Friday, June 19, 2009
....
You’re uncomfortable sometimes with the stares when we are in public
but I in all my femme glory
will enjoy holding your hand,
showing affection in public with reckless abandon;
our simple presence a radical disruption of
hetero
norm
ativi-ty.
Each loving moment defies any concern
that we are both worthy of love.
Caressing your cheek will be one of many simple revolutions.
All this while each one of us continues on our own path.
Being open, building trust, so both can express your needs, emotions, frustrations, dreams, hopes and have some fun while you're at it.
Friends. Allies. Radical lovers. Platonic or romantic.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Long Goodbye
After a week of writing bad poetry, writing lists of bad things I shouldn't do but wanted to do, of jumping every time the phone rang, after seeing the person I was falling for with someone else, I'm am starting to feel like I can breathe again and starting to move on.
To be clear, or maybe to complicate things, this wasn't a "relationship" and there were many aspects about it that were "open." I could say for sure I thought it was an open honest friendship and we were getting to know each other and figuring out how we wanted to be. Friends with incredible chemistry planning world domination through creative projects and plans we both had always dreamed about? Maybe more? Had we already crossed the lines and would never be able to go back to friendship?
There were so many beautiful things about this budding "friendship." Ze first of all seemed like he was constantly working on the kind of transman he wanted to be: a sensitive man not afraid of his emotions, working every day to fight against all the negative trappings/privileges of masculinity. Embracing his "puto-ness." Comfortable in his skin no matter who is made uncomfortable by his transgression.
This also means paying attention to all kinds of details that to us Latina Femmes (por lo menos en mi opinión) are important markers of respect. The little things that one does not as some sort of game, but because you want to, are genuine and will continue to do because that is who you really are or who you want to be. Thoughtful things such as: opening doors, walking on the outside of the street, cooking for me or doing the dishes if I cooked, asking me about my needs, checking in with me about my boundaries, really listening, calling or texting when you say you're going to, sending messages when you don't have to, dressing in way that celebrates your butchness and all kinds of other sweet cariños that make a girl feel respected and well, loved. Loved in a world that would rather we stayed in our designated areas or only wants us to speak in stereotypes. A world that would rather erase us.
You are uncomfortable sometimes with the stares when we are in public but I in all my femme glory will enjoy holding your hand, showing affection in public with reckless abandon; our simple presence a radical disruption of heteronormativity. Each loving moment defies any concern that we are both worthy of love. Caressing your cheek will be one of many simple revolutions. All this while each one of us continues on our own path working on our own stuff. Being open and building trust so you both can express your needs, emotions, frustrations, dreams, hopes and have some fun while you're at it. Friends. Allies. Radical lovers. Platonic or romantic. Love is love. And we all could use more of it.
What made this particular experience so intense? We were both working on projects over several months that were near and dear to us. And when nearing the finish line I even gave up sleep to help Ze finish his project. I did it because I believed in the work and because of course I believed in whatever it was we were building. I told myself that no matter what happened I was okay as long as we came through this in an open and honest way.
You see he had been working towards his top surgery and was already in the throws of his transition. It was an intense time for him but he was doing all this really great work and he seemed so grown and healthy and working on his shit. I had never known someone who was so secure in who they are and what they wanted. And I was there for him.
I was experiencing a new year full of hope and optimism. I was (and still am) making all these positive changes in my life. I was feeling so strong and open and ready to take some risks. I wanted to date and explore and take it slow and attract goodness and light and fun and sex. Not be shut down anymore. I for sure didn't want to jump into anything. I was recovering from a year or more off of the dating world, cutting out negative friends and a rocky relationship with an alcoholic and the most machista possessive traumatic butch you will ever know. This was a new time. It is a new time. It would be okay again.
Do you know what it is like to feel like you have a partner in crime? Like someone really sees you and hears you and wants you to do well in the world? Not sucking the life force out of you but actually bringing so much to the table that they even seem to have the power to reflect your own light and uncover some beauty you didn't even know existed? That's what I was feeling like. I was even able to talk to Ze about coming out to my mom and all kinds of other things I didn't feel like I could talk to anybody else about. I mean I have both straight and queer friends but he seemed to understand the transitions I was going through too.
This kind of "open friendship" only becomes a problem when the person you are "kicking it with", making plans to take over the world with and talking to almost every day disappears and shows up two weeks later at a club with somebody else. He only seems somewhat embarrassed, makes an excuse but doesn't talk to you about what he's been up to. Maybe this is just an every day occurrence in the world of dating, sexing, friending, whatever. I didn't really feel like we were dating but maybe that was also one of the warning signs?
I knew there had been someone else but not until after we were intimate. After. But he of course made it seem like they weren't really together. He made it seem as if they were already past tense. Then later, that they had an understanding, an open relationship. Maybe they were on the way out.
It shouldn't have come as a total shock. I knew she had helped him too. He had also been working on a project of hers. Of course that was where he was the last two weeks. I didn't really understand she was that she although my intuition kept trying to tell me. Kept trying to prepare me. Prepare me for what? I wasn’t doing anything wrong. We were only friends.
I didn't really want to know. I didn't care because I was just being open. No hurry. No rush. I didn't want to even think for a moment that I was some kind of other woman. I wouldn't ever want to put myself in that kind of situation. I wouldn't have even gone there with him had I thought he was unavailable. I mean, I wasn't the other woman right? Because they're in an "open relationship" right? Then why am I so l unclear. Why, when I saw them did, my heart take a dive into my stomach and my lungs gasp for air? Why did I feel in that moment like I was lied to. Like an unwilling participant in a farce. Taken advantage of. Used. So easily discarded. How simple it would have been because of the rapport we had built up for him to just talk to me. How much less it would have hurt in the long term.
He wouldn't see me fall apart. He wouldn't ruin a perfectly good night of dancing. I would dance the rest of the night and leave it all there, perform a healing ceremony right then and there on the dance floor.
He called several days later. There was the usual "Hola Cariño" enthusiasm. He was ready to talk maybe. Tell me everything. Ask for forgiveness for being such an insensitive jerk. Beg me to still be his friend. I mean, our names were intimately linked to project presentations in the future. He would listen to my grievances. Hear me out. I would tell him he had lost my trust. I would want complete, total clarity and honesty. Maybe there might be some explanations that I would consider. We would eventually be able to start over. Really be friends this time. I would eventually forgive him. He would get a tentative second chance but not a third.
I answered the phone but was in class. I whispered very plainly that I couldn't talk but that we should talk later that night. He said of course, hablamos mas tarde. sin problema. un beso. adios cariño.
I burst into tears. The ugly cries. Sobbing rainstorm tears. I had been holding this all in. I cleaned myself up in the bathroom. Why was I so upset? Why did this affect me so? I knew better. I had been holding back. I knew better. I knew better. I knew better.
We never talked that night. We may never talk. Friends say I’m better off. Work on cutting him out of your life. Move on.
Today I’m feeling better. I don’t like this feeling. But it’s finally working itself out the only way it can when you never get a chance to have your say.
To be clear, or maybe to complicate things, this wasn't a "relationship" and there were many aspects about it that were "open." I could say for sure I thought it was an open honest friendship and we were getting to know each other and figuring out how we wanted to be. Friends with incredible chemistry planning world domination through creative projects and plans we both had always dreamed about? Maybe more? Had we already crossed the lines and would never be able to go back to friendship?
There were so many beautiful things about this budding "friendship." Ze first of all seemed like he was constantly working on the kind of transman he wanted to be: a sensitive man not afraid of his emotions, working every day to fight against all the negative trappings/privileges of masculinity. Embracing his "puto-ness." Comfortable in his skin no matter who is made uncomfortable by his transgression.
This also means paying attention to all kinds of details that to us Latina Femmes (por lo menos en mi opinión) are important markers of respect. The little things that one does not as some sort of game, but because you want to, are genuine and will continue to do because that is who you really are or who you want to be. Thoughtful things such as: opening doors, walking on the outside of the street, cooking for me or doing the dishes if I cooked, asking me about my needs, checking in with me about my boundaries, really listening, calling or texting when you say you're going to, sending messages when you don't have to, dressing in way that celebrates your butchness and all kinds of other sweet cariños that make a girl feel respected and well, loved. Loved in a world that would rather we stayed in our designated areas or only wants us to speak in stereotypes. A world that would rather erase us.
You are uncomfortable sometimes with the stares when we are in public but I in all my femme glory will enjoy holding your hand, showing affection in public with reckless abandon; our simple presence a radical disruption of heteronormativity. Each loving moment defies any concern that we are both worthy of love. Caressing your cheek will be one of many simple revolutions. All this while each one of us continues on our own path working on our own stuff. Being open and building trust so you both can express your needs, emotions, frustrations, dreams, hopes and have some fun while you're at it. Friends. Allies. Radical lovers. Platonic or romantic. Love is love. And we all could use more of it.
What made this particular experience so intense? We were both working on projects over several months that were near and dear to us. And when nearing the finish line I even gave up sleep to help Ze finish his project. I did it because I believed in the work and because of course I believed in whatever it was we were building. I told myself that no matter what happened I was okay as long as we came through this in an open and honest way.
You see he had been working towards his top surgery and was already in the throws of his transition. It was an intense time for him but he was doing all this really great work and he seemed so grown and healthy and working on his shit. I had never known someone who was so secure in who they are and what they wanted. And I was there for him.
I was experiencing a new year full of hope and optimism. I was (and still am) making all these positive changes in my life. I was feeling so strong and open and ready to take some risks. I wanted to date and explore and take it slow and attract goodness and light and fun and sex. Not be shut down anymore. I for sure didn't want to jump into anything. I was recovering from a year or more off of the dating world, cutting out negative friends and a rocky relationship with an alcoholic and the most machista possessive traumatic butch you will ever know. This was a new time. It is a new time. It would be okay again.
Do you know what it is like to feel like you have a partner in crime? Like someone really sees you and hears you and wants you to do well in the world? Not sucking the life force out of you but actually bringing so much to the table that they even seem to have the power to reflect your own light and uncover some beauty you didn't even know existed? That's what I was feeling like. I was even able to talk to Ze about coming out to my mom and all kinds of other things I didn't feel like I could talk to anybody else about. I mean I have both straight and queer friends but he seemed to understand the transitions I was going through too.
This kind of "open friendship" only becomes a problem when the person you are "kicking it with", making plans to take over the world with and talking to almost every day disappears and shows up two weeks later at a club with somebody else. He only seems somewhat embarrassed, makes an excuse but doesn't talk to you about what he's been up to. Maybe this is just an every day occurrence in the world of dating, sexing, friending, whatever. I didn't really feel like we were dating but maybe that was also one of the warning signs?
I knew there had been someone else but not until after we were intimate. After. But he of course made it seem like they weren't really together. He made it seem as if they were already past tense. Then later, that they had an understanding, an open relationship. Maybe they were on the way out.
It shouldn't have come as a total shock. I knew she had helped him too. He had also been working on a project of hers. Of course that was where he was the last two weeks. I didn't really understand she was that she although my intuition kept trying to tell me. Kept trying to prepare me. Prepare me for what? I wasn’t doing anything wrong. We were only friends.
I didn't really want to know. I didn't care because I was just being open. No hurry. No rush. I didn't want to even think for a moment that I was some kind of other woman. I wouldn't ever want to put myself in that kind of situation. I wouldn't have even gone there with him had I thought he was unavailable. I mean, I wasn't the other woman right? Because they're in an "open relationship" right? Then why am I so l unclear. Why, when I saw them did, my heart take a dive into my stomach and my lungs gasp for air? Why did I feel in that moment like I was lied to. Like an unwilling participant in a farce. Taken advantage of. Used. So easily discarded. How simple it would have been because of the rapport we had built up for him to just talk to me. How much less it would have hurt in the long term.
He wouldn't see me fall apart. He wouldn't ruin a perfectly good night of dancing. I would dance the rest of the night and leave it all there, perform a healing ceremony right then and there on the dance floor.
He called several days later. There was the usual "Hola Cariño" enthusiasm. He was ready to talk maybe. Tell me everything. Ask for forgiveness for being such an insensitive jerk. Beg me to still be his friend. I mean, our names were intimately linked to project presentations in the future. He would listen to my grievances. Hear me out. I would tell him he had lost my trust. I would want complete, total clarity and honesty. Maybe there might be some explanations that I would consider. We would eventually be able to start over. Really be friends this time. I would eventually forgive him. He would get a tentative second chance but not a third.
I answered the phone but was in class. I whispered very plainly that I couldn't talk but that we should talk later that night. He said of course, hablamos mas tarde. sin problema. un beso. adios cariño.
I burst into tears. The ugly cries. Sobbing rainstorm tears. I had been holding this all in. I cleaned myself up in the bathroom. Why was I so upset? Why did this affect me so? I knew better. I had been holding back. I knew better. I knew better. I knew better.
We never talked that night. We may never talk. Friends say I’m better off. Work on cutting him out of your life. Move on.
Today I’m feeling better. I don’t like this feeling. But it’s finally working itself out the only way it can when you never get a chance to have your say.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Puta Red Heels
she had a novela moment all dos mujeres un camino
prevented it from getting tragic
kept her tacones dancing on her feet instead of hurled through space
at your face
had already done her penance
called instead upon the spirits to work it out on the dance floor
last night
the
dj saved
her
life summoning the diosas in the club
to perform ceremony warm her body work it over
pledging allegiance to broken hearts everywhere
the risk she was willing to take
she got hers but wanted it to last longer
she thought it would be different
all those projects and plans
thought she could step back and be friends
why didn’t she just listen to her intuition
why did you use her as your transition
why didn’t you just tell the truth like at the beginning
you won’t see her fall apart
you won’t do that to her
prevented it from getting tragic
kept her tacones dancing on her feet instead of hurled through space
at your face
had already done her penance
called instead upon the spirits to work it out on the dance floor
last night
the
dj saved
her
life summoning the diosas in the club
to perform ceremony warm her body work it over
pledging allegiance to broken hearts everywhere
the risk she was willing to take
she got hers but wanted it to last longer
she thought it would be different
all those projects and plans
thought she could step back and be friends
why didn’t she just listen to her intuition
why did you use her as your transition
why didn’t you just tell the truth like at the beginning
you won’t see her fall apart
you won’t do that to her
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Dramaaaatic...
Okay my heart hurts but this song is making me laugh. *Smile now cry later (or cry never)*
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Suga Mama
Wishing I was your suga mama but in this economy I will settle for some discount sweetness.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Realness
So I'm trying to sort out my feelings right now. My friend had top surgery a few days ago and I wish I could be there with him. But instead I wait for smoke signals. All is well so far but I guess I had visions of being of more support and comfort. So that hasn't happened. I want to send a care package but I haven't. I think I am trying to sort out how flirtatious or vulnerable I want to be. I know he wants me and is thinking of me but like I said he's got a situation and besides it's all about his healing right now. So where does that leave me.
This past week I've thought about just moving on and figuring out how to transition past all this and just move back to friendship. I have another someone I have my eye on that I could direct my energy on. Of course that starts a whole other level of uncertainty. Which I am finally okay with. That's what I signed up for this year with opening up my heart and coming out to play. I think the hardest part is that there is such a strong powerful beautiful connection that so far has been based on creativity, trust, honesty, openness and freedom. If I'm being real, I'm stuck between that lovely open place and just wanting to be number one.
So instead of going out tonight hanging with the homos y las jotas I decided to watch some documentaries. I watched this one called Gender Redesigner which had some beautiful moments and let me feel a little more connected.
and then I watched this U People and that one just really gave it to me. They're full length documentaries so if you want to watch them give yourself some time and you won't regret it.
And me well. I'm in no rush I guess. I'm gonna work it out. I'm feeling some pain but mostly that is from the uncertainty and the way I like to torment myself and pretend everything is cool. And there is no lack of love. Just not sure it's the kind I want.
This past week I've thought about just moving on and figuring out how to transition past all this and just move back to friendship. I have another someone I have my eye on that I could direct my energy on. Of course that starts a whole other level of uncertainty. Which I am finally okay with. That's what I signed up for this year with opening up my heart and coming out to play. I think the hardest part is that there is such a strong powerful beautiful connection that so far has been based on creativity, trust, honesty, openness and freedom. If I'm being real, I'm stuck between that lovely open place and just wanting to be number one.
So instead of going out tonight hanging with the homos y las jotas I decided to watch some documentaries. I watched this one called Gender Redesigner which had some beautiful moments and let me feel a little more connected.
and then I watched this U People and that one just really gave it to me. They're full length documentaries so if you want to watch them give yourself some time and you won't regret it.
And me well. I'm in no rush I guess. I'm gonna work it out. I'm feeling some pain but mostly that is from the uncertainty and the way I like to torment myself and pretend everything is cool. And there is no lack of love. Just not sure it's the kind I want.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Encuentro Xican@ II: Call for papers
Encuentro Xican@ II: Call for papers
please send far and wide. the new due date is friday March 20. Javier.
encuentro xican@ 2,
or, xican@ love and the new familia: gender, sexuality, and alliance
University of California, Berkeley
April 24, 2009
"Tenderness, a sign of vulnerability, is so feared that it is showered on
women with verbal abuse and blows. Men, even more than women, are fettered
to gender roles. Women at least have had the guts to break out of bondage.
Only gay men have had the courage to expose themselves to the woman
inside them and to challenge the current masculinity. I've encountered a
few scattered and isolated gentle straight men, the beginnings of a new
breed, but they are confused, and entangled with sexist behaviors that
they have not been able to eradicate. We need a new masculinity and the
new man needs a movement." Gloria Anzaldúa
The California electorate recently voted to uphold traditional gender
roles by passing Proposition 8. The controversy over the role played by
voters of color in passing this anti-gay measure has raised some questions
full with the possibility for both tension and alliance. At the heart of
this inquiry is love as responsibility, the ability to respond to one
another. Does the Chican@ community have love for its gays, lesbians,
queers and transgenders, and do gay, lesbian, queer, and transgender
Chican@s have love for their community? Familia has always been an
important value for Chicana/os, and familia seems to be the central value
for the advocates of gay marriage. How can familia be redefined without
the fetters of gender roles?
For our second encuentro xican@, we wish to explore tensions and alliances
among queer, straight, male, female, transgender, ChicanO, and ChicanA.
What does it mean to be a ChicanO/A feminist? What does it mean to be a
Chican@ feminist? In this 21st century, do we see Anzaldúa's new breed of
“gentle straight men”? What is at stake with this critical dialogue is the
possibility of re-articulating thoughts and practices, decolonizing the
present as well as articulating a future where gender and sexuality are
re-inscribed into the dynamics of power, society at large, and the Chican@
community in particular.We are fully aware that alliances are subject to
betrayal, even self-betrayal. An alliance must be both mutual learning and
referenced positionality, which means recognizing one's own privilege.
True meaningful alliances between Chicanas and Chicanos--across genders,
sexual orientations, generations, classes, and political ideologies--is an
ethical demand we must forge together and must not be taken lightly. How
can alliance be redefined as familia, with all its tensions and all its
loves?
We invite presentations (in English, Spanish) that explore and interrogate
various conflicts/alliances among gay, queer, straight, male, female,
transgender, ChicanO, and ChicanA, and their relations to labor history,
youth culture, indigeneity, migration, spirituality, performance studies,
visual and popular culture, policy, and violence against people of color.
Cultural arts centers, community workers, students and faculty from all
levels are all invited to participate in our encuentro. We are open to
receive individual or panel proposals that might work differently than a
‘traditional’ conference paper and encourage academic-artist-activists to
integrate different aspects of your work and talents that may take the
form of exhibit, performance, workshop, roundtable discussion, academic
criticism, or any rasquache combination of these.
Submit 300 word abstracts via email as word documents or PDF files by
March 20, 2009. Accepted presenters will be notified by March 25.
Submissions and inquiries should be sent to encuentroXWG@gmail.com
please send far and wide. the new due date is friday March 20. Javier.
encuentro xican@ 2,
or, xican@ love and the new familia: gender, sexuality, and alliance
University of California, Berkeley
April 24, 2009
"Tenderness, a sign of vulnerability, is so feared that it is showered on
women with verbal abuse and blows. Men, even more than women, are fettered
to gender roles. Women at least have had the guts to break out of bondage.
Only gay men have had the courage to expose themselves to the woman
inside them and to challenge the current masculinity. I've encountered a
few scattered and isolated gentle straight men, the beginnings of a new
breed, but they are confused, and entangled with sexist behaviors that
they have not been able to eradicate. We need a new masculinity and the
new man needs a movement." Gloria Anzaldúa
The California electorate recently voted to uphold traditional gender
roles by passing Proposition 8. The controversy over the role played by
voters of color in passing this anti-gay measure has raised some questions
full with the possibility for both tension and alliance. At the heart of
this inquiry is love as responsibility, the ability to respond to one
another. Does the Chican@ community have love for its gays, lesbians,
queers and transgenders, and do gay, lesbian, queer, and transgender
Chican@s have love for their community? Familia has always been an
important value for Chicana/os, and familia seems to be the central value
for the advocates of gay marriage. How can familia be redefined without
the fetters of gender roles?
For our second encuentro xican@, we wish to explore tensions and alliances
among queer, straight, male, female, transgender, ChicanO, and ChicanA.
What does it mean to be a ChicanO/A feminist? What does it mean to be a
Chican@ feminist? In this 21st century, do we see Anzaldúa's new breed of
“gentle straight men”? What is at stake with this critical dialogue is the
possibility of re-articulating thoughts and practices, decolonizing the
present as well as articulating a future where gender and sexuality are
re-inscribed into the dynamics of power, society at large, and the Chican@
community in particular.We are fully aware that alliances are subject to
betrayal, even self-betrayal. An alliance must be both mutual learning and
referenced positionality, which means recognizing one's own privilege.
True meaningful alliances between Chicanas and Chicanos--across genders,
sexual orientations, generations, classes, and political ideologies--is an
ethical demand we must forge together and must not be taken lightly. How
can alliance be redefined as familia, with all its tensions and all its
loves?
We invite presentations (in English, Spanish) that explore and interrogate
various conflicts/alliances among gay, queer, straight, male, female,
transgender, ChicanO, and ChicanA, and their relations to labor history,
youth culture, indigeneity, migration, spirituality, performance studies,
visual and popular culture, policy, and violence against people of color.
Cultural arts centers, community workers, students and faculty from all
levels are all invited to participate in our encuentro. We are open to
receive individual or panel proposals that might work differently than a
‘traditional’ conference paper and encourage academic-artist-activists to
integrate different aspects of your work and talents that may take the
form of exhibit, performance, workshop, roundtable discussion, academic
criticism, or any rasquache combination of these.
Submit 300 word abstracts via email as word documents or PDF files by
March 20, 2009. Accepted presenters will be notified by March 25.
Submissions and inquiries should be sent to encuentroXWG@gmail.com
Sinister Wisdom 74: Latina Lesbians
March 14, 2009 Bird & Beckett Books, San Francisco, CA
Sinister Wisdom 74: Latina Lesbians (2008)
Reading and Celebration
“This issue of Sinister Wisdom is dedicated to: the memory of all the Latina lesbians who have come before us; incarcerated women, who comprise a third of Sinister Wisdom’s readership; and those who, inside or outside the closet, continue to struggle around the world for our voices to be heard and our rights respected. It brings together the worlds of 76 women born in 12 Latin American countries and the U.S.”
“Este ejemplar de Sinister Wisdom está dedicado a la memoria de todas las lesbianas latinas que nos han precedido, las mujeres encarceladas que componen una tercera parte de las lectoras de Sinister Wisdom, y a aquellas que, desde dentro y fuera del armario (closet), continúan luchando en el mundo para que nuestras voces sean escuchadas y nuestros derechos, respetados. Este ejemplar de Sinister Wisdom reune las voces de 76 mujeres nacidas en 12 países latinoamericanos y Estados Unidos.”
Guest Editor/Editora Invitada: Juanita Ramos
***
JUANITA RAMOS: Editor, award winning Boricua educator y feminista
LEA ARELLANO-La Chola Priest: Creative Arts performer sin igual
PATRICIA CONTRERAS FLORES: Youth worker, poet, Latina dancer
LUCY MARRERO: Technical writer, student, mother & luchadora
AVOTCJA: ¡Doing the Afro/Indígena/Spanglsh thing hasta el hueso!
RENÉE DEL LA ARAÑA: Counselor, lecturer Raza Studies SFSU
JANETTE ÁLVAREZ: Xicana lesbian feminist & grad student
MAYA CHINCHILLA: Poet, educator, scholar, director, & filmmaker
ZEMAYA MARTÍNEZ: Curandera, poet, storyteller, filmmaker, educator
CATHY ARELLANO: San Francisco Mission District poet & educator
SOAD GRAYEB: Poeta, orgullosa madre y luchadora por sus ideales
GRISELDA SUAREZ: Xicana lesbian writer, artist & teacher
MATÚ & SISTA DRUM-Matú Feliciano: Conguera, composer, poet, the Bay Area’s Borincana/Garífuna reincarnation of Olatunji. Sista Drum is made up of her students & members of the legendary Sista Drum
Sinister Wisdom 74: Latina Lesbians (2008)
Reading and Celebration
“This issue of Sinister Wisdom is dedicated to: the memory of all the Latina lesbians who have come before us; incarcerated women, who comprise a third of Sinister Wisdom’s readership; and those who, inside or outside the closet, continue to struggle around the world for our voices to be heard and our rights respected. It brings together the worlds of 76 women born in 12 Latin American countries and the U.S.”
“Este ejemplar de Sinister Wisdom está dedicado a la memoria de todas las lesbianas latinas que nos han precedido, las mujeres encarceladas que componen una tercera parte de las lectoras de Sinister Wisdom, y a aquellas que, desde dentro y fuera del armario (closet), continúan luchando en el mundo para que nuestras voces sean escuchadas y nuestros derechos, respetados. Este ejemplar de Sinister Wisdom reune las voces de 76 mujeres nacidas en 12 países latinoamericanos y Estados Unidos.”
Guest Editor/Editora Invitada: Juanita Ramos
***
JUANITA RAMOS: Editor, award winning Boricua educator y feminista
LEA ARELLANO-La Chola Priest: Creative Arts performer sin igual
PATRICIA CONTRERAS FLORES: Youth worker, poet, Latina dancer
LUCY MARRERO: Technical writer, student, mother & luchadora
AVOTCJA: ¡Doing the Afro/Indígena/Spanglsh thing hasta el hueso!
RENÉE DEL LA ARAÑA: Counselor, lecturer Raza Studies SFSU
JANETTE ÁLVAREZ: Xicana lesbian feminist & grad student
MAYA CHINCHILLA: Poet, educator, scholar, director, & filmmaker
ZEMAYA MARTÍNEZ: Curandera, poet, storyteller, filmmaker, educator
CATHY ARELLANO: San Francisco Mission District poet & educator
SOAD GRAYEB: Poeta, orgullosa madre y luchadora por sus ideales
GRISELDA SUAREZ: Xicana lesbian writer, artist & teacher
MATÚ & SISTA DRUM-Matú Feliciano: Conguera, composer, poet, the Bay Area’s Borincana/Garífuna reincarnation of Olatunji. Sista Drum is made up of her students & members of the legendary Sista Drum
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Vampire Lesbians
Don't know what I was looking for when I found this but I'm in this 70's kinda mood.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
I got a situation
Ever find someone you click with on the most profound levels and then...they got a situation. A Badu type situation. Damn.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday the 13 Luckiest day of my life
I should really post more often. Lot's of things swirling in my head these days but I also have a lot of "real" work to do too. It's a new year and I've really been focusing on making things happen and working on living my best life. I know how Oprah. But really I was tired of being sad and emo and closed off because of all the hurt and pain. I'm building my bridge and getting over it. I've even decided to open my heart up a bit. But what is this thing called an open relationship? What does it mean to be dating someone who is in one? Hmmm well like I said I'm open. Exploring and keeping things honest. Each day checking in with myself about how I feel about it all and allowing myself to change my mind if I so please. Damn am I having a good time in the meantime.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Our struggles against violence and injustice are connected
Nobody deserves to fear for their life because of who they are. An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.
Please come out on Friday Night to support this fundraiser for Richmond Jane Doe
UNITY is about bringing together our community to help a sister in need. Many artists, performers, businesses, activists and volunteers are donating their time and effort to help all of us help Jane Doe.
The UNITY fundraiser is this Friday, January 9th!
UNITY @ Velvet
8pm-2am
21+ w/ID
$5-$20 suggested donation
Performance, Dancing, Raffle and much more!
Lesbian Raped In Richmond
Dear Supporter,
Four men kidnapped and gang-raped a 28 year-old lesbian in Richmond,
CA. This is an unspeakable crime and we must send a message that this
hate crime can not be tolerated.
Zuna Institute has joined several organizations in support of the
peace rally
PEACE RALLY
THE DATE IS SET FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2009. THE RALLY WILL BEGIN AT
4PM AT NICHOLL PARK AT 3000 MACDONALD AVENUE IN RICHMOND
**GET THE WORD OUT..FORWARD INFO..COME TO THE MARCH**
HERE'S THE STORY
The four men who allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped a 28-year-old
lesbian for almost an hour on December 13, 2008 HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED!!!!!!!!!!!
The case is being investigated as a hate crime because of comments the
suspects made about the victim's sexual orientation, according to
media reports.
Lieutenant Mark Gagan, public information officer for the Richmond
Police Department, declined to tell the Bay Area Reporter what the
comments had been.
The reported victim is openly lesbian and had a rainbow sticker on her
car, Gagan said.
The December 13 incident started around 9:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of
Visalia Avenue in Richmond's Belding-Woods neighborhood. After getting
out of her car, the woman was sexually assaulted and then forced back
into her car after the suspects noticed someone approaching, according
to police.
>
She was driven seven blocks to the 1300 block of Burbeck Avenue, where
she was repeatedly sexually assaulted near an apartment complex,
police reported.
The suspects fled in the woman's car, leaving her naked. The woman
sought help from a nearby resident, who called police, according to
media reports.
The woman was taken to a hospital and treated for her injuries, which
Gagan told the B.A.R. included a serious injury that resulted from the
woman being struck with a blunt object. Her car was recovered the next
day in Richmond, police said.
Tina D'Elia, hate violence survivor program director of Community
United Against Violence, the San Francisco-based LGBT organization
that operates a 24-hour crisis line, said, "The shock of this case I
think is impacted by being a public hate crime, a gang rape, and a
courageous survivor coming forward. I think that that is both unusual
and a sign of real courage. "
PLEASE MAKE DONATIONS TO THE SURVIVOR to help her reestablish her
life. She is going to need funds to purchase another car, relocate
from her residence, and take time off from work. 100% of the donations
will go directly to her.
>
The Community Violence Solutions and Rape Crisis Center have set up an
account for the victim. Please make your donation NOW either by credit
card or by check, the information is as follows:
IMPORTANT: You must indicate that you want to dedicate the donations
to "Richmond Jane Doe"
Credit Card Donation, please call:
Joanne Dougl
Please come out on Friday Night to support this fundraiser for Richmond Jane Doe
UNITY is about bringing together our community to help a sister in need. Many artists, performers, businesses, activists and volunteers are donating their time and effort to help all of us help Jane Doe.
The UNITY fundraiser is this Friday, January 9th!
UNITY @ Velvet
8pm-2am
21+ w/ID
$5-$20 suggested donation
Performance, Dancing, Raffle and much more!
Lesbi
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