Bioneers Buzz 02/07: The Wisdom of Women
Greetings!
"How might we begin to reweave our web? To reorient ourselves, I believe we need to reinvest in the knowing of our hearts, hands and intuition. To connect with the quiet and profound intelligence that surrounds us." – Nina Simons, co-executive director of the Bioneers
In this issue, read about The Power of Chic Lit, taste the wisdom of women farmers, learn how chemicals are disrupting human development, and much more.
Bioneers Voices: The Power of Chic Lit
Excerpted from Sofia Quintero's plenary Women Telling Our Stories and Promoting Social Justice at Bioneers 2006
I write urban fiction for women who love hip-hop, even when hip-hop fails to love them in return. These are women who are fluent in both English and Ebonics and who refuse to let misogyny drive them out of the subculture they helped build, not merely as consumers but as practitioners, now that this subculture has also become a global commodity. We have this saying in the hip-hop community called "keeping it real," but what if what's "real" needs to change? Read more...
Watch and/or listen to Sofia's full plenary.
Motherhood in America is at a critical juncture. As women's roles evolve, more women than ever are in the workforce and more children than ever are raised without a stay-at-home parent. At the same time, public and private policies that affect parenting and the workplace remain largely unchanged. The result is that parents, and mothers in particular, struggle to balance the needs of their children with the demands of their jobs. Some believe that mothers should balance parenting and career. Joan Blades — co-founder of MoveOn.org and one of Ms. Magazine's Women of the Year in 2003 — and Kristin Rowe Finkbeiner dare to argue otherwise.
Look for the book at your local library, bookstore, or online at MomsRising.org.
Activist and journalist Marisa Handler takes us on a fascinating journey – from her childhood home in apartheid South Africa to Israel, India, Nepal, Ecuador, Peru, and all over the United States – to offer a rare and revealing glimpse inside the global justice movement. She examines the movement's strengths and contradictions, demystifies its confrontational tactics, and explains why it has become such a powerful force for change. Through her gripping coming-of-age story – complete with vivid details of the many characters and events that have influenced her – she shows how, in a globalized society, we each have within us the power to change the world.
Look for her book at your local library, bookstore, or online at Berrett-Koehler.
Must Read: The Motherhood Manifesto and Loyal to the Sky
Taking Root: Helping Women
Get connected to the Bioneers partner network of women and those working to raise women's voices:
Activism--
CodePink
Empowerment--
We Got Issues
Food & Farming--
Native Harvest
Media--
Chica Luna
Mother’s Rights--
MomsRising
Philanthropy--
Women Donor Network
Spirituality--
Joanna Macy
Wilderness Advocates--
The Women’s Wilderness Institute
Is there a woman making a difference in your community? Honor her by making a donation to Bioneers or by gifting a Bioneers membership.
Membership: Honoring Remarkable Women
Indigenous Power When the Spanish first arrived in the Caribbean over 500 years ago, the idea that indigenous peoples might possess rights was given scant attention. Read more Event: Cultivating Integrity – February 22nd to 24th – More Information Podcast: Listen to Women Farmers – excerpted from the Bioneers Vault
Food and Farming
By John Mohawk
To create Maquilapolis, the filmmakers brought together factory workers in Tijuana and community organizations in Mexico and the U.S. to collaborate on a film that depicts globalization through the eyes of the women who live on its leading edge. The factory workers who appear in the film have been involved in every stage of production, from planning to shooting, from scripting to outreach. Learn more about the film, where it will be screening, or how to get a hold of your own copy of Maquilapolis
Moving Images: Maquilapolis
13 Indigenous Grandmothers – From India to South Dakota to Africa Restoring Family Values – excerpted from the Bioneers Vault Protecting Childhood – Insights from the world of Ecological Medicine Bioneers: Revolution From the Heart of Nature wins award
News for You
The Bioneers Store contains many materials related to women's leadership. Here are a few suggestions: Book "Leaders take calculated risks." – Ann Evans from Ecological Literacy DVD "Those who commit to uncovering the hidden wholeness, the potential in others...may become the architects of the future of the world." – Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. Audio Download "I didn't think I could be who I am..." – Sarah Crowell – Women's Leadership in Transforming Culture
Bioneers Store: Vanguard Women
February 22nd March 8th March 11th Make sure to visit the Bioneers Events Calendar to view and post events for 2007.
Community Events
Ovarian Cancer Benefit Concert
Universal City, California
More Information
International Women's Day
More Information
Barbara Ehrenreich at the Lensic Theater
Santa Fe, New Mexico
More Information