It’s All About the D - Join us!

For more information visit the website.

W.E.E.N.

Posted June 17, 2008- In an industry predominantly governed by men, W.E.E.N. is now making their presence known with the Don’t Judge Me…Empower Me tour which kicks off June 28 in New York City at the Hammerstein Ballroom. With appearances from LeToya Luckett, Lil Mama, Mc Lyte, Melyssa Ford, La La Vasquez, Lil Mo, Julissa Bermudez, Free, BET’s Alesha Renee, Kimora Lee Simmons, who serves as the National Spokeswoman for W.E.E.N., and many more, the Don’t Judge Me…Empower Me tour will primarily highlight issues dealing with the female community such as health, leadership, career development, and financial literacy.

 

Valeshia Butterfiled, founder of W.E.E.N. said of the tour, “Our tour begins in New York City at a most opportune time given the unprecedented national debate about the leadership of women in American society. WEEN’s fast growing network of artists, executives and professionals will deliver vital and exciting information to thousands of young women on June 28. After many months of preparation, we are enthusiastic about the launch and our goal is to provide young women with the tools necessary to make informed professional and personal life choices.”

 

Partnering with W.E.E.N. for this new venture will be The Hip Hop Summit Action Network, Girl Scouts Of America, the National Urban League, Latinos in Fashion and Entertainment (L.I.F.E.), T.E.E.N. Diaries, Carifest Cares and Melyssa Ford’s foundation, Less Is More. NYC’s Power 105.1 FM will be joining as an exclusive radio partner while Bird’s Eye Entertainment will be handling production duties.

 

For more informaiton, log onto Weenonline.Org right now.

Conferences and Events: Outside of Michigan (with one exception)

 

THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2008 - BOSTON

PARA NOSOTRAS: The first LATINA PRIDE PARTY from Queer Women of Color and Friends

You are invited to join Queer Women of Color and Friends (QWOC) to show love and support for our Latina sisters during Latino Pride week!

@Club Choices, 379 Somerville Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143

FREE Social 7:30 - 9 p.m., FIESTA 9 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Dance lessons available from MIT’s Casino Rueda Dance Troupe!

La Rueda de Casion originally began in Cuba in the 1950’s, and consisted of couples dancing salsa in a circle, following the moves called by the caller, who set the pace of the dance. The calls ranged from thos known by everyone from Cuba to San Francisco to more unique moves that people invented on their own.

Featuring Informal Latin Dance Lessons From Volunteers, Appetizers, Mingling, Flirting and so on…

Featuring DJ Shorty spinning Hiphop, Reggaeton, Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, and Top 40

Click here to get your tickets! $5 Online ($10 at the door)

Official Site

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JUNE 6-8, 2008 - MINNEAPOLIS

National Conference for Media Reform

Join fellow activists, media makers, educators, jounalists, policymakers and concerned citizens in calling real and lasting changes to our nation’s media system.

2008 provides us with a great opportunity to put the issue of media reform in the national spotlight. Join us in Minneapolis and help us build this critical movement.

Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 South Second Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403

Event website

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JUNE 20 -22, 2008 - DETROIT

ALLIED MEDIA CONFERENCE

The Allied Media Conference cultivates media strategies for a more just and creative world. It is the primary point of intersection in the U.S. for alternative media makers and committed social justice activists. In June, we will come together on the campus of Wayne State University to share tools and tactics for transforming our communities through media-based organizing. Learn more about AMC

Get these women of color to the AMC! Visit their websites and donate to their travel funds!

SPEAK Women of Color Media Collective and members of the Radical Women of Color blog ring have kicked off a fundraising campaign to cover their travel expenses to Detroit. You can donate by clicking the links, following the instructions and clicking the PayPal donate button.

Every donation makes a difference, and your support is greatly appreciated.

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JULY 18- 20, 2008 - SAN FRANCISCO

BLOGHER CONFERENCE

Adele will be participating in a panel discussion on “Race and Gender: What are the lessons of 2008. No this actually isn’t a re-hash of the Obama vs. Hillary debate. But certainly Election 2008 has made us look at our own (and society’s, and the medias, etc.) attitudes about race and gender. BlogHers proved that you can indeed discuss these incredibly sensitive topics without it descending into anarchy or hate speech, bit it’s tough. Pleas join Maria Nile, Jill Miller Zimon, Adele Nieves and others as we discuss what we’ve learned about ourselves…and about others so far in 2008.

BlogHer’s annual conference is like no other — it is the thrilling diversity of the blogosphere come to life!

Featuring techincal labs, educational workshops, intense discussion sessions, relevant sponsors, speakers from every corner of the blogosphere, established and new, and plent of opportunities to network and socialize.

Appropriate for anyone and everyone who is interested in any kind of blogging, from the personal to the professional to the political.

Full overview, Agenda

 

Invincible

 

Check-out Detroit local Invincbile’s new CD, ShapeShifters

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.

For your viewing pleasure

Forewarning: until October 16, I will be slow with blog updates. In the meantime, check out some of the incredibly impactful films I can’t stop talking about!

Brown is the New Green: This fresh, provocative film examines how corporate efforts to profit from the “Latino market” are shaping America’s perception of Latinos. The program features the extraordinary insight and observations of Latino icon and advocate George Lopez through rare behind-the-scenes access to the actor/comedian’s remarkable life and career. 

A Woman Among Warlords follows the campaign of a woman running in Afghanistan’s first democratic parliament election in more than 30 years. WIDE ANGLE profiles 27 year-old Malalai Joya, one of the country’s most famous (and controversial) women since 2003…

HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes is a riveting documentary that examines representations of gender roles in hip-hop and rap music through the lens of filmmaker Byron Hurt, a former college quarterback turned activist.

Conceived as a “loving critique” from a self-proclaimed “hip-hop head,” Hurt examines issues of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in today’s hip-hop culture.

Brazil in Black and White “Am I black or am I white? Even before they ever set foot into a college classroom, many Brazilian university applicants must now confront a question with no easy answer.

Brazil in Black and White follows the lives of five young college hopefuls from diverse backgrounds as they compete to win a coveted spot at the elite University…