WAM!

I’m at the WAM! conference this weekend, with little time to blog or sleep! A full recap will be posted upon my return to the midwest. 

One thing that deserves to be mentioned, if you ever doubted that Women of Color were anything but love, you’ve never met Nadia, Black Amazon, BrownFemiPower, Sudy, Alexis, Donna and Wifey! Ignoring it doesn’t change it!

A Must See Video! (Human Trafficking)

 

Music Video performed by Shanie Evans on Human Trafficking/Sex Slave Trade Awareness

Adele Nieves on Blog Talk Radio this weekend

Join us for Come Together: The official live discussion of the Women’s History Month blog carnival

 

Join Heart of Women’s Space and What Tami Said as we conclude our Women’s History Month blog carnival with an hour-long live discussion on Blog Talk Radio, 6 p.m. EDT, Saturday, March 29. We will review our favorite submissions to the blog carnival; discuss issues raised by the carnival, including race and feminism and their roles in the 2008 presidential election; discuss the state of feminism today; and talk about the most effective ways for women to work together towards equality.

We will be joined by panelists including:

Adele Nieves, a writer, journalist, and speaker, focusing on politics, women’s issues and race.

Shecodes, an entrepreneur and activist dedicated to the uplift of black women. Shecodes runs the blog Black Women Vote, described in its inaugural post as “a war cry to all Black women who are fed up, pissed off, and mad as heck about the present conditions of Black womanhood in America, and are ready to do something about it. Make no mistake… we’re about to change some stuff up in this piece! We have the social, economic, political tools to compel America to become more hospitable for ourselves, and for our daughters.”

We also want to hear from YOU. Tune in and call in! Listen live by clicking this link and let your voice be heard by calling (347) 205-9125 during the show.

Watch Women’s Space and What Tami Said for programming updates, including panelist additions.

 Read more at Blog Talk Radio.

RAMADAN IN THE HEARTLAND

 

The Detroit suburb of Dearborn is where the Midwest meets the flavors of the Mideast.

By Alia Yunis

For most Americans, Detroit conjures up images of cars, the Motown sound, and perhaps even 8-Mile. If you’re an Arab-American, it also means the best place this side of Beirut for decent baklava. Considered by some estimates to be the largest Arab city outside of the Middle East, Detroit has been the Ellis Island of the Midwest for Arab Americans for nearly a century, ever since the first wave of Arabs, both Christian and Muslim, arrived here in the early 1900s to work on Henry Ford’s assembly line…

Continue Reading

People of Color and the Fat Acceptance Movement (Fatshionista)

 

Written by Tara

There are reasons why people of color aren’t flocking to the fat acceptance movement, and they’re probably not the reasons you’re thinking of…

 Continue reading

Detroit Feminists Against the War!

 

Detroit feminist and former military soldier, Audrey Mantey speaks at the Wayne State University Students for a Democratic Society Peace Rally and March, February 2008.

Part I

 Part II

GET INVOLVED, JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

Upcoming moratorium, with guest speaker Audrey Mantey:

Friday, March 21, 2008, 7:30pm

First United Methodist Church, 320 W. 7th Street (corner of Washington and 7th), Royal Oak, MI

An open Letter and discriminatory attacks

An open Letter to All Feminists: Statement of Solidarity with Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim Women Facing War and Occupation…

By Piya Chatterjee and Sunaina Maira

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Dear colleagues,  

I need to write to you about a set of very serious racist and discriminatory attacks against Professor Thomas Abowd in his dispute with the Wayne State University administration and right-wing Zionist elements on campus. These circumstances are but a few of several offensive, anti-Arab and anti-Muslim happenings on this campus over the last few years, coming both before and after the attacks against Law Professor Wadie Said who applied for a job at WSU. The specific attacks against Professor Abowd are particularly troubling because, in this case, a WSU official has used racist and offensive language against Professor Abowd in the course of an official university investigation. 

Included below is a short description of the line of questioning engaged in by officials of Wayne State University, particularly one Ms. Amy Stirling during her December 2007 investigation of Professor Thomas Abowd for several baseless and fabricated charges of “anti-semitism.” (charges eventually all dropped for lack of evidence). A Union representative was present during this meeting with Ms. Stirling, and witnessed the racist language directed at Abowd. The Union representative took notes during the more than 2 hour conversation. It is clear to many that Stirling’s line of questioning (as well as her generally hostile demeanor) was extremely inappropriate and had anti-Arab implications. 

Ms. Stirling began her questioning of Abowd in a ridiculous set of false accusations made against him by avowed supporters of the well-known anti-Arab and anit-Mulism racist, Daniel Pipes. Members of this organization have been following Abowd around to talks on this and other campuses for the last few years. Pipes was speaking at Wayne State in October, 2007 and Professor Abowd took part in a non-violent demonstration against the founder of “Campus Watch” one hour before his event. After this demonstration, two right-wing Pipes-apologists who had been video taping and taking pictures of Abowd and who later attended the Pipes lecture, accosted Thomas after his speech and demanded to know why he said “slaughter the Jews.” Such words were never uttered, by Abowd or anyone else at the demonstration. Abowd told these individuals that this claim was completely slanderous and to get away from him.  

Perhaps anticipating Abowd filing a complaint against them for harassment, the two individuals who accosted him then went and filed bogus charges of “anti-Semitism” against Professor Abowd with the Wayne State Office of Equal Opportunity. The University then decided to launch an investigation into these false accusations, without a shred of evidence that Thomas had engaged in any wrongdoing. The investigation, many on campus believe, was done as part of a disturbing pattern at Wayne State of silencing criticism of Israel and those who fight for Palestinian rights. The university official who investigated these charges (who many familiar with the case believe is anti-Palestinian) questioned Abowd for a few hours and eventually concluded, a few weeks later, that the charges made against Thomas were totally baseless and unsubstantiated. 

But, in the course of questioning him, the investigator, Amy Stirling, engaged in hostile and racist language toward Abowd, an Arab-American. Again, this was witnessed by a Union representative who Abowd insisted be present and who took notes during the entire conversation.

Most disturbing were her efforts to badger Professor Abowd to “discover” his ethnic/racial/religious identity and to inject race, ethnicity, and the subject of Islam into her investigation. Stirling repeatedly asked Abowd and demanded answers, on at least 5 occasions, to questions about Thomas’ race, ethnicity, and religion. Here are some of the more troubling exchanges during what was at times more a hostile interrogation than a professionally conducted interview. 

Stirling began her line of questioning by repeatedly and pointedly demanding an answer to the question: “What is your ethnic or racial identity.” This was, in fact, the first question she directed at him. Abowd objected to the query, citing its non-relevance and racist implications. Abowd told Stirling twice that he would not answer the question because it was wholly inappropriate but she persisted in an aggressive way, remarking that the question was relevant, that she did have a right to ask it, that she wanted an answer to it, and then proceeded to ask him the same question two more times. He still refused to answer and told her to move on. 

About 45 minutes later, in the course of her questioning, Stirling asked Abowd, very directly 2 or 3 times and in an antagonistic manner:  “Are you a Muslim?” Once again, she was told that this was completely inappropriate, as offensive as it was irrelevant to the discussion. Professor Abowd mentioned that he was not only disgusted by this line of questioning but that he considered it a violation of his privacy and the principle of non-discrimination. He and many others familiar with the case believe that this line of questioning was part of an effort to build the case that Abowd was more likely to harass the Jewish individuals in question because he might be a Muslim or Arab: a truly bigoted idea. 

In trying to explain why he and the Union representative thought this was an inappropriate set of questions, Abowd began by stating that “If I were white and the person who I was accused of making race-based comments to was white…” Stirling interrupted him and forcefully stated: “You are white.” Abowd then responded that she did not have the right to tell him what he was or declare his ethnic or racial assignment, which she could not possibly know and which was none of her business.  

Stirling’s line of questioning was clearly troubling for a number of reasons. If a member of another community, say a Jew or an African-American, were asked such a question in this context it would, quite rightly, be regarded as being totally inappropriate.  How, after all, could anyone make a determination about whether anyone did or did not engage in intimidation based on whether she/he was Arab or Muslim or Jewish or atheist? One can only imagine if the tables were turned, what the response would be if an administrator repeatedly demanded an answer to the question “Are you a Jew? Are you a Jew?” Even after an individual had made clear that she/he would not answer such a question. 

As with the problems made for law professor Wadie Said during his job search at Wayne State in 2006 and other Arab faculty and would-be faculty and students on campus by the administration in recent years, Abowd’s case is connected to a disturbing sentiment among the Wayne State administration that has become deeply hostile to criticisms of Israeli human rights abuses and military occupation among faculty and students. There are several administrators and Board of Governors on WSU’s campus that are avowed apologists for Israeli military occupation and human rights abuses. When you combine these realities with the fact that Wayne State (where 15-20% of the student body is Arab) has done a horrible job of hiring and retaining Arab faculty, one sees a troubling pattern in the abuse leveled at Professor Abowd, an Arab-American, an award-winning teacher, and one of the few Arab/Arab-American faculty in WSU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 

In addition to these acts of racism directed at Abowd, Wayne State University has also violated Thomas’ constitutional and contractual rights on several occasions during his four years at the university, most recently around this latest incident of racism. In the case of this investigation, he was told three times in writing by Amy Stirling that he was not permitted to have a Union witness present at the investigation, in direct violation of the law and Supreme Court rulings (in fact, a judge ruled in Abowd and the Union’s favor several weeks ago stating clearly that WSU could not deny union members representation in such a context). Despite their violations of the law and the union contract, the University has reprimanded Abowd, as well, without due process. Abowd has also had his lecture on Jimmy Carter’s recent book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid that he was to give to the WSU Alumni Association, cancelled for unexplained reasons and not rescheduled. This decision also came directly from the administration. 

Please send emails, letters, and phone calls immediately to the following persons responsible for this campaign against award-winning teacher and community activist, Professor Thomas Abowd. Many of his colleagues and fellow activists are concerned that Wayne State University may try to terminate him for political reasons! 
 

Ms. Amy Stirling, Acting Director of Wayne State University’s Office of Equal Opportunity

Email: ak6239@wayne.edu

Phone Number: (313) 577-2280

Address:  Attn. Ms. Amy Sirling  Office of Equal Opportunity, 5700 Cass Ave, Suite 3660 AA Bldg., Detroit, Michigan 48202   
 

Robert Thomas, Dean of College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Email: robert_thomas@wayne.edu

Phone Number: (313) 577-2519

Address:  Attn: Dean Robert Thomas
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
Wayne State University 4841 Cass Ave., 2155 Old Main, Detroit, MI 48201 
 

Nancy Barrett, Provost

Email: nancy.barrett@wayne.edu

Phone Number: (313) 577-2200/ 313-577-2433(Diane)

Address: 656 W. Kirby Room #4092, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202 
 

Andrea Dickson, Executive Vice President

Email: bb4792@wayne.edu

Phone Number: (313) 577-2389

Address: 656 W. Kirby, Room #4165 FAB Bldg, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202

Professor Andrea Sankar, Chair of the Anthropology Department,

Email: asankar@wayne.edu

Phone Number: (313) 577-6961

Address: 147 Manoogian Hall 906 W. Warren Detroit, MI  48202 
 

NY Times article on Prostitution

The Myth of the Victimless Crime by Melissa Farley and Victor Malarek

WHAT do we know about the woman Gov. Eliot Spitzer allegedly hired as a prostitute? She was the one person he ignored in his apology. What is she going through now? Is she in danger from organized crime because of what she knows? Is anyone offering her legal counsel or alternatives to prostitution?…

Women, girls and feminism - support!

MICHIGAN

 Iron Ladies of Liberia - A Documentary by Henry Ansbacher, Jonathan Stack, and Daniel Junge.

When: Friday, March 14, 2008

Time: 7 - 9 p.m.

Where: Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit, MI

Follow Ellen Johnson Sirleaf through her first year in office as she faces angry mobs, ambitious political rivals, and high-ranking members of the international community. Her story is inspiring a new generation of leaders in Africa and around the world.

ACTIVE ART

Hosted By: Sicily McRaven

When: Friday, March 21, 2008 (one-day show)

Where: Wayne State Undergraduate Gallery, Detroit, MI

Active Art is a show dedicated to all forms of political art. It’s a one night art show, the day after the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war.

Open call for all political art in any media. Submissions due March 18th. Send descriptions of work to sis_artistry@yahoo.com or call Sicily at 313. 544-8317.

“Art is activism because it is a powerful tool to cause reflection upon the world we live in.”

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NEW YORK CITY

Writers Rising: Women Authors Talk Feminism & Activism

When: Thursday, March 20, 2008

Time: 6:30pm

Where: Revolution Books, 9 West 19th St. (bet. 5th & 6th), 212-627-9895

The National Organization for Women - NYC Service Fund hosts an exciting group of women writers to discuss their unique contributions of fiction, poetry and non-fiction work and the ways in which it inspires, mobilizes and sparks debate on feminist issues.

Featuring: Felice Belle, poet, playwright, and the former curator and host of the Friday Night Slam series at Nuyorican Poets Cafe. She recently created original poetry for the play History of the Word; Courtney Martin, Reporter, Professor of Gender Issues, and Author of Perfect Girls and Starving Daughters; and Sofia Quintero, Screenwriter, Activist and Author of Divas Don’t Yield.

$10 suggested donation for non-members.

Your Voice Can Stop Sexual Harassment

Dear Teens in NYC Schools-

Sexual harrassment is a very serious issue and many people do not take the time or effort to acknowledge this matter. Maybe it is because they’re afraid, there’s no one to talk to about it, or perhaps no one knows what sexual harassment is. The Sisters in Strengthy Youth Organizers are working on the issue of sexual harassment in schools, and we need the help of students (of all genders!) who attend schook in NYC. We are asking you to fill out your opinions and ideas in our Survey and Slam Book by March 7th, so we can make a difference together.

Email it to other students, post it on your website, put the link on your Myspace and Facebook pages, just get it out there! We are interested in hearing from as many students as possible.

The NYC Sexual Harassment Survey is available online here.

The NYC Sexual Harassment SlamBook is available here.

Please email us at sisters@ggenyc.org with questions or to request a paper copy of the Survey. Thank you for being a part of the School Safety Collaboration!

Youth Organziang Interns

Girls for Gender Equity

E: sisters@ggenyc.org

P: 718-857-1393

Website

Free Playwriting Workshops for Teens

Attention: Young Writers, Parents, Teachers!

Open ot All Area High School Students

When: Saturday, March 15, 2008

Time: 1 - 5 p.m.

Location: Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle (Broadway at 66th Street, across from Lincoln Center)

Free Admission - Limited Space!  To get on the list call: 212. 594. 5440 or email latinochallenge@youngplaywrights.org

WRITE A PLAY TODAY and submit it to the YOUNG PLAYWRIGTS LATION CHALLENGE — a city wide competition! YOU COULD WIND $500!

Help us spread the word by forwarding this email to other folks who care about young people!

TeatroStageFest, a production of the Lation International Theater Festival of New York, Inc.

TeatroStageFest, New York, NY 10016, 212-695-4010

To register for the March 15, 2008 Workshop email latinochallenge@youngplaywrights.org

Website: TeatroStageFest

Website: Young Playwrights

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GENERAL

Girls Rock!: The Movie

If y’all are in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Franciso, East Bay, Portland or Seattle, this week may be your last chance to see Girls Rock! If you’ve been thinking how cool this movie is, or if you’ve seen it and you love it and want all your friends to see it, now is the time!

By March 13 it may be a very long time before you have a chance to see it again. Go here for screening locations, links and showtimes.

You CAN use Hip Hop to Promote Social Change

Concious Women Rock the Page: Activists Team Up to Publish Curriculum that uses Hip Hop Fiction to Explore Social Issues and Promote Political Action.

Visit them here.

Feminist Infighting by Rebecca Walker

There is a lot of discussion about “feminist in-fighting” of late, spurred by the election. Jessica Valenti of Feministing.com is doing a piece on the subject for The Nation. Here is my response to her query:

Full story - Think Girl

Detroit Feminist Women’s Circle - Part II

 DETROIT FEMINSTS EVENT

When

Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 3:00 PM

 Location

Grosse Pointe Park, MI (We picked a central location for this meet-up, one of the organizers will contact those who rsvp’d with the address)

 Details

At our last meet-up we discussed, “How we envision a world were women are truly free?”At the next meet-up we’ll review our ideas, discuss new idea’s, and develop strategies for insighting change. 

These circles will continue growing and extending into greater parts, it’s a process worth sustaining. Please join us in our actions for better world.

 Items to bring

Please bring a dish to share

RSVP

If you are interested in advertising this women’s circle by passing out flyers, please go to our files section, left column of the Detroit Feminist meetup web page.

A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. —-Margaret Mead

Andrea & Adele

Give Meaning - click and cast vote

Greetings of Peace! Please take a few moments to click on and cast your vote as we retreat to the worldwide web and take flight to serve in South Africa. Pass it on to your networks as you are so inspired and bookmark the page as I will be posting updates from the ground when I arrive in South Africa in a couple weeks.

Blessings, joy and thanks for your support and your presence in this world. RevL (look for original poems to be posted soon.)

I just voted on a great idea to raise money for a charitable goal. If you like it too, please add your vote.

What you’re “voting” on is whether you feel the proposed project is worthwhile. When you vote, you’re NOT making a financial commitment of any kind; you’re simply indicating that you think it’s a good idea and should go ahead.

Voting takes less than a minute, and it’s easy - so please VOTE NOW, by clicking here to review the project profile (and then just click on the Vote icon to cast your vote).

With enough votes, the Project’s founder can work towards making the idea a reality.

Women’s History Month Blog carnival - Talk is cheap!

 

Support Native American feminist Andrea Smith

I received this plea from Adele Nieves, a contemporary journalist and writer who focuses on politics, women’s issues and race. Nieves is compiling the book What We Think: Gender Roles, Women’s Issues and Feminism in the 21st Century, An Anthology & CD.

In honor of Women’s History Month, I am putting out a call to all women (and men) who support feminism, with no apology! Our sister Andrea Smith was issued a negative tenure recommendation from the University of Michigan despite her “outstanding academic and community record.” Increasingly, real and effective diversity in our schools is being undercut and undermined, politically and financially.

Continue reading over at What Tami Said

Love Your Body at Any Size (Women’s Workshop)

    

Love Your Body at Any Size

A WORKSHOP FOR WOMEN

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Sunday, March 16

El Cerrito, CA, near BART

Noon to 3:00p

$50 Pre-registration required

Postmarked / paid by March 6 - pay by check or PayPal

Directions to the office will be emailed to registered participants by March 11.

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This is a scent-free event.

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Is it really possible, as women in this society, to love our bodies at any size? I believe women can live with joy and dignity in the bodies we have, in spite of all the misinformation we hear from the weight loss industry, and the prevalence of size discrimination in our environment.

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Whether you’ve lived in a bid body that’s attracted negative attention, struggled to keep your body small while living in fear of that negativity, or experience a roller coaster ride of drastic weight changes - you can stop putting your life on hold and start nurturing and enjoying the body you’re living in today!

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I think of size acceptance as a kind of grief process, which requires patience and compassion for each stage of letting go. With that in mind, I’ve designed a workshop for women who want to feel better about their bodes, from seasoned fat acceptance activists, to those who are ready to stop setting weight loss goals and start focusing on better health and self-esteem.

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You will have an opportunity to use writing, relaxation, art therapy, and visualization exercises to communicate compassionately with your body and you can share as much or as little as you like with the group.

In addition, I will provide some simple, practical ideas about where to get information and support, and how to start moving, nourshing, and enjoying your body exactly the way it is!

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If you would like to know more about my approach to size acceptance, you can read my brochure here.

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(Note to therapists: If you think your clients might benefit from this workshop, please feel free to contact me with your questions and/or pass on my contact information. If you are an MFT or LCSW, plan to attend this consumer-oriented workshop for your own personal growth, and feel your professional skills will also be enchanced by it. You can receive three (3) CEUs by adding $15 to your registration fee and indicating your license number on the registration form. I also offer annual clinical training on Size Acceptance, coming up next on March 22, 2008).

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Feel free to forward this announcement.

 

Jeanne Courtney, MFT

Love Your Body at Any Size (Workshops for women)

510-527-5662 ext.2

SF & East Bay Offices

POB 453, El Cerrito, CA 94530

bjcourtney@earthlink.net

www.FeministTherapyAssociates.com

 

REGISTRATION

To register, fill in the following information and mail it with your payment to:

 

Jeanne Courtney, MFT, POB

POB 453, El Cerrito, CA 94530

 

Or, you can email the information and send payment via PayPal to the email address bjcourtney@earthlink.net OR use the online registration from at www.FeministTherapyAssociates.com/LoveYourBodyWorkship.html

 

Name

Mailing Address

Phone(s)

Email Address

How you heard about this workshop

(CEU recipients only) MFT OR LCSW License