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2005 Visions in Feminism Conference
May 7, 2005
Representing Ourselves
The 5th Annual Visions in Feminism (VIF) Conference is about self-representation.
By fighting/challenging constructs in our society including the news, radio,
television and internet, with various dynamic forms of art and realistic representations
of ourselves; we'll discuss how our voices are used through both organized and
non-conformist methods as forms of resistance. VIF will highlight the important
and dynamic process of viewing and collaborating with others using an open-mind.
Deconstruct. Reconstruct. Represent!
Keynote: Sonya Renee
Workshops:
| Community
Response to Violence The workshop/discussion will include a brief overview history of the domestic violence movement, a discussion of the basics, "Domestic Violence 101" and then the audience will break into three groups to look at domestic violence with three different couples; each group will then discuss, come up with suggestions/strategies for each of the three couples/situations. |
Continuing
Conversations: Transgender Last year we began a conversation about the way the feminist movement has worked to include/exclude transgendered individuals and “trans issues.” We look forward to continuing this conversation and sharing what we discussed last year in the effort to building/sustaining a progressive, radical, alliance for change. Some topics for re-visitation include how/when transgender issues and feminist issues are one in the same and feminist community’s commitment to transgender issues, the complication of the two movements by a women-centered (read: gender binary) perspective. |
Middle
Eastern Women and War presented by: Simin Royanian In this increasingly militarized system of global capital, the issue of women’s rights must be considered in the framework of war. This panel will explore the repercussons of imperialist wars on women's rights in the context of the Middle East. |
| Tattooing
& Body Image The contemporary renaissance in tattooing raises questions about self-representation and self-perception. In this session, we explore how these issues are especially relevant for women through a roundtable discussion with women tattoo artists and women with tattoos. Does a woman's choice to tattoo her body influence her self-perception? Is this choice reflective of a positive or negative body image--or is it perceived that way? How and why are women with tattoos perceived differently than are men with tattoos? How do race and sexual orientation influence how women with tattoos are perceived? How does having tattoos transform the female body into a public space, and what are the implications of this transformation? Do tattoos allow women to re-envision and represent themselves? These are only a few of the questions we seek to address in this open discussion. |
Women
and Power presented by: Konyaka MB Dunson, Jackie Reagles, Vicky Law, Carol Moore What is a “powerful woman”? This workshop will deconstruct the notion of power and how it pertains to the diverse roles woman hold in contemporary society. Motherhood, government, and the legal system will be discussed, with the goal of discovering how power can be extended to every woman. |
Engaging
Arts, Education & Activism: Stategies for Developing Resistance Through
Self-Awareness presented by:Jackie Valez, Kimberlee Staking, Johanna McCants This is a collaborative workshop in which presenters and participants come together to share techniques for creating participatory learning communities that can and have been used in classrooms, community workshops, and other spaces to educate about self-representation, self-awareness and social justice. This interactive workshop also brings participants together to explore and express their multiple identities and develop strategies for using identity expression as a tool for resistance and social change. |
| Grassroots:
A Field Guide to Feminist Activism presented by: Amy Richards In this workshop, Amy will discuss the premise and goal of her new book of the same name. Most suggestions for getting involved center on the generic three: giving money, contacting politicians, volunteering, which we conclude isn't enough both for the individuals eager to get involved and for the issues at stake. In our time together we will explore how to move beyond the generic three and share how others have done so |
How
to Spin/DJ Do you dream about two turntables and a mic? Are your records in a crate? Join us for this hands-on workshop with two of the hottest djs in D.C. You will learn the tools and gain the skills needed to start you off spinning your favorite records! Beginners encouraged to attend. |
Masculinity
in Punk How come nobody wants to talk about masculinity in punk? We will. This discussion-based workshop will attempt to understand how masculinity affects the radical punk community (and vice-versa). And, because we believe in the do-it-ourselves ethos, we will also look ahead to the creation of a positive, non-oppressive masculinity for our community and beyond. |
| Combating
Street Harassment We have a right to use public space without being abused, threatened or violated. Street-harassment is a common experience, yet something rarely recognized as a true violation of human rights. Violence and disrespect toward women is legitimized and encouraged in our patriarchy. Let’s talk about what’s really going on when we walk down the street. Come to share your experiences and discuss effective, empowering techniques for responding to street harassment and transforming our social relationships. |
DC
Radical Teachers Workshop Are you drawn to working in the public schools but fear having to compromise yourself and/or your values? Are you confused about the certification process? Can you imagine what the next generation of students would be like if they had access to feminist principles on a daily basis? The DC Radical Teachers will host a roundtable discussion to answer your questions, share their experiences, and provide practical information about gaining the qualifications necessary to pursue a career in teaching (on your own terms!) |
Representations
of Arab Women Who is the Arab Woman? What do mainstream representations of Arab women “tell” us about Arab women and men? Is there an agenda in these representations? Images of Arab women will be presented with a discussion addressing these questions. We will attempt to answer how, as a feminist movement and as individuals, we can undermine these representations and the assumptions they create and look for strategies that will enable better representations of Arab women. |
| Tokenism
in the Movement Historically, mainstream feminist movements have tokenized people's experiences as women of color, people with disabilities, transgendered individuals (etc) in the name of diversity. Have we left behind this legacy or are we reinforcing it? Work through this hard to talk about topic with ViF as we look back on our own history as an organization and try to learn from our past experiences. We will provide a space for participants to talk about their own experiences with this topic; and will ask the questions: Have you ever believed your inclusion in a social justice movement was because of your identity? Have you analyzed your own role in tokenizing people? We plan to be brutally honest, so come ready to listen, learn and share. |
Value
of Women’s Work presented by: Marci Villa, Alyssa Bush, Rahama Wright Traditionally the economic contributions of women have been undervalued. This workshop will look at two major ways women have, and continue to, contribute to the workforce: farming and domestic crafts. We will discuss the implications of being a woman worker, as well as how women can create a system that lends itself to economic independence and liberation. We will also discuss the steps to building a network of women workers. |
Other activities:
VIF AFTER
PARTY!
Saturday May 7, 8pm (after the conference)
$5 to benefit HIPS, at Cafe Mawonaj,624 T Street NW DC
Join us after
the conference for a night of film, music, spoken word/poetry, and art!
Featuring:
Gina Young (political folk punk)
www.ginayoung.com
Carol Bui (rock)
www.carolbui.com
Wax and Wane (indie folk)
www.humanconduct.org/wax&wane
Carlos Hipolito (guitarist/ songwriter)
Short Film by Tepid Fish
www.tepidfish.com
Spoken word/
poetry by:
Kesha Robertson-Jamaal
Mark Lopez
Angel Miles