The purpose of this article was to discuss how social identity and relations play a pivotal role in the transformation or reproduction of social/power relationships between and among literacy workers and students. It can be concluded that social identity played a role in the reproduction of power relationships between the Action Read board members and students. The Action Read's mission statement reads: "Action Read is a community based, volunteer organization that provides literacy opportunities for adults in order to enhance community participation and quality of life." In reading the mission statement, the question "Who can be a member of the community?" comes to mind. Considering the board's position on student representation in program governance, it appears that while anyone can be a member of the community, only literate citizens can be members with full rights and privileges. Although the students belong to a community of learners and tutors, they do not belong to the community of decision-makers.

The theory and practice of adult literacy emphasizes the visual aspects of literacy such as reading and writing, while the oral aspects such as speaking and listening are often neglected. Yet, in this study the students seldom, if ever, spoke of the visual aspects of literacy. Instead, they spoke of their shyness and their fear to speak. The study raised more questions than answers around their reluctance to speak, but does point to the need to examine how social identities and relations effects who speaks and who listens. It was only after engagement in praxis, that Liz was able to acknowledge how she silenced students through her position of authority. It can be concluded that through examining social identity and privilege and engaging in a dialectical process between thought and action, a transformation in the inequitable social relations between Liz and the students occurred.

Finally, it can be concluded that when differences between multiple social locations were not examined by students and/or literacy workers involved with the Action Read and Haines Junction student groups, tensions and misunderstandings often arose. On the other hand, the ALFA student group discussed its differences, and this resulted in a sense of community among the students.