The Diversity Projekt
Empowerment for All People of Color
-
International Women’s Day 2009
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!
Please take this time to remember the incredible women in your life and those that paved the way before you!I could not have asked for a more perfect day! I started my day in fellowship at The Well and then participating in the IWD 2009 Conference in Center City, Philadelphia. I was a bit nervous about speaking, as I rarely get the chance to speak about faith before my peers in the LGBTQ of Color community. It is less stressful speaking before communities I have less of a personal stake in.
I made some great connections. Suraya Pakzad, Executive Director of Voices of Women Organization, came to speak about Women and Violance in Afghanistan. I was also able to finally meet Gloria Casarez, Director of LGBT Affairs for the City of Philadelphia, Virgina Gutierrez, President of the Board at Equality Advocates, and Wahaadah Shabazz-El of Women’s HIV Network.
The Anna Crusis Women’s Choir sang “Bread and Roses” (btw one of my favorite charities) and the Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas performed Aztec ceremonical rituals and dances. I am extremely humbled that people wanted TDP to faciliate new inter-faith LGBT dinscussions. Many also asked for my business card after my presentation. I definitely did not expect that reaction.
I was disappointed not to see Vanessa Brown at the conference. She is one of our newly elected State Representatives. I met her last year at a Progressive Leadership Women of Color brunch. I asked her when I first met her about the ways in which she intended to address LGBTQ issues in her district but did not receive an answer. I thought, perhaps the second time around would be the charm.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY PHILADELPHIA COALITION
LIBERATION – EQUALITY – JUSTICE!SUNDAY MARCH 8, 2009
PROGRAM12:00- 1:00PM RALLY AND MARCH @ CITY HALL
1:00- 1:30PM MARCH to FAMILY PLANNING COUNCIL
260 S. BROAD STREET1:30- 2:30PM LUNCH/REFRESHMENTS
2:30 – 2:45PM CEREMONIAL OPENING
Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas Featuring Fuego NuevoOPENING/WELCOME/LIBATIONS by Soda Nobuhle, Arleen Olshan
2:45 -3:00PM CULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Anna Crusis Women’s Choir3:00-4:00PM Anti-War and International Union Solidarity
Kathy Black, Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW)The United Nations (UN) Conference on Women
Berta Joubert-CeciSingle Payer Health Care
Patty Eakin, President of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurses
and Allied ProfessionalsWomen and HIV/AIDS
Waheedah Shabazz-El, Women’s HIV NetworkCULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Sisters in Music and Poetry: Monnette Sudler and Trapeta MaysonLesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Communities – A Political Perspective
Gloria Casarez, Director of LGBT Affairs City of PhiladelphiaQueer Womyn on Faith and Spirituality
Kathrin P. Ivanovic, Principal Blogger at The Diversity ProjektViolence Towards Women Abroad: A Darfuran Women Speaks
About Rape as a Weapon of Genocide in Sudan
Fatima HarounWomen’s Heart and Health
Blanca Marti, Nurse Practitioner4:00-5:00 PM Womyn of Color- A Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Perspective LGBTQ Womyn of Color ConferenceCULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Creativity in Movement, Misia DeneaTransgender Womyn of Color – Action, Advocacy, Allies
Jaci AdamsWomen In Politics
State Representative Vanessa BrownEmployee Free Choice Act
Roni Green, SEIUSpoken in Arabic – Multicultural/Multiethnic Organizing
Nehad Khadir, Arab Women’s CommitteeCULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Songs of Hope, Fatimah LorénOccupational Safety and Health Issues Related to Women
Barbara Rahke, Director, Philadelphia Area Project on
Occupational Safety and HealthCULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas Featuring Fuego NuevoWomen and Diabetes
Juanita FigueroaHousing: The Foreclosure Crisis
Louise FrancisWomen and Violence In Afghanistan
Suraya PakzadImmigration and Health Care Access
Teresa Conejo5:00-5:30PM CULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Poetry in Motion, Shayna SheNess Israel (SITY)CULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas Featuring Fuego NuevoAction Plan
ALL5:30-6:00PM Reflections/Closing
Sherrie Cohen, Soda Nobuhle, Arleen OlshanIWD Philadelphia Coalition thanks its 2009 Sponsors: AFSCME District Council 47, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Anna Crusis Choir, Beta Phi Omega Sorority Inc., Carmen Bilingual toys and books, Café con Chocolate, Coalition for Labor Union Women, Code Pink, Darfur Alert Coalition, Hearts and More by Moon Queen, Lia Sophia, MayDay Committee, National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, National Association of Hispanic Nurses, PA Federation BMWED-IBT, Passion Party Consulting, Partnership for Prescription Assistance, Philadelphia International Action Center, Philadelphia NOW, Planned Parenthood, Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas , Safeguards and Family Planning Council, Sisterspace, Sisters United @ The COLOURS Organization, Inc., Tacto Peruano, The COLOURS Organization Inc., The Womyn’s Village, Women’s Community Revitalization Project.
www.myspace.com/iwdphiladelphia; Email: iwdphiladelphia@yahoo.com; Phone: 267-997-8160
Philly Joins Swirl to Launch Intercultural Community and Dialogue
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kathrin P. Ivanovic
Co-Organizer, SwirlPhilly
215.776.1172
kathrini@swirlinc.org
Jen Chau
Executive Director, Swirl Inc.
917.291.5227
jenchau@swirlinc.org
www.swirlinc.orgSwirl, Inc. Launches Chapter in the City of Brotherly Love
Swirl, Inc. has partnered with Kathrin P. Ivanovic and Alexis Jeffcoat, two emerging young non-profitleaders in Philadelphia, to launch and grow of a new, local chapter.
Philadelphia, PA, January 4, 2009 – Swirl, Inc. recently joined with Kathrin P. Ivanovic and Alexis Jeffcoat to launch its 11th local chapter in Philadelphia, PA. Kathrin is a freelance writer who speaks regularly about cultural diversity and transnational race relations. Kathrin hosts The Diversity Projekt on diversity and currently serves as the Director of Development for the Nationalities Service Center. Alexis is a graduate student pursuing her Master of Arts in Humanities at Arcadia University. She previously managed volunteers at Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia and just finished developing a volunteer program for Dress for Success Philadelphia. She has also worked on the planning committee for the Walk for Paws, a major fundraiser for the Chester County SPCA.
Philadelphia joins the SwirlFamily in 2009, during this historic time in American history. SwirlPhilly will work to build a community in Philadelphia that draws on its vibrant heritage and abundance of cultural diversity. While many individuals have called Philadelphia home for generations, Philadelphia is also home to one of the largest new-immigrant communities in the country.
Swirl has developed a two-pronged philosophy and vision focused initially on community building followed by programming focused on diversity advocacy and education. Through local community building, Swirl aims to challenge the idea that all individuals should be able to fit in one neatly packaged racial identity, label, or ethnic group.
Swirl provides space for individuals who want to explore their identity, relate to others with similar experiences, or initiate community-led projects aimed at changing the way that society understands race and identity. Local chapters ultimately focus on growing and building capacity, and expanding programming to include a broader constituency.
“While Swirl continues to recognize the importance of building communities that support mixed heritage individuals, couples, and families, we increasingly aim to collaborate with a diversity of communities. If we are going to improve the way that we deal with race and identity in this country, it is imperative that we come together. It is easy to talk about tough issues in the comfort of our own communities, but how often do we come together cross-culturally? This is what Swirl aims to do, and I am excited for this sort of space to be created in Philadelphia.” says Jen Chau, Executive Director and founder of Swirl, Inc.
Swirl, Inc. is a national multi-ethnic organization founded in 2000 that challenges society’s notions of race through community building, education, and action. Swirl is active in: Atlanta, San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, Washington, D.C., Houston, Miami, NewLondon, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia and Phoenix.
###
Philadelphia Happenings
There is a lot going in the City of Brotherly Love this weekend. Apparently November 22 is the businest day of the 2008. My schedule is bursting at the seams.
Women’s Way is hosting TAKE A STAND half-day Conference at Temple University. I will be attending the conference with Dorie Morgan, fellow Brazen Careerist blogger and co-organizer of Philly ChangeMakers/ChangeBlogges.
Also Out and Equal, a national LGBT organization that supports workplace equality through education, training, Employee Resource Group support, and best practice sharing, is hosting a Regional Summit. I was hoping to be able to attend at least the lunch segment, but it looks like I cannot be everywhere at the same time.
I will be meeting with Dorie Morgan, Seth Horwitz and Alex Steed sometime mid afternoon to have a pre-ChangeBlogger launch talk. Everything is coming together and I am extremely excited about moving forward with this initiative. We will be meeting at the Philadelphia Ethical Society in Rittenhouse Squqre (Southwest Corner). Afterwards, we will be migrating over to Rum Bar for a Meet & Greet. If you are available, please do join us!
Independent Sector – Closing Plenary Luncheon – “A New Look at Race and Gender in Americ”
Round-table Discussion: Beyond Election 2008: A New Look at Race and Gender in America
Moderator: Kalvin Taketa, IS Board Member and President/CEO, Hawai’i Community Foundation
Panelists:
Randall L. Kennedy, Michael R. Klein Professor of Law, Harvard Law School, Harvard University
Sterling Speirn, President, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Luz Vega-Marquis, Secretary, Independent Sector and President/CEO Marguerite Casey Foundation
Maria Wilson, President/Founder, The White House ProjektWhile I had limited power, I was able to jot down some thoughts that jumped out at me:
Speirn: “While the glass ceiling was smashed, there are millions trapped in the basement.”
Kennedy: Why is there a “who’d have thunk it” idea that Obama could be elected, that people could have pulled the lever to vote for him.
We need soon however to be thinking about what next” and I hope that we are not so entranced by what happened last week, that we fumble an opportunity to push the agenda for social justice.
Wilson: Two conversations got invoked in this election:
1) race
2) gender
3) class – Obama class upwards and Clinton class downwardsThe changing of the conversation is a major milestone in this country.
“You can’t be what you can’t see.” – What happened all over America, is that there are children from all races and gender that they can be president of the United States.
I know that I cannot celebrate very long, but it is great!
Vega: “The real America showed up at the poles.” In response to the idea that Palin spoke for the “real America.”
The real America finally got included. The fact that she is proud that Latinos voted the right way in this election.
Taketa: Obama as a transcended of all aspects of our population. Is Obama unique?
Kennedy: Obama is an extraordinary politician. Yet, Obama had a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nominee on gender. Gender and racial lines are moving. They are still there but they are moving. Obama still had to overcome his race. There are a variety of politicians of a variety of racial politicians and women politicians. Obama is the person of the hour but he is the tip of the iceberg. In a way this is the most hopeful thing of the election. There is more coming.
Speirn: If the issues are not central nothing will change. Education system is bankrupting our nation. Health status and economic status which is linked to education. The social determinants of education far outweigh all other issues.
Vega: Expectations of Obama are high. He also talked to us about us and what responsibility we take as members of this society to take active part in our future. We need to be responsible for the kinds of things we want to see. We need to begin shaping agendas in our communities. We expect miracles, but we need to hope in what we really can change. It is the collection of our efforts to build a better society.
Wilson: Obama did something transcendent – The major ways AA leaders have made progress is through challenge. Some questioned that AA could not make progress without bargaining. Obama assumed good will which is the third way – not challenge or bargaining. No negative stories about the campaign staff – mission of being respectful and doing good.
Wilson: about Clinton’s campaign – when it comes to gender, gender will always trump gender. But if you only have one person who is different, you look at what they have different. Gender is central. It meant that Clinton had to walk all fine lines about being tough enough and maintain appeal. At end of campaign she felt she had nothing to lose, and she was more authentic.
Wilson: We learned about the continuing way gender continues to be reported in the media. There was an enormous amount of sexism in this election.
The movement – Civic engagement of young people, women and African Americans:
Kennedy: the horizons have been widened traumatically. The sense of possibility – young women, people of color – frankly regardless that everyone’s horizons were opened and that has something to do with extraordinary moment we are in. Even people who did not vote for Obama, even his rivals, many of them have been changed and moved to opening their horizons.
Wilson: inspiring but what do we do next? If they are not engaged – if it is just about their votes – we will lose them again. Obama has a plan, but we all need a plan too for the energy.
(ran out of battery)
This conversation derailed within the first five minutes of comments. The panelists began discussion the ways in which the 2008 Election redefined discussions of Race and Gender in America, particularly the ways in which these new discussions influence the non profit sector and the ways in which the non profit sector can contribute to these discussions. A great topic, particularly since a “what now?” theme ran through the entire conference. However, the conversation quickly jumped to the failures of the Clinton campaign, policy reform and eventually the prison system. Once again, a fruitful discussion on race and gender derailed! Is it that we don’t know how to have a meaningful discussion on race or that it’s just to complicated and uncomfortable?
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License
Recent Comments