Sunday, November 18, 2007

What Women Know

It would be accurate to describe me as an activist.

I recycle and compost and try to be mindful of my impact on the Earth I inhabit. I recently joined a discussion/activist group that connects our religious tradition's theology and scripture with care for the Earth.

I'm active in my local community, protesting the idea that a multimillion dollar border wall will have any meaningful impact on illegal immigration.

I was an activist in college, protesting a daylight attack on a female student and the myopic reaction on campus telling us that women walking alone was the problem.

I took part in my college town's first Take Back The Night march. I wear my commitment to women's issues on my skin as well as in my mind and heart.

I'm gratified and proud to have had a small part in the statement of values posted on this site: What Women Know.

For the past decade, I've been in conversation with the women who contributed their time, energy and life experiences to create this statement. I admire their thoughtfulness, their resilience in adversity, their faith and the wit and wisdom they bring to the discussion.

I've also been blessed to work with, sing with, laugh with, cry with, serve with, visit with, vent with, read with, teach with and rejoice with some utterly amazing women.

If you're female and reading this, you are one of them. I can't begin to thank you enough for being you, for voicing your opinions, for showing me the communion and unity of spirit that can exist in a diverse community. You are blessings in my life--ones that I feel fortunate and grateful to have.

Because I deeply value the women in my life and the myriad ways they enrich, support, love and encourage me, I wanted to reciprocate by sharing this statement of values.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a marvelous statement! Thanks for providing the link.

J.M. Tewkesbury said...

ME: Received your email. Glad to know I made the news on MFN. Must get signed into there again. I'm now off to find a frame suitable for this extraordinary proclamation.

Mary Ellen said...

Me, too. I want to hang it up in our entryway for all to see.

Anonymous said...

This made the Salt Lake Tribune today.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_7512832

Anonymous said...

Hi ME...I love the WWK statement. I think you guys did great.

Thanks for being a friend. :-)

Mary Ellen said...

Thanks, Di. I love the statement we created, too. (I also love FAQ #7. I laugh my hiney off every time I read it).

It's been interesting to see the reactions people have to our work. The ubernegative ones are kinda funny. The responses wherein people thank us and say they don't feel alone, that makes it worth any flak we get.

Anonymous said...

Di, you gonna sign?

Anonymous said...

Not with my real name/location, and a made-up one doesn't seem appropriate somehow. I've signed it in spirit right from the start. I hope the lack of my name on there doesn't make the Women Who Know (ie, my girlz) any less convinced that I am with them 100%.