Archive for meredith

Celebrating 3 1/2 Years of Feminist Community Empowerment

/ / Comments Off on Celebrating 3 1/2 Years of Feminist Community Empowerment

“Paradigm Shift is situated to be at the center of feminist organizing for this new era of activism.  It is now the place I go for information on all things feminist in New York City.”
– Michael Kimmel, PhD, Author & Sociologist, world-renown gender studies scholar, and Paradigm Shift lecturer & panelist

EVENT PROGRAMMING MARCH 2007- PRESENT:

•  8/18/10- BODY TYPED Short Films on Perfection 
Screening & Discussion with Jesse Epstein, Sundance Award-Winning Filmmaker. Over 89 attended. TimeOut NY Critics’ Pick- our 8th honor.

•  7/14/10- “GUYLAND: THE PERILOUS WORLD WHERE BOYS BECOME MEN” 
Lecture and Discussion featuring 
Dr. Michael Kimmel, PhD, Author & Sociologist, among the leading researchers and writers on men and masculinity in the world today. Moderated by Shelby Knox, nationally known feminist organizer & subject of the Sundance award-winning film, “The Education of Shelby Knox”. TimeOut NY Critics Pick. Over 145 attended.

•  6/9/10- PARADIGM SHIFT, FEMINISTING, and SOAPBOX INC. 
Proudly Present 
A LOWER EAST SIDE FEMINIST TAKEOVER – Celebrate as the Lower East Side officially becomes The Feminist District! Happy Hour at Gallery Bar. Over 75 attended.

•  4/21/10- ARTIST SHOWCASE: CELEBRATING THE WORK OF FEMINIST ARTISTS hosted by Laura Joy, Acoustic Folk Pop & Membership Coordinator, Paradigm Shift. Featuring, Bastet “Belly Dance For Change”,Experimental belly dance troupe; Barnacle Bill, Folk / Soul / Reggae; Chantilly, Singer-Songwriter; Jennifer Ortiz, Spoken Word Poet; Julia Weldon, Folk Indie Rock; Katina Douveas, Spoken Word Poet; Ms.India.M, R&B, Soul / Jazz / Alternative; Twilight of The Idle, Queer Cabaret Wordrock; Amy Mitten Photography. Sold out house.

•  3/30/10- SEX WORK & HUMAN RIGHTS: FEMINIST ADVOCACY STRATEGIES Panel Discussion and Screening featuring: Sienna Baskin, Esq., Staff Attorney, Sex Workers Project at the Urban Justice Center; Christina Cicchelli, Columnist, $pread magazine; Maryse Mitchell-Brody, Co-Founder, Sex Workers Action New York (SWANK); Audacia Ray, International Women’s Health Coalition & co-founder of Sex Work Awareness; Will Rockwell, Editor, $pread magazine; Screening of “Sangram: Sex Worker Organizing In India”a collaboration between the International Women’s Health Coalition and SANGRAM; moderated by Melissa Gira Grant, External Relations Officer, Third Wave Foundation & freelance writer. Portion of the proceeds donated to Sex Workers Project. TimeOut NY Critics’ Pick.  Over 53 attended.

•  2/23/10- “THE PURITY MYTH: HOW AMERICA’S OBSESSION WITH VIRGINITY IS HURTING YOUNG WOMEN” A Discussion with Jessica Valenti, Author & Feministing.com Founder and
Editor. Portion of proceeds donated to Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls. TimeOut NY Criticsʼ Pick. Over 110 attended- sold out.

• 12/1/09- SEX. CONSENT. POWER. PLEASURE. “The Line” Documentary Screening & Panel discussion.  Featuring: Nancy Schwartzman, Filmmaker, Erin Burrows, Students Active For Ending Rape, Joseph Samalin, Men Can Stop Rape, Campus Strength Coordinator, Ignacio Rivera, Sex educator, Organizer & Performance Artist. Portion of the proceeds donated to The Line Campaign and SAFER. TimeOutNY Critics’ Pick.  Over 85 attended.

• 11/19/09- PROGRESSIVE SINGLE MINGLE: A COCKTAIL PARTY FOR THE LEFT-LEANING. Raffle Sponsors include: Rubin Museum, Jivamukti Yoga school, Brooklyn Museum, Bluestockings,Tastee Vegan. Supported by the Planned Parenthood of New York City ActivistCouncil, NARAL Pro-Choice NY, NOW NYS Young Feminist Task Force, The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership.  TimeOutNY Critics’ Pick.  Over 30 attended.

• 11/2/09- NARAL’s Pro-Choice Election Phone Banks- Co-sponsored by Paradigm Shift

• 10/29/09- “AMELIA” Film Screening & Discussion

• 10/11/09- NATIONAL EQUALITY MARCH for LGBTQ rights in Washington, DC.  Paradigm Shift was a part of the NYC National Equality March Mobilization Coalition.

• 9/23/09- “FIGHT FOR YOUR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: HOW YOU CAN HELP PASS THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT” co-sponsored by NYCLU, featuring Corinne Carey, Interim director, Reproductive Rights Project, New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), Rev. Matthew Westfox, National Coordinator for Field Services at Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice & Associate, Pastor at All Souls Bethlehem Church, Dr. Carol Roye, EdD, RN, CPNP, researcher in reproductive health, Jenn Proulx, Filmmaker of “Another New Yorker for the Reproductive Health Act”.  Over 25 attended.

• 8/19/09- “FEMINIST MEN: INCREASING VISIBILITY”. Featuring Dr. Michael Kimmel, one of the leading researchers and writers on men and masculinity, Vinnie Angel, purveyor of social justice consumer products, Robert Brannon, Co- Founder NOMAS, Jerin Alam, NOW NYS YFTF,Ben Siegel, former VP Hunter Women’s Rights Coalition.  TimeOut NY Critics’ Pick. Over 80 attended.

• 7/22/09- “THE SARI SOLDIERS” documentary screening & discussion with Julie Bridgham, Filmmaker.  Portion of proceeds to Sari Soldiers Outreach Fund

• 6/17/09- PARADIGM SHIFT TV & BLOG LAUNCH & LGBTQ PRIDE PARTY featuring Rickie Gal, Jennifer Friedman, Inky Glass, and Phoenix

• 4/1/09- WOMEN & RELIGIOUS EQUALITY with Leora Tanenbaum, Author “Taking Back God: American Women Rising Up for Religious Equality”– lecture and discussion. Portion of proceeds to Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual.  22 attended.

• 3/7/09- MICHFEST HALF-WAY SOIREE, a benefit for Michigan Womyn’s Music Festivalfeaturing local and internationally renown talent such as singer/songwriter Pamela Means, Amber Darland, and Juliana Marx.

• 1/21/09- ROE VS. WADE ANNIVERSARY DOCUMENTARY SCREENING OF “I HAD AN ABORTION” AND DISCUSSION with JENNIFER BAUMGARDNER, Activist, Author, Filmmaker, GILLIAN ALDRICH, Filmmaker, and women featured in the film. Portion of proceeds to NY Abortion Access Fund.  74 attended.

• 1/14/09- ARE YOU FINANCIALLY SECURE: WOMEN & FINANCES WORKSHOP by Tanya Osborne, Independent Financial Services Professional at Primerica Financial Services

• 11/19/08- FEMINISM & MOTHERHOOD WITH AMY RICHARDS, Activist & Author “Opting In: Having a Child Without Losing Yourself”, lecture and discussion. Portion of proceeds to New Space for Women’s Health.  Over 25 attended

• 9/23/08- OPEN MIC with Special Guest Pauline Delage, French Feminist Scholar

• 8/1/08- “FEMINAZI” Off-Broadway One Women Comedy by Suzanne Willett & Panel discussion featuring S. Willett, Alexandra Zimmermann and Nichole Casamento of Younger Women’s Task Force- NYC Chapter, & Paradigm Shift Co-Founder, Meredith Villano

• 5/29/08- THE REAL SEX IN THE CITY: SEXUALITY WORKSHOP by Ducky Doolittle, Author & Sexual Health Advocate

• 5/8/08- ECOFEMINISM WITH MARTI KHEEL Ph.D., Author & Scholar “Nature Ethics: An Ecofeminist Perspective”– lecture and discussion

• 3/28/08- FROM VIOLENCE TO EMPOWERMENT featuring NYC’s Radical Cheerleaders

• 3/1/08- MICHFEST HALF-WAY SOIREE, a benefit for Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival. Featuring local and internationally renown talent such as singer/songwriter Nedra Johnson, poet Staceyann Chin, Filthy, and Laura Joy.  TimeOutNY’s Critics’ Pick. 110 attended.

• 1/25/08- FEMINIST ENTREPRENEURSHIP: NO GLASS CEILING TO SMASH featuring Annmarie Agosta, MSW specializing in Holistic Psychotherapy and LGBT issues.

• 12/7/07- ABORTION SPEAK OUT AND OPEN MIC

• 6/07- BUSHWICK ARTIST OPEN STUDIOS- ROOFTOP OPEN MIC

• 3/07- PARADIGM SHIFT LAUNCH EVENT– Body Image/ Self-Love- Open Mic

Category: Paradigm Shift Event /

Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Workshop: Free Intro Night

/ / Comments Off on Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Workshop: Free Intro Night

Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship: Free Intro Night

Friday, September 10, 2010
6:30-8:30 pm
Moonheart Healing Arts Center
59 West 19th Street #3A2, NYC 10011

Are you ready to own your sexuality, to reclaim it, heal it and celebrate it? If you are ready to explore and transform your sexuality, join sexuality educator Amy Jo Goddard and some of the former participants of the Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship program for a free introductory night. Amy Jo will help women to assess where they are currently in their own sexuality and lead them in a guided meditation and interactive discussion. There is no obligation to take the program, and you will definitely walk away with some clarity and action steps about your own sexuality.

“I know there is a deep need for safe spaces where women can study and grow their sexuality, so I’ve carefully constructed a framework where women can learn experientially and share with each other aspects of their sexual selves that have been in hiding. I want to see women be truly empowered sexually. I want to see women support each other. I want women to have the intimate relationships they dream of. I want to support women to take the risks required to become their most authentic, fulfilled sexual selves.”

For more info or to sign up, go to:

http://womenssexualityintronight.eventbrite.com/

www.amyjogoddard.com

BIO:
Amy Jo Goddard, M.A. is a sexuality educator & trainer, writer, performing artist and activist. She travels to colleges, universities, communities and conferences teaching workshops and speaking about sexuality and maintains a private sex coaching practice. She is co-author of Lesbian Sex Secrets for Men and is a contributing author of All About Sex: A Family Resource Guide on Sex and Sexuality. Her article about queer performance artists and activism was published in 2007 in the Social Justice Journal and she has been published in numerous other publications including LOFT and Bust Magazine. Amy Jo was host of cherrybomb.com‘s web stream program “Fresh Advice,” developing, researching, writing and performing over 60 episodes on women’s sexuality. A professional trainer of sexuality professionals, medical students, college students and youth for fifteen years, she has taught courses relating to sexuality at the City University of New York and the University of California at Santa Barbara. Amy Jo has taught breast and pelvic exams to medical/nursing students for 8 years and she is director/producer of the forthcoming documentary, At Your Cervix, a film that depicts this unusual work. She facilitates the Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship in New York City.
Category: Blog, Co-Sponsored Event, Events / Tags: ,

Meet the Candidates for NYS Governor and NYS Attorney General

/ / One comment

Have Breakfast with NOW-NY State Political Action Committee and

Meet the Candidates for NYS Governor and NYS Attorney General
Sponsored by the National Organization for Women-NYS PAC
(Candidates for these offices have been contacted.)

Candidates for Governor Andrew Cuomo (not confirmed)
Andi Weiss Bartczak (confirmed)
Warren Redlich (confirmed)
Howie Hawkins, (confirmed)


*****
Confirmed NYS Attorney General Candidates:
Kathleen Rice, Nassau County District Attorney
Eric Schneiderman, NYS Senator
Richard Brodsky, NYS Assembly Member
Eric Dinallo, Professor at NYU
Sean Coffey, Former Prosecutor (not confirmed)


Date: August 14th, 2010
Time: 10:00 am


Location: 155 Washington Avenue,
Albany, NY (SEIU Building)


Cost $20 per person Pay online at http://www.nownys.org/pac_donate.html

Seating limited! For more info: Call 518-452-3944
or
email Info@nownys.org

Category: Blog, Co-Sponsored Event, Events / Tags: ,

PARADIGM SHIFT NYC Presents: BODY TYPED Short Films On Perfection – Screening & Discussion featuring JESSE EPSTEIN, Sundance award-winning Filmmaker

/ / 2 comments

PARADIGM SHIFT: NYC’S FEMINIST COMMUNITY Proudly Presents

BODY TYPED short films on perfection
Screening & Discussion Featuring

JESSE EPSTEIN, Sundance award-winning Filmmaker

part of The Tank’s “Liberal Arts Summer School” series

BODY TYPED is a series of short films that use humor to raise serious concerns about the marketplace of commercial illusion and unrealizable standards of physical perfection.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18th at 6:30 pm
Just outside the Feminist District
The Tank- 354 West 45th Street (between 8th & 9th Ave.)
Subway: A,C,E to 42nd Street/Times Square

Cost: $12 students/ pre-paid, $15 at door
BUY TICKETS NOW- LIMITED SEATING:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/117245

Facebook invite: http://bit.ly/cofvXX

WET DREAMS AND FALSE IMAGES
When Dee-Dee the barber learns about the art of photo-retouching, he may never look at his “wall of beauty” the same way again.
Short Subject Jury Award, 2004 Sundance Film Festival

THE GUARANTEE
A dancer’s hilarious story about his prominent nose and the effect if has on his career.
Best Short Film, 2007 Newport International Film Festival

34x25x36
A look at mannequins, religion, and perfection.
SXSW, Full Frame, True/False, National PBS Broadcast on POV

This project is being executive produced by Judith Helfand, Wendy Ettinger, Julie Parker Benello
Produced in association with Chicken & Egg Pictures and The Fledgling Fund

JESSE EPSTEIN:
http://www.JesseDocs.com
http://www.newday.com/films/Body_Typed.html
Jesse grew up in Boston, Mass. She received an MA in documentary film from NYU. Jesse was recently selected for “25 New Faces of Independent Film” by Filmmaker Magazine. She distributes films through New Day Films, and edits the Shooting People daily bulletin.

PARTNERS INCLUDE:

Legendary Women, Inc
Manhattan Young Democrats
New York Women in Film and Television
NOW NYS Young Feminist Task Force
RippleEffectArtists.org
Sideshow: The Queer Literary Carnival
Soapbox Inc.
The Women’s Mosaic
The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership
Trixie Films
Women’s Caucus for Art
Women’s Media Center
Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship

Photography by Amy Mittens: amittensphoto@gmail.com

PARTNERS WELCOME:
Join as a supporting organization
Subject Line: 8/18 Partner
Email: JWeis@paradigmshiftnyc.com

Time Out NY’s CRITICS’ PICK!!  Paradigm Shift’s 8th honor!
http://newyork.timeout.com/events/own-this-city/353910/body-typed

Category: Events, Paradigm Shift Event / Tags: , , ,

Cocktail Hour to support Feminist documentary “How to Lose Your Virginity”

/ / Comments Off on Cocktail Hour to support Feminist documentary “How to Lose Your Virginity”

Hosted by Josette Persson, Lisa Esselstein & Therese Shechter

Facebook invite

Hello Friends! It’s been too long… our last boozy gathering was back in April, before the days of flip flops and thunder storms. So we’ve planned another “Cocktail Hour” event. But who are we fooling? We’ll be there for more than 60 minutes. And we hope you will join us!

Like last time, we’re drinking with a purpose. Lisa and Therese are nearing the end of a Kickstarter campaign for Therese’s documentary film, HOW TO LOSE YOUR VIRGINITY, to kickstart the editing phase of the project. We’ve already raised 80% of our goal, with most of the pledges coming from people we’ve only met through the campaign. Once our friends, neighbors, colleagues and drinking buddies get involved (hey, that’s you!), we’ll sprint to the goal. But we have to raise 100% of our goal by July 1st or we get nothing — that’s how Kickstarter works.

Please go to our Kickstarter page and pledge what you can. And join us at Jake’s to drink as much as you can because the bar will be donating proceeds as well.

http://kck.st/9Hm93b

We hope to see you there!

Category: Blog, Co-Sponsored Event, Events /

Happy Hour to Benefit Trust Women PAC

/ / Comments Off on Happy Hour to Benefit Trust Women PAC

Come meet your favorite feminists and drink to benefit Trust Women PAC!

Tues, June 29th
6-9 PM
4th Ave Pub
76 4th Ave. bet Bergen St. & St. Marks Pl., Brooklyn, NY

Sliding fee scale starting at $15. Donations benefit Trust Women PAC, an organization that works to protect the rights of abortion providers and fights anti-choice legislation.

Buy your ticket here: http://www.actblue.com/page/trustwomenhappyhour

Meet Julie Burkhart, Executive Director of Trust Women PAC. She worked side by side with Dr. George Tiller for 8 years and was the Chief Executive Officer of ProKanDo, a pro-woman, pro-choice political organization founded by Dr. Tiller.

Special guests: Jessica Coen, Anna North, Jenna Sauers, Sadie Stein, and Dodai Stewart, Jezebel.com / Shelby Knox, ShelbyKnox.com / Chloe Angyal, Feministing.com / Nona Willis Aronowitz, author of Girl Drive: Criss-Crossing America, Redefining Feminism / Amanda ReCupido, UnDomesticGoddess.com / Julie Klausner, author of “I Don’t Care About Your Band” / Doree Shafrir, contributing editor, New York magazine / Lynn Harris, author of “Death By Chick Lit.”

And MORE!
Subways: B/Q/2/3/4/5 (Atlantic Ave Station), D/M/R/N (Pacific St Station).

Questions? Comments? Contact hosts Steph (of IAmDrTiller.com and the AbortionGang.org) at sbherold@gmail.com or Irin (of Jezebel.com) at irincarmon@gmail.com.

To learn more about Trust Women PAC, visit http://www.trustwomenpac.org/

Category: Blog, Co-Sponsored Event, Events / Tags: , , ,

Women’s eNews 10th Birthday!

/ / Comments Off on Women’s eNews 10th Birthday!

RSVP & More info
Date:
Sunday, June 27, 2010

Location:
Women’s eNews Headquarters
6 Barclay Street, 6th Floor, NY, NY 10007

Schedule

12 PM WELCOME POTLUCK BRUNCH (Please bring your favorite dish!)

1 PM  MAKING HYDE HISTORY

Presentation on the law barring federal money for abortion by Feminist Activist & Organizer Shelby Knox* and Aimee Thorne-Thomsen, Executive Director of the Pro-Choice Public Education Project (PEP) Open discussion and Q&A to follow

2:30 PM PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL FILM SCREENING

Introduction by Producer Abigail E. Disney*, featuring an overview of her upcoming PBS mini-series: Women, War & Peace, a five-part series on women’s role in war and peacebuilding

4:30 PM  OPENING THE WAY: A WOMEN’S HISTORY WALK

Lower Manhattan Tour led by Women’s eNews Editor in Chief Rita Henley Jensen

6:00 PM DINNER AT CHURCH & DEY RESTAURANT

Millenium Hilton – 55 Church Street, NY, NY 10007
($100 minimum contribution required for dinner reservation)

* Women’s eNews 21 Leaders for the 21st Century: Abigail E. Disney, 2004; Shelby Knox, 2007

For additional information or to RSVP, please email perrie@womensenews.org

Category: Blog, Co-Sponsored Event, Events / Tags: ,

Guest Post by Shelby Knox: My Day as an Anti-Feminist (Role) Model

/ / 2 comments

By Shelby Knox

A couple of weeks ago I wrote this post soliciting advice and conversation about the request that I “dress like a feminist” for a photo spread to be featured in a mainstream women’s magazine as a representative of the next generation of feminism, or as they keep putting it, “the next Gloria Steinem.”

The shoot was last week and I took my readers’ fantastic advice – thanks for that, by the way! – and packed in my hanging bag several outfits in which I feel comfortable, happy, and most of all, me.

Yet the clothes I’d worked so hard to pick out were destined never to make it out of the bag.  Instead, the fantastic stylist had gone through the mag’s generously stocked designer closet and picked out clothes for us that will be at the peak of style when the issue comes out in the fall. This, at first, was fine by me – this thrift store girl will transform into a fashion diva on your dime any day!

Let me stop here and explain something that’s not shocking at all considering I was socialized female in American society: I’ve struggled with my weight and body image issues for as long as I can remember. I went to Weight Watchers for the first time when I was 11 and tried out every fad diet I could find in my mother’s magazines. I spent many years sobbing in dressing rooms, at swimming pools and school dances and talent shows, because I could never fit into the blonde, rail-thin ideal of a pretty Texas girl.

After I got to New York and into feminist activism, I gained a perspective on beauty that eased my body hatred a bit. I realized that what’s ugly in one culture is desirable in another and vice versa and that this constant pressure – applied to women by the media, our friends, our family, random strangers on the street and online – to be unnaturally thin is another form of sexism that at best hobbles women by making us spend unnatural amounts of time concerned with our appearance and at worst, kills.

So, when I walked into that photo shoot last Wednesday, I thought I’d made a fragile peace with my size 12 body. I’d decided that I liked the young women I speak to on campuses seeing a real-looking woman speaking her truth and making waves in the world. I know in my feminist heart of hearts that my words and actions matter far more than the packaging they come in– and, by Goddess, a little extra packaging can be just as hot!

That peace started to crumble fast when all the other women profiled – an amazing cast, including a playwright, a politician, an FBI agent and a fashion designer, among others, who for some reason all happened to be thin and drop dead conventionally gorgeous  – were given 7 or 8 fantastic outfits to try on. Since designers don’t usually provide size 12 samples, I got a wrap dress that made me look like a sail, a silk dress that made me look like a sail boat, and an embroidered leather jacket that, had it fit, would have been a huge break in solidarity with my allies in the animals rights movement. I pushed back tears, told that evil voice in my head saying, “disgusting cow” over and over again to shut up, and willed myself to smile and walk out of the dressing room in the “sail boat” option.

A pair of fierce, black, six inch platform boots and really awesome snake bracelets made me feel slightly better, but not for long. When we lined up for a once-over from the staff, I was transported back to Lubbock, TX and into a picture of me and a group of friends dressed in the same white dress, except mine was three sizes larger. I was then, and I realized standing in the line-up, always will be, the “smart one” or the “talented one” but never, ever the “pretty one.”

I know how it works at group photo shoots: the director pulls different people in and out of the shot to see whose outfits and look work together. Yet as I got pulled in and out of every single shot, I couldn’t help but be sure it was because of how horrible I looked. I cried in the bathroom three different times – the make-up artist loved that – and in a moment of being truly flustered, fell to the asphalt in my impossibly high heels and ripped up my legs, as you can see in the photo below.

My bruised, scraped up legs and the perpetrators, fantastically fierce black spiked heel boots.

I was eventually photographed in the last shot of the day and that part was surprisingly fine – years of posing for headshots, newspapers, and Facebook photos kicked in and I needed the least direction of anyone in my group. As I took off the dress and heels and prepared to leave in my own long, flowing skirt, I couldn’t decide if I was more pissed that I’d been made into some editor’s idea of “High Fashion Feminist Barbie” or that I’d failed so miserably in executing the role at every possible turn. The next Gloria Steinem, huh? Yeah – without the beauty or the grace!

So I signed on to spend my life fighting against the beauty myth in all its insidious forms and what did I do? Fall hopelessly prey to it, and on my face too.

Even though that evil voice in my head – which is, not coincidentally, male and hisses like Hanibal Lecter – is telling me this makes me a bad feminist, it simply means that I, like most women and some men, can still succumb to society’s false paradigm that beauty and worth are correlated. It reminded me how invaluable feminism’s campaign for real beauty standards is because I never want another woman to feel the way I did during that shoot.

It was also a reminder that, even if people are calling me a role model, or perhaps especially so, I’m still very much in the process of birthing myself into the woman I want to be and stripping away the layers of myself that have been torn and scarred by sexism and oppression and personal pain. It’s an excruciating process at times, but a necessary one.

In this case, I’m vowing to do some reading on feminism and body image – suggestions in the comments appreciated! – and feed and exercise my body in a manner so that it’s healthier, if not smaller. I’m going to consciously banish that creepy, self-hating voice from my head and ask myself each time I want to succumb to it’s lull if I would say to a fellow woman such awful things.

After all, it wouldn’t do the movement any good if I or anyone else waits to do radical social justice work until we’re “feminist enough,” unblemished, for public consumption. I don’t believe my sisters will be put off by my scars and scrapes but instead will see them and be more able to see, accept, and heal their own.

Or, at the very least, they’ll see my legs and skip the six-inch heels.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

This post was originally published at The Ms. Education Of Shelby Knox, and was republished with permission. Shelby Knox can be contacted at shelbyknoxblog@gmail.com.

Meet Shelby on July 14th at 7pm in NYC! We are honored to host Shelby Knox, nationally known feminist organizer & subject of the Sundance award-winning film, “The Education of Shelby Knox” as the moderator for Paradigm Shift’s next event, “GUYLAND: THE PERILOUS WORLD WHERE BOYS BECOME MEN” a lecture and discussion featuring Dr. Michael Kimmel, PhD, Author & World-renown Sociologist.  More info and !

Category: Blog, Paradigm Shift Event /

Newly released book, Souls of my Young Sisters, celebrates women’s personal journeys and empowerment

/ / Comments Off on Newly released book, Souls of my Young Sisters, celebrates women’s personal journeys and empowerment

By Allyn Gaestel

Souls of My Young Sisters is an inspiring book written by young women, for young women. The stories the authors share are glaringly honest and brutally real. Women speak of their struggles ranging from domestic violence to heartbreak, body image and career trials. But these women are all survivors, and they share the inspiration that pulled them through dark times with other young women.

Candace Sandy, one of the authors of the book explained: “For young African American women, there are staggering statistics about single motherhood, about poverty, about HIV. As we get older, about heart disease and strokes. There is also this amazing power of when these women get older they become the center of their families, they are cleaning up messes of their family, and taking in other children, they are the influencers, they may not have anything but they are going to give anything that they can to the children in their lives…so what we want to try to do, through the voices of the young women is to say look, first let’s know who we are and then let’s take control of how we’re being positioned and what our stories are.“

The book is written for women in the twentysomething range, which perhaps explains why it spoke to me so deeply (I being a twentysomething woman), but Sandy hopes the stories will transcend the pages, and women will speak to younger sisters about it. She said: “the thirteen year olds are acting pretty much like eighteen year olds and unfortunately in some communities you may have twentysomethings with a 13 year old. So we’re trying to have honest dialogue with these women and hopefully they will start having dialogue with the younger people in their lives to be able to dispel the myths.”

The stories are framed as first-person accounts of struggles women have overcome with an emphasis on what pulled them through and how they used these challenges to become stronger individuals.

Starr Murrell’s story speaks on her heartbreak when she found out the man she had been centering her life around was simultaneously engaged to someone else. She had pulled away from her career as a dancer and model to focus on building a home with him, only to find herself with nothing when the truth came out.

She had never shared her story until Sandy invited her to a focus group during the early stages of the book’s development. From speaking with the women in the room, she found her voice and was inspired to incorporate an honest and open portrayal of her life into her work in fashion, media and acting. “This whole process is very cathartic, it’s been therapy…writing all these feelings down and reading them back to myself, you kind of see the growth and you see where you were and where you are now. It’s great. I see a stronger woman, I see someone who is more confident and independent, and also someone who is more loving and able to not hold on to grudges or ill will.”

Aleia Moore survived a horrific car crash as a child, and was not expected to live, but with therapy and perseverance she was able to rebuild and go on to academic and professional success. She is already a published author, and her collection of poems “Pieces of Me” has been available since October. Speaking to me at a posh press event for the book at Covet lounge she said: “As we can see, with therapy and prayer and perseverance everything turned out well, and the gist of my story is that if you’re dedicated and you work hard and you continue to press on, that you can overcome anything that’s put in front of you”

The women framed their stories as gifts and messages to other people. Everyone spoke of the hope of fostering sisterhood and letting people know they are not alone in their struggles. Kimberly Cooper, another contributor wrote of her process of finding her own support through faith to get through the death of both of her parents by the time she was 22, and her first big heartbreak at 32. She emphasized the need to foster community among women: “When sisters get together there is a healing power that comes through that, so I absolutely feel that this can speak for women as well, I mean these are our stories, I’m a woman.”

Cooper called herself a “vessel” and tries to be as transparent as possible with her struggles so that others can learn from her honest portrayal of her journey. “We carry the burden of a lot and we need to be encouraged too, we need to know that it’s ok, we need to know that tomorrow’s going to be a better day, we need to know that we’re not alone.”

While the book is written by and for young women, the messages are meant to transcend any barriers. Sandy said: “We want to just kind of work on us, and the word ‘us’ isn’t limited to African-American women, we embrace all women, because we’re going through a lot.” Murrell reflected, “I think any one, young women, young men, the older demographic, I think anybody that picks up this book “souls of my young sisters” will be touched or moved by it in some sort of way.”

The authors have high hopes for the book, which is now available in stores and online. They aim to make the New York Times bestseller list. There may also be a second edition, and hopefully a book geared toward even younger women.

Souls of My Young Sisters is a follow-up to Souls of My Sisters, which was released to critical acclaim in 2000. Starr Murrell is also hosting a blog talk radio showed inspired by the book, which will air Thursdays at 11pm at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/soulsofmyyoungsisters.

Category: Allyn Gaestel, Blog / Tags: , ,

Community Forum in Response to Seward Park Library Sexual Assault

/ / One comment

COMMUNITY FORUM THIS SUNDAY IN RESPONSE TO SEWARD PARK LIBRARY INCIDENT

Sunday, June 6, 2010
1:00pm to 2:30pm
Mazer Theater of The Educational Alliance
197 East Broadway

(This forum takes place exactly one month
from the day a 9-year old girl was sexually-assaulted inside the library.)

What? This is a public forum for families, leaders, and elected officials to discuss and raise awareness on preventing sexual assault of children.

Why is this important? Come and share your views. Learn how communities prevent and address these kinds of crimes in our community.

Special thanks to Seward Park CO-OP, 7th Precinct Community Council, and The Lo Down NY and these supporting organizations/companies (in formation):

• Beth Israel Rape Crisis and Domestic Violence Intervention Program
• Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New York
• Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
• Chinatown Sports Club
• Chinese Chamber of Commerce of New York
• DOVE Program at the New York Presbyterian Hospital
• The Educational Alliance
• HealthFirst
• Henry Street Settlement
• Kaimen Company
• Lin Sing Association
• MaxDelivery.com
• Museum of Chinese in America
• New York Asian Women’s Center
• The New York Center for Children
• New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault
• New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault
• NY Strangers Sports Association
• Paradigm Shift: NYC’s Feminist Community
• Parent Association of PS 184M Shuang Wen
• Primitive Christian Church
• Project ENVISION, Lower East Side Coalition
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network)
• Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Program at The Mount Sinai Medical Center
• United Fujianese of American Association
• United Jewish Council of East Side
• Vision Urbana, Inc.

To volunteer or add your organization to this list, call (727) 851-6289.

Visit The Lo Down NY’s facebook events page to see
up to date information on speakers.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126303760732923&index=1

Category: Blog, Co-Sponsored Event, Events / Tags: , ,
« Older Entries   Recent Entries »
Wordpress Theme by ThemeZee
Email Newsletters with Constant Contact