This picture magically appeared on my Facebook wall today with the note “I loved Altar Magazine!” (Thanks Jackie!) The photo gave me pause to consider the long and polymorphic relationship I have had with social justice activisms and the myriad ways this work has shaped where I’m at today and also remind myself that every step of the journey helps us to reach our destination — even if we don’t know precisely where we are going.
I was humbled to be asked by the Barnard Center for Research on Women to speak as a part of the “Writing, New Media, and Feminist Activism” panel at their 40th anniversary event, Activism and the Academy: Celebrating 40 Years of Feminist Scholarship and Action. Many of us struggle with our understandings of the interplay among theories and activisms. In particular, we struggle with perceptions of them as being distinct from one another and the value each is assigned, culturally and within social justice movements. There are precious few spaces where the false division of scholarship and organizing is identified and examined, and this weekend’s event provided an exemplary moment of collision. It has been, and continues to be, a privilege to participate in such groundbreaking work.
Below are a few reflections from the high school students who attended the conference as a part of their Fierce and Fabulous: Feminist Women Writers, Artists, and Activists class, which is taught by of one of my co-panelists, Ileana Jiménez, a social justice educator and feminist activist. Their presence and participation in the conference was inspiring, and I was excited to read what they had to say.
Barnard Feminist Conference Encourages Unity
Is There Enough Awareness About Feminism?
Feminist Bloggers Take Action
BCRW has added an audio file of this panel to their website. So, download it (and other tracks) and take a listen.
