"Shedding the Skin of Shame, Bearing Our Bodies' Truths"

Call for Artists -- Please Forward Widely!

ARTISTS AGAINST RAPE:
"Shedding the Skin of Shame, Bearing Our Bodies' Truths"
October 18th, 2008
This dynamic event features local poets, artists and activists, speaking out against sexual assault and offers a unique supportive space for expression and community building. We are seeking volunteers help to make this event happen. If you are interested in volunteering for the event, our first meeting will be in July 2008. Check website for updates on meeting times.

SUMBISSIONS:
* To submit poetry, prose, flows, songs, and music, artists must send in a cassette or CD of their piece, along with a written copy of all words/lyrics. If work is received in written format only, the piece may not be considered for inclusion.
* Visual artists may submit work in the form of high-resolution (300dpi) digital images in the following formats: TIFF, JPEG, JPG.
* To submit dance pieces, please send a VHS, DVD or weblink of the entire piece.
* All performance pieces (i.e. poetry, dance, music/songs, dramatic sketches, etc.) must have a total running time of 5 minutes or less. The suggested length for performance pieces is 3-5 minutes.

Please include a short biography (300 words or less) and contact information with your submission. Pieces must be related to healing from and/or speaking out against violence, sexual violence and gender and/or sexual oppression. Due to space limitations, not all submissions may be accepted, and selection is at the discretion of the artistic committee. Performers will receive a modest stipend. All SUBMISSIONS due no later than AUGUST 15th. No exceptions!

For more information or questions, please email janetuphadye@sfwar.org or visit the SFWAR website at www.sfwar.org!

Metaphysical Fitness -- Classes start soon!

Jen's Note: Sista Nau*T is my dear friend and compatriot in the work of transformation & healing -- she's deeply invested in the work of helping us remember the importance of our bodies and connect back into these selves we sometimes forget to take such good care of:

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Doshe Healing Arts in collaboration with Bushmama Productions present:
Metaphysical Fitness Training

Come explore practical solutions for common obstacles to health and wellness.
Learn to work out anytime, anywhere engaging in small daily activities that have profound life long impacts.

Classes begin Aug. 2, 2008 at 10a
We offer the class at a sliding scale $10-$25 suggested donations NTAFLOF
Register now, space is limited.

For more information please visit our website
http://web.mac.com/sisnaut/iWeb/Doshe%20Healing%20Arts/Contact%20Us.html


Peace, Love, Guidance, Protection and Prosperity in Abundance,
Sis. Nau~T
Doshe Healing Arts
Founder and Executive Director

Telling (Our) Stories

On recommendation of someone at UCSF, I've been reading Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.'s book, Kitchen Table Wisdom. Dr. Remen, an accomplished physician, survivor of chronic illness, and therapist, began many years ago to think about how best one might work with patients who were facing chronic illness and death.

Stories are powerful instruments -- and they're as common and consistent for us as breathing. Just as the Tales Grimm or the old Parables or the Ananzi or Coyote tales are recognizable as telling us something about how our communities think we ought to live, we have individual/familial stories that we tell ourselves and one another very consistently every minute of every day. We, as literate and verbal culture, are ever immersed in story.

What's the definition of story? My online dictionary says it can be used as a noun or a verb. I loved multi-layered words like that. Anyway, one definition is "an account or recital of an event or a series of events, either true or fictitious." Another is "to decorate with scenes representing historical or legendary events; to tell as a story." (Circularity is always fun -- and the dictionary is fraught with it, but that's another story!)

We, many of us, have been told not to "tell stories" -- meaning: don't lie. So, we learn to tell different stories -- ones that, because they make the folks around us more comfortable, are called truth. it's hard work, once again, to retrain the grooves in our mind to accept the possibility that those early stories can come into the slot called truth.

We are a collection of our stories. the memories we lift out of our pockets to share with friends over dinner, or that we recite for ourselves in the thick of depression or in the bright morning of recovered joy --

Why are we talking about stories? In her book, a collection of anecdotes, stories, musings, recollections, retellings, Dr. Remen spins open the possibility of new knowings, new understandings of self and community and world and humanity. She tells of her own transformations throughout her life, many of these precipitated by truly being present with another person's stories.

What does all of this have to do with sexual abuse, with trauma -- or with sexuality? If we as a culture are immersed in story, then it follows (for me, at least) that we come to know, to understand, ourselves through story. When we allow ourselves to be, it's possible to be transformed by others' stories -- by others' ways of knowing the world, seeing the world, seeing possibility -- this require vulnerability, a willingness to be open.

We don't have to take on another's interpretations of life or experience -- but what happens when we are present with other people's stories is that we can recognize that there exist different ways of looking at the world, looking at ourselves, at pain and struggle, at desire and longing , than we ourselves have yet come across -- I notice this happening quite often in the writing workshops, a note of "I had never heard it described quite that way before -- it was so surprising!" And there's a shift, a splitting open, a new openness of our perceptions, and thus ourselves...

and what a way to move in to a new year -- or this new moment.

As always, of course, I'd love to know what you think. What's your relationship to story? If you're willing, I'd be happy to post your thoughts/responses/ideas/stories here...

Ending Child Sexual Abuse within 5 Generations

I am so sad that I missed the "Generations of Change" event honoring Staci Hanes last week -- Staci Hanes is the woman who began Generation 5, an organization devoted to ending childhood sexual abuse within 5 generations, through community education, public action, and survivor leadership. Join their mailing list, throw a house party, participate in a training and help out where you can!

http://www.generationfive.org/

Workshop forming for mixed race women

I received this note from Esther, a former workshop participant -- write to her at bionicfemme@hotmail.com if you'd like more information about hew new workshop:

"Hi Jen, Now that we have graduated from the Master's program at New College, one of my classmates, Monalisa and I are starting up a writer's workshop! This group is for all mixed race women of color who are interested in generating creative writing, memoir, and other multi-genre literary work to reflect their experiences as multi-racial women of color. Our concentration is on experimental lit, but linear, traditional narratives are welcome as well. We will also be performing as part of New College's local writer series at a public reading in the coming months. Please let me know if you have any workshop participants that might be interested, and tell your friends! We'd really like to get the word out and grow as a community. We submit our work to the group on the second weekend of every month, then meet up for coffee during the fourth weekend, to go over each other's work and in general, just bond as a community of mixed race writers. Hope you are doing well! -Esther"