Sisters
Empowering
Women of Color
Conference 2009
February 14, 2009 • MLK Student Union • UC Berkeley
revolutionary love:
from "me" to "we"
redefining intimacy and activism
The EWOCC is one of the longest running, and some would say one of the most radical, events that provides a space for those involved in the community, and/including teachers and students. Previous conferences addressed decolonization of creativity (or art as the expression of woman's life and identity), physical and spiritual health, and other subjects pertaining to the self, sisterhood, and community. This conference will urge women "to embrace voice, knowledge, music, dance and art dedicated to revolutionary love." The explicit message and significance of this all-day event cannot be stressed enough: the examination and celebration of the self is necessary for true activism to push the boundaries that keep revolution at bay.
This conference focuses on "self-love, from which we connect mind, body and spirit, and discover ourselves. From a place of self-knowledge, we are able to extend ourselves to progressively more inclusive spheres beginning with friends, parents, romantic partners, children, and broadening to community, and the nation." If we cannot embrace this knowledge, then we (both women & men) cannot embrace the needs of others, cannot fully comprehend the larger societal diseases.
artwork by Swoon
I recently came to the understanding that the ways in which I was attempting romantic love were not progressive, were not healthy, and therefore not productive. Selfish, frightened, angry, jealous, and insecure love is b[l]inding. I realized that this stemmed from a false self-love or at least a skewed picture of my own self-love. If I could not intimately love myself or a partner then how was this damaging and limiting what I gave to the resistance? My energy was spent on pain instead of healing, on worry instead of trust. If I could not heal myself, how could I hope to be a part of healing my community? I couldn't. The two are inseparable because the spirit of a community, or bayanihan, is composed of each of its members. I am still struggling. A conference that addresses such an issue, for women of color specifically, is necessary for our continued advancement as women of color.
We must see"love as a healing process that inspires personal growth and resistance to oppression, exposing and exploring the ways in which institutions shape our perception of love. We challenge resistance and activism to begin inwardly, evolving our own reality and then progressing outward as we confront the intersections of poverty, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, militarism and imperialism."
I hope that the women who read this try to make it out to this event. Even if you live far, you will not regret building with other strong women of color. Here is a little more incentive for you: the keynote speaker is Cherrie Moraga (see past blog entry for a teaser if you aren't familiar with her work).
revolutionary love:
from "me" to "we"
redefining intimacy and activism
from "me" to "we"
redefining intimacy and activism
The EWOCC is one of the longest running, and some would say one of the most radical, events that provides a space for those involved in the community, and/including teachers and students. Previous conferences addressed decolonization of creativity (or art as the expression of woman's life and identity), physical and spiritual health, and other subjects pertaining to the self, sisterhood, and community. This conference will urge women "to embrace voice, knowledge, music, dance and art dedicated to revolutionary love." The explicit message and significance of this all-day event cannot be stressed enough: the examination and celebration of the self is necessary for true activism to push the boundaries that keep revolution at bay.
This conference focuses on "self-love, from which we connect mind, body and spirit, and discover ourselves. From a place of self-knowledge, we are able to extend ourselves to progressively more inclusive spheres beginning with friends, parents, romantic partners, children, and broadening to community, and the nation." If we cannot embrace this knowledge, then we (both women & men) cannot embrace the needs of others, cannot fully comprehend the larger societal diseases.
artwork by Swoon
I recently came to the understanding that the ways in which I was attempting romantic love were not progressive, were not healthy, and therefore not productive. Selfish, frightened, angry, jealous, and insecure love is b[l]inding. I realized that this stemmed from a false self-love or at least a skewed picture of my own self-love. If I could not intimately love myself or a partner then how was this damaging and limiting what I gave to the resistance? My energy was spent on pain instead of healing, on worry instead of trust. If I could not heal myself, how could I hope to be a part of healing my community? I couldn't. The two are inseparable because the spirit of a community, or bayanihan, is composed of each of its members. I am still struggling. A conference that addresses such an issue, for women of color specifically, is necessary for our continued advancement as women of color.
We must see"love as a healing process that inspires personal growth and resistance to oppression, exposing and exploring the ways in which institutions shape our perception of love. We challenge resistance and activism to begin inwardly, evolving our own reality and then progressing outward as we confront the intersections of poverty, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, militarism and imperialism."
I hope that the women who read this try to make it out to this event. Even if you live far, you will not regret building with other strong women of color. Here is a little more incentive for you: the keynote speaker is Cherrie Moraga (see past blog entry for a teaser if you aren't familiar with her work).
This conference focuses on "self-love, from which we connect mind, body and spirit, and discover ourselves. From a place of self-knowledge, we are able to extend ourselves to progressively more inclusive spheres beginning with friends, parents, romantic partners, children, and broadening to community, and the nation." If we cannot embrace this knowledge, then we (both women & men) cannot embrace the needs of others, cannot fully comprehend the larger societal diseases.
artwork by SwoonI recently came to the understanding that the ways in which I was attempting romantic love were not progressive, were not healthy, and therefore not productive. Selfish, frightened, angry, jealous, and insecure love is b[l]inding. I realized that this stemmed from a false self-love or at least a skewed picture of my own self-love. If I could not intimately love myself or a partner then how was this damaging and limiting what I gave to the resistance? My energy was spent on pain instead of healing, on worry instead of trust. If I could not heal myself, how could I hope to be a part of healing my community? I couldn't. The two are inseparable because the spirit of a community, or bayanihan, is composed of each of its members. I am still struggling. A conference that addresses such an issue, for women of color specifically, is necessary for our continued advancement as women of color.
We must see"love as a healing process that inspires personal growth and resistance to oppression, exposing and exploring the ways in which institutions shape our perception of love. We challenge resistance and activism to begin inwardly, evolving our own reality and then progressing outward as we confront the intersections of poverty, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, militarism and imperialism."
I hope that the women who read this try to make it out to this event. Even if you live far, you will not regret building with other strong women of color. Here is a little more incentive for you: the keynote speaker is Cherrie Moraga (see past blog entry for a teaser if you aren't familiar with her work).
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2 Comments
January 18, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Thank you for sharing and posting this. I really need this in my life right now so I am really hoping to attend!! IF, every thing goes according to plan here in Minnesota. :D Thank you again.
January 19, 2009 at 9:29 AM
this looks so coool. wish i could be there!
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