enjoy the
activities and each other three times
three camp programs meet the needs of
participants by providing various
seminars and ethnic crafts workshops for
the adults and activities for children
of different ages in the evenings there
are programs and activities for families
folk singing and dancing as well as time
for socializing playing
and whatever else you may want to do so
children their parents and grandparents
all three generations and joy came
together well the organizers come from
various backgrounds the seminar
presenters and crafts people usually are
well known professionals in their fields
shows are not only for their mastery of
the subject matter but also for the
ability to present it in an interesting
inaccessible manner all the work is done
on a volunteer basis in 1978 I was
elected to chair the Council on
Education of the world federation of
free Latvians and this provided a
wonderful opportunity to travel and
engage people in different countries
that had a sizeable latvian population
the movement rapidly spread from the
United States to other countries our
goals were simple learning about all
things Latvian strengthening
multi-generational family ties and
developing friendship and support
networks many types of learning could
take place not only about Latvian
culture and society but also about and
from each other and about ourselves
three times three came about and
flourished because it was conceived from
the bottom up by asking people what they
want to do and making it clear that it’s
up to each participant to make the
experience meaningful to him or herself
and it means different things to
different people
for example the acclaimed folk musician
Yoga resonance says it’s hard to
describe the happiness I feel playing
into the early morning hours and seeing
the joy and energy of the dancers
undiminished a 19-year old man from New
York who has participated in a can
a Latvia for many years says that the
people he has befriended there or his
family since he has none other families
often enthusiastically talk about how
sharing experiences at three times three
camps has helped them to communicate
like never before
teenagers love being allowed to stay up
till all hours the folk dance or
socialize as long as they don’t
oversleep and miss any seminars or
workshops the next day many came
participants view three times three as
the opportunity to recharge their
latvian batteries
currently there are eight camps
worldwide one in Australia in January
two in Latvia in July two in the United
States and one an island in August until
in July August in Great Britain a ninth
camp will be joining us in Germany in
2018 so far now in the spring of 2017
the total count of camps is 232 with
over 34,000 participants since the first
camp at gaara’s s Michigan in 1981
although no two camps are exactly alike
all of them have the same goals and
follow the same guidelines three times
three was started so that we could learn
about more about our ethnic heritage and
about each other the informal atmosphere
and activity format at the camp’s foster
interaction among people of different
age groups and an understanding that all
lesbians are not alike that they don’t
all have to sing in the choir we could
learn certain things from our elders but
they have to learn from the younger
generations what is important to them
how big
Veon feels to them I strongly believe
that unless there is an understanding
and acceptance of the ideas goals and
values of all age groups it’s impossible
to build a strong Viton sustainable
community with the three times three
camps we started a social movement which
grew from a few simple ideas eventually
shared by more and more people we wanted
to have a sense of belonging a tribe
have fun learn from and about each other
without the barriers that age and
background often create and we found
that there are many ways to be Latvian
with or without singing in the choir it
has been a fantastic experience and a
great privilege to be able to be part of
the three times free movement from its
inception and to continue coordinating
camps in three continents and six
countries it’s great to see that many
organizers and presenters of today
started their three times three
experience in a baby carriage and I’m
able to relate to them not as a
grandmother but a person with shared
goals values and activities a colleague
and equal three times three continues to
evolve as each new generation adds to
the concept of what it means to be a
Latvian and why it feels great to be one
father yes [Applause]
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