tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54363213719656648242024-03-13T00:32:24.450-04:00Writing ObjectsNeesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.comBlogger334125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-78276470831434435722013-02-17T20:11:00.002-05:002013-02-17T20:11:09.750-05:00the rose hotel<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJNcxZhvqNm-oFJAxue1ZsOfhLPrT9WuTlMjsfEqw4j2gpjggKOcTgAa3ext1u4p76Lxb4_Ozr1G3Hx4lt5fjFeodQqpvJnqsfW_imDII9axIfwlmQlHJGhPgXuhULDrz8e0vJVZj/s1600/RoseHotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJNcxZhvqNm-oFJAxue1ZsOfhLPrT9WuTlMjsfEqw4j2gpjggKOcTgAa3ext1u4p76Lxb4_Ozr1G3Hx4lt5fjFeodQqpvJnqsfW_imDII9axIfwlmQlHJGhPgXuhULDrz8e0vJVZj/s320/RoseHotel.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
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most of you who visit here know that i'm kinda big on the power of stories. stories have tremendous power. every commercial you watch on television is a mini-story and it's meant to convince you to buy something. every film you watch is a story. every poster on the subway, every magazine article...everything. when you think about how many stories you ingest each day, it's mind-boggling. and when you think about the <a href="http://www.hungermtn.org/the-politics-of-story/" target="_blank">dominant cultural narrative</a> running through most stories in our world, you get a sense of why many of the issues we have are so deeply embedded. they are reinforced each and every day, from the moment we step out of our homes.</div>
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that is why this particular book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rose-Hotel-True-Life-Novel/dp/061567223X/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361147703&sr=1-1&keywords=the+rose+hotel" target="_blank">the rose hotel</a>, by <a href="http://www.draconnect.org/" target="_blank">rahimeh andalibian</a>, affected me so deeply. not only did it resonate for me on a very fundamental level, but it did something that every book i've ever cherished and held close has done -- not to sound trite or anything, but it was <i>healing</i>.</div>
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the book is described by the author as a "true-life novel." it traces her family's journey from iran to britain to the u.s. it is a beautifully crafted account of how external events, politics, religion and power, and a raging revolution affect the very real lives of one family, and that family's subsequent exile from the only home they've ever known.</div>
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it's the kind of sensitive, <i>aware</i> account that only a trained psychotherapist could offer, which is exactly what dr. andalibian is. without preaching or falling into the trap of "telling not showing," andalibian explores how people heal from the unthinkable. how strength of spirit shines strong during the darkest moments of the soul. and it's absolutely beautiful.</div>
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i firmly believe there is power in sharing our own personal journeys of recovery from trauma and violence. it breaks silence and sends ripples into the atmosphere, changing the horribleness of abuse and oppression. sharing openly about things that hurt us is a powerful way to bridge distances and build connections. it shatters isolation and the divisions between us begin to crumble (which is actually what her next project is about, glass houses--<a href="http://www.draconnect.org/wp/play/" target="_blank">watch the video on her website</a>). what better way is there to slash through ignorance and fear? to end some of the shit we all know is fucked up out there?</div>
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this book is a <i>gem</i>. buy it. read it. give it to someone you love. then think about your own story and what you might do next to make some changes . . . maybe shatter some isolation.</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-79207078228166593082013-02-11T10:05:00.000-05:002013-02-11T10:05:03.792-05:00musici posted this to my fb page with the intro, "god bless musicians," in a moment of being so grateful to music-makers for providing a soundtrack for my life. for providing inspiration, hope, joy, healing, soothing, comfort, motivation, courage, balm, and so much more.<br />
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but here's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meesha_Shafi" target="_blank">meesha shafi</a> from pakistan. so much beauty and talent in one place...should be illegal, maybe. her voice gives me goose bumps. wish she had an album (sorry for the blaring coke advertisement). enjoy!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RZ4k4035JdA" width="560"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-35377722318431670432013-01-27T14:29:00.002-05:002013-01-29T09:30:39.581-05:00Freedom Safety Now Action for Jyotihere is a video from the <a href="http://www.sawcc.org/" target="_blank">sawcc</a> action outside the indian consulate on jan. 26th of this year. the issue was the indian government's failure to adequately protect its women citizens from violence and rape. on dec. 16th, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Delhi_gang_rape_case" target="_blank">jyoti singh pandey</a> was raped by five men on a moving bus in delhi. two weeks later, she died in hospital. citizens of delhi have, for years, been calling for stricter punishments for rape and better laws to protect women, with little to no response from the indian government.<br />
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the sawcc action this weekend was a movement piece choreographed by <a href="http://www.parijatdesai.org/" target="_blank">parijat desai</a> to depict the resistance of women against acts of terror committed against us, on a global level, where our bodies are the sites upon which these acts are committed. i was honoured to be in the line of women performers (that's me in the white knit hat and red gloves, behind parijat). it was incredibly empowering and inspiring. there was drumming, dancing, chanting, and voices raised in unison... freedom. safety. <i>now</i>.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-71791384842530856372012-12-12T09:09:00.000-05:002012-12-12T09:09:07.038-05:0012/12/12<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">happy last day of repeating calendar double digits!!</span><br />
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off to canada at the end of this week. will try to post my best wishes before the year is over, but i will be in rural parts, so you never know... in any case, WHAT A YEAR. glad it's almost over. here's to onward and upward and shooting shooting shooting for the heavens!<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-28803700267717362192012-11-27T19:54:00.000-05:002012-11-27T19:54:58.269-05:00the digital shift...this weekend!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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hi, all!</div>
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just an fyi that i will be on a panel this saturday, december 1st, at 12:00 noon, at the asian/pacific/american institute at nyu (8 washington mews at university place). the event is<a href="http://www.sawcc.org/creative-commons-literary-festival/" target="_blank"> sawcc's annual lit fest</a>, and this year, the theme is "creative commons: a transmedia literary festival." SUCH an exciting topic, no? i will be chatting with <a href="http://www.bibliocrunch.com/" target="_blank">miral sattar</a> and moderator <a href="http://www.literarysafari.com/" target="_blank">sandhya nankani</a>. come by and join the discussion!</div>
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here is a description of our panel:</div>
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12–1:15 pm | The Digital Shift: Technology and Storytelling</span></h2>
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New media and technology have transformed notions of publishing and authorship. <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.neeshameminger.com/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #f81615; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Neesha Meminger</a></strong> (author, <em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.neeshameminger.com/INTO_THE_WISE_DARK.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #f81615; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Into the Wise Dark</a></em>), <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://paleynext.com/BiblioCrunch" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #f81615; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Miral Sattar</a></strong>(founder, <a href="http://bibliocrunch.com/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #f81615; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bibliocrunch</a>), and <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.literarysafari.com/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #f81615; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sandhya Nankani</a></strong> (<a href="http://www.literarysafari.com/2012/03/call-of-curation/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #f81615; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">writer and editor</a>) will explore how we use new technologies for storytelling and distribution, touching upon online and e-publishing platforms, successful self-publishing, creative commons and open source issues, and interactive content curation.<br />
(Free)</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-3325981285216599412012-11-18T22:46:00.000-05:002012-11-18T22:51:46.680-05:00better late...?i've been silent, not because i'm slacking off or losing interest in my blog, but because i've been experiencing the kinds of changes that have the ground shifting beneath your feet. the kinds of changes that come out of nowhere and turn your life upside down and send you hurtling in an entirely unexpected direction. these kinds of changes are horrible, painful, downright torturous at times... but they are also where extreme magic happens. in one of the darkest hours of my adult life (and by "dark" i mean unknown -- the kind of night that leaves you groping your way forward, hoping desperately that each time you set your foot down, it is in the right direction... and that nothing more detonates in your face), i am discovering some of the most beautiful, awe-inspiring truths. i am closer to my god and to the Life Force than i have ever been. the relationships in my life sparkle with genuine, fierce, unrelenting Love. who i am has never been clearer to me.<br />
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my next book is happening right now. what i am living through is literary gold and i cannot wait to share with my readers what i have learned -- through the most healing and most loving gift i can offer... my stories. so please stay tuned, dear ones. i have a LOT more to say. it is coming soon.<br />
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much love and peace to you all as we near the day of giving thanks here in the u.s.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-13757646631300612892012-07-18T11:14:00.001-04:002012-07-19T09:14:14.861-04:00Conversation On Race and Feminism<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRlSB6IAAnm1NE3CPq_IAXEinqT8J_drsJgNa_Ujw_Y-eun4QhWHQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRlSB6IAAnm1NE3CPq_IAXEinqT8J_drsJgNa_Ujw_Y-eun4QhWHQ" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.ibizoboi.com/" target="_blank">Ibi Zoboi</a> and i have <a href="http://tigerbeatdown.com/2012/07/17/on-the-intersection-of-race-feminism-a-conversation-with-neesha-meminger-and-ibi-zoboi/#comments" target="_blank">a conversation</a> about race, gender, sexuality, spirituality, class and everything else under the sun on <a href="http://tigerbeatdown.com/" target="_blank">tiger beatdown</a>. go check it out when you can. here are a couple of excerpts:<br />
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"I agree—I’m definitely a root-for-the-underdog gal. It’s what I
identify with. My experience was slightly different in that the battle
for self-realization began at home. The disappointment of women who gave
birth to girl after girl was a constant presence when I was growing up.
The mothers around me, of cousins and friends, were desperate to have
boy children, especially if they already had one or more girls. I was
told I was a “luck” child because a boy was born after me. My mother got
off okay because she was the mother of sons, but I remember, vividly,
the torment of women who could not bear boy children. I remember the
tears these women cried on my mother’s shoulder, their self-hatred, the
sometimes extreme conditions they faced with their in-laws. It’s
something that has seeped so deeply into my bones – the crying of these
mothers, or soon-to-be mothers, and their heart-wrenching desperation.
My mother going to console women after they’d had their second, third,
fourth, or whatever number daughter, is something that lodged itself
pretty deep into my psyche. It had a profound impact on my worldview.
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The impact of the battle over control of my own body was no less
profound. I was not allowed to cut my hair because it was against our
religion. However, it seemed our religion only applied to me and my
mother as my brothers and father and uncles all had shorn hair. What I
wore, who I spoke to, where I spent my time—all were strictly monitored
and controlled. I could not wear jeans that were too tight, shorts of
any length, skirts or dresses, yet my brother wore what he pleased
without so much as a passing glance. He was also enrolled in martial
arts classes because he needed to learn to defend himself. No such
classes were necessary for me because I would be protected by someone
else. I was a smart girl, but that mattered less than my looks and the
fact that I was not light-skinned, which would make me a harder sell on
the marriage market."</blockquote>
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"This question brings me to <a href="http://wiscon.info/">WisCon</a>,
the annual feminist science-fiction and fantasy convention in Wisconsin.
This year was my third year there and I truly love the hard-won space. I
feel completely at home in feminist spaces and this is no different.
Except that it is. It’s very different from the feminism that I came out
in. While there have been great strides in the presence of people of
color at the conference (through the tireless efforts of a handful of
attendees who initially spoke up and organized and kept pushing for
change), the percentage is still small, overall, and there is still
great work to be done. At the same time, discussions about power
imbalances and justice and equal rights can take place in feminist
spaces. Feminism is about representation and the battle for control over
bodies and psychologies, so it’s not such a huge stretch then (one
would think) to inject the same awareness into issues of race and class
and sexuality and other intersections where power and privilege play
huge roles in the rights of marginalized peoples. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In a landscape where the mere mention of race puts people on edge,
spaces where conversations about power and privilege can take place at
all is where the hope is."</blockquote>
read the <a href="http://tigerbeatdown.com/2012/07/17/on-the-intersection-of-race-feminism-a-conversation-with-neesha-meminger-and-ibi-zoboi/#comments" target="_blank">rest of the interview</a> and leave your thoughts in the comments!<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-71427985007587758952012-07-17T10:35:00.000-04:002012-07-17T10:35:17.293-04:00ITWD Review In Canadian Children's Book News<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ-Kc7qluJj0edqqyacFFpMgi5iTE75Z9Q3AX3RXUxyUvfDdXDF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ-Kc7qluJj0edqqyacFFpMgi5iTE75Z9Q3AX3RXUxyUvfDdXDF" /></a></div>
i've been quiet because of major life challenges lately, but briefly coming out of hiding to share this delightful quote from an upcoming review of INTO THE WISE DARK in <a href="http://www.bookcentre.ca/publications/canadian_childrens_book_news" target="_blank">Canadian Children's Book News</a>...<br /><br />"Neesha Meminger’s third novel, Into the Wise Dark, is rich in languid tones and emotional fragility, particularly when she’s describing Pammi’s connection to Zanum and her boyfriend Dhan. Indeed, it is one of the best sex scenes I’ve read in a long time, describing the passion, fear, and all-encompassing joy of first love, without the clichés... <br /><br />[T]he novel’s lyrical rhythms give the reader a sense of history, ancient Goddess spirituality and the emotional turmoil of Pammi’s experience.<br /><br />Inspired by South Asian mysticism and history...this rich tapestry of experience [shows] the multicultural reality of our modern world."<br />
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it's moments like these that help me keep moving.<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-56630152626708319532012-05-30T12:20:00.000-04:002012-05-31T17:53:26.222-04:00back from wiscon 36<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZKOWTg4ASvQyeA0UeqHvebsbUHa-xaQUbIwoHZ5nn3kvWy1HEDmX74OWWB_5rkDJ0_FvuZYCXoaRa0_9ayMJ3xF5ZyCLU4qG7niw6ChoZT29OZP8tM-vDcnHkEPW1SYkZTji7Q49/s1600/IMG_0742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZKOWTg4ASvQyeA0UeqHvebsbUHa-xaQUbIwoHZ5nn3kvWy1HEDmX74OWWB_5rkDJ0_FvuZYCXoaRa0_9ayMJ3xF5ZyCLU4qG7niw6ChoZT29OZP8tM-vDcnHkEPW1SYkZTji7Q49/s320/IMG_0742.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">l-r: n.k. jemisin, daniel jose older, neesha meminger, ibi zoboi,</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">saladin ahmed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
slowly settling back into life. it's a kind of culture shock to come back to "regular" life after spending several days sequestered among like-minded, brilliant souls, discussing and debating issues of race, gender, class, sexuality, politics, current world events and, of course, writing and reading. but it's also necessary rejuvenation. i feel a renewed energy and motivation to imbue what i've learned into daily life and push forward. got a healthy dose of This Is Why Speaking Up Matters.<br />
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this year, i wanted to infuse wiscon with poc energy. not by-accident, default kind of poc energy, but consciously created spaces that were meant to celebrate the work and lives of poc. so i took it upon myself to coordinate a reading, and a launch party featuring authors of color who were releasing new work this year.<br />
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the reading went beautifully. since <a href="http://www.ibizoboi.com/" target="_blank">ibi zoboi</a> had curated one last year, i asked her to come on board and help curate as well as read. it was a no-brainer to also solicit the brilliant designing skills of her husband, joseph zoboi, who created the gorgeous poster i put up in my last post.<br />
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there was such a lovely, supportive energy in the room during the reading, and i had to take a moment to note that here we were, five poc authors telling <i>our own </i>stories, whether we were traditionally published by a large, mainstream press, or a small press, or independently. <i>we were telling our own stories.</i> in a consciously created space, with a receptive and welcoming audience. what a revolutionary concept.<br />
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i had been worried we wouldn't have a good turnout because we didn't get to spread the word as much as i would have liked. but i needn't have. the room was full, even at 10 a.m. on a saturday morning.<br />
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the dance party was a resounding success, as well. again, i was worried about everything - would we have enough samosas? was there enough wine? non-alcoholic beverages? would people have a good time?<br />
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again, i needn't have worried. turns out that sometimes all you have to do is be the one to say, "let's do it," and others are quick to help take turns at the reins. <a href="http://tempest.fluidartist.com/" target="_blank">k. tempest bradford</a> took over the dj station and rocked the tunes all night (after some technical difficulties that kept me just shy of hitting PANIC mode), <a href="http://nkjemisin.com/" target="_blank">nora jemisin</a> floated around in her corset dress and then took over clean up detail at the end of the night. <a href="http://www.mamohanraj.com/index.php" target="_blank">mary anne mohanraj</a>, <a href="http://kiiniibura.com/" target="_blank">kiini ibura salaam</a>, and <a href="http://www.saladinahmed.com/" target="_blank">saladin ahmed</a> picked up the samosas. <a href="http://www.alayadawnjohnson.com/" target="_blank">alaya dawn johnson</a>, nora, and ibi picked up the beverages and paper goods. <a href="http://www.malindalo.com/" target="_blank">malinda lo</a> coordinated a raffle to give away copies of our books. *everyone* pitched in. there was a lot of love and support and joy and gratitude for community.<br />
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the party went on 'til the wee hours of the morning and even those who had early morning panels (like me) stayed as long as we could. it was beautiful. we need so, so much more of this.<br />
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i have a lot of thoughts on the panels i was on, as well as the ones i went to listen to - but i'll do a separate post for that. interesting concepts were brought up and invigorating debates were had. i especially have some thoughts on a couple of the ya panels and the cultural "inappropriation" panel, but more on that in another post.<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-82161075460833254762012-05-18T09:39:00.000-04:002012-05-18T09:39:38.379-04:00riots of bloom<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6A_Qaf4gW0eCR7Aj8n2BDg2Kb13tnu0E4oXNYZK0YucLgYgkJdjlKwB2hZ-VjTX61uX6RK3MvcUIPG-w7vuciISrSkRzhITWri9EftTHgyB6KkiZWB4UtarHih1LGxFp9Kv4dx2A/s1600/Riots+of+Bloom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6A_Qaf4gW0eCR7Aj8n2BDg2Kb13tnu0E4oXNYZK0YucLgYgkJdjlKwB2hZ-VjTX61uX6RK3MvcUIPG-w7vuciISrSkRzhITWri9EftTHgyB6KkiZWB4UtarHih1LGxFp9Kv4dx2A/s400/Riots+of+Bloom.jpg" width="308" /></a><br />
if you're coming to wiscon, join us for a celebration of authors of color and our work! we will have world beats, samosas, beverages and books to give away!!<br />
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the flyer was designed by joseph zoboi and features mini-images of the famous rioter throwing a bouquet of flowers - by the british graffiti artist, banksy.<br />
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i love this poster so much.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-11176008569791289422012-05-09T10:31:00.002-04:002012-05-09T10:33:07.131-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.behindthebook.org/images/logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.behindthebook.org/images/logo.gif" /></a></div>
this thursday, may 10th, i will join fellow authors <a href="http://www.bilwright.com/" target="_blank">bil wright</a>, <a href="http://patriciamccormick.com/" target="_blank">patricia mccormick</a>, and <a href="http://paulgriffinstories.net/" target="_blank">paul griffin</a> for a <a href="http://www.behindthebook.org/readings.html" target="_blank">behind the book</a> reading at the <a href="http://kgbbar.com/" target="_blank">kgb bar</a> in manhattan. come see us and say hello!<br />
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then, on tuesday, june 19th, i will read from Into The Wise Dark at <a href="http://novabrooklyn.com/nova-bar.html" target="_blank">nova bar</a> in brooklyn. more on that soon.<br />
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oh, also? WISCON. that is in two weeks. !!!! <br />
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in the meantime, it seems we are getting all our rain quota for the year in this merry month of may. i feel like any minute now i will find mold growing on my limbs or between my fingers and toes.<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-57645852371191078982012-05-02T11:07:00.001-04:002012-05-02T11:07:43.108-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTKRRaUFAp7D1TPylcO62nzO_z6FU47cK8cVv74sTnjzAnH-rxY" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTKRRaUFAp7D1TPylcO62nzO_z6FU47cK8cVv74sTnjzAnH-rxY" /></a></div>
it's may! we are bringing the month in with a dreary, rainy few days here in nyc, but i hear it's about to get a lot better soon. we have a super moon rising on thursday, so there's that right off the bat.<br />
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lately, i've been reading books that i want to, quite literally, HUG. i love them so much that i put them against my chest and wrap my arms around them that is how grateful i am that they have decided to enter my life now - at exactly the right moment. when i needed them the most. like, for instance, check this out:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>If Holly shops the better boutiques, she's bound to notice that they sell size zero clothing, for the female of really ideal proportions. Yes, Holly will know her diet-and-exercise plan has finally worked when her body ceases to exist.</i></blockquote>
how can you not love that??? that is from <a href="http://www.marthabeck.com/" target="_blank">martha beck</a>'s Finding Your Own North Star, which i highly recommend. i've had it for like a year, but never opened it up until now. when i first got it, something inside me must've known i needed it, but i was scared to make changes in my life. until it was obvious i needed to make changes in my life and i couldn't avoid it any more. and now that i have begun the process, this book is EXACTLY what i need. who knew? actually, i did. the part of me that's a lot smarter than i give it credit for.<br />
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also! i am writing a memoir. why? because i have a lot of shit to say that is relevant to a lot of people. just trust me on that one. more soon!<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-56879963314484141552012-03-19T09:28:00.003-04:002012-03-19T09:28:42.409-04:00When They Come For the LibrariesAmazing video from Toronto-based performer, David Hudson. <i>When They Come for the Libraries</i> is about the fight to keep libraries open in Toronto...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zZ74kvofH1k" width="420"></iframe></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-39129932990248764462012-03-14T10:04:00.001-04:002012-03-14T10:16:57.897-04:00Leaving Legitimacy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSPCEpWdDVwmQrhFDwUWAanwwEM4isgfAIxzmFMUd3R-4A1GBLn" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSPCEpWdDVwmQrhFDwUWAanwwEM4isgfAIxzmFMUd3R-4A1GBLn" /></a></div>
So, yesterday's release day was fun and exciting and exhausting. And now I have a cold, ha! Not a lay-me-out cold, so thank goodness for that.<br />
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This morning, I was driving home from dropping the kids off at school and heard that song by Lee Ann Womack - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV-Z1YwaOiw" target="_blank"><i>I Hope You Dance</i>.</a> You know that one? It brings me to tears every single time I hear it. And I got to thinking. About my books and the trajectory of my career, and how things haven't worked out exactly as I'd thought they would.<br />
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Listening to that song and ruminating about my books made me realize that I once thought I wanted Legitimacy. I thought I wanted a spot in society that was approved of, acknowledged as solid and respectable, because I thought that's what would bring me happiness and satisfaction. And, you know, from the outside looking in, it does seem that way. It seems that those who get the stamp of Legitimacy have everything - happiness, money, fulfilling lives, excitement.<br />
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And then I got in. I was in that circle of Legitimacy. At first it was exhilarating. I was where everyone wanted to be. People envied where I was, wished they had gotten the contract/deal/call in my place. I felt like I should be thrilled, ecstatic... or at least content and satisfied. But I wasn't. I looked around and realized that Legitimacy was not all it was made out to be. There were so many cracks and tears in the veneer, and what was behind that facade was often disillusioning.<br />
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So I stepped out. I won't say it was an easy decision - it's always hard to be a walking stigma, even though that's exactly what I've been most of my life. To walk away from what everyone wants, and what everyone thinks YOU should want is very painful. But when I listened to the faint little voice inside, the one that told me what was True, I knew this was not what I wanted. That this world (and I'm not just talking about publishing here. I'm also talking about all the rules and regulations of patriarchy, racism, homophobia, classism, ableism and everything else that makes being human, and beautifully flawed, unacceptable) did not make room for people like me, and that I couldn't live by the rules set out for me.<br />
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I had to define my own happiness. I had to find success on my own terms, and it had to look like what success meant to <i>me</i>. Not what someone else told me it should look like.<br />
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I'm proud to say that that is exactly what I've done. With all the bumps and bruises and scars that come with taking one's own path. I plan to keep walking that path, working hard to keep my focus on what's important, and I hope to share lots more stories with folks who enjoy reading them.<br />
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Thank you, all my dear readers, for your support, warmth, and encouragement! It's not just a reading loop we have, where I write, you read and offer feedback, and I write again. It's a growth loop--an evolution loop. We share ideas, we broaden our scope of what is possible, we co-create our environment... together. I feel blessed to be able to wake up every morning (most mornings?) and do this :).<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-20177945298434419462012-03-12T06:30:00.000-04:002012-03-13T07:40:14.707-04:00INTO THE WISE DARK Release Day!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunKelDFDMaqD3Myj1cOdoZR_XuexraCvqH99IRKtxSQWTWoFPIuXp9D4yByM49eFDfzFVwiV-J16gLfLCHl6NGKz4DhkRwwpuIomYh-bmAn3lWO9Hks7_VtahQt0M4HL_0ayFDQiO/s1600/IntoTheDarkWise_NMeminger_PrintMaster_FrontPlate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunKelDFDMaqD3Myj1cOdoZR_XuexraCvqH99IRKtxSQWTWoFPIuXp9D4yByM49eFDfzFVwiV-J16gLfLCHl6NGKz4DhkRwwpuIomYh-bmAn3lWO9Hks7_VtahQt0M4HL_0ayFDQiO/s320/IntoTheDarkWise_NMeminger_PrintMaster_FrontPlate.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
SOOOO excited!!!! I feel like I've been waiting for this day for EVER!<br />
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Today is the official release day for <i>Into The Wise Dark</i>, heretofore known as ITWD (I like how close that acronym is to IWD - the acronym for International Women's Day :D).<br />
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Right now ITWD is available for pre-order <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Into-Wise-Dark-Neesha-Meminger/dp/0983158320/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1331435510&sr=8-6" target="_blank"> at Amazon</a> and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/into-the-wise-dark-neesha-meminger/1033663913?ean=9780983158325&itm=4&usri=neesha+meminger" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>. Go ahead and order your copy - it should ship within the next few days. I'm still watching Amazon.ca and Chapters/Indigo's in Canada and Indiebound and Powell's Bookstore for their listings. Those should be up and live within the next week or so.<br />
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If you see ITWD at your local indie, do let me know -- and if you don't, please ask your local indie bookstore to order a copy, or several!! :)<br />
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The e-book releases in the next couple of weeks, as well (April 3rd), so those of you who want the digital experience will be able to download a copy soooooon!!!<br />
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<b>BREAKING NEWS: * * * As of 7:30 am today, March 13, 2012, <i>INTO THE WISE DARK</i> is <u>IN STOCK</u> at both of the above links!!!!!! * * * </b>:D<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-8037649252692912362012-03-08T11:30:00.000-05:002012-03-08T11:30:03.432-05:00Happy IWD!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTA7nGlx4spnuJ-uI1nMTz5q1yhFI7C2x50bofJmMPDzmoQcYRU9g" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTA7nGlx4spnuJ-uI1nMTz5q1yhFI7C2x50bofJmMPDzmoQcYRU9g" /></a></div>
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Happy International Women's Day, everyone!!<br />
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This year, IWD seems even more relevant with all the attacks on women's reproductive rights - here in the US, and abroad. Here's to women working together, in fierce unity and celebration of all our differences, toward equality and economic justice. It's the only way forward.<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-45510269194471572992012-02-14T12:36:00.003-05:002012-02-14T12:36:43.335-05:00Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Valentine's Day, all. This has never been high on the list of days I celebrate, but I do try to celebrate Love every chance I get. Below are two short audio clips from Storycorps to honor what today is about...<br />
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David Wilson talks about being black in an all-white neighborhood and coming home to find his former lover dying. David was not allowed to see his partner in the hospital, the police wanted to arrest David (because they thought he was breaking in and had assaulted his partner), and the love of his life was Dead on Arrival at the hospital. In this clip, David talks about what the legalization of same-sex marriage meant to him, and how his 80-something-year-old father saw it as a victory not just for his son, but for justice everywhere...<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="289" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://storycorps.org/listen/share/?id=3588" style="border: 1px solid #888888;" width="500"></iframe>
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And <a href="http://storycorps.org/lillie-love/" target="_blank">here's one from Lillie Love</a>, who says, "Love really is all there is--as trite as that sounds... When you take your last breath, you remember the people you love, how much love you inspired and how much love you gave."<br />
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Go celebrate the love in your lives!<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-58816307101487977332012-02-03T10:47:00.003-05:002012-02-03T10:47:43.212-05:00Either Way It's Political<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.poets.org/images/authors/340_wszymborska.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.poets.org/images/authors/340_wszymborska.gif" /></a></div>
Polish poet and nobel prize winner, Wislawa Szymborska, died yesterday at 88. I am putting up one of her poems here to commemorate her unflinchingly honest work. It reminds me a bit of my <a href="http://www.hungermtn.org/the-politics-of-story/" target="_blank">Politics of Story post for Hunger Mountain</a>.<br />
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I don't know much about Ms. Szymborska, but some of the work I've read by her is a stellar example of how writing heartily objects. May she RIP...<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top" width="80%"><span class="TITLE">Children of Our Era</span>
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by <a href="http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/340">Wislawa Szymborska</a> <br />translated by Joanna Trzeciak </td>
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<pre>We are children of our era;
our era is political.
All affairs, day and night,
yours, ours, theirs,
are political affairs.
Like it or not,
your genes have a political past,
your skin a political cast,
your eyes a political aspect.
What you say has a resonance;
what you are silent about is telling.
Either way, it's political.
Even when you head for the hills
you're taking political steps
on political ground.
Even apolitical poems are political,
and above us shines the moon,
by now no longer lunar.
To be or not to be, that is the question.
Question? What question? Dear, here's a suggestion:
a political question.
You don't even have to be a human being
to gain political significance.
Crude oil will do,
or concentrated feed, or any raw material.
Or even a conference table whose shape
was disputed for months:
should we negotiate life and death
at a round table or a square one?
Meanwhile people were dying,
animals perishing,
houses burning,
and fields growing wild,
just as in times most remote
and less political. </pre>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-33346061971400858902012-01-24T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-24T09:00:06.780-05:00Art & Activism Interview: Sarah Diemer<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am delighted to begin this new series of interviews and guest posts on art and activism. For those of you who don't know, I am doing a series of interviews and guest posts on the subject of art and activism--two topics very near and dear to my heart.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4bxwhfZXSAuVXsHmipzQEog6z4YR-8nfgeLIxxK3T67rGMwTRx1ZwprKp3wFk9qZr4tgr5a9utip9LrAXcG_PCxNQ_UXyXLoCeu1-_prDaRPsxMGnnRJ4QBcYSUMG3WM0H0akzIo/s1600/sarahdiemer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4bxwhfZXSAuVXsHmipzQEog6z4YR-8nfgeLIxxK3T67rGMwTRx1ZwprKp3wFk9qZr4tgr5a9utip9LrAXcG_PCxNQ_UXyXLoCeu1-_prDaRPsxMGnnRJ4QBcYSUMG3WM0H0akzIo/s1600/sarahdiemer.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This first interview is with <a href="http://www.oceanid.org/" target="_blank">Sarah Diemer</a>, who (whom?) I "met" online through a series of serendipitous connections. Actually, it was me clicking on links that led to links that led to her beautiful writing, then me clicking on "buy" and getting her book, The Dark Wife.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But before I go on and on (and on) as I am wont to do, here is Sarah in her own words!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: I was struck with how beautiful the language is in The Dark Wife. You have some gorgeous use of imagery and emotional layering. Can you give us a sense of what have you done to hone your craft? What would you say has been the most helpful method of improving your writing?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: Thank you so much, that is so kind of you to say. :) I was home-schooled my entire life, and wrote about five hours a day, every day, growing up. I read voraciously and was just so completely obsessed with the craft of writing from a very young age--I wasn't normal in that regard! *laughing* I was also co-leader of the writer's group in our city for...I think five years, six years? Working so closely with my peers and on so many different projects during that time really pushed me to be able to put out the best work I'm capable of, and to always reach for that level. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: Wow, that's a lot of writing! :) When did you first realize you wanted to write stories and have them published? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: I was six. I'd written a story about a unicorn--and illustrated it! I sat down with my little sister, who--at that time--was two, and I told her very, very seriously: I am going to be an author. *laughing* I still remember that ridiculous moment, this little girl I was, being so serious. I had that same moment again, a little more seriously, when I was twelve. I'd just written this TERRIBLE BOOK, a fictional account of WWII involving magic, and I told my mother, very seriously, "this is the first. I'm going to be a published author someday," and she knew I meant it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: The Dark Wife is a retelling of the Demeter/Persephone myth. Can you tell us what led you to rewrite the story, and why you picked *this* story, in particular?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: As a Pagan woman, Persephone is my matron Goddess. I've been obsessed with her story since I was very small, but it upset me. She's kidnapped and raped and held against her will--hardly empowering stuff. As a lesbian woman, I began to reclaim the myth to something feminist, something that I could relate to. I truly believed that this story was open to new interpretation, that the story could and should be retold and reclaimed, so I set out to do it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: I love that! I believe one key role of good fiction is the reshaping of imagination and retelling/reclaiming myths is so much a part of that. What are your thoughts about the future of publishing? Personally, I am very excited about the possibilities! :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: I am, too! :) Now, more than ever before, as authors and writers, we have so many choices and so many opportunities before us. I believe that traditional publishing will never die, but I believe that the landscape of publishing before us is a new one of independent, self-publishing and traditional publishing working together. Times are changing, and it's exciting how much possibility is now presenting itself to us! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: I couldn't agree more. Do you have any tips or suggestions for writers who might want to go the indie publishing route, but don't know how, or are nervous to take the plunge? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: I always have a little difficulty answering this question, because I believe, whole-heartedly, in self-publishing, but I also don't want to sit here and yell through a megaphone that it's all tinsel and diamonds and step right up to your six figure publishing year of self-publishing bliss and unicorns. ;D Self-publishing is HARD work, and it requires a work-ethic that the puritans would have commended (oh, those puritans!), and a LOT of energy and tenacity. If you're the type of person who loves crunching numbers and designing book covers and talking about your book tirelessly and you have a very outgoing personality, you will do well with self publishing. If you're daunted by the idea of doing anything but writing/editing a book, self-publishing is not for you. So consider these things--if you believe in your story completely, think you have what it takes (and you MUST believe you can do it, what you believe is a self fulfilling prophecy in any creative endeavor!), then you do. Do it. :) Self-publishing has been the most rewarding thing I've ever done (and I lied--in my self-publishing, there ARE unicorns, but they're part of the stories. ;D). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: GREAT advice. Those are sage words of wisdom, dear readers. Sarah, do you think The Dark Wife could be used in a classroom setting? In what ways might the story be of use to educators? </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHfd5fLkmIP3jH8lsliczdKni_eTUdoe-hzJW39MxZClqizsICRVoSCiA8qRztb23N3TQgAbvG9cddmOtYUubAS-kHMx26hKfvneNGw_1cT2LelMXpJIQoCkdIymsRD1dhmPjSjX3/s1600/thedarkwife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHfd5fLkmIP3jH8lsliczdKni_eTUdoe-hzJW39MxZClqizsICRVoSCiA8qRztb23N3TQgAbvG9cddmOtYUubAS-kHMx26hKfvneNGw_1cT2LelMXpJIQoCkdIymsRD1dhmPjSjX3/s1600/thedarkwife.jpg" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: Absolutely! It's a feminist retelling of a very not-so-feminist myth, so educators could use it in feminist or mythological studies, the changing roles of women in history, or even in a creative sense, reclaiming myths and changing them to create something you can relate to. In a minority setting, it could be read and discussed, as to why it's important that queer stories are told, and why it's important that straight people read them (empathy toward minorities, etc.). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: You deal with some pretty heavy issues in The Dark Wife, and you might be aware that the topic of sex and violence in books for young adults is a hot button topic with passionate opinions on both sides. What are your thoughts on this?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: We were all young adults once, and we all know what we were thinking about/feeling. As as a lesbian teenager, I was one big roiling ball of hormones and angst and walking-drama-and-tragedy-my-straight-best-friend-will-never-know-I-love-her. Teenagers, gay and straight, use expletives, have sex, explore themselves with adventure and prose and story-telling and all of these wonderful things, and the stories that we put out that reflect them need to reflect the rich variedness of their experiences. Sex, swearing, etc. is part of the young adult experience, and they see violence in their everyday lives. If a story is stripped of the inherent truthiness of life, teenagers are going to notice, and it won't touch them. I want my stories to touch them, to reach them on the level that they're at, not try to sugar-coat their story.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: Speaking of speaking to teenagers, what has been the response to TDW from young readers?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: It's been...wow. Outstanding. Staggering. Humbling. I have been told that this little story made a girl have hope about life again. I've been told that this one young girl now had the courage to come out--something she never thought she could do--because of THE DARK WIFE. One girl read it and said she finally believed she could find a girlfriend, could now find the courage to do it. It's given hope and courage and the belief in something better to young girls, and that of all of the responses and ways that it's changed MY life, is the most rewarding, the most amazing. That my book touched people on such a deep, changing level is the most wonderful thing I could ever know. I'm so grateful that these girls told me how much it meant to them, so grateful that they were so touched, and so deeply humbled that it helped them in any way.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: Where can readers purchase your books?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: You can get them on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Wife-Sarah-Diemer/dp/1461179939/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327370889&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-wife-sarah-diemer/1101056454?ean=9781461179931&itm=1&usri=sarah+diemer" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> and <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/59254" target="_blank">Smashwords</a> in both print and eReader versions. You can find all of the links on my site, </span><a href="http://www.oceanid.org/" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.oceanid.org</a> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NM: If you had one message you could go back in time to give to your 17-year-old self, what would it be?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SD: You're gay, and you're a writer, and you're trying to do this crazy thing: write gay girl stories that everyone will love. People are telling you that's impossible, people are telling you that because you're gay, you're less than. None of this is true. Some day, you'll find out that your stories about gay girls will change lives, and you need to keep writing them, and you need to keep believing in yourself. You're gay and you're awesome and you need to remember that when everyone else tells you differently. (And that goes for every seventeen year old [or any age] gay boy or girl reading this. <3)</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-84136734961355788332012-01-18T09:40:00.000-05:002012-01-18T09:54:33.921-05:00BlackoutI can't seem to black out this blog, so I will put a post up with links to information about the SOPA bill. Read these articles. If SOPA goes through, it will affect ALL of us. Clearly, some of the moneyed folk are getting antsy about the democratization of art and creativity. And they are scrambling to keep profits completely and strictly under their control. Do what you can to make sure the internet stays open and available, and UNCENSORED. Stop SOPA and IPA and any other act they concoct to take away freedom on the internet.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/01/what_the_hell_is_sopa_and_how_it_would_affect_you.html" target="_blank">Colorlines</a><br />
<br />
Google.com<br />
<br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/31100268" target="_blank">Watch this great video when it comes back online</a><br />
<br />
It's here, too, though - on <a href="http://kelleyeskridge.com/stop-sopa-and-pipa/" target="_blank">Kelley Eskridge's blog</a><br />
<br />
http://sopastrike.com/<br />
<br />
http://americancensorship.org/<div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-7029431857678760882012-01-09T20:54:00.001-05:002012-01-09T21:28:29.255-05:00FeminismsI just watched the Bhutto documentary on Netflix. Holy wow, was it
fascinating. Benazir Bhutto was elected Prime Minister of one of the
largest Islamic republics in the world (Pakistan), during some of the
highest political tension in the middle east, after her father had been
executed by the military regime that ousted him. And still she moved
forward into the role she felt compelled to take - for the country and
people she loved, in the name of a set of values and beliefs she held
dear - even after her own imprisonment and her husband's, and the murder
of both her brothers. She showed courage and grace, poise and a
steadfast commitment to the people of her nation right to the end.<br />
<br />
If
you get a chance to watch, I highly recommend it. The archival footage
is amazing and there are interviews with Condoleezza Rice, Pervez
Musharraf, NY Times columnists and journalists. It makes me want to know more
- and I'm embarrassed to admit I knew almost nothing before.<br />
<br />
There was one comment a little over half way through
the film by a young woman - "[Bhutto] was not a feminist." I'll admit I
had to restrain myself from hurling something at the screen in that
moment. Imagine being the first woman elected to office and trying to
run a country, when the military officers don't want to salute a woman? She was elected twice in landslide victories by the people of the nation, and twice she was removed from her post by the military.
And still she came back, despite threats, imprisonment, and the
execution and public maligning of her family members. I'm sorry - I
don't care how you define feminist. This lady was badass.<br />
<br />
I won't say any more at this point, but here's the trailer for the documentary. Let me know if you watch it!:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-6055581254715450912012-01-03T22:53:00.000-05:002012-01-04T00:01:09.273-05:00New Look for A New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bluemexico.com/Resources/graphics/calender.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bluemexico.com/Resources/graphics/calender.jpg" /></a></div>
Happy new year, readers!! It is Armageddon Year, if the whispers I
hear all about are true. If so, how exciting! If not . . . still
exciting! So far, I've lived through several historical moments - 9/11,
the election of President Obama (who I am currently mad at, but that's for another conversation), and now the end of the
Mayan calendar. And, perhaps, the end of the very world as we know it.<br />
<br />
But, honestly? The world as we know it really does need to end. So
many things are so very, very wrong. And sometimes I wonder if the only
way to address them is to wipe the slate clean and start all over. I
don't mean Hollywood-disaster type annihilation. I mean a massive spiritual
cleanse. Maybe we need to go on a global liver cleanse. You know - just
get all that toxicity and guck out of our system and then start living
right.<br />
<br />
I am a believer in working within a structure and
helping shape it into something new. Like your body - you have to work
with what you've got. You can't just walk away and get a new one. I've done a lot of
cut-and-running in my life and, to tell you the godz-honest truth, I
always found myself exactly where I left off. I learned somewhere along the
line that, eventually, you have to stop, roll up your sleeves, get
elbow-deep in crap, and clean house. There's no avoiding it. You always
end up right back where you started. With new insights, maybe, and new
hair . . . some grays, a few more lines around the eyes . . . but always
back. Because that's your journey. It's your task while you're here -
you hammer away at your specific work, diligently, trying to make things
right and make things fit the way they're supposed to. Sometimes you
get tired and wander away for a bit - take a break. But then you come
back and the work is exactly the way you left it, waiting. And you have to pick
up that hammer again and start shaping your imperfect self into the
perfect building block you know you can be.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.rebelart.net/diary/wp-database/uploads/2011/12/kyle_02.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.rebelart.net/diary/wp-database/uploads/2011/12/kyle_02.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.rebelart.net/diary/wp-database/uploads/2011/12/kyle_02.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
But I digress! This post is about newness and new things!!
Like this blog! How do you like the new look? The new title is a nod to <a href="http://www.jeanettewinterson.com/" target="_blank">Jeanette Winterson's</a> book, <a href="http://www.jeanettewinterson.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=16" target="_blank">Art Objects</a>, a collection of essays that I <i>loved</i> -
and taught every chance I got, and will teach again. I wanted something that spoke more to
the person I have become in the years since I began blogging, began this
writing/publishing journey. I wanted to incorporate some of the new
things I've learned and the insights I've picked up along the way. I
thought a lot about Winterson's book, and how it helped shape my
thoughts around art and dissent and effecting change in the world, and I
decided on Writing Objects.<br />
<br />
Because it should. Writing, and all art,
should object. It should rebel and revolt and buck and grow teeth and
claws. It should gnash and growl and tear the jugular out of stagnation,
out of complacency and status quo. It should shriek through the night
in the name of love, justice, and the eternal life force.<br />
<br />
I
read a quote recently that I am about to mangle here, but it went
something like this: Art says, "If we all agree, then I am not needed." That rang really true - art should not be about
enforcing the dominant narrative. That is propaganda - public relations by the
powers that be. Art wants to challenge, make us squirm, show us Possibility. It wants to ignite. <i>That</i> is something
new . . . creation. It is the life force, and it is very, very powerful.<br />
<br />
One of my favourite quotes from Winterson's book is, "Better to pretend that art is dumb, or at least has nothing to say that
makes sense to us. If art, all art, is concerned with truth, then a
society in denial will not find much in use for it."<br />
<br />
So
let us move forward in this final year of the calendar of the Mayans,
those wise and eternal souls, and object. Let us continue in our quests
and step sure-footedly, and with purpose, on our paths - and create.
Create, create, create.<br />
<br />
HAPPY 2012!!!<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-64278993985383234282011-12-22T13:33:00.000-05:002011-12-22T13:39:07.214-05:00My Real Life Time-Travel Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQt5HJgntH7ige0K04ss1BHyvr7DDoDrnHh1YiXQzqAtCb_FBG1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQt5HJgntH7ige0K04ss1BHyvr7DDoDrnHh1YiXQzqAtCb_FBG1" /></a></div>
If you get a chance, check out <a href="http://thebooksmugglers.com/2011/12/smugglivus-2011-guest-author-neesha-meminger.html" target="_blank">my guest post for The Book Smugglers' Smugglivus Festival</a>. I reveal my real life time-travel story and share
my favourite films/TV shows/books of 2011, in addition to offering a quick glimpse at
what I'm looking forward to in 2012... <i>aaaaand</i>, you can win an advance reading copy of INTO THE WISE DARK :).<br />
<br />
Happy first day of increasing sunlight hours! And happy holidays to those of you celebrating something this month!!<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-82040902824750347842011-12-07T09:43:00.001-05:002011-12-12T09:55:32.874-05:00It's A Great Time to Speak Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ-lVfS24NZ10DNk6-l1t3jo0tEEyhBAhkg9GK-WlhjoBaeGBOK" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ-lVfS24NZ10DNk6-l1t3jo0tEEyhBAhkg9GK-WlhjoBaeGBOK" /></a></div>
Sometimes,
I look at my timeline on Twitter, and see
authors, myself included, squeeing
about new book covers, pleading with readers to buy/help promote books,
discussing ways to hone one's skills and increase chances of getting
published, etc. Usually, this is in the midst of tweets from other
parts of
the world where people are tweeting about the very real climate crisis,
the very real revolutions going on in different parts of the planet, and
the very real movements for social justice during one of the most
critical times our collective human brain has witnessed to date. In case
you missed it, we're teetering on a cusp right now. The decisions we
make as a collective can really affect whether we survive. Seriously.<br />
<br />
As I've written before, many, many voices and expressions are
routinely muted
while others are lifted in this society of ours. That's what the Occupy
movement is all about. A handful of people
make decisions about
who gets to sit in the spotlight and how many thousands hold audience in
the dark. A limited few perspectives get held up to the light, receive
financial support, or are aggressively marketed and amplified. But you
know what? We're not living in times where we can afford to wait for
someone to give
us the
nod before we express our thoughts and opinions. One voice can and does
make a
difference. We've seen it time and again throughout history.<br />
<br />
Things are changing--fast. There is access to new technology. Anyone can record and broadcast human
rights violations and police brutality <i>as they are happening</i>.
Thousands tweeted the eviction of the Occupy Wall Street protesters,
despite Mayor Bloomberg's "media blackout." In fact, Occupy Wall Street
has morphed
into Occupy Our Homes -- taking back hundreds of thousands of empty,
foreclosed homes in one of the highest periods of homelessness in this
country, <i>ever</i>. Ebooks are widely accepted and read, and are
available globally to anyone who has access to a reader, computer, or
cell phone. Thoughts, ideas, and information are exchanged with
lightning speed over the internet. The balance of power is totally shifting.<br />
<br />
If ever there was a time it was more important for people to
speak up, to not wait for someone else to provide validation, to throw
their contribution into the ring to help shape the future of this little planet under siege,
now is it.<br />
<br />
Some of my friends have said to me, "Come on. It's not that bad.
There are some really great publishers/filmmakers/singers, etc., doing great stuff,
no?"<br />
<br />
Yes, there are. But they're not the most visible or as widely
publicized. And there are not enough of us to compensate
for the tremendous imbalance in access and representation. I tell my
friends, "If you think things are not 'really that bad,' you haven't
been paying attention. Or you've been paying attention to the loudest,
not necessarily the truest. Turn off mainstream media for a week and
seek
out <a href="http://www.democracynow.org/" target="_blank">other sources of news and information</a>, then let's talk." Because guess what? We're not supposed to know how bad things are. If we did, we'd
all be dropping everything to make it right. We'd unplug from the
buying machine, and demand something different -- <i>create</i> something different.<br />
<br />
Things <i>are</i> that bad. But the good news is that there is time for change. The <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/dec/07/derailing-durban-climate-change-conference" target="_blank">U.N. Summit for Climate Change</a> just took place in Durban, South Africa. There are scientists
pleading with nations to take responsibility, to implement policies that
will reverse some of the damage we've done to the planet, to reduce
greenhouse emissions and help steer us toward another path -- a less
destructive path. But the most powerful nations on the planet are, at
best, not listening. At worse, they are flat out denying that climate
change is even real, or even worser, putting the blame/responsibility
squarely on the shoulders of poorer nations.<br />
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYDQ7Yv5nwKc42Hq2yAdP7uYSbPYmoH3BllXsqbK4S_2IrmXcK" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYDQ7Yv5nwKc42Hq2yAdP7uYSbPYmoH3BllXsqbK4S_2IrmXcK" /></a><br />
The
message is: We don't have to change anything. Things are working fine
the way they are. Don't worry your pretty little heads, we got this.<br />
<br />
The problem is that things are <i>not</i> working fine for a huge
majority of the planet. And that huge majority just happens to be mostly
PoC, mostly women and children, and mostly working class.<br />
<br />
So,
yeah. Now is the time to speak up.
Artists/writers/storytellers/musicians have, historically, helped shape
the cultures and societies
they've lived in. They've served as a voice and mirror for the people.
They've entertained, educated, and enlightened.<br />
<br />
Folks
in positions of power are not about to give their power up. But the rest
of us are not completely power-less. If someone won't help you put
your book out, you can put it out yourself. These days, the production
quality of independently published books is right on par with corporate
publishers. Just make your book the very best piece of art
you've ever created. Put your expression as an
artist, a world citizen, as someone with something valuable to
contribute, out there. Release your voice into the world, so that more
and more perspectives are heard. Until there is a strong chorus,
challenging the same tunes we keep hearing over and over again. Art that
supports the status quo is akin to propaganda. Art that challenges and
throws the status quo into a new light is creativity. It's dynamic
love.<br />
<br />
The audience always outnumbers the performers. <i>Participate.</i>
And totally squee about books and promote them and buy them. But let's
help get more voices out in the mix. It'll completely change the
landscape. More people speaking up and putting their perspectives out
there is the only thing that will create the kind of change we need
right now.<br />
<br />
<br />
"<span class="body">I write for those women who do not speak, for those
who do not have a voice because they were so terrified, because we are
taught to respect fear more than ourselves. We've been taught that
silence would save us, but it won't.</span>" -- Audre Lorde<br />
<br />
"<span class="body">Life is very short and what we have to do must be done in the now." -- Audre Lorde</span><br />
<br />
"Say something!<i>" </i>-- Bob Marley<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5436321371965664824.post-52753004648040991632011-12-05T09:48:00.001-05:002011-12-05T11:17:05.968-05:00Still On Representation<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1988356413"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/57121000/jpg/_57121841_genasiaindiarock336.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15999072" target="_blank">From BBC.co.uk</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This past weekend, I saw <a href="http://stickflybroadway.com/" target="_blank">Stick Fly</a>, a play produced by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicia_keys" target="_blank">Alicia Keys</a>,
featuring <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dul%C3%A9_Hill" target="_blank">Dule Hill</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001616/" target="_blank">Mekhi Phifer</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracie_Thoms" target="_blank">Tracie Thoms</a>. I can't say that I
loved it, or that I even thought it was *good*, but I am absolutely glad
I got to see it. Out of the literally <i>hundreds</i> of shows on Broadway, there are about *three* featuring (or written by) PoC.<br />
<br />
As
I mentioned, I wasn't crazy about some of the things in this play (for a
show about family, I would have included mothers on the stage, and I
would not have silenced a woman for speaking truth, but that's just me), but I truly
appreciated this writer's humor, characterization, psychological depth,
and frank dialogue on race dynamics, class, and colorism among the
African-American elite. It's her perspective, her contribution, and I
can respect that.<br />
<br />
As I thought about it later, I wondered again, what it would be like
to see more representations of PoC, in all our myriad expressions, on center
screen, on the main stage, in the spotlight. How differently would we
navigate life? What new possibilities would we conjure up? What new
opportunities would we see that now elude us?<br />
<br />
Even after multiple shining reviews in other cities, Stick Fly took
almost six years to make it to Broadway for lack of funding and support.
I thought about how many wonderful, brilliant stories there are out
there that will never see the light of day because there is no financial
backing for them. This story was not how I would have written a story about family, but it was a good story that deserved to be on stage -- on Broadway -- nonetheless. How many others are out there just like it, waiting for a producer's approval, an editor's nod, a bookstore's/reviewer's stamp?
And how many will never get that nod because the person reading/viewing
the story doesn't relate to it, or simply can't see themselves in it?<br />
<br />
And then, this morning, I read <a href="http://thezoe-trope.blogspot.com/2011/12/beautiful-corpses.html?spref=tw" target="_blank">this post on Zoetrope</a>, about the "dead
girl" look on some YA book covers, and I was reminded, once again, that
the struggle for representation continues on all fronts.<br />
<br />
But I was heartened by <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15999072" target="_blank">this BBC article</a> about Indian youth wanting to
see their own faces on stage. Whereas before, the preference was for
white faces on the stage, young Indians now want to see their own images and values
reflected back to them, in all their unique beauty and complexity. And the
result is a uniquely Indian sound, exploding onto the Indie music
scene.<br />
<br />
History has shown us that independent thinkers/musicians/artists have
paved the way for sweeping social and cultural change. I think we're in
the midst of some of that same sweeping change here, too, with the
balance of power shifting.
It's exciting...like we're on the cusp of something very significant,
very important. It's slow going, yes, but I'm in it for the long haul.<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">To comment, visit my blog at http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com.</div>Neesha Memingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580810115152554244noreply@blogger.com0