Kate Wadkins

Riot Grrrl: Traces of a Movement (11/06/2010)

mandy — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Queens, New York

Printed Matter’s annual New York Art Book Fair is one of my favorite events of the year. Featuring many vendors that utilize do-it-yourself modes of production and aesthetics, it is an event that appeals to my artistic practices, and often my political ones as well. A conference accompanies the book fair itself, and among this year’s sessions was the panel "Riot Grrrl: Traces of a Movement."

The panel featured Sara Marcus, author of the latest and seemingly most complete riot grrrl history, Girls To the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution; Lisa Darms, Senior Archivist of the Fales Library and founder of their Riot Grrrl Collection; Molly Neuman, drummer of riot grrrl band Bratmobile, music-biz-aficionado, and founder of Simple Social Kitchen; and Jenna Freedman, Coordinator of Reference Services at Barnard Library and founder of the Barnard Zine Collection. Assistant Curator for MoMA’s Department of Prints and Illustrated Books, Gretchen Wagner, moderated the panel.

Concurrent with the trend of nineties nostalgia, 2010 has been a year of bringing riot grrrl back, so the conference’s nod to the subject seemed appropriate. To my excitement, "Riot Grrrl: Traces of a Movement" addressed the pertinent issue of historicizing and archiving the movement, rather than simply retelling the riot grrrl story or discussing its ephemera.

Neuman provided a fresh perspective, and the audience came to understand riot grrrl as being on a continuum of punk, music, politics, and community that culminated in zines, bands, and political organizing. Reflecting on how the founding participants of riot grrrl decided to write their own zines and play in their own bands, Neuman remarked, “I don’t know why we thought we could do it.” This sentiment is perhaps the most salient and exciting for me, and her words pleasantly reminded me of feminist artist Mary Kelly’s “Seemed Right”: “seemed right… just made sense… like a lightning bolt!”

Darms provided a much-needed history for riot grrrl’s aesthetic, and compared it to that of late queer artist and activist David Wojnarowicz, as well as other relics like fliers from Richard Hell shows and issues of Punk magazine. Darms named the establishment of the Riot Grrrl collection “just one of the ways to preserve and disseminate riot grrrl history and help place it in the continuum of history and not just popular culture.” As a women’s historian and amateur archivist (whose research focus is on punk cultural production and identity), this historical emphasis speaks to me as music and musical sub/cultures seem to finally be getting their due.

Having started the research for Girls To the Front in 2005, Marcus didn't have the “luxury” of accessing riot grrrl collections for the duration of her project, and she expressed concern about the harm that publicizing these collections could do; namely, robbing the zines of their context. Darms echoed this, emphasizing that digitizing zine collections could further this phenomenon by making it possible to extricate parts of a zine from the whole.

Ending on a high note, Freedman displayed slides of original riot grrrl zines in juxtaposition with contemporary zines that have been influenced by that aesthetic. Importantly, Barnard's collection has a focus on zines by women of color. As riot grrrl (and punk more generally) has often been critiqued for its White exclusivity, this emphasis on women of color zinesters is crucial. Showing that the DIY feminist continuum doesn’t end with riot grrrl gives an impetus to discover what’s happening in grassroots feminisms today.

After a lively question and answer session, I left with a better understanding of riot grrrl and the imperative of documenting grassroots feminist work. I walked out reminded that queer and feminist cultural production is completely essential to our history as feminists, and we must continue to be ardent documentarians who advocate for and attest to this fact.

Photo by Dragana Drobnjak

Written by: Kate Wadkins, November 21st 2010

Critical Intersections: Reproductive and Economic Justice Conference (9/22/2010)

mandy — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Barnard College

New York, New York

On an unseasonably hot and humid day in September, I took the train from Brooklyn to 116th Street to attend the Critical Intersections: Reproductive and Economic Justice conference, which was held at Barnard College's new Diana Center. Having suffered a massive allergy attack due to the weird weather, I shuffled quickly across the Barnard campus and entered just as the conference's feature film and lunch break were finishing up. The film, Justice at the Intersections: Action for Reproductive and Economic Justice in NYC, captured many women activists discussing their projects, goals, and dreams; one phrase that stuck with me was "women as stakeholders and change-makers in the community."

Critical Intersections was cosponsored by Barnard Center for Research on Women and the New York Women's Foundation, its core focus on the inextricable link between reproductive justice and women's economic security. With a sampling of seventeen New York City organizations, the conference provided a wide array of interpretations of “reproductive and economic justice,” with that definition as a point of intersection for multiple struggles: economic, gender-based, racial, and community-specific.

It was tough to pick an afternoon panel to attend (three ran concurrently), as all of the subject matter and groups presenting were dynamic and vital. I chose “Community Leadership in Organizing” to hear about Sistas on the Rise, a South Bronx-based young mothers’ community and activist center, and a project I am partial to. The panel featured representatives from three groups, each centered on a fairly specific issue: Sistas on the Rise generally works for the empowerment of young, low-income mothers and women of color; Sylvia Rivera Law Project provides legal aid surrounding the notion of gender self-determination as a fundamental right; and DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association fights for Filipino domestic workers’ rights.

While each group had their own specific goals, modes of action, and individual structures, strong threads recurred. Namely, the self-determination of a marginalized group proved to be important for every organization. Both Sistas on the Rise and Sylvia Rivera Law Project explained their collective models, highlighting that, for Sistas on the Rise, “all decisions…ultimately serve the interest of the young women involved.” For Sylvia Rivera Law Project, “people who are most effected determine their own policy” and all collective members serve on the board because “it keeps us accountable.” DAMAYAN is a nonprofit organization, rather than a collective, with both a Board of Directors and a General Assembly, but like the two other groups, DAMAYAN is completely self-determined. It was founded and mostly run by Filipina women who have experienced the abuses so common to the domestic work industry.

We sat in an intimate (and very fancy) classroom and discussed the ins and outs of organizing within communities for structural change, and what our struggles mean within a context of globalization, imperialism, and oppression. Inspired by the actions of these local women, I left feeling excited and more connected to a lively, diverse feminist community.

Soon, we were back in the auditorium for a closing panel on “Creating Systemic Change at the Intersection of Reproductive and Economic Justice.” A less intimate setting, it was still inspiring to see a room full of feminists and activists brimming with excitement at the sight of each other. Moderated by Laura Flanders, founder and host of GritTV, this panel featured remarks from Sylvia Henriquez, President and CEO of National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health; Lynn Paltrow, Executive Director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women; and Miriam Yueng, Executive Director of National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum.

Often when the focus switches from grassroots organizations to national ones, focus on the community can get lost—but not here. Sylvia Henriquez immediately mentioned the importance of autonomy and self-determination, noting that this “is far more than access to reproductive choice” for immigrant women, and that their role in communities and “family needs need to be met.” Lynn Paltrow reminded us that “the pro-choice movement must include mothers [because] most women who get abortions are mothers or will become mothers.” Miriam Yueng continued to emphasize the importance of the local and the national together: “Things look bleak now, but it is in rooms like this—on the local level—that things happen.”

One audience member shared her experience working for a feminist clinic in Tallahassee twenty years ago, where some of her cohorts worked on From Abortion to Reproductive Freedom. She exclaimed how happy it made her to attend a conference years later that is actually about comprehensive reproductive justice. By choosing to focus on the intersections, pairing groups on panels with similar processes of self-determination or collective modeling, emphasizing movement building from the ground up, and most importantly, placing women and trans folks at the center of organizing movements, Critical Intersections proved to be a strong showcase of the multiplicities and iterations of feminisms in 2010.

Written by: Kate Wadkins, October 8th 2010

Terror in the Heart of Freedom: Citizenship, Sexual Violence, and the Meaning of Race in the Postemancipation South

admin — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:16:00 +0000

By Hannah Rosen

University of North Carolina Press

Hannah Rosen's Terror in the Heart of Freedom is an essential historical document. This text is a detailed analysis of the connection between gendered rhetoric, sexual violence, and the oppression and resistance of freed people during the reconstruction era. Rosen demonstrates a thorough understanding of gender, race, and power dynamics and how these issues are employed through politics on different levels.

Terror in the Heart of Freedom is not light reading. The subject matter is intense and often disturbing considering the brutal gendered and racial violence that occurred during the reconstruction in the United States. Rosen builds a virtual theatre for these events, illustrating the antebellum attitudes of many whites, the social and political situation of southern urban areas after the civil war, and the radical reclamation of public space by Black citizens at this time. The extreme discomfort that White people felt during this Black reclamation of space was palpable, and the violence that ensued was a reassertion of power on the part of White men. Hannah Rosen extrapolates on these events, displaying White men's recreation of a racist rhetoric that was used to oppress the newly freed population, and explores how much of this rhetoric was, in fact, based in gender.

One of the most poignant points that Hannah Rosen makes is in noting the repercussions for Black women speaking out about the sexual violence they experienced during this turbulent time. Rosen extrapolates on this further, explaining that these women were not only articulating their experiences, but were reframing the common narratives of Black women's sexuality, while also claiming their space as women and citizens. Indeed, as Rosen points out, in this process, they also challenged the conventional way for women to handle sexual assault.

Aside from the implications of sexual assault during the reconstruction, Hannah Rosen very concisely handles the intricacies of federal versus local authority at this time. This is no easy task, as the actual written law, and the de facto law of the time were often so contradictory. Rosen leads the reader through these complications rather gracefully, not allowing them to snag on the details. The grit of policy is extremely relevant here, and aids in explaining the dynamics of this very specific social atmosphere.

At 384 pages, Terror in the Heart of Freedom has over 100 pages of notes and footnotes. The text stands out as a meticulously-researched, well-written, and, most of all, vital historical document. Hannah Rosen has written a detailed analysis of the convoluted relationships between power, rhetoric, race, and gender during what could have been a period of victory for equality in this country. Consider it necessary for your history reading list.

Written by: Kate Wadkins, April 3rd 2009

This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:02:00 +0000

By Marnie Stern

Kill Rock Stars

Marnie Stern was brought to my attention by one of my favorite shredders, Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females. This could not be more appropriate as Marnie Stern is also a shredder. I could not help but be intrigued by this album. The cover art (by Bella Foster) grabbed me immediately with its watercolor and pencil styling of dreamy forest imagery recalling Henry Darger. The album’s curious title, This Is It & I Am It & You Are It & So Is That & He Is It & She Is It & It Is It & That Is That comes from a 1960 Alan Watt piece, This Is It.

This Is It... begins with just a nondescript clicking and Marnie Stern's elfish voice repeating eerie phrases "defenders get on to your knees..." in "Prime." On first impression, Stern’s voice is can be compared to Joanna Newsom's quirky vocals. At forty-two seconds in, the beat drops and the song really begins, exploding into a panicky cacophony of guitar and drums.

The album is definitely a psychedelic freak out. Stern pairs up again with Zach Hill of Hella, who also appeared on Stern’s 2007 debut album, In Advance of the Broken Arm. Stern's intricate and erratic guitar riffs can only be followed by someone with the impeccable timing and precision of Hill. I would argue that he is the most appropriate drummer for this album.

Bassists John Reed Thompson and Jonathon Hischke demonstrate the ability to follow through on Stern and Hill's compositional aesthetics. Stern’s creative riffs and unique voice call to mind Deerhoof and Erase Errata, in the best ways, which should be extrapolated to mean you can definitely dance to this. At times I am even reminded of The Beatles' more trippy songs. Tracks like "The Crippled Jazzer" are super-driving, making it clear that Stern is well-versed in the art of inducing head-banging as well.

This Is It... will definitely satisfy your need for weirdo psychedelic jams. It is exciting to hear someone going down a completely original route with what seems like no pretense at all; this is hard to find especially in New York. And I'd also be lying if I said I weren't excited that Marnie Stern recorded this album herself.

Written by: Kate Wadkins, January 16th 2009