on the road

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.  

 Saturday night in Detroit was a night of animals.

Our Midwest fundraising/outreach tour is off to a fabulous start...

This post is gonna be in the form of a conversation with the amazing Jess Hauser, who organized one incredible dance party/fundraiser last night at the Temple Bar here in Detroit.

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?

Everything's coming together. Here's what's happening in Chicago. Please spread the word...

Another update on my upcoming trip...

Ok, folks – here's my heart on the line: I organized my entire trip around Mother's Day so that I could combine the organization I love plus my mom and grandma, who – as much as they support and love me – really don't "get" what my work is all about.

So please, Twin Cities friends, come – and bring anyone special you want to appreciate – and let's celebrate Mother's Day with gratitude for the amazing people that allowed us to live the lives we have today.

If nothing else, do it for my grandma! She's 91 and she's incredible.

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. 

Shortly after WAM, Andi and I made a quick trip to Philly. A very gracious Bitch supporter (with two incredibly charming dogs, photographed below of course) had offered to host a fundraising house party for us. An unfortunate snafu with our invite system meant that most of our Philly supporters didn't even know about it. But lucky for us, our host had lured a whole slew of her own friends and neighbors to come out, meet us, and hear about our work. 

I'm coming to the Midwest in May to do some fundraising/outreach! I'm really excited (hence my use of the exclamation point); it'll be my first trip back to my roots on behalf of this organization I love so dearly. It's like chocolate and peanut butter together.

So far, I'm coming to:

Detroit
Chicago
Milwaukee
Madison
Minneapolis

In the frenzy of preparing for my first Women, Action, and the Media (WAM!) conference, I'd arranged a flight that arrived in Boston a day before the conference actually began. Not cool since my hotel room share wasn't starting until tomorrow.

I wasn't too worried because I had a layover in Minneapolis and I managed to convince myself that surely the fine folks at Northwest would let me bump my flight to tomorrow and let me spend a day with my mom.