feminism

We are thrilled, estatic, honored, and pleased as heck, to announce that artist Judy Chicago, whole ideas and work have shaped the feminist art movement (see an interview with her in our Super Issue), has agreed to be our Honorary Chair for sm[art], our fall art auction. Damn, I have nothing else to say at this point, but that it is pretty sweet. And good news to kick off a 3 day weekend. Hope all of you each get something good like that coming your way.

Thank you, TrumbullPlex folx, for letting us use your space for Sunday's discussion. Thank you, Adele, Clara, and Jess for making the event happen here, and for getting the word out (and special thanks to Clara for the tour and history of the TrumbullPlex, a radical housing collective in the Woodbridge neighborhood of Detroit). And a huge thank you to everyone who attended.  I didn't count, but I think between 20 and 25 people came. I felt honored to be in the presence of so many people committed to honesty, sincerity, openness, and creating a safe space to share what are sometimes difficult and differing perspectives.  

So The Angry Black Woman has called this Carnival of Allies, which these days feels to me like the best idea ever, because I really need some guidance. One of the many, many things the events of the last month and change have taught me is that, um, to put it mildly, my anti-racist ally skills could use some honing.

What that means is that right now I need to listen to people who know more than me: to their analysis, to their experiences, to their strategies (not that I'm expecting anyone to hand me the answers on a silver platter, or that I think it's up to other people to tell me all about what's wrong with the world I live in, or that I plan to rely on others to do my intellectual heavy lifting, or that...yeah, you get the picture). And I'm eager to read what the carnival brings forth.

But if I just want to listen, why the hell am I talking?

Lately, it seems there's been more discussion of what it means to be a man. Maybe because old school notions are becoming so unworkable that there's a critical mass of resentful partners in hetero relationships; perhaps Hilary's presidential run is raising some eyebrows in sheltered communities; certainly, movies like Knocked Up and 40 Year Old Virgin, which portray an alarmingly large group of American males that exist in perpetual adolescence, have attracted media attention.

Please join these participatory discussions about how—and whether—feminism can become a transformative, justice-centered movement for social change.

• How can we drive attention to the power, privilege, and marginalization that continue to play out in feminist communities, and how can those of us with power and privilege become genuine and effective allies to those without it?
• How can we collectively create a feminist/media/justice movement that doesn't rely on white supremacy, class privilege, and economic exploitation?
• Can the idea of feminism shift to foreground an uncompromising, transformative commitment to systemic social change, or is it time to evolve to new language?

(Thank you to the fabulous Joclyn Burell of South End Press for the heads-up on this)

Chica Luna is Now Accepting Applications for the 3rd cycle of the F-Word!

Please spread the word!

Up and running and taking applications for our signature program, The F-Word, a multimedia film justice project for women of color 18 and older. Launched in January 2005, The F-Word has been Chica Luna's way to build the next cadre of socially conscious media makers by recruiting women of color of diverse racial, sexual, economic and linguistic identities, throughout the five boroughs to cultivate their perspectives as media activists.

For a year and a half, participants take part in weekly workshops on media literacy, filmmaking, organizing & advocacy skills and self-healing.

TO APPLY GO HERE

Past F-word participants have directed and produced narrative films on topics as diverse and varied as first love, female MCs, depression and police brutality. Once completing our training, these dynamic women continue to do important and innovative work in the worlds of film and video, along with theater, music and education.

I'm posting updates to my Midwestern trip as they're finalized. Here's what's happening in Milwaukee. More on other cities to come soon!  

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If you live in Milwaukee, please come out for these events – and spread the word!

Bitchcraft, a weekend of music, arts, crafts, and words will take place Saturday, May 17–Sunday, May 18. All events are free—donations are very much encouraged (and appreciated!) and benefit the nonprofit project you know and love as B-Word/Bitch.

Bitchcraft kicks off Saturday, May 17, 5–8 p.m., at Woodland Pattern Book Center, 720 E. Locust St., with performances by singer-songwriters Heidi Spencer and Stephanie Rearick; a sneak preview of "Devotion to Thread," an exhibit curated by Faythe Levine; and some brief comments from me about what we're up to at Bitch! 

Part two of Bitchcraft takes place Sunday, May 18, 4–5:30 pm. I'll facilitate a special session of the Femiknits discussion group—open to non-knitters!—at Broad Vocabulary Bookstore, 2241 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Our discussion will focus on the ways in which feminism can be re-imagined in our communities. Even if you don't knit, please come and share your ideas, stories, and struggles. 

Here are a few of the amazing, insightful, powerful, not-to-be-missed things I've been reading over the past few days.

On some of the work that is cut out for feminists committed to making anti-racism and anti-imperialism central to our movements: Diary of an Anxious Black Woman on International Women's Day, She Who Stumbles on tactics and privilege.

On how white feminists need stop fucking up: An Open Letter to White Feminists. (Though I have to add how sickening it is that this essay is even necessary.)

A coda from Brownfemipower.

And one thing that you can act on right now in a small but concrete way: Diary of an Anxious Black Woman on rape in the Congo and the corporations who benefit (with addresses for your letter-writing ire).

The sound of respectful listening is silence. The sound of complicity is also silence. I've been silent a lot lately. And sometimes I can't tell which is which.