RIOT GRRRL HAPPY HOUR

Last month I was part of the inaugural Riot Grrrl Happy Hour committee. I DJ'ed the first-ever monthly party, happening every 3rd Friday of the month at Over the Eight.

I won't be DJing this month, but I did make this little flyer for the fine females that will be. Don't miss it!

HERSTORY REPEATS

photo by You Don't Dream

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Kathleen Hanna recently did a presentation called Herstory Repeats at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.  She used the term "feminist continuum" to discuss where she sees herself in feminist history, which is obviously exciting to me; but perhaps even more exciting, is that she mentioned the International Girl Gang Underground zine.

Thankfully, someone who was at the presentation grabbed a snapshot of Ms. Hanna and some audio of the lecture and their great Q&A section.

…They started this thing called the International Girl Gang Underground. They just put out this fanzine, I just got it last week, and it has sections like 'histories and critiques.' But what they're doing is they're looking through the stuff that we did and they're analyzing it. They're saying what they think sucks about it and what they think is cool. They're trying to take over what we did and make it make sense to them, and that just makes me feel, even when they say I'm a jerk, it makes me feel totally loved and respected to not just have people collect the CDs or stickers or something like that, but to actually participate in the work, and take it into the future and make it into something much better than it was.

I am endlessly grateful.

>> photo and audio from You Don't Dream on tumblr <<

4/5/2011: A video of the talk has surfaced, courtesy of TheLOUniverse on YouTube.

"RIOT GRRRL: TRACES OF A MOVEMENT" & THE FEMINIST CONTINUUM

photo courtesy of Dragana Drobnjak

A few Fridays ago my friend Rachel and I indulged in lots of art activities, walking from PS1 for Printed Matter's Art Book Fair, to Prints Gone Wild in Williamsburg, and back. Saturday, we walked to Long Island City for more. I quickly bought a ticket and ran to the "Riot Grrrl: Traces of a Movement" conference session while my pals continued to check out the tables at the Book Fair.

I sat down and a good friend of mine, Dragana, happened to be sitting right next to me, camera in hand. Dragana took photos of the entire slide presentation, and when we got near the end, I gasped in surprise (seriously).

Jenna Freedman, founder of Barnard Library's zine collection, featured selected images of the collection, tracing the history of twenty years of zines from the original riot grrrls through today. In one of her last images, she projected the caption "EveryGrrrl plans a feminist conference," with a scan of our [For the Birds'] She-Bang pamphlet from this year. I think of DIY feminist cultural production in a continuum, something that is always in conversation with its history, present, and future. This one moment really solidified that feeling. My review of the conference might explain what I am getting at a little more.

You can read my review of the conference now at Elevate Difference, featuring another photo by the lovely Dragana.

Queering Categories, Bringing Wreck

My review of (personal fave) Mimi Nguyen's panel, "Aesthetics, Access, Intimacy" or "Race, Riot Grrrl, Bad Feelings" at the Sarah Lawrence 12th Annual Women's History Conference is up at the Sarah Lawrence website now, included in our annual WH newsletter!

Nguyen’s comment about “quitting punk” illustrated the way many marginalized people feel within white dominated movements. Women, people of color, and queer folks alike have written extensively about how punk rock can be completely isolating to them. On the other hand, with its do-it-yourself ethos, punk rock offers the tools for positive things like grassroots organizing and creative self-expression. The potential for social change within punk and riot grrrl creates a tension: the simultaneous acceptance of marginalized folks within the subculture versus its constant re-creation of social hierarchies.

Read the full review here.

For more on how much I loved Mimi's panel, click here.

TONIGHT: IGGU on Feminist Magazine Radio

Tonight Stacy and I will be on Feminist Magazine Radio (Los Angeles) answering questions about the International Girl Gang Underground zine and riot grrrl, too.

Tune in live here at 7:30PM PST / 10:30PM EST (click on the right corner where it says 'LISTEN LIVE - NOW').

LADY ZINE PARTY

or "Thoughts on riot grrrl, feminisms, & race at the Lady Zine Party"

My friends Sheela and Julie hosted a "LADY ZINE PARTY" on the rainiest Saturday in recent memory. We met at Julie's apartment, and after homemade pizza and alcoholic Shirley Temples, we did a go-around and introduced ourselves.

One of the highlights was that a lot of people at the zine party weren't necessarily influenced by riot grrrl or had never done a zine. At least one person wasn't from the U.S., and everyone else seemed to grow up all over the country. There was a reality TV contest winner, folks who work at various nonprofits for the advancement of women, lots of grad school students, and some of my best friends. In the go-around, there were some tense discussions about why some young girls are so averse to the term "feminist". We talked about how the term "feminist" can sometimes be a misnomer and generally not conducive for communities of color and/or working class women. We also talked about how for youth, the "F" word can be a scary thing.

INTERNATIONAL GIRL GANG UNDERGROUND ZINE

INTERNATIONAL GIRL GANG UNDERGROUND ZINE LAUNCHES

Crossposted with katewadkins.com

Myself and Stacy Konkiel of Soul Ponies have launched a call for submissions for INTERNATIONAL GIRL GANG UNDERGROUND (which may sound familiar to you) – a compilation zine to pick up where riot grrrl left off. I can’t really express how excited I am about it, and to be working with Stacy.

We launched in concurrence with the Sarah Lawrence College 12^th Annual Women’s History Conference, The Message is in the Music: Hip Hop Feminism, Riot Grrrl, Latina Music & More. I’ll post more about the conference at a later date. News about the zine is already traversing the airwaves, the BUST Magazine blog even picked it up.

I have one thing to ask of you: PLEASE, SUBMIT!

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH NEWS

Crossposted with katewadkins.com

Myself and four other women from the Sarah Lawrence Women's History Graduate Studies Program have been working on an online publication since last semester. We are officially launching tomorrow, in concurrence with Women's History Month and in time for the 12th Annual Women's History Conference at Sarah Lawrence this weekend. My title is officially "Web Editor". That means a lot of different things, some important ones being that I designed the website and the header too.

The publication is called RE/VISIONIST. Here's a little bit about us:

RE/VISIONIST is an online publication created by students of the Sarah Lawrence College Women’s History Graduate Program. In the interest of fostering dialogue, RE/VISIONIST aims to promote a critical analysis of history and contemporary issues through the lens of multiple feminisms. We focus on the intersections of lived realities and histories, such as the experiences related to race, class, gender, sexuality, age, and ability. We strive to keep the question, “who gets to write history?” on the table.

I will also take this moment to gently remind you that the Women's History conference, The Music is in the Message: Hip-Hop Feminism, Riot Grrrl, Latina Music & More, starts on Friday. The panel I am moderating on Riot Grrrl is on Saturday, March 6th, at 1:00PM.

RIOT GRRRL PANEL @ SLC WOMEN'S HISTORY CONFERENCE

HELLO FOLKS, IT'S ALL HAPPENING!

You may already know that I will be moderating the Riot Grrrl panel at Sarah Lawrence College's 12th Annual Women's History Conference: "The Music is in the Message".

What you don't know:

1. The panel is on Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 1:00PM

2. I am honored to say that the panel features author of Girl Power: The Nineties Revolution in Music, Marisa Meltzer; contributor to Riot Grrrl: Revolution Girl Style Now!, Julia Downes; and my friend and comrade in the Girl Gang Underground, blogger Jamielynn Varriale.

3. My dear friend Cristy Road did the illustration for the cover of the program.

As to be expected, I am so humbled and excited to be part of this! I'm geeking out on the conference and hope you all can make it. I am posting the info that pertains to me here, but the entire program is seriously phenomenal, and best of all: it's FREE (so no sorry excuses). My classmates in the Women's History program will be facilitating the other panels, so you'll get to see their fabulous faces too.

I ♥ SOUL PONIES

AND SOUL PONIES ♥S ME!

Because independent record labels are dying off and are being sold to megacorporations more and more often;

Because queer independent record labels, by their “niche” nature, are especially susceptible to closing;

Because we often lose the work of amazing LGBTQ artists to the dollar discount bin of the used record store when queer record labels go under;

Because we wish to preserve the legacies of important riot grrrl and queercore musicians for present and future generations to appreciate their work...


[excerpt from SOUL PONIES manifesta]

▶▶ WWW.SOULPONIES.COM ▶▶
▶▶ WWW.SOULPONIES.COM ▶▶
▶▶ WWW.SOULPONIES.COM ▶▶

If you don't know, now you know!

RIOT GRRRL HISTORY

EXCITING NEWS  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


I will be moderating the riot grrrl panel at Sarah Lawrence College's Twelfth Annual Women's History Month Conference.

The Message is in the Music:
Hip Hop Feminism, Riot Grrrl, Latina Music, and More

Twelfth Annual Women’s History Month Conference
at Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, New York

Friday & Saturday, March 5 & 6, 2010

Keynote speaker: Carmen Ashhurst, former president of Def Jam Recordings and Rush Communications, and author of the forthcoming book, Selling My Brothers: The Movement, The Media and Me

Music has long served social movements as a sound track, as a means of communication, and as its own arena for activism. While multiple generations of feminists have used music in these ways, it has played especially vital roles for those born since the 1970s. This conference will explore the ways in which young feminists have defined and expressed politics through music and musical cultures and communities. Among the questions we will ponder are: How does music reflect sites of agreement and conflict among different groups of feminists? How have movements like Riot Grrrl and Hip Hop feminism attracted young women to feminist activism? How do young feminists’ uses of music compare with those of earlier generations?

[Call for Proposals from Sarah Lawrence College]

PHOTOS

Uploaded some stuff to the flickr from 2009 so far.

RIOT GRRRL COVER SHOW

[Flyer by Jacki Sulley]

+ For the Birds will be tabling at the ANTI-VALENTINE'S DAY RIOT GRRRL COVER SHOW on February 14th. We are co-releasing the GIMME COOTIES compilation with Kathi K., which will be debuting at the show. I'm doing the cover art for the comp. Cynthia, Kathi, Krista and I are doing Bikini Kill.

Here's the info:

Saturday, February 14th, 2009: Anti-Valentine’s Day Riot Grrrl Cover Band SHOW!

This will also be the release for the GIMME COOTIES Comp!

We will be tabling with the FOR THE BIRDS distro @ THE 1087 LOFT[ www.myspace.com/the1087loft ]

8:00 PM SHOW with

BLATZ
HUGGY BEAR
EXCUSE 17
SLEATER KINNEY
BIKINI KILL
RAOOUL
LYDIA LUNCH
& THE GOSSIP

INFORMATION ON THE GIMME COOTIES COMPILATION:

"CD release of the GIMME COOTIES comp: featuring 18 live tracks of allgirl/girl fronted bands in brooklyn + the surrounding east coast area.these tracks were recorded throughout 2008-9 in basements and allages/diy spaces, and have been compiled to document a new wave ofbadass girls playing music and to reinforce the notion that the upkeep of grrrl punk love is contagious.
don’t get your cootie shots.

listen to this comp.

now go start a band with your girlfriends.

tracks include songs by:
carnal knowledge (RIP)
cheeky
bad dates (RIP)
screaming females
witches
trophy wife
each other’s mothers
the homewreckers
handjobs

get yr cooties at the show! co-released by FOR THE BIRDS COLLECTIVE.
available as CDs and tapes, 3 bux.

xo kathi"

+ Here's us with the For the Birds distro at the show at Purchase College last Saturday. Cheeky played, too:

[L to R: me, Jess, Sandra, Cynthia, Aria
photo from cynthia ann]

Check out my entry on the For the Birds blog about some of the new items we have in stock, and Cynthia's famous cupcakes!

SEE YOU ON THE 14TH!

REVIEW: Riot Grrrl: Revolution Girl Style Now!

For Fomentation zine.

RIOT GRRRL: REVOLUTION GIRL STYLE NOW!
Susan Corrigan, Julia Downes, Red Chidgey, Cazz Blase
Black Dog Publishing
http://blackdogonline.com/


When I saw Riot Grrrl: Revolution Girl Style Now! I immediately snatched it up. I opened the cover and scanned the contents. The first essay is titled "Riot Grrrl: The Legacy and Contemporary Landscape of DIY Feminist Cultural Activism." Holy shit. This book has got to be about everything that is exciting and vital to me.

As an outsider to riot grrrl, but participant in DIY feminist cultural activism, I found Riot Grrrl to be a profound historical document. For one, it is not canonical. Riot Grrrl starts with the movement's US roots and quickly brings us overseas to observe, in great depth, the British riot grrrl scene which I actually didn't know much about, aside from the legendary Huggy Bear. The essays range from meticulous accounts of what seems like every single British riot grrrl band and zine, to the cultural significance of grrrl zines, to just how, when, and where riot grrrl began.