in the round has been updated.
http://spokenexistence.com/intheround.html
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Day 7: Congratulations...
We've made it... *doing the cabbage patch and the running man*
So, how ya feeling?
We'd like to congratulate you on making it to Day 7 of Spring Cleaning Your Body. We trust that you've learned something about yourself and your body and we look forward to seeing you on a regular basis here on in the round... Also visit the in the round pages on our website.
This has been an amazing journey and I've felt your energy as we've progressed through the 7-Days. Writing the blogs everyday has been therapeutic for me and has helped to keep me focused so yay for me! *go Moon, go Moon...doing the moonwalk...lol lol lol*
Come back tomorrow for "what's next..."
Visit our website for today's food tip on Raw Foods and Enzymes.
Love ya,
Moon
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Day 6: Let's Activate...
Visit our website for today’s food tip about Coconut Oil...
Happy Wednesday and Day 6...Wow, how fast these days have been moving.
Yesterday was a demanding day at work, but I made it through and making it through this sunny day as well.
Aqua and I went to an Ella's Daughters meeting afterwork yesterday-- we were replenished by the sistas at the meeting. What's Ella's Daughters? -- cuz yahll know my mama's name is not Ella, but Ms. Lisa. (i'm silly today...) In short, Ella's Daughters is a network of artists, activists, scholars and writers working in the tradition of Ella Baker. Who is Ella Baker? Do yo herstory lesson here.
Oh yeah, I forgot to post this yesterday...sign this petition to demand that the U.S. participates in the Durban II Conference.
Happy Wednesday and Day 6...Wow, how fast these days have been moving.
Yesterday was a demanding day at work, but I made it through and making it through this sunny day as well.
Aqua and I went to an Ella's Daughters meeting afterwork yesterday-- we were replenished by the sistas at the meeting. What's Ella's Daughters? -- cuz yahll know my mama's name is not Ella, but Ms. Lisa. (i'm silly today...) In short, Ella's Daughters is a network of artists, activists, scholars and writers working in the tradition of Ella Baker. Who is Ella Baker? Do yo herstory lesson here.
Oh yeah, I forgot to post this yesterday...sign this petition to demand that the U.S. participates in the Durban II Conference.
This Conference is the follow up to the 2001 World Congress Against Racism Conference. All I gotta say is how can this county, with it's history of racism, not participate in this conference. The U.S. needs to own up for its foulness and be at this conference!
Visit the African Americans for Justice and Peace in Palestine/Israel blog, a Chicago-based group to find out more info about the Petition and more information about why solidarity among oppressed people is so important. AquaMoon is also in solidarity with the movement that's promoting a peace and just Palestine/Israel.
Okay, this is for the brothas. Sistas, forward this to all the men you know.
Male Ally Conference at UIC: Engaging men to end violence against women.
Male Ally Conference at UIC: Engaging men to end violence against women.
To kick off the conference, Byron Hurt, one of the nation's most widely-known male anti-sexism activists, will be screening his award winning documentary "Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes." Immediately following the screening AquaMoon will be a part of a panel discussion to discuss masculinity in hip-hop. Friday April 24th at 7:00 pm James Stukel Towers Events Center 1235 S. Halsted StreetFree and open to the Public
Note: Friday's event is open to all (men and womyn)Saturday and Sunday is for men only. Sistas dont get mad, just like we need to go behind closed doors and discuss us and deal with us, so do the men. Parking is available for a fee at the Maxwell Street Parking structure located east of Halsted Street with entrances on Maxwell and Union streets. There is also limited street meter parking on Halsted St. and Roosevelt Ave.
The rest of the conference on Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26 is ONLY for men. The conference is free and open to male-identified persons.
Keynote speaker: Byron Hurt, director of "Beyond Beats and Rhymes" Men Against Sexual Violence is proud to announce the first annual Male Ally Conference at UIC. The Male Ally Conference is a two day event that seeks to engage men in ending transphobia, homophobia and violence against women. The conference will take place April 25th & 26th 2009, at UIC's Student Center East, The Illinois Rooms, 750 S. Halsted Chicago.
The conference features men from all communities leading workshops on race and masculinity, disability and masculinity, trans-masculinity, and unlearning homophobia. During these workshops men will have the opportunity to talk about what it means to "be a man" and how race, transgender identity, sexual orientation, and disability intersect to change this meaning from community to community. Men will also learn about what they can do in their everyday lives to stop a culture of violence.
The second day of the conference takes theory to action with exercise to encourage coalition building and networking. During day two conference participants will also have the opportunity to share ideas for further action and education on our campus and in their home communities."
The conference is free and open to all male-identified persons. If you require an accommodation in order to participate, please contact the Office of Women's Affairs at (312) 413-1025 two weeks prior to the event. If you would like more information about how to get involved or how to attend, contact Stephen Adler at masvuic@gmail.com.
The conference features men from all communities leading workshops on race and masculinity, disability and masculinity, trans-masculinity, and unlearning homophobia. During these workshops men will have the opportunity to talk about what it means to "be a man" and how race, transgender identity, sexual orientation, and disability intersect to change this meaning from community to community. Men will also learn about what they can do in their everyday lives to stop a culture of violence.
The second day of the conference takes theory to action with exercise to encourage coalition building and networking. During day two conference participants will also have the opportunity to share ideas for further action and education on our campus and in their home communities."
The conference is free and open to all male-identified persons. If you require an accommodation in order to participate, please contact the Office of Women's Affairs at (312) 413-1025 two weeks prior to the event. If you would like more information about how to get involved or how to attend, contact Stephen Adler at masvuic@gmail.com.
As far as my food intake yesterday, I had several small meals because of my busy day:
Green morning smoothie: lecitin, flax oil, cocunut oil, green meal mix and I primarily used watermelon and added a coupla chunks of cantalopue
Sunflower sprouts, strawberries, avocado and a handful of cashew and almond salad
An apple
A snack bag (ziploc baggie) of wheat pita chips
Romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber and three olives salad
1/4 a chocolate chip cookie
2 cups of Raw spinach
Plenty of water
in progress,
Moon
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Day 5: Bringing Sexy Back...
Visit our website for today’s food tip about Avocados...
My fav food is guacamole so how could we not tell you about avocados. Today is dedicated to avocados….lol lol lol lol. And avocados are SEXY too! *wink*
Speaking of sexy, our cast is bringing sexy back. Forget Timberlake, our cast is bringing being healthy sexual beings back instyle for womyn of color. Yesterday's rehearsal was awesome. Yah'll dont wanna miss, "Dont Call Me Sassy."
Yesterday's cleansing was good, great actually. I added spirulina to my green morning smoothie, for some added energy. In addition, I used a mix of watermelon, cantalopue, black and blue berries in the smoothie, it was quite tasty even with the extra greeness of the spirulina. Spirulina is nasty, but it's good for ya.
Sunday night I prepared meals to take with me on Monday and that was very helpful throughout my very demanding day.
Love,
Moon
Yesterday's cleansing was good, great actually. I added spirulina to my green morning smoothie, for some added energy. In addition, I used a mix of watermelon, cantalopue, black and blue berries in the smoothie, it was quite tasty even with the extra greeness of the spirulina. Spirulina is nasty, but it's good for ya.
Sunday night I prepared meals to take with me on Monday and that was very helpful throughout my very demanding day.
Love,
Moon
Monday, March 23, 2009
Day 4: What am I hungry for...
Visit our website for today’s food tip about
Artificial Sweetners...
UNEDITED
UNEDITED
Peace peoples,
This is the mid-way point. How ya doing?
THE COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/CONCERNS/SUGGESTIONS YOU’RE EMAILING, CALLING AND TEXTING US, PUT IT ON THE BLOGS INSTEAD, COMMENT ON THE BLOGS PEOPLE and we’re asking this of you because there aint "nuffin" to be ashamed of and your comments/questions/concerns/suggestions will help all of us. We are doing this together. And remember the ground rules of in the round, this is not a spectator event. This is reciprocity, give and take. Don’t take more than you need and you give something to the process as well.
A few tips and points of clarity as we proceed:
- NO meat includes no fish and shrimp.
As far as rice and pasta. Minimize it and if you do have it, eat whole-wheat pasta or brown rice.
FYI: Flattop Grill has brown rice, rock on wit yo bad self Flattop. - Do NOT overdo it on the fruits, remember green is the magic word. Green vegetables.
- As we proceed from here, minimize your contact with toxins, i.e. Household cleaning products and harsh chemicals (even relaxers).
- Stop eating at 7pm. No more food intake after 7pm. This allows for better digestion.
- Sleep: For the next three days get 8-10 hours of sleep. Allow your body to rest.
Portions are important that is why I refer to things as handful or tablespoon. I aint into weighing food but simple measurements to know my intake. - For those of you that want to continue with the cleansing some of us are going 30-days and we’ll build up to a fast. So email us to let us know if you want to go beyond the 7-Day Cleanse. aquamoon@spokenexistence.com
I will definitely be doing the 8-10 hours of sleep effective tomorrow cuz tonight, I’ll have a late evening and I’m on deadline for a project at my full-time gig so today is my hump day.
Tonight Aqua and I are teaching our Communiversity course this evening at the Chicago Freedom School. From the (B)lack (A)rts (M)ovement to Hip-Hop. Check out the Chicago Freedom School and the amazing work that they're doing.
In addition, we have rehearsal with our cast directly after Communiversity. It’s quite settling, comfortable and refreshing to be working with members of our cast again. These sistas got these personalities that compliment each other and us. They keep us laughing, true to ourselves and making sure that we are writing and executing our craft responsibly. There is a different process for Aqua and I when we're preparing material for the two of us and when we're creating for a cast. Come to think about it, I think we're freer when we're writing works that others will perform. But we're also harder on ourselves when we're writing for a cast stage production. We get real anal...lol lol lol. We think that there should be integrity in being a writer, especially writing works for others to bring to life on the stage. Big shout out to all the actors and actresses we’ve worked with since the beginning. It’s also good to see our cast members hone their skills and have life experiences that add to their craft.
I digress to yesterday’s post about the female condoms. You have to use your fingers to insert and guide the female condom to your cervix...I was thinking yesterday that this would be a challenge for many of us because we think touching ourselves is nasty. Well, I dont think touching myself is nasty *insert smiley face here* but I am a sista so we reflect each other.
Girls and womyn, especially Black girls and womyn, get okay with looking at yourself and touching yourself. If you have never looked at your vagina make it into a ceremony— your own private ceremony. Buy a hand-held mirror at the Dollar Store and decorate it. Bedazzle it, get some paint, glitter etc and decorate it. Burn some candles, play inspirational music and sit with yourself, and when you are ready look inside of yourself. It aint nasty.
We must demystify our vagina and get away from thinking it is nasty or that we are nasty for looking at ourselves or touching ourselves. The world has told us that we are nasty, dirty and bad. NO we are NOT. Reclaim your power. It aint nasty to know what you look like ‘down there’ or how parts of yourself feel. A man or another person does not have to show you or guide you on how you feel or what makes you feel good, find out for yourself. Know you, know your body, ALL OF YOUR BODY. Know that "Divine Thang," that is your sacred seat, your core, that is priceless between your legs. Honor her, don’t be scared of her or let anyone tell you she or you are nasty.
I don’t have any cute transition here so I stand solid in my female warrior stance as I go from talking about vaginas to talking about food…lol lol lol.
Food yesterday was a bit of a challenge but I made it through. I had to get Oprah with myself. "Moon, what are you hungry for, this is not about food…" lol lol lol lol. But seriously, I had to sit still and have a moment, actually momentS, of clarity with myself. It’s simple, I was hungry for some rest, I had a full day and night on Saturday, and my body and brain needed to rest. I needed to be centered so yoga was good yesterday.
I like yoga because unlike team sports, yoga is all about me. With yoga I give myself permission to be selfish and focus on me. It’s about me reaching my level and not comparing myself to the other sistas. Me, me, me…Even with in it being about me, I do not shut myself down. I remain open to nonverbal communication and communing with the other sistas so that we can share energy and space as a part of our sacred wombon sista circle.
I am a part of a sacred wombon sista circle and we met yesterday. We’ve been practicing yoga...tho I was tired I pressed my way through but, by the end of yoga, the last coupla poses— I was done, couldn’t even concentrate just wanted to lay on the mat. lol lol lol. I had a 30-second delay all day…And when we came out of a cat cobra pose (iont know the technical name for it) to go into a downward facing dog I was like, "nope, my body is done." I lay on the mat and waited the three minutes for the ‘melt into the floor’ cool down.
It’s funny cuz we’ve gotten to know the music our instructor uses, so we know when she is going to say, "and hold in this position breathing deeply…" lol lol lol. Anyhoo, I call it ‘melt into the floor’ because that’s what you do. You lay flat on your back and let it all go, no tension complete nothingness. Feet fall to each side, arms to the side, palms down— for me, this is surrender. I give it all to the Most High. I was dragging, but I am glad I participated. I got some good deep breathing in and I did push myself on a few of the poses that normally challenge me.
Meals:
- Green Smoothie (green meal, lecithin, flax oil, coconut water, a coupla chunks of frozen cantaloupe and frozen blackberries) I freeze FRESH fruit for the smoothies, instead of using ice.
- Guacamole (yummy yummy, my favorite), lettuce, corn tortillas and refried black beans. I limited the refried black beans to two-tablespoons.
The refried black beans were calling my name, lol lol lol, but people resist refried beans if you can during this cleansing, they are fattening. - Since I had the refried beans, I modified my last meal of the day and increased my vegetables. Spinach and raw okra and just a tablespoon of potatoes.
People, control the starches. For many of you doing the no meat, dairy etc is pushing it, but also be cognizant of your carb/starch intake. I aint saying eliminate it, but definitely reduce it the last days of this 7-Day journey.
Before going to bed last night. I packed up food for today. I even packed up enough food for dinner so that I wont be depriving myself while at Communiversity and rehearsal. Preparation is important.
Have an inspiring day and much love,
Moon
Before going to bed last night. I packed up food for today. I even packed up enough food for dinner so that I wont be depriving myself while at Communiversity and rehearsal. Preparation is important.
Have an inspiring day and much love,
Moon
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Day 3: Female Condom Upgrade...
Visit our website for today’s food tip about the hazards of Flaming hot cheetos...
Moving right along…We are now in Day 3 of our 7-Days of Healthier Eating. Hopefully you have settled into the spring cleaning of your body.
Yesterday was cool for me, minus the mucous. Mucous was coming out of all ends...lol lol. As a part of my cleaning I take fenugreek pills and a bentonite/psyllium/water mixture to help to pull out toxins and mucous. I also do shots of wheatgrass to help with the mucous as well.
It’s all-good. I embrace all the yucky details of cleansing...lol lol lol
Aqua and I went to a Female Condom and HIV/AIDS workshop with the Chicago Women's AIDS Project yesterday. We did an opening performance at their conference last year and was so inspired by the womyn the Project supports and offers resources to. These womyn are reflections of our mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts and grandmothers. It was good to see so many sistas out, especially the teen girl groups that were present. These young ladies were empowered, and vocal about sex, myths and the abstinence only education that they’ve been taught in school.
Aqua and I went to a Female Condom and HIV/AIDS workshop with the Chicago Women's AIDS Project yesterday. We did an opening performance at their conference last year and was so inspired by the womyn the Project supports and offers resources to. These womyn are reflections of our mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts and grandmothers. It was good to see so many sistas out, especially the teen girl groups that were present. These young ladies were empowered, and vocal about sex, myths and the abstinence only education that they’ve been taught in school.
What trips me out about abstinence only education is not only is it "abstinence only," it’s abstinence only "til marriage." The til marriage part places a religious connotation on there that assumes that everyone is a christian or even religious.
What about those girls that will not marry, what about being a healthy sexual being, what about being responsible and mature, what about other options?
Abstinence only has not worked. Illinois statistics are crippling. In addition, MOST of this abstinence only rhetoric is geared towards girls. Are we the sole keepers of this thang called procreation? No we are not, tho we carry babies, it takes two (for the most part). As much attention should be placed on boys.
I am a proponent of comprehensive sex education as a human right. It was a sista from the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health at the workshop with the statistics/info that places the reality of the ineffectiveness of abstinence-only sex ed into perspective...it has NOT worked.
Concerning the female condom. The FDA has approved the FC2 (female condom 2). This one is
more affordable.
more affordable.
Sistas be empowered by having your own protection and brothas support us as we empower ourselves. We can make love and be safe at the same time. Oh and sistas the ring, which is flexible, can be used for clitoral stimulation, what a nice perk!
For a female condom demonstration, go here:
Ladies be patient with this. Before using the female condom (FC) with your partner, make a date with yourself and practice putting it on. Candles, incense, a glass of wine, jazz and get comfortable with putting on the condom.
After the Female Condom workshop, we headed to Logan Square for the planning meeting for Chicago’s Hip-Hop Heritage Month events. This year’s calendar of events is going to be engaging, fun, innovative and and and just downright awesome. Yes, I said awesome, I'm bringing the A-word to hip-hop....lol lol lol. Visit the Chicago Hip-Hop Iniative website to stay abreast.
After the Female Condom workshop, we headed to Logan Square for the planning meeting for Chicago’s Hip-Hop Heritage Month events. This year’s calendar of events is going to be engaging, fun, innovative and and and just downright awesome. Yes, I said awesome, I'm bringing the A-word to hip-hop....lol lol lol. Visit the Chicago Hip-Hop Iniative website to stay abreast.
A few years ago, with the Chicago Hip-Hop Initiative, we started the Bgirl Power component of the Chicago Hip-Hop Heritage Month. We are so glad that the Initiative has been holding it down every year to make sure girls and womyn are included in Hip-Hop Heritage Month. Girl Power!
This year's theme: And it don't stop...the movement continues!
As you can see, we had a full day and we maintained our No Meat. No Dairy. No Soda. No Junk Food.
What did I eat yesterday?
Breakfast: Green Smoothie (green meal, lecithin, flax oil, coconut water, a coupla chunks of frozen mangos and frozen blueberries) I freeze FRESH fruit for the smoothies.
Snacks: Apple, a strawberry and a handful of grapes
Lunch/Dinner: Foot-long veggie-patty sub from Subway (still be healthy while you’re on the go) and steamed okra/string beans. Oil and vinegar on the sub and even mustard is better than the dairy-based mayonnaise etc.
And I had plenty of water throughout the day...
Empowered,
Moon
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Day 2: The magic word is "GREEN"....
Visit our website for today’s food tip about Alkaline foods…Ph Balance.
So, how was day one? Any withdrawals or was it breezy?
Day 1 was cool for me. I started the day off with a green smoothie (green meal powder, banana, lecithin, coconut oil, flax oil and coconut water). Yummy, green stuff rocks. Sidenote: I was going to put a glass of green stuff as the image on the cover of my next book. Hi-larious. Last spring/summer when I was in the belly of writing the book, I was also doing a lot of cleansing so I was inundated with green. (NO, The Green Bible is not my book...lol lol lol.)
Green is also my favorite color. My grandmother can not understand why, which I cant understand why pink is her favorite color.
For a snack, I had a slice of cantaloupe and a handful of raspberries.
For lunch I had, steamed broccoli and string beans w/multi-colored bell peppers, a puff cake with agave nectar and hummus, and some hyssop tea.
For dinner I had, a spinach salad with strawberries, cashews and avocado. And some mint tea.
Oh yeah, to help break down my food I take vegan enzymes pills with my meals.
To help keep me committed to this process, one of my goals is to get up between 4 and 6am. I use this time to write, meditate, do yoga or belly dancing, or just to day dream. This helps me to stay focused.
Lastly, as you purge, consider doing a forgiveness list...Number a piece of paper 1-20 and write I forgive______________ completely and totally. Write the names of the people that come to mind. I know, some of us hold onto thangs...but a part of this spring cleaning is to let go of those things that got us all jammed up. Not only food got us jammed up, but past hurts, emotions, 'i aint good enuf' thoughts etc. Forgiveness aint about the other person(s), it's about you. Letting yourself free from the discomfort of what was done. Let it go, let it flow...And if you need to forgive yourself, forgive you as well.
I was hipped to this exercise in an online class I did with Daily Om and I do this exercise often. Funny thing happened the first time I did the exercise, I freaked myself out because I wrote God's name down. After I wrote it down I looked all around me like God was about to come get me and beat me up...lol lol. I mean, I was really scared and a lil ashamed. Some nerve, how I'm gonna be mad at God and need to forgive her? Yeah, that was a big deal for me to realize that I needed to forgive God, and forgiving her helped in my evolution and growth.
Have an easy Day 2,
Moon
Friday, March 20, 2009
Day 1: Who am I...
Day 1 of
Spring Clean Your Body...
No Meat. No Dairy. No Junk Food. No Soda
We start this journey off with a question:
Who am I?
With the beginning of spring, this is a good time to ask yourself this question. Who am I? Also, what am I doing....What do I want...What do I need?
With the beginning of spring, this is a good time to ask yourself this question. Who am I? Also, what am I doing....What do I want...What do I need?
The Spring Equinox represents equal day and equal night, new life, growth and a time of letting go of stifling behavior patterns, stifling people, negative energy and self-destructive habits.
Write down your intentions for the season and for the rest of the year. If you did this during the winter solstice look at what you wrote in December/January and decide if there is anything you want/need to follow up on.
Write down your intentions for the season and for the rest of the year. If you did this during the winter solstice look at what you wrote in December/January and decide if there is anything you want/need to follow up on.
Plant new 'seeds' or re-imagine those 'seeds' that need nurturing and tending to. 'Seeds' are thoughts, affirmations and goals. Your goals can be something as simple as "everyday I will meditate for five-minutes ,"or as grandeur as, "By the end of the year I will relocate to another state." With your intentions, write down a plan. Don't just let your intentions dangle out their in the wind, put some spunk, good vibes, discipline and dedication, behind them.
Now that we are thawing from the winter, this is a time to check in with 'self'.
Close your eyes and do a body scan. Asking each part of your body, "How are you doing?" Listen to your body, not with judgement, but with patience and love. If anything is not as you would like it then make the concerted effort to change it.
Throughout the 7-Days of Spring Cleaning Your Body check in with yourself everyday. Spend time with yourself by taking a walk, journaling, reading a book, gardening or simply sitting and staring out of the window. It is okay to tend to self, it is okay not to be rushing or always on the go. It is okay to tell the job, school, children, partner, dog, bills, "Wait, I need to take time for myself!" This isnt being lazy or irresponsible, this is being centered and being responsible for your own well-being.
Close your eyes and do a body scan. Asking each part of your body, "How are you doing?" Listen to your body, not with judgement, but with patience and love. If anything is not as you would like it then make the concerted effort to change it.
Throughout the 7-Days of Spring Cleaning Your Body check in with yourself everyday. Spend time with yourself by taking a walk, journaling, reading a book, gardening or simply sitting and staring out of the window. It is okay to tend to self, it is okay not to be rushing or always on the go. It is okay to tell the job, school, children, partner, dog, bills, "Wait, I need to take time for myself!" This isnt being lazy or irresponsible, this is being centered and being responsible for your own well-being.
These 7-Days are all about you. Do you...
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Breakfast, lunch and dinner....
Cleansing Plan Breakfast suggestions
- Fruit salad with oats -- Fresh fruit salad sprinkling with oats.
- Fresh fruit smoothie -- Fresh fruit, unsweetened organic apple juice and ice (you can add lecithin and flax oil)
Cleansing Plan Lunches/Dinner suggestions
- Vegetable soup Large bowl of vegetable or lentil soup (either homemade or supermarket ‘fresh’)
- Baked potato with fresh herbs and vegetables-- One day bake a coupla potatoes that you can eat during the week. Whatever vegetables you have in the house steam them put a tablespoon of olive oil (extra virgin) on them and season with herbs and viola!
Salads
- A coupla times in the week cut up fresh vegetables and fruit. Eg. Green/red/orange/yellow peppers, broccoli, okra, strawberries etc. Have some raspberries, blackberries, avocado, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and whatever other goods you picked up at the store and each day mix and match the vegetables in a salad. Sprouts are great as well. (Sprouts: mungbean, lentil and whole green peas are awesome!) Plus sprinkle a few raw almonds or unsalted cashews on top.
For dressing, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
OH, if you cant afford to buy organic then clean your fruits and vegetables with white or apple cider vinegar.
Raw Kale Salad
- Fresh kale chopped up, chopped red peppers, onions, garlic and cilantro. Massage olive oil into the kale and then mix the rest of the ingredients in.
Broccoli and Cranberry Salad
- 1 large bunch of broccoli, broken up into bite-sized bits3/4 cup dried cranberries, sweetened in apple juice1/2 - 1 cup raw soaked almonds blended with water and herbs in
3/4 cup cashewsred onion, diced (opt.)
http://www.fromsadtoraw.com/Recipes/BroccoliandCranberrySalad.htm
Cabbage greens
- Grated red cabbage, carrots and string beans steamed and seasoned to taste.
Hummus
- 2c. chickpeas, soaked 24 hours and sprouted 72 hours4 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 c.raw tahini (or to taste) 2 tbsp. nama shoyu or 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 2 lemons, juiced (to taste) 1 c. fresh parsley or more, to taste red onion, chopped, for garnish chives, for garnish parsley, for garnish extra virgin olive oil
Combine chickpeas, garlic and 1/2 cup water in a food processor and process until well mixed. Add tahini, nama shoyu or sea salt, lemon juice and parsley and process until very smooth. Adjust consistency with more water if necessary, and add seasonings and lemon juice as desired.Garnish with chopped red onion, chives, or parsley and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. http://www.fromsadtoraw.com/Recipes/RawHummus.htm
Cleansing Juice and Vegetable recipes
- http://www.energiseforlife.com/detox-recipes.php
- http://allthingsnice.typepad.com/tastebuddies/2008/11/broccoli-chickpea-brown-rice-pasta.html#more
Broccoli & Chickpeas
- 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped1/2 medium brown onion, finely chopped1/2 tsp of dried chilli flakes1/4 cup of olive oil1 large head of broccoli, chopped into florets, 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinse3/4 tsp of sea saltA handful of basil, roughly chopped. Juice of half a lemon....Just before serving, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Snacks...
Cleansing Plan Snack suggestions
- Chopped raw okra
- Unsalted, unbuttered popcorn (sprinkle some garlic powder on it for taste)
- Strips of red peppers
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Avocado slices
Seasonings, Greens and Teas...
Seasonings
Herbs and Sea salt….better yet, Himalayan Salt.
Herbs and Sea salt….better yet, Himalayan Salt.
Greens
And do NOT overdue it on the fruit. And become very good friends with Green vegetables. You want to get to the point where you body is craving ‘green stuff’.
And do NOT overdue it on the fruit. And become very good friends with Green vegetables. You want to get to the point where you body is craving ‘green stuff’.
Teas
Drinking tea is good during cleansing, cold or hot. Try Mint or Ginger. (let us know how you like it…)Do NOT use sugar or its substitutes use honey or agave nectar if you need some sweetener.
Drinking tea is good during cleansing, cold or hot. Try Mint or Ginger. (let us know how you like it…)Do NOT use sugar or its substitutes use honey or agave nectar if you need some sweetener.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
To the smokers that are doing 7-Days of Healthier Eating...
So, you've set a goal for yourself-- 7-Days you're giving up the ciggys! Yay! We are very proud of you and we want to offer you some support. We trust that 7-Days will lead to 14-Days, 30-Days, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year...FOREVER.Here are somethings to help you:
You can buy the teas loose or in the bags, actually for many of these you'll have to buy loose. If you buy loose teas, make sure you get the tea strainer, infuser, or the individual bag filters to put the loose tea in to steep.
Teas:
Mullein Leaf, Damiana Herb, Coltsfoot Herb, Red Clover, Wild Lettuce and Ginseng Leaf.
Essential Oils can help with withdrawal the withdrawal side effects such as irritability, anger, anxiety, stress, nervousness, fatigue, restlessness and panic. You can use them as a spray or dab it on your skin. If you are putting it on your skin, test it first to make sure you are not allergic. Put a small dab on your wrist.
Essential Oils:
Lavendar, Geranium, Frankincense and Sweet Marjoram, Sandalwood, Orange, Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Fennel, and Grapefruit.
Lastly, try tea tree oil sticks.
You can buy all of these things at the health food stores.
NOTE: No member of AquaMoon, SpokenExistence, Inc/Foundation or UnSilenced Woman Press is a licensed physician, dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. We will not diagnose, prescribe or treat illness or disease of any kind. All information that we provide is for informational purposes only. You should consult your physician.
Side Effects of Cleansing/Detoxification...
Positive side effects of cleansing/detoxification
Most people who undergo the detoxification process will have general feeling of well being especially after a body cleanse. In most cases, the most noticeable positive effects of detoxification are loss of weight. If you have been a bit over weight before you started the detoxification process, you can expect to shed off a few pounds after the process. The loss in weight is usually attributed to your reduced intake of food during detoxification.
Aside from loss of weight, you may also experience an increase in your energy level. As your body gets rid of all those pollutants and toxins, you will begin to feel more alive and energetic. There are a number of people who claims that they have never felt so highly charged until they went through the detoxification process. You can feel some tingeling in the body, and a "clearer" sight.
Not so pleasant side effects of cleansing/detoxification
The downside of detoxification is that during the detoxification process, you may begin to feel some negative side effects.
Headaches, sore muscles, cranky moods, insomnia and the general feeling of being physically weak are common during the first few days of the detoxification process. People who are coffee addicted may have stronger "pull out" effects, as usualy their PH Balance is not the best.
According to experts, these detoxification symptoms are but the normal reaction of the body to change. Note that when you undergo a detoxification process, you change your daily routine thus your body’s daily activities are altered. For instance, instead of eating a full western meal, you switch to some light meal with plenty of fibers.
Your body will need to get used to lesser amount of food intakes that is why there are some people who are undergoing the detoxification process who feels lightheaded or a bit dizzy at times. If you start feeling dizzy and lightheaded, do not be alarmed. Give your body time to adjust to the changes. In a few days, you will start feeling a lot better.
Another common reaction to detoxification is anxiety and restlessness. In most cases, this condition could lead to insomnia or inability to sleep soundly. If you start feeling restless and cranky, don’t be alarmed. Contrary to what you might be thinking at the moment, you are not about to lose your mind or something. You must remember that the detoxification process has disturbed your system by extracting all pollutants in your body and this could have some temporary side effects. If you feel nervous and cranky, try taking a walk or doing some yoga exercises to calm yourself.
As you could a get a little bit moody, try to be alone during long detoxification treatments. Clean your mind and not only your body.
But don't worry, there are also positive effects...and that's why we're doing this for the positive effects that outweigh the not so pleasant one.
But don't worry, there are also positive effects...and that's why we're doing this for the positive effects that outweigh the not so pleasant one.
NOTE: No member of AquaMoon, SpokenExistence, Inc/Foundation or UnSilenced Woman Press is a licensed physician, dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. We will not diagnose, prescribe or treat illness or disease of any kind. All information that we provide is for informational purposes only. You should consult your physician.
Adding a spritual detox to your 7-Day Journey...
For those of you that are doing the 7-Days of Healthier Eating...Spring Clean Your Body with us, here's a deeper level to take your cleansing-- if you choose...
What is a Spritual Detox? by Ron Northcutt
Some people have wanted to know more about "Spiritual Detox"... this is a movement of major energies that is usually associated with jumping to a higher vibratory level. Just like a Physical
Detox, it can be very mild or very powerful, and can manifest on many levels.
First of all, you need to remember that this is a good thing! Detox (or speedbump) is a signal that you are evolving and releasing old patterns. Your vibration is going higher. Rejoice! The challenge is to be able to see the rebirth within the death... because that is also what this is. Its a death of some part of your ego or small self. Its a death to the idea of "who you are" and your mask identity. Its a death to your old frequency and pattern.
Life is constant change, and change is death. Each moment, we die and are reborn... so this more palpable experience of death/rebirth should be no more troubling.
WARNING: Some of you with a very strong ego will continue to deny the detox... this is only going to prolong the discomfort. You MUST be vulnerable if you are to receive the Divine.
It is the emptiness of the cup which makes it useful.
You may also be tempted to externalize the problems and project them upon a certain event or person. This is an attempt to avoid the ego-death. Just remember - if you do not OWN your circumstance, then you do not have the power to affect change! The "blame game" is only going to weaken you.
You have asked for this - you have asked for Divine source to make you whole and evolve your spirit. You have asked to be more open and to have more abundance in your life. You have asked for this great change.
Accept that you need this experience in order to grow, and feel how much more powerful and peaceful you are becoming. Experience the new level of acceptance and awareness that you are feeling. Above all, feel the bliss and joy thats bubbling up even now.
This Divine source energy is whats transmuting your life and changing the very nature of your spirit... cleansing and purifying you... removing all of the negative blocks, pain and anchors holding you back.
You have asked for this clarity.
Remember your faith in the Divine - relax, release and float. Just like the peaceful, blue ocean, when we relax, we float.
What is a Spritual Detox? by Ron Northcutt
Some people have wanted to know more about "Spiritual Detox"... this is a movement of major energies that is usually associated with jumping to a higher vibratory level. Just like a Physical
Detox, it can be very mild or very powerful, and can manifest on many levels.
First of all, you need to remember that this is a good thing! Detox (or speedbump) is a signal that you are evolving and releasing old patterns. Your vibration is going higher. Rejoice! The challenge is to be able to see the rebirth within the death... because that is also what this is. Its a death of some part of your ego or small self. Its a death to the idea of "who you are" and your mask identity. Its a death to your old frequency and pattern.
Life is constant change, and change is death. Each moment, we die and are reborn... so this more palpable experience of death/rebirth should be no more troubling.
WARNING: Some of you with a very strong ego will continue to deny the detox... this is only going to prolong the discomfort. You MUST be vulnerable if you are to receive the Divine.
It is the emptiness of the cup which makes it useful.
You may also be tempted to externalize the problems and project them upon a certain event or person. This is an attempt to avoid the ego-death. Just remember - if you do not OWN your circumstance, then you do not have the power to affect change! The "blame game" is only going to weaken you.
- Accept the reality of the detox and accept the lessons its bringing you.
- Avoid denial or blame. Embrace your circumstance and allow yourself to feel.
- Drop the story - experience the energy/emotion/moment.
- Its ok if it feels bad - keep your head up and KNOW that it will pass (like any other storm).
- Drop the story
- Accept that you will probably have some "housecleaning" to do afterwards, storms often will remind us of work left to do or issues that need to be resolved.
- Drop the story.
You have asked for this - you have asked for Divine source to make you whole and evolve your spirit. You have asked to be more open and to have more abundance in your life. You have asked for this great change.
Accept that you need this experience in order to grow, and feel how much more powerful and peaceful you are becoming. Experience the new level of acceptance and awareness that you are feeling. Above all, feel the bliss and joy thats bubbling up even now.
This Divine source energy is whats transmuting your life and changing the very nature of your spirit... cleansing and purifying you... removing all of the negative blocks, pain and anchors holding you back.
You have asked for this clarity.
Remember your faith in the Divine - relax, release and float. Just like the peaceful, blue ocean, when we relax, we float.
NOTE: No member of AquaMoon, SpokenExistence, Inc/Foundation or UnSilenced Woman Press is a licensed physician, dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. We will not diagnose, prescribe or treat illness or disease of any kind. All information that we provide is for informational purposes only. You should consult your physician.
Spring Clean Your Body....
Cordelia's Top 3 tips to kick start your spring detox:
Water – We hear it all the time, but it bears repeating. Your body is 2/3 water, and water is essential to all the processes in the body. To improve your mood, skin and metabolism try to drink at least 8 – 8 oz glasses of water a day.
*Morning lemon drink – Starting each day off with warm lemon water stimulates your liver to detoxify your body - your skin will look better, you'll feel great, and you might even lose some weight! It is one of the easiest things you can do to increase your overall well-being. Just squeeze half a lemon into a glass, and fill with warm water.
*Eat your greens – Leafy and green vegetables like kale, spinach, and broccoli are jam packed with vitamins and nutrients to help restore vitality, and have even been shown to be effective at protecting you from certain cancers. Kale is particularly good for the liver, as it is a bitter green, which stimulates the production of bile, increasing your digestive ability. *Get more greens into your diet by putting them in salads, juicing them, making green smoothies - banana and kale is a surprisingly tasty combination, or lightly steaming them. *To be holistic – “detox” your environment and lifestyle as well. Take more walks outside, spring clean your house with non-toxic cleaners, start a new hobby – all of these things will “detox” your mind and your body.Read more: "Spring Detox Do's and Don'ts: Gentle, effective and oh so good for you."- Spring Detox Grocery List
- Spring Cleaning for Your Body
Fit YogaMarch 2006A time characterized by birth, renewal, and energy, spring is possibly my favorite season. Seeing the way rain enlivens the world after months of dormancy is absolutely awe-inspiring. Days become longer and the sunshine warmer; birds begin to sing and buds prepare to blossom. In sync with spring’s revival, our bodies also shift into a higher gear, letting us experience a welcome surge of energy. Almost instinctively, we clean out our closets and throw open the windows to let in fresh air. But why limit spring cleaning to just our homes? Our bodies need it as well. Though we may not give it much thought, we often accumulate toxins in our bodies during the wintertime. Because we spend long hours indoors, we breathe less fresh air, we don’t exercise as much, and we’re generally not as active—after all, who wants to go jogging in a blizzard when the couch looks so cozy and inviting? But following months of shorter, darker days and heavier foods, the surging energy of spring brings cravings for freshness, cleansing, and rejuvenation. From March to May is the body’s natural time for cleansing and detoxification. A spring detox, in fact, revives your energy, brightens your complexion, and strengthens your immune system while helping you drop excess winter weight and eliminate toxins. As usual, Mother Nature provides exactly what we need. Asparagus and baby vegetables like carrots, beets, green beans, and new potatoes pour into the markets. Purifying herbs, such as parsley and basil, are once again fresh and local. Such lively, colorful produce is concentrated with nutrition and vitality—perfect for making potent detox juices and quick, cleansing broths. During the springtime, it’s also good to give your body a break by eating less. You may even wish to do a partial fast. Avoid heavy, rich foods that are hard to digest. Focus mainly on warm, light foods that counter the damp coolness of the spring season. Cook with spices like coriander, fennel, cumin, and turmeric to enhance digestion and brighten your skin. Instead of drinking coffee, warm up with cleansing teas, such as ginger or clove. Include lots of wholesome spring veggies in your diet and let them do what they do best: stimulate the kidneys, liver, and digestive tract to release long-stored toxins. Take spring cleaning to the hilt and let it rejuvenate your entire body.
NOTE: No member of AquaMoon, SpokenExistence, Inc/Foundation or UnSilenced Woman Press is a licensed physician, dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. We will not diagnose, prescribe or treat illness or disease of any kind. All information that we provide is for informational purposes only. You should consult your physician.
Countdown Wed and Thursday....
How ya doing?You getting ready-- preparing yourself?
Have you gone grocery shopping yet?
By the way, isnt this the cutest picture... *this is when you say, "Awe"*...lol lol lol
Alrighty, so for Wednesday and Thursday here ya go! Oh and dont forget to visit the website and post a comment here on the blog. You never know how your words of encouragement, or an update on how you're progressing through this process will be helpful to the next person. Come on, give it a try!
Keep reading for the Wed and Thurs prep info.
In solidarity,
AquaMoon
Wednesday, March 18
Thought for the day: Wellness is a state of mind!
Food for the day: Eat 1 meal that has no meat, dairy, nothing processed, and no soda.
Mind/Spirit: Sit in complete silence with your eyes closed for 5 minutes today.
Body: Park your car a block away from where you are going, once today. If it's a parking lot, park on the otherside of the lot. Get off the bus a block away from where you're going.
Thursday, March 19
Thought for the day: I am a work in progress!
Food for the day: Eat 2 meals that have no meat, dairy, nothing processed, and no soda.
Mind/Spirit: Sit in complete silence with your eyes closed for 10 minutes today.
Body: If you have the option, dont go to the bathroom that is closest to you, go to the next one. *so that means you cant hold your 'tinkle' until the last minute.*
For those that want to go even deeper into what these 7-Days can do for you, go to bed asking yourself, "Who am I?" We'll let you know on Friday, Day 1 of Spring Cleaning our Bodies, why that question.
NOTE: No member of AquaMoon, SpokenExistence, Inc/Foundation or UnSilenced Woman Press is a licensed physician, dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. We will not diagnose, prescribe or treat illness or disease of any kind. All information that we provide is for informational purposes only. You should consult your physician.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Countdown: 3 days until Spring Cleaning...
Throughout the day, whenever you think about it say to yourself.
I can spring clean my body for 7-Days.
Once again, place no judgement on this statement. We are mentally preparing ourselves for this journey.
Also, for one meal this day, cut your meat intake in half and add more vegetables. Drink water (room temperature) instead of a flavored beverage with your meal.
NOTE: No member of AquaMoon, SpokenExistence, Inc/Foundation or UnSilenced Woman Press is a licensed physician, dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. We will not diagnose, prescribe or treat illness or disease of any kind. All information that we provide is for informational purposes only. You should consult your physician.
I can spring clean my body for 7-Days.
Once again, place no judgement on this statement. We are mentally preparing ourselves for this journey.
Also, for one meal this day, cut your meat intake in half and add more vegetables. Drink water (room temperature) instead of a flavored beverage with your meal.
NOTE: No member of AquaMoon, SpokenExistence, Inc/Foundation or UnSilenced Woman Press is a licensed physician, dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. We will not diagnose, prescribe or treat illness or disease of any kind. All information that we provide is for informational purposes only. You should consult your physician.
Monday, March 16, 2009
The countdown for 7-Days of Healthier Eating...
Peace all,
So, we're starting the countdown for 7-Days of Healthier Eating.
Friday, March 20, is the first day of spring (spring equinox) and National Meat Out day.
We've taken this a step further and last year we started 7-Days of Healthier Eating....Spring Clean your body.
For 7-Days -- No Meat. No Dairy. No Soda. No Junk Food. (and if you smoke, no cigs)
Let's give our bodies a break from meat, dairy, soda and junk food...one day at a time, for seven days. This is a whole body journey because as you release toxins it will clear you up mentally as well. So, just as we need to spring clean our house, opening up the curtains, putting away the storm windows and plastic window covering, dusting the corners we also need to do that for our bodies, mind body and soul!
The Spring Equinox is a time of renewal and replenishment. More than just physical activity, "spring cleaning" removes any stagnant energy accumulated over the slumber of the winter months and prepares our physical/mental/spiritual bodies and the actual homes in which we live, for the refreshing and nurturing energy of spring and summer.
We will be blogging and offering support during these 7-Days so come back everyday and tell us how you are progressing as well.
Preparing yourself for the 7-Days:
1. Between now and Friday go grocery shopping. Hint, you will mostly be shopping on the periphery of the store. Mostly in the fruits and vegetables section. If you're doing organic make sure the plu (the sticker on the fruit/vegetables) starts with a '9'.
Monday, March 16, Throughout the day, whenever you think about it, say to yourself.
Place no judgement on this statement. Do not start saying to yourself that you need to lose weight or that you need to hit the gym...none of that. Just appreciate your body as it is. The body that has gotten you this far and is still working, in spite of everything and anything.
NOTE: No member of AquaMoon, SpokenExistence, Inc/Foundation or UnSilenced Woman Press is a licensed physician, dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. We will not diagnose, prescribe or treat illness or disease of any kind. All information that we provide is for informational purposes only. You should consult your physician.
So, we're starting the countdown for 7-Days of Healthier Eating.
Friday, March 20, is the first day of spring (spring equinox) and National Meat Out day.
We've taken this a step further and last year we started 7-Days of Healthier Eating....Spring Clean your body.
For 7-Days -- No Meat. No Dairy. No Soda. No Junk Food. (and if you smoke, no cigs)
Let's give our bodies a break from meat, dairy, soda and junk food...one day at a time, for seven days. This is a whole body journey because as you release toxins it will clear you up mentally as well. So, just as we need to spring clean our house, opening up the curtains, putting away the storm windows and plastic window covering, dusting the corners we also need to do that for our bodies, mind body and soul!
The Spring Equinox is a time of renewal and replenishment. More than just physical activity, "spring cleaning" removes any stagnant energy accumulated over the slumber of the winter months and prepares our physical/mental/spiritual bodies and the actual homes in which we live, for the refreshing and nurturing energy of spring and summer.
We will be blogging and offering support during these 7-Days so come back everyday and tell us how you are progressing as well.
Preparing yourself for the 7-Days:
1. Between now and Friday go grocery shopping. Hint, you will mostly be shopping on the periphery of the store. Mostly in the fruits and vegetables section. If you're doing organic make sure the plu (the sticker on the fruit/vegetables) starts with a '9'.
Monday, March 16, Throughout the day, whenever you think about it, say to yourself.
I appreciate my body.
Place no judgement on this statement. Do not start saying to yourself that you need to lose weight or that you need to hit the gym...none of that. Just appreciate your body as it is. The body that has gotten you this far and is still working, in spite of everything and anything.
NOTE: No member of AquaMoon, SpokenExistence, Inc/Foundation or UnSilenced Woman Press is a licensed physician, dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. We will not diagnose, prescribe or treat illness or disease of any kind. All information that we provide is for informational purposes only. You should consult your physician.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Mix It Up Grants Program
Youth Social Activist Projects Supported
http://www.toleranc e.org/teens/ grants.jsp
The Mix It Up Grants Program, administered by the Southern Poverty Law Center, funds small-scale youth-directed activist projects that focus on identifying, crossing, and challenging social boundaries in schools and communities. Grants of up to $500 are provided for projects led by youth (ages 13 years and older) that bring together different youth groups, clubs, or community groups. Funded projects should step outside of the box and incorporate fresh ways to engage in and encourage socially just behaviors. Requests may be submitted at any time. Visit the website listed above to review examples of funded projects and download the application guidelines and forms.
"If our history has taught us anything, it is that action for change directed against the external conditions of our oppressions is not enough." --Audre Lorde
http://www.toleranc e.org/teens/ grants.jsp
The Mix It Up Grants Program, administered by the Southern Poverty Law Center, funds small-scale youth-directed activist projects that focus on identifying, crossing, and challenging social boundaries in schools and communities. Grants of up to $500 are provided for projects led by youth (ages 13 years and older) that bring together different youth groups, clubs, or community groups. Funded projects should step outside of the box and incorporate fresh ways to engage in and encourage socially just behaviors. Requests may be submitted at any time. Visit the website listed above to review examples of funded projects and download the application guidelines and forms.
"If our history has taught us anything, it is that action for change directed against the external conditions of our oppressions is not enough." --Audre Lorde
Friday, March 13, 2009
White House Council on Women and Girls: Women and Girls Must Keep Speaking Up
White House Council on Women and Girls: Women and Girls Must Keep Speaking Up
by Gloria Pan
After the 2008 Elections, more than 50 women’s groups sent a letter to the administration asking President Obama to resurrect the White House Office on Women created by the Clinton Administration. Today, the leaders of those women’s groups met at the White House to witness President Obama’s signing of an executive order creating the White House Council on Women and Girls. While the new Council does not have Cabinet rank, nor does it even have a permanent office with full-time staff to work on women’s issues, it appears to be much more than what was asked for last December and more than what anyone thought women could expect from even this most sympathetic of Presidents. With the stroke of a pen, Barack Obama transported women from the dark backstage of the policy-making world to center stage. While euphoric, we are rather stunned to find ourselves suddenly in the footlights, no longer just an afterthought for our government.
While societal attitudes have certainly come a long way in the last 50 years and there are more opportunities than ever for women, gender parity has remained elusive. That’s because we’re still inhabiting a social infrastructure — the thinking and culture and standards of practice that dictate how things are done, especially in venerable old institutions like the government — bequeathed to us by the Founding Fathers. Since then, the infrastructure has grown into sprawl and strengthened into sclerosis, its heft allowing only so much adjustment to make room for women, the Feminist Revolution notwithstanding.
Consider American diplomacy. It has a distinctly masculine way of looking at the world, reinforced by the way the State Department, the military and other government services do research, produce reports, hold regular meetings, approach issues, etc., because that’s the way those things have always been done. Without the will to review and revise the way those things "have always been done," there could only be slow and painful evolution, not real change to enfranchise women, no matter how many of us joined those ranks.
According to the White House press release, the Council will "provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families." Initial Council members will comprise the entire Cabinet, including the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense and Homeland Security, as well as the US Ambassador to the United Nations, the United States Trade Representative and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors. Wow.
The Council will be chaired by White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, with White House Office of Public Liaison Director Tina Tchen serving as executive director. Jarrett, of course, is the official Old Friend in the White House, which means she’s got Obama’s ear. Before practicing law in Chicago, Tchen was state vice president of the Illinois chapter of the National Organization for Women and was one of the leaders in writing and lobbying successfully for the Illinois Criminal Sexual Assault Act. Tchen was apparently so effective a NOW officer that then-President Ellie Smeal begged her to put off law school. "She’s really one of our own," the political director of a major women’s advocacy organization told me.
The Council’s first order of business will be to ask each agency to analyze their current status and ensure that they are focused internally and externally on women. With such a direct, public, and point-blank approach, and the agencies answerable to two no-nonsense women exercising their power straight from the inner circles of the administration, there should be little wiggle room for foot-dragging or obfuscation, though we should expect the usual raft of excuses when we start seeing some results.
During its first year, again from the press release, the Council will also focus on the following areas:
Improving women’s economic security by ensuring that each of the agencies is working to directly improve the economic status of women.
Working with each agency to ensure that the administration evaluates and develops policies that establish a balance between work and family.
Working hand-in-hand with the Vice President, the Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women and other government officials to find new ways to prevent violence against women, at home and abroad.
Finally, the critical work of the Council will be to help build healthy families and improve women’s health care.
Again, wow. It’s like a fairy godmother found the feminists’ Christmas list and decided to grant all the big-ticket items.
We did not have the tools to begin dismantling an obsolete government infrastructure, erected by men to serve the ways of men. By establishing the White House Council for Women and Girls, it seems that President Obama has given us those tools. But the Council’s existence does not mean that women can finally relax; we know too well that only we can be our own best advocates. The President has exerted his will from above, and it’s up to women to continue to express our will from below, from the grassroots; there’s lots of ground to cover before the two sides can meet. And since the Internet has freed women’s voices from every cranny of society, we have no excuse to be absent as the Council carries out its work. More than ever, we must use our blogs, discussion lists, Facebook pages Twitter, and every other digital avenue to speak up, comment, challenge, suggest and scold. It’ll be our only guarantee that those tools from the President won’t get rusty with disuse.
http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=807
by Gloria Pan
After the 2008 Elections, more than 50 women’s groups sent a letter to the administration asking President Obama to resurrect the White House Office on Women created by the Clinton Administration. Today, the leaders of those women’s groups met at the White House to witness President Obama’s signing of an executive order creating the White House Council on Women and Girls. While the new Council does not have Cabinet rank, nor does it even have a permanent office with full-time staff to work on women’s issues, it appears to be much more than what was asked for last December and more than what anyone thought women could expect from even this most sympathetic of Presidents. With the stroke of a pen, Barack Obama transported women from the dark backstage of the policy-making world to center stage. While euphoric, we are rather stunned to find ourselves suddenly in the footlights, no longer just an afterthought for our government.
While societal attitudes have certainly come a long way in the last 50 years and there are more opportunities than ever for women, gender parity has remained elusive. That’s because we’re still inhabiting a social infrastructure — the thinking and culture and standards of practice that dictate how things are done, especially in venerable old institutions like the government — bequeathed to us by the Founding Fathers. Since then, the infrastructure has grown into sprawl and strengthened into sclerosis, its heft allowing only so much adjustment to make room for women, the Feminist Revolution notwithstanding.
Consider American diplomacy. It has a distinctly masculine way of looking at the world, reinforced by the way the State Department, the military and other government services do research, produce reports, hold regular meetings, approach issues, etc., because that’s the way those things have always been done. Without the will to review and revise the way those things "have always been done," there could only be slow and painful evolution, not real change to enfranchise women, no matter how many of us joined those ranks.
According to the White House press release, the Council will "provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families." Initial Council members will comprise the entire Cabinet, including the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense and Homeland Security, as well as the US Ambassador to the United Nations, the United States Trade Representative and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors. Wow.
The Council will be chaired by White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, with White House Office of Public Liaison Director Tina Tchen serving as executive director. Jarrett, of course, is the official Old Friend in the White House, which means she’s got Obama’s ear. Before practicing law in Chicago, Tchen was state vice president of the Illinois chapter of the National Organization for Women and was one of the leaders in writing and lobbying successfully for the Illinois Criminal Sexual Assault Act. Tchen was apparently so effective a NOW officer that then-President Ellie Smeal begged her to put off law school. "She’s really one of our own," the political director of a major women’s advocacy organization told me.
The Council’s first order of business will be to ask each agency to analyze their current status and ensure that they are focused internally and externally on women. With such a direct, public, and point-blank approach, and the agencies answerable to two no-nonsense women exercising their power straight from the inner circles of the administration, there should be little wiggle room for foot-dragging or obfuscation, though we should expect the usual raft of excuses when we start seeing some results.
During its first year, again from the press release, the Council will also focus on the following areas:
Improving women’s economic security by ensuring that each of the agencies is working to directly improve the economic status of women.
Working with each agency to ensure that the administration evaluates and develops policies that establish a balance between work and family.
Working hand-in-hand with the Vice President, the Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women and other government officials to find new ways to prevent violence against women, at home and abroad.
Finally, the critical work of the Council will be to help build healthy families and improve women’s health care.
Again, wow. It’s like a fairy godmother found the feminists’ Christmas list and decided to grant all the big-ticket items.
We did not have the tools to begin dismantling an obsolete government infrastructure, erected by men to serve the ways of men. By establishing the White House Council for Women and Girls, it seems that President Obama has given us those tools. But the Council’s existence does not mean that women can finally relax; we know too well that only we can be our own best advocates. The President has exerted his will from above, and it’s up to women to continue to express our will from below, from the grassroots; there’s lots of ground to cover before the two sides can meet. And since the Internet has freed women’s voices from every cranny of society, we have no excuse to be absent as the Council carries out its work. More than ever, we must use our blogs, discussion lists, Facebook pages Twitter, and every other digital avenue to speak up, comment, challenge, suggest and scold. It’ll be our only guarantee that those tools from the President won’t get rusty with disuse.
http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=807
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Real Sex Ed Returns...But will Democrats axe abstinence-only? by Steve Yoder
As a candidate, Barack Obama promised to eliminate ineffective federal programs. Now that he's president, many Democrats know where he should start.
The largest federal abstinence-until-marriage programs began 12 years ago when Republicans inserted funding for them into the 1996 welfare reform act. Under the Bush administration, the programs thrived, growing from $80 million in 2001 to $176 million in 2008. Bush increased funding for one abstinence program in 2005 even after it received a "results not demonstrated" rating from Bush's own Office of Management and Budget. Still, the last few years have brought good news to advocates for comprehensive sex education, even before the November election.
Change on the way?
In the research arena, a consensus is emerging that abstinence-plus programs--those that also include information about contraception--outperform those focusing exclusively on abstinence. Research on virginity pledges published in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics is the fifth major study since 2007 to conclude that abstinence-until-marriage approaches either have little effect on teen behavior or fare worse than comprehensive sex education programs in changing behavior.
State-level politics on teen pregnancy are also shifting. Despite budget pressures, half of the states refuse federal Title V block grants that fund abstinence-until-marriage programs. The grants require programs to teach individuals up to age 29 that "sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects."
Another shift is that the nation now has a president with a record of supporting comprehensive sex education. In 2007, as senator, Obama co-sponsored the Responsible Education About Life Act, which would have provided grants to states to provide abstinence-plus education. (The bill died in committee.)
Blue Dog politics
The Democrats' big tent could limit how far they push on abstinence policies.
Since Democrats took control in 2006, Congress has yet to cut even a dollar of abstinence education funding. Democrats have treated abstinence programs as a bargaining chip in negotiations over health and education funding, while Republicans have protected them as a core priority.
For example, even though the Title V abstinence program expired in 2003, Republicans have gotten temporary renewals by attaching the program to medical assistance for welfare-to-work recipients.
Congressional Democrats have supported ongoing funding for Community-Based Abstinence Education -- the largest federal abstinence program -- in exchange for Republican votes on a multi-agency appropriations bill that funds labor- and health-related programs. In the current Congress, the swing voters on sex education funding will likely be the Blue Dogs -- House Democrats from conservative districts.
Reps. John Barrow (Ga.), Zack Space (Ohio) and Jim Matheson (Utah) represent such districts. They also serve on one of the House subcommittees that oversee abstinence-only funding. In These Times called their offices three times for their positions on funding for abstinence-until-marriage and comprehensive sex education, but their offices had not responded by press time.
None of the three were among the 164 co-sponsors of last year's Prevention First Act, which would have provided new funding for comprehensive sex education. The bill died in their subcommittee.
Abstinence-only activists may be targeting the Blue Dogs for support. Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association, describes her lobbying strategy this way: "Since many abstinence-education providers and abstinence-education supporting parents voted for Obama and the current Congress, cutting abstinence education funding could certainly alienate these constituencies."
Asked to assess the prospects of a policy shift, Heather Boonstra, a senior policy associate at the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI), a research organization supportive of comprehensive sex education, says, "I don't think that it's a given. There are promising signs, but, of course, the administration can only go so far because it will require an act of Congress to either get rid of these abstinence-only programs entirely or to fund more comprehensive approaches."
Battle of two budgets
The Obama administration and Congress do not have long to ponder a decision on continued abstinence funding.
For fiscal year 2009, the previous Congress passed a continuing resolution that included full funding through March 6 for the Community-Based Abstinence Education program. The second major abstinence program, Title V block grants, has funding under a separate law through June 30.
But the Democrats may get tough, says William Smith, vice president for public policy at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). Departing from their previous bargains, Democratic lawmakers included money for welfare-to-work medical assistance in the current version of the stimulus package, but nothing for Title V abstinence block grants. "I just can't imagine that Republicans will hold out on the stimulus bill [to retain abstinence funding]," Smith says.
For its part, the Obama administration will release its proposed fiscal year 2010 budget this spring. In January, Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor told the Associated Press that he would not discuss what the president would propose.
But Marcela Howell, vice president of policy for Advocates for Youth, a nonprofit that favors comprehensive sex education, notes that a group of reproductive health organizations met with the president's transition team and received assurances that the administration favors funding a comprehensive approach to sex education.
Abstinence-only proponents are not giving up. In November, roughly 200 to 300 organizations supporting abstinence -- including "healthcare providers and schools," according to Huber -- signed a letter to Obama requesting a meeting. Huber says that they have not received a response but will "pursue appropriate channels to communicate our message."
They also contend that funding for comprehensive sex education already exists in the federal budget. Huber cites a December 2008 report from Bush's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) comparing federal funding for abstinence with a category of programs it called "education and/or awareness about pregnancy and/or STD prevention." Funding for that category, according to the report, outstripped abstinence funding by nearly two to one.
But Adam Sonfield, a senior public policy associate at AGI, says the report's analysis is misleading because the second category -- "education and/or awareness about pregnancy and/or STD prevention" -- is not comprehensive sex education. For example, 79 percent of the money that HHS includes in that category is actually welfare reform money that states can use to "reduce incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancy," according to the report's appendix. Says Sonfield, "There's no reason to think that any of this is dedicated to comprehensive sex education."
Several outcomes are possible for the budgets, including eliminating abstinence funding altogether, changing existing abstinence programs to be more flexible (by dropping the requirement that grantees teach abstinence until marriage) or creating a parallel track of dedicated comprehensive sex education funding while leaving abstinence programs in place.
Reversing worsening trends
The worst outcome of upcoming congressional struggles would be the elimination of all money for teen pregnancy prevention, says Bill Albert, chief program officer at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unintended Pregnancy, which favors an abstinence-plus approach.
"Particularly given that the teen birth rate is now on the increase for the first time in 15 years, it seems a particularly poor time to consider not funding any approach to preventing teen pregnancy," he says.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Jan. 7 that teen birth rates increased in more than half of U.S. states between 2005 and 2006, and rose overall nationally for the first time in 15 years. Rates were particularly high in the South and Southwest, with the highest recorded in Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. A January AGI analysis found that in all three states, if sex education is taught in school districts at all, it must focus on abstinence.
Even if the new administration and Congress were to embrace comprehensive sex education, the upward spike in the pregnancy rate might not turn around immediately. But those who advocate a new course say that for today's children -- who will, after all, be the adolescents of tomorrow -- it would be a sound start.
Says SIECUS' Smith, "I think we should have every confidence that change is coming in this area."
Steve Yoder is a freelance journalist based in Willow, New York.
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4279/real_sex_ed_returns/
The largest federal abstinence-until-marriage programs began 12 years ago when Republicans inserted funding for them into the 1996 welfare reform act. Under the Bush administration, the programs thrived, growing from $80 million in 2001 to $176 million in 2008. Bush increased funding for one abstinence program in 2005 even after it received a "results not demonstrated" rating from Bush's own Office of Management and Budget. Still, the last few years have brought good news to advocates for comprehensive sex education, even before the November election.
Change on the way?
In the research arena, a consensus is emerging that abstinence-plus programs--those that also include information about contraception--outperform those focusing exclusively on abstinence. Research on virginity pledges published in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics is the fifth major study since 2007 to conclude that abstinence-until-marriage approaches either have little effect on teen behavior or fare worse than comprehensive sex education programs in changing behavior.
State-level politics on teen pregnancy are also shifting. Despite budget pressures, half of the states refuse federal Title V block grants that fund abstinence-until-marriage programs. The grants require programs to teach individuals up to age 29 that "sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects."
Another shift is that the nation now has a president with a record of supporting comprehensive sex education. In 2007, as senator, Obama co-sponsored the Responsible Education About Life Act, which would have provided grants to states to provide abstinence-plus education. (The bill died in committee.)
Blue Dog politics
The Democrats' big tent could limit how far they push on abstinence policies.
Since Democrats took control in 2006, Congress has yet to cut even a dollar of abstinence education funding. Democrats have treated abstinence programs as a bargaining chip in negotiations over health and education funding, while Republicans have protected them as a core priority.
For example, even though the Title V abstinence program expired in 2003, Republicans have gotten temporary renewals by attaching the program to medical assistance for welfare-to-work recipients.
Congressional Democrats have supported ongoing funding for Community-Based Abstinence Education -- the largest federal abstinence program -- in exchange for Republican votes on a multi-agency appropriations bill that funds labor- and health-related programs. In the current Congress, the swing voters on sex education funding will likely be the Blue Dogs -- House Democrats from conservative districts.
Reps. John Barrow (Ga.), Zack Space (Ohio) and Jim Matheson (Utah) represent such districts. They also serve on one of the House subcommittees that oversee abstinence-only funding. In These Times called their offices three times for their positions on funding for abstinence-until-marriage and comprehensive sex education, but their offices had not responded by press time.
None of the three were among the 164 co-sponsors of last year's Prevention First Act, which would have provided new funding for comprehensive sex education. The bill died in their subcommittee.
Abstinence-only activists may be targeting the Blue Dogs for support. Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association, describes her lobbying strategy this way: "Since many abstinence-education providers and abstinence-education supporting parents voted for Obama and the current Congress, cutting abstinence education funding could certainly alienate these constituencies."
Asked to assess the prospects of a policy shift, Heather Boonstra, a senior policy associate at the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI), a research organization supportive of comprehensive sex education, says, "I don't think that it's a given. There are promising signs, but, of course, the administration can only go so far because it will require an act of Congress to either get rid of these abstinence-only programs entirely or to fund more comprehensive approaches."
Battle of two budgets
The Obama administration and Congress do not have long to ponder a decision on continued abstinence funding.
For fiscal year 2009, the previous Congress passed a continuing resolution that included full funding through March 6 for the Community-Based Abstinence Education program. The second major abstinence program, Title V block grants, has funding under a separate law through June 30.
But the Democrats may get tough, says William Smith, vice president for public policy at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). Departing from their previous bargains, Democratic lawmakers included money for welfare-to-work medical assistance in the current version of the stimulus package, but nothing for Title V abstinence block grants. "I just can't imagine that Republicans will hold out on the stimulus bill [to retain abstinence funding]," Smith says.
For its part, the Obama administration will release its proposed fiscal year 2010 budget this spring. In January, Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor told the Associated Press that he would not discuss what the president would propose.
But Marcela Howell, vice president of policy for Advocates for Youth, a nonprofit that favors comprehensive sex education, notes that a group of reproductive health organizations met with the president's transition team and received assurances that the administration favors funding a comprehensive approach to sex education.
Abstinence-only proponents are not giving up. In November, roughly 200 to 300 organizations supporting abstinence -- including "healthcare providers and schools," according to Huber -- signed a letter to Obama requesting a meeting. Huber says that they have not received a response but will "pursue appropriate channels to communicate our message."
They also contend that funding for comprehensive sex education already exists in the federal budget. Huber cites a December 2008 report from Bush's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) comparing federal funding for abstinence with a category of programs it called "education and/or awareness about pregnancy and/or STD prevention." Funding for that category, according to the report, outstripped abstinence funding by nearly two to one.
But Adam Sonfield, a senior public policy associate at AGI, says the report's analysis is misleading because the second category -- "education and/or awareness about pregnancy and/or STD prevention" -- is not comprehensive sex education. For example, 79 percent of the money that HHS includes in that category is actually welfare reform money that states can use to "reduce incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancy," according to the report's appendix. Says Sonfield, "There's no reason to think that any of this is dedicated to comprehensive sex education."
Several outcomes are possible for the budgets, including eliminating abstinence funding altogether, changing existing abstinence programs to be more flexible (by dropping the requirement that grantees teach abstinence until marriage) or creating a parallel track of dedicated comprehensive sex education funding while leaving abstinence programs in place.
Reversing worsening trends
The worst outcome of upcoming congressional struggles would be the elimination of all money for teen pregnancy prevention, says Bill Albert, chief program officer at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unintended Pregnancy, which favors an abstinence-plus approach.
"Particularly given that the teen birth rate is now on the increase for the first time in 15 years, it seems a particularly poor time to consider not funding any approach to preventing teen pregnancy," he says.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Jan. 7 that teen birth rates increased in more than half of U.S. states between 2005 and 2006, and rose overall nationally for the first time in 15 years. Rates were particularly high in the South and Southwest, with the highest recorded in Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. A January AGI analysis found that in all three states, if sex education is taught in school districts at all, it must focus on abstinence.
Even if the new administration and Congress were to embrace comprehensive sex education, the upward spike in the pregnancy rate might not turn around immediately. But those who advocate a new course say that for today's children -- who will, after all, be the adolescents of tomorrow -- it would be a sound start.
Says SIECUS' Smith, "I think we should have every confidence that change is coming in this area."
Steve Yoder is a freelance journalist based in Willow, New York.
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4279/real_sex_ed_returns/
Monday, March 9, 2009
All Power to the People...
Visualizing a Revolution: Emory Douglas and The Black Panther Newspaper
by Colette GaiterJune 08, 2005
by Colette GaiterJune 08, 2005
Depending on a person’s politics, age, race and class, mention of the 1960s and ’70s radical “Black Panther Party” can elicit a range of responses. One extreme: the Panthers were a bunch of charismatic, grandstanding violent thugs, exploiting oppressive conditions to promote their own pathological agendas, and the United States is fortunate that the FBI and police stopped them before they started a bloody civil war. The other extreme: the Black Panthers were brilliant revolutionary visionaries who tried to expand the African American civil rights struggle into an opportunity to end Western imperialism, global racism and capitalist exploitation of working people. The truth is somewhere between those extremes. To understand the Panthers’ mission, it is more important to consider the range of possibilities than to pinpoint an exact ideological location.
In 1966, after civil rights legislation was passed and before many more inner city blocks would burn in riots, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense in Oakland, California. Like other African American communities in post-civil rights America, Oakland’s black ghettos had disproportionate poverty and unemployment rates, substandard education and health care. The Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation states that, “The Black Panther Party boldly call[ed] for a complete end to all forms of oppression of blacks and offer[ed] revolution as an option” (Ref. 1).
But police brutality was the most galvanizing issue for the Panthers. After riots in Detroit, Watts, Harlem, Rochester, New York, Jersey City and Philadelphia (Ref. 2) in 1964 and 1965, in which mostly black people were killed, police “occupied” black ghettos across the United States, often ignoring basic civil rights and breaking the law to “maintain order.” (Ref. 3) A generation of young people like Flores Alexander Forbes of San Diego became receptive to the idea of armed retaliation.
“I was 16 years old, and after having read the Black Panther newspaper and most of my older brother’s Black history and literature books that he brought home from UCLA, I was convinced that this was my calling. I had heard from my brother and his college friends that the brothers up north in Oakland had a program to deal with the ‘man.’
...In general, I wanted to be a Black Panther so that I could help my people overcome the oppression they and I were experiencing. In particular, I wanted to get back at the San Diego policeman who had been harassing me since I was 12” (Ref. 4).
The Black Panther newspaper, started in 1967 as The Black Panther Community News Service, regularly reported incidents of police brutality and promoted organized armed resistance as part of the solution to oppression of black people in America (Ref. 5). In a 1967 moment of synchronicity, the young Black Panther and artist Emory Douglas met Panther leaders Eldridge Cleaver and Huey Newton, who had published the first two issues of The Black Panther newspaper using a typewriter and copy machine.
Understanding the emerging visual media culture, Cleaver and Newton wanted to graphically show the party’s work assisting people in their communities and prepare oppressed people for violent revolution, if necessary, in pursuit of psychological and economic liberation. They found the man to do this in 22-year-old Douglas. That night Douglas committed himself to creating and maintaining the organization’s visual identity and produced The Black Panther until it ceased publication in 1979 (Fig. 1).
No stranger to the criminal justice system, as a teenager, Douglas was sentenced to fifteen months at the Youth Training School in Ontario, California. He worked in the prison’s printing shop. Later he studied commercial art at San Francisco City College (Ref. 6). At his first meeting with the party’s minister of defense, Huey Newton, and minister of information, Eldridge Cleaver, he volunteered to go home immediately and get some supplies to make the paper look more professional.
Continuing a long tradition of resistant and revolutionary art, concurrently practiced in conflicts all over the world, Douglas was the most prolific and persistent graphic agitator in the American Black Power movements. Douglas profoundly understood the power of images in communicating ideas. The newspaper’s back page poster was often reprinted separately, sometimes in color. His posters were not displayed on pristine gallery walls, but were pasted on abandoned buildings in ghettos, and the newspapers sold on street corners and college campuses all across the United States. At its peak in 1970, The Black Panther had a weekly circulation of 139,000 (Ref. 7).
Inexpensive printing technologies—including photostats and presstype, textures and patterns—made publishing a two-color heavily illustrated, weekly tabloid newspaper possible. Graphic production values associated with seductive advertising and waste in a decadent society became weapons of the revolution. Technically, Douglas collaged and re-collaged drawings and photographs, performing graphic tricks with little budget and even less time. His distinctive illustration style featured thick black outlines (easier to trap) and resourceful tint and texture combinations (Fig. 3).
Conceptually, Douglas’s images served two purposes: first, illustrating conditions that made revolution seem necessary; and second, constructing a visual mythology of power for people who felt powerless and victimized. Most popular media represents middle to upper class people as “normal.” Douglas was the Norman Rockwell of the ghetto, concentrating on the poor and oppressed. Departing from the WPA/social realist style of portraying poor people, which can be perceived as voyeuristic and patronizing, Douglas’s energetic drawings showed respect and affection. He maintained poor people’s dignity while graphically illustrating harsh situations (Fig. 5 ).
Conceptually, Douglas’s images served two purposes: first, illustrating conditions that made revolution seem necessary; and second, constructing a visual mythology of power for people who felt powerless and victimized. Most popular media represents middle to upper class people as “normal.” Douglas was the Norman Rockwell of the ghetto, concentrating on the poor and oppressed. Departing from the WPA/social realist style of portraying poor people, which can be perceived as voyeuristic and patronizing, Douglas’s energetic drawings showed respect and affection. He maintained poor people’s dignity while graphically illustrating harsh situations (Fig. 5 ).
Political cartoons showing policemen and those in power as pigs became another of Emory’s signatures (Fig. 6). He was not the first to use pigs to represent police (Ref. 8), but he certainly helped make “pig” the preferred epithet for law enforcement officers in the 1960s and 70s counterculture. His cartoons extended the pig icon to represent the entire capitalist military/industrial complex (Fig. 7).
Douglas’s statement “Without the party, the [Black Panther] paper wouldn’t have had the same impact” (Ref. 9) reiterates the symbiotic relationship between the party’s and the paper’s mission. The party’s Ten Point Program outlined an agenda that included obtaining full employment, decent housing, education, and health care, and finally “people’s community control of modern technology” (Ref. 10). The Panthers’ community programs, like free breakfast for children, clinics, schools and arts events were featured in the paper, representing implementation of the ten points. Most of the back-page posters directly referred to one of the ten points, illustrating tight coordination between the paper, the party and the mission.
The leaders believed that The Black Panther was not just reporting news, but causing radical change. Like Emory’s drawings, the paper was a tool for liberation, visualizing violent confrontations with perceived oppressors. The drawings showed brutal realities of post-civil rights ghetto life for African Americans. Encouraging metaphoric (fighting oppression through self-help) or physical (armed confrontation) revolutionary action, Douglas’ harshest images simultaneously elicited revulsion at the graphic violence and attraction to the idea of effective self-defense (Fig. 8).
Douglas understood and effectively used visual semiotics before its theory and methods were widely understood and routinely taught in graphic design programs. He fought the revolution with more than presstype and Xacto knives. Because of his leadership role in the party, in producing the paper and participation in the Panthers’ range of community programs, he was closely watched by law enforcement officers. The level of surveillance was so intense the FBI knew the paper’s weekly choice of PMS color (Fig. 9). As the paper’s circulation grew, so did the FBI’s efforts to shut it down. They contaminated printing facilities, enlisted Teamsters to refuse shipments and even convinced United Airlines to cancel the paper’s bulk mail rate discounts (Ref. 12).
Individual members of the party were clearly targeted, as well as the overall infrastructure. In 1969 alone, 27 Black Panthers were killed by police and at least 749 arrested. The police raided offices and seized documents, sometimes without a warrant (Ref. 13). The next year, J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI, declared the Panthers “the greatest threat to U.S. security” (Ref. 14). Federal law enforcement agencies responded by attacking the organization through COINTELPRO (Counterintelligence propaganda), sabotage and infiltration, contributing to the party’s demise.
In retrospect, it is clear that the Panthers were not the terrorist threat the FBI feared. It does not matter whether the Panthers intended to wage a large-scale retaliatory attack against perceived agents of oppression such as police, politicians and Western ideology. Douglas’ call to revolution, in the form of thousands of drawings, cartoons and page layouts, survives as a lasting vision of empowerment. For 13 years, every week in the pages of The Black Panther, Emory Douglas gave “all power to the people.”
References (1) Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation. “What Was the Black Panther Party?” (2) Nelson, Jill, ed. Police Brutality. (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000). p. 39-42. (3) Carson, Clayborne. Foreword. Foner, Philip S., ed. The Black Panthers Speak. (Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2002). (4) Forbes, Flores Alexander. “Point No. 7: We Want an Immediate End to Police Brutality and the Murder of Black People: Why I Joined the Black Panther Party.” Nelson, Jill, ed. Police Brutality. (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000). p. 225. (5) Foner, Philip S., ed. The Black Panthers Speak. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2002. p. 8. (6) Doss, Erika “Revolutionary Art Is a Tool for Liberation.” Kathleen Cleaver and George Katsiaficas, ed. Liberation, Imagination and the Black Panther Party. (New York: Routledge, 2001) p. 179. (7) Memo, FBIHQ to Chicago and seven other field offices, May 15, 1970. Cited by Ward Churchill, “To Disrupt, Discredit and Destroy: The FBI’s Secret War against the Black Panther Party”, Kathleen Cleaver and George Katsiaficas, eds. Liberation, Imagination and the Black Panther Party. (New York: Routledge, 2001) p. 86. (8) Doss, Erika, “Revolutionary Art Is a Tool for Liberation.” Kathleen Cleaver and George Katsiaficas, eds. Liberation, Imagination and the Black Panther Party. (New York: Routledge, 2001) p. 183. (9) Rein, Marcy, “The More Times Change... The Bay Area Alternative Press ’68-’98”. (1998). Media Alliance. Media File. Vol. 17 #5. (10) The Ten Point Plan (11) Rein, Marcy, Ibid. (12) Churchill, Ward, “To Disrupt, Discredit and Destroy: The FBI’s Secret War against the Black Panther Party”. Kathleen Cleaver and George Katsiaficas, eds. Liberation, Imagination and the Black Panther Party. (New York: Routledge, 2001) p. 86. (13) Nelson, Jill, ed. Police Brutality. (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000). p. 41. (14) Intelligence Activities and the Rights of Americans, p. 187. Cited by Ward Churchill, “To Disrupt, Discredit and Destroy: The FBI’s Secret War Against the Black Panther Party.” Kathleen Cleaver and George Katsiaficas, eds. Liberation, Imagination and the Black Panther Party. (New York: Routledge, 2001) p. 83. Additional online references Gaiter, Colette. “The Revolution Will Be Visualized: Emory Douglas in The Black Panther.” Bad Subjects. Issue #65, January 2004. Emory Douglas Revolutionary Art Work - Index Position Paper #1 on Revolutionary Art (PDF) Art for a Change: Black Panther Artist: Emory Douglas Images courtesy of San Francisco African American Historical and Cultural Society Library and Archive, The Center for the Study of Political Graphics, and Emory Douglas. All images ©2005 Emory Douglas
About the Author: Colette Gaiter is a professor in the Interactive Arts and Media Department at Columbia College, Chicago and a new media artist and designer. She has exhibited her work internationally at the International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA), SIGGRAPH, and in numerous galleries, museums and public institutions in the United States. http://www.digidiva.net
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Trailer to Broken Social Contracts © 2008 by Laura L. Rahman
Trailer to Broken Social Contracts© 2008/75 mins. is a feature length documentary where Breaking Silences left off.It discusses how two historically black colleges confront accusations of sexual assault on their campus. Broken Social Contracts depicts the necessity for conversations in the black community on our relationships. Can dialogue go beyond music videos and lyrics? Activists, students, and scholars weigh in our communities gender roles...trailer includes Mark Anthony Neal, Duke Univ. Prof.--Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Spelman Prof.,--Cynthia Neal Spence, Spelman Prof.--(Bilal) Mark King, Morehouse Prof.--Johnnetta B. Cole, President Emerita (Spelman & Bennett Colleges),-- Pearl Cleage, Writer/Activist--M.Bahti Kuumba, Spelman Prof.--Patrica McFadden, Activist,---Andy Lowry, Spelman Prof.--Adia Harvey, Georgia State Univ. Prof--Mychael Bond, Brittny Ray, Star Tolerson, Marcus Edwards, Tony Anderson, Tiara Dungy & Spelmans Violence Against Womens Class.
View the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlN4nKLIOYM
For screenings and presentations you may contacat Laura at ---laura@laurarahman.com
View the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlN4nKLIOYM
For screenings and presentations you may contacat Laura at ---laura@laurarahman.com
Monday, March 2, 2009
Chicago: Stop the Closure of the 18th St. Women's Clinic
Protest the Clinic Closing!
Wednesday, March 4th
4:30pm-5:30pm
at 1858 West 18th Street
Sponsored by U.I.C.A.B.C. (uic.nocuts@gmail.com) and Pilsen Alliance
Protest UIC's closing of the clinic! This clinic serves primarily Latina women from Pilsen in OBGYN services, with exams and things like free walk-in pregnancy tests. This is a core example how the budget cuts at UIC are effecting real people. What happened to UIC's urban mission!?!? What about the neighborhoods and communities that UIC's buildings have been built among? What about a public university hosipital system like UIC serving ALL the public including low-income and Latina residents in Pilsen!?!?
Get involved and help give a stronger voice to the people this university truly belongs to. Help protect UIC as a public university that should provide living wage jobs to the people of Chicago and an affordable high quality education to ALL the people of Illinois including under represented Latinos and African Americans from UIC's neighboring communities, and keeping open clinics that serve the people of Chicago!
We must get the attention of administrators, board of trustees and state legislators who must properly fund UIC and save our university!
Please give email us if you have questions or would like to find out more about getting involved.
Univ of Illinois-Chicago: Keep the clinic open!
Pregnant Women in Pilsen need this clinic!
UIC students, UIC workers and the Pilsen community are outraged!
What happened to UIC?s commitment to the community!?!
Administrators, UIC Board of Trustees and State Legislators must properly fund UIC and save our clinic!
Wednesday, March 4th
4:30pm-5:30pm
at 1858 West 18th Street
Sponsored by U.I.C.A.B.C. (uic.nocuts@gmail.com) and Pilsen Alliance
Protest UIC's closing of the clinic! This clinic serves primarily Latina women from Pilsen in OBGYN services, with exams and things like free walk-in pregnancy tests. This is a core example how the budget cuts at UIC are effecting real people. What happened to UIC's urban mission!?!? What about the neighborhoods and communities that UIC's buildings have been built among? What about a public university hosipital system like UIC serving ALL the public including low-income and Latina residents in Pilsen!?!?
Get involved and help give a stronger voice to the people this university truly belongs to. Help protect UIC as a public university that should provide living wage jobs to the people of Chicago and an affordable high quality education to ALL the people of Illinois including under represented Latinos and African Americans from UIC's neighboring communities, and keeping open clinics that serve the people of Chicago!
We must get the attention of administrators, board of trustees and state legislators who must properly fund UIC and save our university!
Please give email us if you have questions or would like to find out more about getting involved.
Univ of Illinois-Chicago: Keep the clinic open!
Pregnant Women in Pilsen need this clinic!
UIC students, UIC workers and the Pilsen community are outraged!
What happened to UIC?s commitment to the community!?!
Administrators, UIC Board of Trustees and State Legislators must properly fund UIC and save our clinic!
Apartheid Week...South Africa and Israel
Events
Apartheid in South AfricaScreening of “Have You Heard From Johannesburg”Tuesday, March 3rd @ 2pmLocation: 750 South Halsted Street Chicago, IL, Room 605 SCEDiscussion led by Professor Prexy Nesbitt
Prexy Nesbitt is an internationally known speaker on African issues, global education, US Foreign Policy and racism. The recipient of numerous awards and honors including: the Alston/Bannerman Fellowship Award, Antioch College’s Horace Mann Award for Service to Society and the King/Mandela Distinguished Service Award from the Washington Office on Africa, Mr. Nesbitt has delivered innumerable public speeches at various venues on three continents over the last thirty years.
Gentrification: From Chicago to JerusalemScreening of “Jerusalem: Eastside Story”Wednesday, March 4th @ 4pmLocation: 750 South Halsted Street Chicago, IL, Room 605 SCEDiscussion led by Professor David Stovall
David Stovall is an is an Assistant Professor of Policy Studies in the College of Education and the Department of African-Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). His scholarship investigates four areas 1) Critical Race Theory, 2) concepts of social justice in education, 3) the relationship between housing and education, and 4) the relationship between schools and community stakeholders. Since 2003 he has worked with community organizations and schools to develop curriculum that address issues of social justice.
The Movement for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS)How to Defeat Israeli ApartheidThursday, March 5th @ 1pm
Location: 750 South Halsted Street Chicago, IL, Room 613 SCEDiscussion led by Kevin Clark
Kevin Clark, member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), and long time activist discusses the growing global and national BDS movement aimed at ending Israeli apartheid in Palestine. He will share strategies and techniques in organizing and implementing a successful BDS campaign on college campuses, while also sharing his experiences during the BDS movement against the South African apartheid regime.
Apartheid in South AfricaScreening of “Have You Heard From Johannesburg”Tuesday, March 3rd @ 2pmLocation: 750 South Halsted Street Chicago, IL, Room 605 SCEDiscussion led by Professor Prexy Nesbitt
Prexy Nesbitt is an internationally known speaker on African issues, global education, US Foreign Policy and racism. The recipient of numerous awards and honors including: the Alston/Bannerman Fellowship Award, Antioch College’s Horace Mann Award for Service to Society and the King/Mandela Distinguished Service Award from the Washington Office on Africa, Mr. Nesbitt has delivered innumerable public speeches at various venues on three continents over the last thirty years.
Gentrification: From Chicago to JerusalemScreening of “Jerusalem: Eastside Story”Wednesday, March 4th @ 4pmLocation: 750 South Halsted Street Chicago, IL, Room 605 SCEDiscussion led by Professor David Stovall
David Stovall is an is an Assistant Professor of Policy Studies in the College of Education and the Department of African-Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). His scholarship investigates four areas 1) Critical Race Theory, 2) concepts of social justice in education, 3) the relationship between housing and education, and 4) the relationship between schools and community stakeholders. Since 2003 he has worked with community organizations and schools to develop curriculum that address issues of social justice.
The Movement for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS)How to Defeat Israeli ApartheidThursday, March 5th @ 1pm
Location: 750 South Halsted Street Chicago, IL, Room 613 SCEDiscussion led by Kevin Clark
Kevin Clark, member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), and long time activist discusses the growing global and national BDS movement aimed at ending Israeli apartheid in Palestine. He will share strategies and techniques in organizing and implementing a successful BDS campaign on college campuses, while also sharing his experiences during the BDS movement against the South African apartheid regime.
Solidarity with Million Woman Rise in London...
Sistas in London organising a million woman march...
http://millionwomenrise.com/
The Million Women Rise Coalition is a diverse group of individual women and women representatives from the Voluntary and Community Sector who are united by our outrage at the continued daily, hourly, minute-by-minute individual and institutionalised male violence enacted against women worldwide. We believe that every woman and child has a right to live free from violence and that ongoing violence devastates not only the lives of the individuals directly affected but also the communities of which they are part. We have come together to organise a national demonstration against violence against women. The Coalition has no formal or informal links to any particular or specific feminist or political networks. The Coalition is not partisan and brings together women who want to highlight the continuation of all forms of violence against women and demand that steps are taken to put an end to this.
http://millionwomanrise.blogspot.com/
The women organising the march say that "enough is enough” Never has the rape of a woman’s right and dignity been so systematic and coordinated, the health and lives of women have never faced such peril."The women's march has been organized by ordinary women fed up with violence against women in all its forms."Something has to happen for women and now"The Million Woman Rise is expected to include a day of speeches, prayer and music. Hundreds of thousands of women are expected at Saturday's rally, which is aimed at addressing violence against women through a show of political, social and economic solidarity.Stop violence against women in all its forms click here to join MILLION WOMEN RISE, NATIONAL WOMENS MARCH AND RALLY, SATURDAY 7 MARCH 2009
http://millionwomenrise.com/
The Million Women Rise Coalition is a diverse group of individual women and women representatives from the Voluntary and Community Sector who are united by our outrage at the continued daily, hourly, minute-by-minute individual and institutionalised male violence enacted against women worldwide. We believe that every woman and child has a right to live free from violence and that ongoing violence devastates not only the lives of the individuals directly affected but also the communities of which they are part. We have come together to organise a national demonstration against violence against women. The Coalition has no formal or informal links to any particular or specific feminist or political networks. The Coalition is not partisan and brings together women who want to highlight the continuation of all forms of violence against women and demand that steps are taken to put an end to this.
http://millionwomanrise.blogspot.com/
The women organising the march say that "enough is enough” Never has the rape of a woman’s right and dignity been so systematic and coordinated, the health and lives of women have never faced such peril."The women's march has been organized by ordinary women fed up with violence against women in all its forms."Something has to happen for women and now"The Million Woman Rise is expected to include a day of speeches, prayer and music. Hundreds of thousands of women are expected at Saturday's rally, which is aimed at addressing violence against women through a show of political, social and economic solidarity.Stop violence against women in all its forms click here to join MILLION WOMEN RISE, NATIONAL WOMENS MARCH AND RALLY, SATURDAY 7 MARCH 2009
Beyond Chris Brown and Rhianna
Young ladies speak out...
Females United For Action is a multiracial, multicultural group of young women with a lot of guts. I was first introduced to the group in 2006 when I wrote about the teens' effort to go after a local radio station that had billboards and other ads disparaging women. In this essay, Alex Pates, 15, and Ansheera Ace Hilliard, 17, take on the controversy surrounding singers Chris Brown and Rihanna, and how the media help to shape views on domestic abuse.
A lot of gossip has been surrounding singers Chris Brown and Rihanna. They were said to be dating, but lately rumor has it that they were on shaky ground: Cuddly one minute and confrontational the next. During the weekend of the 51st Grammy Awards, Rihanna checked herself into a hospital with bruises, bite marks, a black eye, and a bloody nose. Whether all the details being gossiped about in the press are fact or fiction, Rihanna did have physical evidence showing that she was abused.
Many articles say that an eyewitness pointed to Rihanna’s boyfriend, Chris Brown, as the abuser. It has been confirmed that Chris Brown did turn himself in to the police, and was soon released on a $50,000 bond. Rihanna's representative said that she is doing well and is thankful for the support that she is getting.
The Los Angeles Times reported that, according to the LAPD, “Chris Brown is under investigation for alleged domestic violence felony battery.” Recently Chris Brown released a statement. “Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired,” wrote Brown. “I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person.”
BLAMING THE SURVIVORMost people look at the surface of this situation and ask questions like: Did Chris Brown really beat Rihanna? What did she do to make him beat her? The media is supporting this kind of survivor-blaming analysis when they report the story. For example: “The fight was ignited when singer Chris Brown got a text message from another young woman.” And: “Sources allegedly close to Brown say that the fight leading to the domestic violence incident occurred because Rihanna gave Chris Brown herpes.”
But let’s step back and look at it on a broader scale. Does a man ever have the right to beat a woman? Why is it that if a woman is beaten, she is always said to be the one who has provoked it? Why is it that so many abuse cases get overlooked or thrown under the table?
It's important to remember that although women and gender-queer people are the majority of violence survivors, men are survivors, too.
According to the Berkeley Media Studies Group's, “Distracted by Drama: How California Newspapers Portray Intimate Partner Violence,” in many articles studied, the survivor of violence was blamed. The newspapers gave many excuses for why women were abused, shifting the responsibility for violence from perpetrators to survivors of violence. They used the word “victim,” but we would use the word “survivor.”
• The victim may have contributed to the violence by wearing sexy/revealing clothing or engaging in flirtatious behavior.
• The victim may have provoked the problem in another way, perhaps having been married many times, being argumentative, nagging, flaunting success, etc.
• The victim may have contributed to the problem by being unfaithful/dating others.
• The victim may have contributed to the problem by staying with a violent partner/failing to cooperate with police/continuing to see a violent partner.
Can you believe these excuses? Let’s take a closer look at this. If a woman cheats, wears sexy clothing, stays with the violent partner, becomes proud and speaks about her success, speaks her mind, or verbally challenges her partner, she is liable to get abused. Do you see any problems here? We do! What about the man? Can he wear sexy clothing? Can he date other women? Can he boast and talk about his success? Of course he can, because he is a man, right? This shows how the survivors are always blamed as the cause of their own abuse, because we are taught there is no way the man could have done this on his own without being provoked. The issue is so serious, but is so overlooked, and the blame is always on the survivor.
MAKING EXCUSES FOR ABUSERS
Even when media doesn't put all the blame on the survivors, they make excuses for abusers. In that same study by the Berkeley Media Studies Group, they also gathered data about ways that newspapers downplayed the abusers' responsibility: Here were the ways newspapers framed their stories:
• The suspect may have acted violently at least partly due to drinking or drug abuse.
• The suspect may have acted violently at least out of love for a spouse or children, including fear of losing children.
• Violence arose in part from a flawed relationship with blame on both sides, e.g. they fought a lot or engaged in verbal quarrels.
• The suspect may have “snapped”, acting spontaneously and out of character.Love does not mean abuse. There is no good excuse for abusing someone, sober or not.
WHY DOESN'T SHE LEAVE? WHY DOESN'T SHE STAY?
When you see that a woman is in an abusive relationship, one question that usually follows is “well, why doesn’t she leave him?” That is what we saw when we were reading about Rihanna and Chris Brown and their situation. On bossip.com, someone posted that, “She needed to leave him after the 1st punch. If she is still there after that then she deserves the 2nd 3rd and 4th.” We think that that is horrible and untrue.
When a woman is in an abusive relationship, you never know her situation. She could be scared to leave him, especially if he is beating on her. Look at Rihanna and Chris. He choked her and knocked her out! Also we read that people think that Rihanna needs to get back with Chris and help salvage his career.
We think that this is so untrue. We think that he is getting what he deserves. She shouldn’t have to feel responsible for what is happening to him. He needs to know that hitting a woman is unacceptable. We hear so much of what will happen to Chris Brown’s reputation and career if these allegations are proven to be true.
We hear how all Chris Brown’s sponsors and endorsements will back down, and how his entire career may go down the drain. Now we ask, what is going to happen to Rihanna? We never hear, on a well publicized scale, how this is going to affect her career. We do not even hear how she may be damaged mentally, physically, or emotionally after this incident of abuse. You would think that because she is a survivor of abuse, people would be concerned with her well-being.
As far as Rihanna goes, this is what we do know. Last summer, Rihanna had released a statement saying how she starting building her career from endorsements before she even released her hits. The LA Times recently reported that Rihanna had the reputation of representing “something very positive and in particular a strong female role model, and when she is associated with a situation like this it can have an impact.” They quoted a marketing executive as predicting that companies are likely to shun her in the future.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CHRIS & RIHANNA
On September 17, 2008, 78% of identified domestic violence programs in the United States and territories, which totaled 1,553 programs, participated in the 2008 National Census of Domestic Violence Services, conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Every year, this organization conducts a 24-hour survey of domestic violence programs across the country to capture a day-in-the-life snapshot of domestic violence service provision in the United States. This is the data that was reported:
• Over 20,300 adults and children sought refuge in emergency shelter in a day.
• More than 10,000 adults and children were living in transitional housing.
• Over 30,300 adults and children received non-residential services, such as counseling, legal advocacy, and support groups.
• Over 21,500 domestic violence hotline calls were made.
On top of all of this, an additional 60,799 adults and children were provided additional domestic violence services. All of this data came from a 24-hour time period. 24 HOURS! If these are the numbers of women and children trying to escape violence in one day, imagine what those numbers would be in a week, a month, or horrifically, a year. This information shows how many people are seeking support services for domestic violence. But imagine how many more people never seek help. If you look at police reports of domestic violence, you only get part of the story.
Women and genderqueer people, especially people of color or poor people, are often overlooked in today's society. When is the day going to come where violence against women and gender queer people is going to get the attention that it deserves?
WHAT WE DEMANDEvery time there is a story like this we never hear anything from the survivor’s point of view. We really want to know how this is affecting Rihanna. What is life like for her now? We feel like in situations like this the young woman of color is always left out and forgotten about and more likely than not the blame is put on her. She is put to the side and told to get on with her life. But that is not so simple.
There are scars that will never heal and wounds that will never close. We will probably never even get to sympathize with her. We want there to be something out there that tells the story from the perspective of the survivor.
We think that when the media blames survivors, and questions their decision whether or not to leave, it can scare a survivor away from getting help, because it seems like nobody will sympathize with her or even believe her. Or even worse, she'll be blamed for the abuse.
We want young women and genderqueer youth of color to have our voices in the media so that survivors don’t look bad and they aren’t made to look like trash or like they deserve the violence.
ABOUT FUFA Females United For Action, or FUFA, is a Chicago-based group of young women and genderqueer youth who are interested in doing healing and organizing around the issues that are most important to us. We are led by and made up mostly of young people of color. You might know us from our 25 Pegaditas campaign, where we went after the radio station La Ley for their offensive billboard ads where they promoted the abuse and mistreatment of young women of color.
FUFA is part of a bigger organization, Women & Girls Collective Action Network. We use media justice work and other tactics to challenge violence against girls, women, and genderqueer people. We at Women and Girls CAN believe it is possible to end violence against women, girls, and genderqueer people. We believe in the power and knowledge of survivors and resisters of violence. We believe that communities have the potential and the responsibility to be more accountable to members of their community in ending violence against women, girls, and genderqueers.
Photos: The first is Alex Pates, testifying at an FCC hearing in September 2007. The second is Ansheera Ace Hilliard.
You can learn more about FUFA at:www.womenandgirlscan.orghttp://www.myspace.com/femalesunitedforactionhttp://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2977/portrait_of_the_activists_as_young_women/
Females United For Action is a multiracial, multicultural group of young women with a lot of guts. I was first introduced to the group in 2006 when I wrote about the teens' effort to go after a local radio station that had billboards and other ads disparaging women. In this essay, Alex Pates, 15, and Ansheera Ace Hilliard, 17, take on the controversy surrounding singers Chris Brown and Rihanna, and how the media help to shape views on domestic abuse.
A lot of gossip has been surrounding singers Chris Brown and Rihanna. They were said to be dating, but lately rumor has it that they were on shaky ground: Cuddly one minute and confrontational the next. During the weekend of the 51st Grammy Awards, Rihanna checked herself into a hospital with bruises, bite marks, a black eye, and a bloody nose. Whether all the details being gossiped about in the press are fact or fiction, Rihanna did have physical evidence showing that she was abused.
Many articles say that an eyewitness pointed to Rihanna’s boyfriend, Chris Brown, as the abuser. It has been confirmed that Chris Brown did turn himself in to the police, and was soon released on a $50,000 bond. Rihanna's representative said that she is doing well and is thankful for the support that she is getting.
The Los Angeles Times reported that, according to the LAPD, “Chris Brown is under investigation for alleged domestic violence felony battery.” Recently Chris Brown released a statement. “Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired,” wrote Brown. “I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person.”
BLAMING THE SURVIVORMost people look at the surface of this situation and ask questions like: Did Chris Brown really beat Rihanna? What did she do to make him beat her? The media is supporting this kind of survivor-blaming analysis when they report the story. For example: “The fight was ignited when singer Chris Brown got a text message from another young woman.” And: “Sources allegedly close to Brown say that the fight leading to the domestic violence incident occurred because Rihanna gave Chris Brown herpes.”
But let’s step back and look at it on a broader scale. Does a man ever have the right to beat a woman? Why is it that if a woman is beaten, she is always said to be the one who has provoked it? Why is it that so many abuse cases get overlooked or thrown under the table?
It's important to remember that although women and gender-queer people are the majority of violence survivors, men are survivors, too.
According to the Berkeley Media Studies Group's, “Distracted by Drama: How California Newspapers Portray Intimate Partner Violence,” in many articles studied, the survivor of violence was blamed. The newspapers gave many excuses for why women were abused, shifting the responsibility for violence from perpetrators to survivors of violence. They used the word “victim,” but we would use the word “survivor.”
• The victim may have contributed to the violence by wearing sexy/revealing clothing or engaging in flirtatious behavior.
• The victim may have provoked the problem in another way, perhaps having been married many times, being argumentative, nagging, flaunting success, etc.
• The victim may have contributed to the problem by being unfaithful/dating others.
• The victim may have contributed to the problem by staying with a violent partner/failing to cooperate with police/continuing to see a violent partner.
Can you believe these excuses? Let’s take a closer look at this. If a woman cheats, wears sexy clothing, stays with the violent partner, becomes proud and speaks about her success, speaks her mind, or verbally challenges her partner, she is liable to get abused. Do you see any problems here? We do! What about the man? Can he wear sexy clothing? Can he date other women? Can he boast and talk about his success? Of course he can, because he is a man, right? This shows how the survivors are always blamed as the cause of their own abuse, because we are taught there is no way the man could have done this on his own without being provoked. The issue is so serious, but is so overlooked, and the blame is always on the survivor.
MAKING EXCUSES FOR ABUSERS
Even when media doesn't put all the blame on the survivors, they make excuses for abusers. In that same study by the Berkeley Media Studies Group, they also gathered data about ways that newspapers downplayed the abusers' responsibility: Here were the ways newspapers framed their stories:
• The suspect may have acted violently at least partly due to drinking or drug abuse.
• The suspect may have acted violently at least out of love for a spouse or children, including fear of losing children.
• Violence arose in part from a flawed relationship with blame on both sides, e.g. they fought a lot or engaged in verbal quarrels.
• The suspect may have “snapped”, acting spontaneously and out of character.Love does not mean abuse. There is no good excuse for abusing someone, sober or not.
WHY DOESN'T SHE LEAVE? WHY DOESN'T SHE STAY?
When you see that a woman is in an abusive relationship, one question that usually follows is “well, why doesn’t she leave him?” That is what we saw when we were reading about Rihanna and Chris Brown and their situation. On bossip.com, someone posted that, “She needed to leave him after the 1st punch. If she is still there after that then she deserves the 2nd 3rd and 4th.” We think that that is horrible and untrue.
When a woman is in an abusive relationship, you never know her situation. She could be scared to leave him, especially if he is beating on her. Look at Rihanna and Chris. He choked her and knocked her out! Also we read that people think that Rihanna needs to get back with Chris and help salvage his career.
We think that this is so untrue. We think that he is getting what he deserves. She shouldn’t have to feel responsible for what is happening to him. He needs to know that hitting a woman is unacceptable. We hear so much of what will happen to Chris Brown’s reputation and career if these allegations are proven to be true.
We hear how all Chris Brown’s sponsors and endorsements will back down, and how his entire career may go down the drain. Now we ask, what is going to happen to Rihanna? We never hear, on a well publicized scale, how this is going to affect her career. We do not even hear how she may be damaged mentally, physically, or emotionally after this incident of abuse. You would think that because she is a survivor of abuse, people would be concerned with her well-being.
As far as Rihanna goes, this is what we do know. Last summer, Rihanna had released a statement saying how she starting building her career from endorsements before she even released her hits. The LA Times recently reported that Rihanna had the reputation of representing “something very positive and in particular a strong female role model, and when she is associated with a situation like this it can have an impact.” They quoted a marketing executive as predicting that companies are likely to shun her in the future.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CHRIS & RIHANNA
On September 17, 2008, 78% of identified domestic violence programs in the United States and territories, which totaled 1,553 programs, participated in the 2008 National Census of Domestic Violence Services, conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Every year, this organization conducts a 24-hour survey of domestic violence programs across the country to capture a day-in-the-life snapshot of domestic violence service provision in the United States. This is the data that was reported:
• Over 20,300 adults and children sought refuge in emergency shelter in a day.
• More than 10,000 adults and children were living in transitional housing.
• Over 30,300 adults and children received non-residential services, such as counseling, legal advocacy, and support groups.
• Over 21,500 domestic violence hotline calls were made.
On top of all of this, an additional 60,799 adults and children were provided additional domestic violence services. All of this data came from a 24-hour time period. 24 HOURS! If these are the numbers of women and children trying to escape violence in one day, imagine what those numbers would be in a week, a month, or horrifically, a year. This information shows how many people are seeking support services for domestic violence. But imagine how many more people never seek help. If you look at police reports of domestic violence, you only get part of the story.
Women and genderqueer people, especially people of color or poor people, are often overlooked in today's society. When is the day going to come where violence against women and gender queer people is going to get the attention that it deserves?
WHAT WE DEMANDEvery time there is a story like this we never hear anything from the survivor’s point of view. We really want to know how this is affecting Rihanna. What is life like for her now? We feel like in situations like this the young woman of color is always left out and forgotten about and more likely than not the blame is put on her. She is put to the side and told to get on with her life. But that is not so simple.
There are scars that will never heal and wounds that will never close. We will probably never even get to sympathize with her. We want there to be something out there that tells the story from the perspective of the survivor.
We think that when the media blames survivors, and questions their decision whether or not to leave, it can scare a survivor away from getting help, because it seems like nobody will sympathize with her or even believe her. Or even worse, she'll be blamed for the abuse.
We want young women and genderqueer youth of color to have our voices in the media so that survivors don’t look bad and they aren’t made to look like trash or like they deserve the violence.
ABOUT FUFA Females United For Action, or FUFA, is a Chicago-based group of young women and genderqueer youth who are interested in doing healing and organizing around the issues that are most important to us. We are led by and made up mostly of young people of color. You might know us from our 25 Pegaditas campaign, where we went after the radio station La Ley for their offensive billboard ads where they promoted the abuse and mistreatment of young women of color.
FUFA is part of a bigger organization, Women & Girls Collective Action Network. We use media justice work and other tactics to challenge violence against girls, women, and genderqueer people. We at Women and Girls CAN believe it is possible to end violence against women, girls, and genderqueer people. We believe in the power and knowledge of survivors and resisters of violence. We believe that communities have the potential and the responsibility to be more accountable to members of their community in ending violence against women, girls, and genderqueers.
Photos: The first is Alex Pates, testifying at an FCC hearing in September 2007. The second is Ansheera Ace Hilliard.
You can learn more about FUFA at:www.womenandgirlscan.orghttp://www.myspace.com/femalesunitedforactionhttp://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2977/portrait_of_the_activists_as_young_women/
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