Your organization sounds wonderful. Re: "It is amazing the level of
arrogance, intervention, subversion and dismissal
we get from especially the groups of white women", I have to say no
kidding! Upon the creation of a woman-centered organization among several
of us in our department (tho' it has expanded since) to focus upon social
action and support (local and international), we were immediately labled
"divisive" by some faculty and students (an interesting code-word, isn't
it?) for attempting to address issues of race and gender in our department,
in particular, and more broadly. The level to which people seem threatened
by the inclusion of race and gender issues in social movements and
otherwise continues to amaze me, (tho' I am the first to recognize my
naivete!)
Jessica
At 02:48 PM 3/8/99 -0500, you wrote:
>In a message dated 3/8/1999 2:12:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
><< So, where does this tendency to "other" leave us in terms to alliance
and
>coalition-building? >>
>
>I am part of an African Caucus within an international system. This caucus is
>made up of women of african descent from all over the world, peru to eritrea,
>papua new guinea to brasil, Libya to South Africa, Holland to Australia,
>Jamaica to Canada, Sudan to Burkina Faso, Madagascar to Cape Verde. We have
>agreed that if we can not ally with each other, then we can ally with no one.
>
>This sense of unity is really baffling to some , even our welcoming in of men
>of African descent- but yet they find no problem with a sense of unifying
with
>them.
>
>Our focus is Africa, and we speak all as African women - and we maintain
>control of all activities of the caucus. We allow no platforms statements, no
>issues that are not ours. We set our agendas, govern our discussions and
>decide our actions. We maintain autonomy over our own issues.
>
>It is amazing the level of arrogance, intervention, subversion and dismissal
>we get from especially the groups of white women. Last year, angry because
>they could not dictate our platform statements, a small group of white women
>(of NGOs) tried to recruit several African women to have their own African
>caucus which those white women could control. Sadly, the underestimated
us. We
>don't even have such opposition from men of african descent, they give us
>strong support by comparison.
>
>On other issues of course we can form coalitions, we do it all the time -
>though we do not allow control on our issues or even on our voice within such
>coalitions. It is kind of colonial - like France leading francophon
nations on
>issues of Africa, or in international issues over all, using the mass for
>"numbers" to support its own voice.
>
>I am constantly elevated by the experience of being with these women, the
>unity and strength is something I would never EVER get from a NOW-type
>gathering. As one of the youngest women in attendance, I am truly made by
>these women. They form such an all encompassing presence in my life, in my
>field of work and study, that the type of things I see on this list are made
>amazingly weak. I don't discuss the issues, as in my response to susan, to
>convert or convince or even validate or prove, but just to give voice.
>
>And contrary to the belief of some, this group includes African women who
have
>"elite" degrees and years of career experience which they bring to our issues
>- but NEVER have I ever seen any of these women not give all due respect to
>the elder African women and men who speak from their experiences on our
issues
>but don't have the degrees, didn't take the courses that some of us did.
>
>Nicole
>
