All tagged activist

Julie Cajune – The Sum of Her Stories | S5 E05

Julie Cajune – The Sum of Her Stories | S5 E05

Katharine Heller

"Stories are the way that we make meaning. And so they’re the primary vehicle for all human beings to make meaning of their life and to find their place and relationship with others. All of that is informed through story."

Julie Cajune is an educator, cultural historian, artist and activist who believes that the challenges we face today “demand that which story nurtures: imagination, compassion, creativity and connection.” A member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe, she was born and lives today on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Northwest Montana where, straight out of college, she developed and taught their first bilingual education program. Julie went on to run the Department of Education on the reservation, train hundreds of teachers in Montana and lead two major educational projects documenting tribal histories and stories in Montana and across the country. Her passion for storytelling is not limited to the classroom. Julie also created and produced Heart of the Bitterroot, an album of Salish and Pend d’Oreille women’s stories that she collected and enlisted poet Jennifer Green to write. This past September, Julie appeared in the New York premiere of her one-woman show, Belief, based on her own life experiences and the true stories of generations of women in her family. You may have missed the show, but luckily you can catch our brilliant conversation with her now.

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Lucero Gonzalez – The Feminist Who Could | S5 E04

Lucero Gonzalez – The Feminist Who Could | S5 E04

Katharine Heller

“Moving from dream to desire to reality.”

That describes the life of our magical friend, activist and photographer, Lucero Gonzalez. At 72, Lucero's feminism, her love of freedom and pleasure, her artistry, her Oaxacan roots, and her profound connection to family and friends all blend, beautifully, into an extraordinary range of creative and social justice initiatives that enlighten and challenge us. These days, she spends her time curating the ever-growing virtual Museum of Mexican Women Artists (MUMA) and producing a documentary about the creation of el Colectivo La Revuelta- a feminist newspaper she started with close friends in the 1970s. We visited Lucero -- and her partner of 30+ years, political cartoonist Gonzalo Rocha -- in Mexico City this summer and marveled at the endless joy and generosity they share so willingly.

We interviewed Lucero in Spanish and so - for another TOB first -- we've produced two episodes. You can listen to Lucero in Spanish below or you can listen to the wonderful Sandra Garcia Betancourt (TOB, Episode #2, Season 1) re-enact our conversation in English here.

One way or the other, here's our invitation to spend some time in the light and love that Lucero offers to the world. And be sure to visit her virtual museum (http://www.museodemujeres.com/en/) and stay tuned for her upcoming documentary.

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Jaune Evans - Weaving and Spinning | S2 E04

Jaune Evans - Weaving and Spinning | S2 E04

Katharine Heller

"I think about that wonderful Adrienne Rich quote that the genius of a spider is that she weaves and spins at the same time. That for me is the guiding principle in writing: to weave and spin at the same time."

Jaune Evans is a modern day Renaissance woman! At 66, she’s a writer, visual artist, activist and Zen priest. Through a life she describes as a "crazy quilt,” she worked her way through college as a cocktail waitress, was the first camerawoman at NBC, a baker and a foundation executive. (That’s just a partial list.) Today, she runs the Tamalpais Trust, a foundation supporting indigenous communities, while serving as a priest at Everyday Zen in the Bay Area and offering arresting dharma talks that exude wisdom, warmth and wit. (There’s a link below to listen to those talks.) She has --and is-- writing her own story with gratitude to the "women helpers," from therapists to a host of women creative heroes, that she’s turned to along the way. Jaune is also a member in good standing of the "Better, Deeper, More Club" (so are we!). When you listen to our conversation with her, you'll learn more about the Club and surely want to join!

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Ana Falu - I Am What I Am! | S2 E03

Ana Falu - I Am What I Am! | S2 E03

Katharine Heller

"We were convinced of our ideas. That gave us the power to confront the tragic situation of the dictatorships. The truth is that we were ready to die for what we believe."

Ana Falu, 69, is a brilliant Argentinian architect, academic, and activist with the charisma and elegance of the sexiest 40’s movie stars. As a lifelong feminist, Ana’s life spanned exile during the dictatorships of Latin America in the 70s, a return to Argentina to re-build democracy, and decades of strengthening global women’s rights movements. Reflecting on nearly 50 years of political organizing and advocacy -- and despite the current setbacks -- Ana still exudes optimism and a profound belief in the power of the next generation to push for change. Her passion infuses the political and the personal, enabling Ana to seamlessly blend her activism, her family, love and sex. Yes, we said sex. And so does Ana!

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Radhika Balakrishnan - I Want To Know What They Know | S1 E09

Radhika Balakrishnan - I Want To Know What They Know | S1 E09

Katharine Heller

We joined Radhika Balakrishnan, 58, for a conversation about politics, economics and bitchcraft right before Christmas. Radhika is an activist, a to-the-bone feminist and an economist. In fact, she was part of the small group of women who first coined the term and established the field of feminist economics just decades ago. A professor at Rutgers University, Radhika ran their Center for Women’s Global Leadership for about six years, before recently assuming the role of Faculty Director. She travels the world working with women’s organizations, training activists and even advising some more enlightened governments. Here in the States, Radhika was appointed by New York Mayor Bill De Blasio to serve on the City's Commission for Gender Equality. Radhika’s passion, optimism and outrage blend beautifully into her activist and academic lives. She is irrepressible. We know that you’ll feel as inspired as we do by her courage and insights in these challenging times.

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