dos memoirs.

Both of my memoirists have delivered their drafts.  Going to try to find a way to compile them.  Will speak with Penny.

There is some brilliant material here; not just information, but beautiful prose, too. 

Also seeking a faculty supervisor for Heart and Crescent. 

E

I Own (Cultural Marketplace)

I recommend checking out the "I Own" display in the Busch Student Center.

9AM - 9PM through this Thursday.  I'm planning to go back again!  Make sure you read the signs, look over the cultural artifacts, watch DVDs, and interact with the living statues. 

Guest Lecturing for Intro to Women's Studies

Last Friday, I spoke to Dr. Strikwerda's Intro to Women's Studies class about Neo-Pagan spirituality.  I think the lecture went well. 

I used PowerPoint slides to outline the major belief systems, holidays, and rituals of Neo-Paganism (Wicca especially).  Strikwerda had excellent questions for me, and the students posed a few good ones as well!  I left feeling like I had educated the class and dispelled negative stereotypes about witchcraft. 

The great news:  NO HATE.

PAGANS TAKE ON CHARTER

Heart and Crescent met this evening at 7pm in the Multicultural Center.  Items of business/discussion:

1. Kenjus spoke to Lisa Reiter and she has stated that she "is on our side" (hearsay, but I presume it's accurate).
   
2. We began filling out forms for chartering
3. We have a constitution and officers    (Emma - Pres; Sondra -- VP; Chip -- Treasurer; Mindi - Secretary)
   
4. Now we need a faculty advisor...

and then SGA can vote!  yippee!

great nyt article on neopaganism

recommended by dr. strikwerda

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/us/31religion.html

chris parr; higginbothams; memoirs; wstd group; takeover; feminist spirituality talk

dr. strikwerda's intro to women's studies class

1 -- was invited to speak @ dr. strikwerda's intro class about 'feminist spirituality,' including discussion of rituals, what we do, why, beliefs
2 -- sondra (co-head of h&c) is coming

chris parr
chris is the faculty advisor of the webster pagan group, teaches intro to wicca, and is a practicing pagan.  a good contact for texts, speakers, events, praxis/beliefs, etc.

higginbothams

I quoted a book from Joyce and River Higginbotham earlier in this blog; apparently, Chris Parr knows them well -- and they live in the area!  They've spoken for his Intro class.  And... apparently he used their book in the class!  Muy fortuito!  Definitely a resource -- and possibly a speaker for h&c?

memoirs

Anonymous contributer has promised me a memoir by 11/5.  Candice, I'm told (by Penny) has framed the memoir, focalized on a particular image, and should be done with it soon.  may follow up. 


wstd group

1 -- so, i emailed womack a while back and didn't hear anything.  i'm going to arbitrarily pick a date/time for an interest group and just go with that.
2 -- in addition to managing a blog en futuro, the group may also try to continue Karelia's project of "suppers" with her transitional women's group at ymca. 

takeover

1 -- announcing meetings of h&c and wstd group
2 -- making media to distribute


come out of the broom closet!

1 -- this is a possible event for the spring semester.

penny meeting

1 -- went well, pp suggestions (compile visuals)
2 -- paper
a -- inspirations/motivations
b -- what went down
c -- reflections: self as activist?  skills/resources gained?

Muchas Updates!

I have not updated in many days now, taking rather a necessary respite during midterms week and Fall Break.  Sin embargo, tengo muchas cosas de que puedo hablar....

El primero... presentaciones que mire.
Made in L.A.
Wondering about the Spanish?  There's a reason for it.  I attended a showing of "Made in L.A.," a documentary focusing on a group of illegal immigrant workers in the Los Angeles garment industry.  The women protest the long hours they are forced to work, wages withheld from them without reason, and mistreatment from supervisors, and achieve some victories.  The movie is also subtitled in Spanish and English (where applicable).  I recommend the film highly; I felt moved to action and sought out a local organization fighting for Immigrant Workers' rights.  In speaking with my contact, I discovered some dirt on American Apparel.  A student group I belong to has bought T-Shirts from AA in the past (as have I), but we are switching to Royal Apparel.   Here is some pertinent info for my new contact, Joan Suarez:

Joan Suarez
Co-Chair,
Workers' Rights Board & Immigrant Rights Action Task Force
Phone: 314.862.0911
C: 314.422.7389
email: suarez.joan@att.net
website:  www.stl-jwj.org


The directors of Made in L.A., Almudena Carracedo & Robert Bahar, were present and gave a brief Q&A and signed DVDs after the showing.  The Q&A was largely logistical, but I enjoyed meeting the two, especially lively Alamudena.  I recommend the film to anyone interested in social justice, women's issues, latina/o issues, or quality documentaries.

Lastly, Flannery Burke, whom many of us know and love, is teaching a history course on Latina issues next semester; worth a look if you're piqued by this entry. 

--
Female Dance and the Sexualization of Blackness:  European Perception, 1550-1860
Dr. Katrina Thompson
History & African-American Studies Departments, Saint Louis University

The study group on cross-cultural history put together this presentation.  I arrived SUPER early and met Katrina, whom many of you know, and learned a little about her background in history.  She studied at SUNY Stonybrooke and highly recommended the Anthro Department's grad school, which is fab for me, por supuesto!

The talk was held in the Teasdale conference room on the upper floor of SLUMA, one of the most beautiful spaces I have yet seen at SLU and (sadly) usually off-limits.  It would be the most brilliant secret daytime study spot.  I had a small carton of chocolate soymilk to whittle away at during the talk.  As the rest of the group/audience (largely history professors) arrived, I realized, to my chagrin, I was the only undergraduate present.  But pity those who missed out!  Katrina's talk was incredibly interesting.

She looks at travelogues and diaries from European (mostly English) travelers to West Africa, and specifically at the ways they viewed African dancing by females.  The travelers seemed to be utterly remiss at the lack of clothing and furthermore, believed the women were coming onto them sexually.  I was put in mind of Malinowski's many daliances with (and crushes on) Trobriand women, in the 20th century.  There was in fact quite a readership for these logs, back in the day, and many of them are excruciatingly hyperbolic.  Still, the ways in which their perceptions of West African women "tainted," so-to-speak, the later visions of black Africans, is palpable.  The Q&A session for Katrina's talk was FABULOUS, and I also highly recommend asking Katrina about the project if you get a chance.  Quite neat!


--

Updates
Women's Studies Blog/Group
School constraints (midterms, scheduling calamities) have put a hiatus on this brilliant collective idea for whom you should thank Shelley Womack, Penny, (me) and also the Women's Studies Advisory board who had many good points.  It's still in the works, Shelly an I can hopefully meet this coming weekend.

Heart and Crescent
Met wit Mark Chmiel, who was incredibly openminded and helpful, and also seemed to understand the need for this kind of group and also the problems with which we might meet.  He gave me a few contacts, in both Campus Ministry and Theology Dept.  I'm not going to share their names just yet, but I'm hoping to set up appts. soon.

Memoirs
I'm still waiting for these, but I realize 5-15 pages is quite a lot to work on. 

SLU Monologues

Just started writing one!

Mas Mas Tarde!!!!!
E

Updates on WSTD Blog; Ideas; H&C Updates;More to come...

WSTD Blog updates...

1) Met with the advisory board on Monday at 3:30. A WSTD blog is approved. Possibly with a need for comment moderation if hate mail pops up.
2) Shelly Womack and I are going to try to start a WSTD Departmental club and this group will likely have responsibility for the blog. Shelly and I are meeting this afternoon at 3:45 at Laclede Coffee House. My thought is for us to:
a) plan to hold a general interest meeting
b) contemplate a mission statement, activities, roles
c) contemplate charter and consitution
d) agenda? brainstorm ideas?
3) Takeover is tonight. Pictures are a must! These pics should be blogged!

4) Met with my blog-savvy professor on Monday at 10AM. Assuming we use blogspot, she is helping me figure out how to:
a) make folders in the blog
b) allow multiple people to post.
5) The facebook idea was debunked. If there is some desire to revive it at some point, maybe we can synchronize it with the actual department blog.
6) What should we title the blog??

--

Memoirs

1) Am going to set a tenative deadline to have all memoirs by Nov. 5
2) Thought maybe I could collaborate with SLU monologues? If approved by subjects; could be a way to share the compilation on a broader, more interactive scale.

--
Heart and Crescent

1) Meeting with Mark Chmiel today at 4:30 at Laclede Coffee House to discuss the best approach to working with Theology department (et all...).
2) I'm describing the group as centered in "post-conventional spirituality." Why:
a) I feel like Wicca is too much an inclusive term, and I don't consider myself orthodox Wiccan or even strictly Wiccan, and I think most "neopagans" feel the same way. The point is to find one's own path!
b) I hope this change in terms will help us avoiding meeting with immediate disapproval or negative stigma, especially from campus ministry.

--
I attended a few events.

1) Sexualizing Black Dance in Colonial Africa, Katrina Johnson (associate professor -- history). I'm going to find the actual title of this presentation. >.< I was essentially the only non-faculty person in attendance, so I'm thinking this one might make an interesting blog. I hope I acquit myself well!
2) Made in L.A. showing
3) Brown Bag with Jeannita on Nappistemology/Black Hair Philosophy (also going to get this actual title).

I may blog about these events as well.

Met with Contributor for Memoir Compilation

This morning, I met with Candice Simon (Contributor 2), who isn't requesting anonymity, so I'll refer to her by name from now on.

This morning, we met at Ventana around 9AM, and I listened to her story She suffered from bulimia, and after recovering, studied and wrote a great deal about eating disorders. The topic is probable for her memoir.

Candice, however, had another story, which she had never shared beyond the diary: drug abuse in the family. Are there others out there facing the same situation? Are they afraid to come out? She is considering using this story instead, precisely because it's a situation she kept private, and one many people may be enduring in silence.

E

Update on WS Blog; "Post-conventional Spirituality"

WS Blog

I just met with Jenni Semsar, the raja-ess of the WSTD everything, about the possibility of a blog.

As it seems, a blog is probably superior to posting on the Program's website:

• *Website is complicated to update
• *Everything needs approval from SLU admins
  
• *A blog can be linked to the site, even if not moderated by the WS program itself
  
• *Student photos, etc., can be posted freely

Ideas:

• *Option for student posting (?) reflections, thoughts, etc.
• *Facebook -- (leaning toward no)

1. --pros -- page is approved by SLU already
2. --cons -- limited post capabilities & not everyone is a member

• *Announcements of events (brown bags, takeover, board meetings, guest speakers, etc.)
• *Descriptions of events
• *Brainstorming events
• *Reactions to events -- reflections, etc.
• *Photos and videos of events
• *Student projects

1. --papers
2. --youtube videos
3. --blogs
4. --photos
5. etc.

• *book/movie/media reviews
• *volunteer opportunities
• the list goes on...

I'm hoping to have a good stratagem worked out for the meeting Monday at 3:30 in the conference room near the WS office. Feel free to come! Jenni has warned me that I will be besieged with questions and ideas.

--
Heart and Crescent

Heard back from Sondra, co-head of Heart and Crescent, regarding approaching Campus Ministry & the Theology Department & the project for this class. She gave the go! Woot!

Heart and Crescent Updates

Three poignant updates/thoughts.

1) I called Sondra, my hydra co-head, this morning, and left a message about plans, thoughts, and wishes to set up a meeting time.

2) I have been checking out Pagan Spirituality (2005), by Joyce and River Higginbotham. The book focuses on the moral philosophy and metaphysics behind neopagan spirituality. They use a term that I found quite apt and more appealing than "neopaganism" -- postconventional spirituality.

The Higginbothams' book is extremely useful, as it explores both the metaphysics behind neopaganism, such as the concept of multiple planar spaces (personal; transpersonal and their subcategories), and also the typical stages of pagan spiritual growth, the purpose and the multiple possible paths, how spirituality is rendered and chosen (assuming complete freedom to choose a suitable spirituality), ways in which one might find the most acceptable spirituality for him or herself and how to enact those choices practically. C'est tres intéressant!

I'm going to try to use the term "postconventional spirituality" to describe neopaganism, as it describes not only the lack of reliance on established "modes," but also the new freedom individuals have in establishing and defining spirituality. I also think this book might be useful if I need to express pagan spirituality in more academic terms, in the course of the club's duration, or for a panel discussion or editorial.

3) Planning to stop by my new Wiccan contact's office soon -- hopefully sometime today -- to discuss ideas for this group.

*Update* Short Memoir Compilation; WSP Blog

Short Memoirs

The focus is on female SLU students' stories -- I want to make women's issues -- eating disorders, depression, abuse, family situations, discrimination -- immediate and real.

I've just emailed the two contributors who signed on earlier this year with some more details and am hoping to meet for coffee with Contributor 2 this weekend, to go over specifics.

***(9:30 9/30/09) More updates. Just heard back from both established contributors. Contributor 1 is planning to email me her memoir Sunday, and Contributor 2 is setting up a time for coffee (I don't know her story as well, and figure it will be good talk about it).

*** (12:45 9/30/09) I am officially meeting Contributor 2 on Sunday at 9:30, to discuss her story. Yippeee!

--
WS Program Blog

1) I'm hoping to meet with the WS Advisory Board this Monday, regarding the option for a a Women's Studies Program blog.

2) I've emailed my blog-savvy professor contact, Dr. Liz Fathman, and set up a meeting date to discuss bloggery and its ups and downs. She seems ebullient on the matter which is definitely peachy!

All smoothly progresses thus far -- calm before the storm?

Emma

Why "The Stranded"?

This blog is a message in a bottle, from a far away, stranded soul on a remote island, seen from above by those in jets, from a distance by those with telescopes, located precisely by those with satellites, but inwardly, terrifically alone and without power.

As a member of a marginalized group, I am "stranded" in a sense, on this island, which it is difficult to leave. The world of possibilities for me as a minority is blocked on all sides by the ocean (cultural gap) separating me from my peers. Conceptual, but apt.

"The Stranded" highlights my status as a minority. I was partly inspired by the name Dalit for the so-called "untouchables" in the Hindu caste system. Gandhi called the untouchables Harijan, or "children of God," to fabricate a more joyful identity for them. They refused this name; Gandhi, as a vaishya, could not comprehend their need to remember (and flaunt) the suffering they experience as a low-status group. They choose "Dalit," which means trod upon, because it expresses their place in the system: below the feet, the very dirt which is stepped on. They wanted to make clear their marginalized status. In a similar way, "multiracial feminism" uses the term "multiracial" not "multiethnic" or "multicultural" because it spotlights that negative stigma on race which permeates irrevocably any discussion on feminism itself.

I see this blog as a message in a bottle, and the actions I take (which I will blog about) as my raft, my sailboat, my vessel to the infinite All.

Emma

Heart and Crescent -- SLU's Goddess/Neopagan Locus!

So, one of my projects this semester is starting a focal point for goddess-centered worshippers on SLU's campus. I'm going to post a few specifics related to the club:

Club Name: Heart and Crescent
Head(s): Emma Obata (me) and Sondra Schroder
Website: http://heartandcrescent.webs.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7201171525
Witchvox profile: http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_gr.html?a=usmo&id=32551
Constitution: Yup! See it here.

I would definitely appreciate it if you all joined the facebook page! We're also planning our annual Samhain ("Halloween") ritual (this will be the third year!), and you all are welcome to attend.

Updates: Sondra spoke with Kenjus T. Watson, the new head of the Cross Cultural Center, and has given him a copy of our constitution. She writes:

"Kenjus wants to help. He is very committed to social justice and is shocked by the way Campus Ministry treated us."

What happened with Campus Ministry:
Two years ago, we approached Lisa Reiter, head of Campus Ministry, who told us such things as:
*Wicca is not an acceptable life path
*We should hang out in the loop, where _people like us_ go
*Wicca is for people who like to look at crystals, and thus is not a real religion
***Neither "Wiccans or Mormons" are allowed to gather and form groups on campus.

FORTUNATELY SHE IS WRONG! Campus Ministry has no power over student groups; SGA does. We hope to charter the group this year!

Also, I recently (about an hour ago) met another witch at SLU & am enlivened with the opportunity to reach out to our community!

E

Blog for Women's Studies Program

So, Penny and I were speaking about this blog and apparently she had just mentioned the possibility of a blog for the Women's Studies Program (as a whole) to Jennifer Semsar. We talked about the possibility of a blog for the department as another route for me to take in this class.

I emailed Jenni this afternoon, and she wrote me back with the name of a contact, Amy in Web Services, who said they "keep a list for the blogs" and "choose who starts one." I called Amy, and apparently her department is only in charge of Billiken Blogs. She said that we are free to create a blog and link it. She suggested I make the blog open to multiple posters (student voices) and there is a way for me to allow multiple gmail users to post, if I use blogspot. She also gave me a few helpful tips:


--hesitate to put things in a blog that can put on a website

not always necessary to “blog” information like pictures, events, student projects, etc. (especially applicable to items that might be useful for potential freshmen).

--instead, be specific about audience and purpose separate from website

--talk with individual in charge of website (content possibilities….? Working with….?)… [<== this is jenni semsar.]

--maintain for a while before linking to it People get excited initially, but don’t always maintain because it is a lot of work. [although they might if it were for a class!]


Her tips are useful. What is the purpose of this blog? How is it different from the department's website?


There is also a very apt speaker coming on Friday to speak about blogs and wikis in the classroom -- Mike Wesch. Some info about his lecture:


"OCT 2 2009

1:30-3:00

AB AUDITORIUM in COOK HALL

Dr. Wesch will present a cultural analysis of the current trend toward internet usage in Higher Education, including:

* Study of the uses of wikis, blogs, and other “Web 2.0” applications in the classroom…
* Commentary on the impact of the Web on global society…
* Reflections on future applications of the web in higher education…
* And more…"

--Flyer regarding Wesch's speech.

I'll definitely be asking Dr. Wesch for blogging tips. And what about a wiki??

Also, I emailed Dr. Fathman, a sociology professor who has used blogs extensively in several classes. I'm going to try to get some tips from her as well.

I'll keep you all posted. If we do start a blog for the department, it could be a way for us all to voice our thoughts and experiences (even anonymously).

Emma C. Obata

FEMINISM IN ACTION

Dear Fans-to-be of The Stranded,

I'm Emma C. Obata, a student at SLU writing this blog to facilitate, describe, and share my experiences with feminism in action. This blog is to be a revolutionary, exceptional (inevitably cliched!) attempt at acting on my womanist agenda, as one of several small projects for a women's studies course.

Course: Feminism in Action
Instructor: Dr. Penny Weiss, PhD.
"Mother" Institution: Saint Louis University, a Jesuit university in St. Louis, MO, USA

This blog will serve as:

• A careful diarizing of my projects, which include:

1. A compilation of short memoirs from interesting women (apropos private, secret life experiences)
2. An ad campaign which combines poetry & graphic design (to be completed with a fellow student)
   
3. Start a neopagan (goddess-centered) club on campus (support base, activist den, alternate option)
4. Volunteer work here and there (UNA -- SLU's feminist group, Rainbow Alliance, local organizations...)
5. Tentatively, a rock band. One Blood will focus on unity, marginalization, and combine original lyrics and sound with a fresh feminist outlook.
6. This blog, The Stranded.
   

• Reflections on class readings. I'll give an annotated bibliography when I reference them.
• Reflections on feminist events (speakers, brown-bags, protests, etc).
  
• Personal experiences with feminism, thoughts, and snarky jabs at the patriarchal system! This category especially includes such things as in-class experiences with philosophy and theology, and the manner of teaching, subjects/units addressed, reading materials (male voices primarily? is a feminist option considered?).
  
• Miscellaneous... that is, anything else! (related to FIA)