Introducing myself and my journal: liberation bound up with mine
by nwan | February 26, 2009 at 11:56 PM
liberation_poster.jpgAbout Me:
Growing up I never said very much. Partly because I never had to -- my father and my brother did it for me. And partly because no one thought anything of it -- it's perfectly acceptable for a girl to be "shy,"so demure, so obedient. It makes me recall Mitsuye Yamada's "Invisibility Is an Unnatural Disaster." It has helped me become aware of the conditions in which I am visible and the conditions in which I am invisible. Or alternatively, legible or illegible. I realized so much of it is out of my control. I didn't get to determine who I am, say what I want to say, when, and how. As Yamada wrote in that seminal essay, "To finally recognize our own invisibility is to finally be on the path toward visibility." My voice is weak from lack of practice, but I try to raise my voice a little more each day, even if (or especially when) it makes people say "this is so uncharacteristic of you."
My Passions:
Literature, film, family and friends
My Challenges:
Speaking up
My Vision for the Future:
A world where women and girls can truly define themselves
My Areas of Expertise:
literature by women of color in the U.S., transnational feminist theory, social change philanthropy
Comments
Welcome to Pulsewire
I'm dying to read "Invisibility Is an Unnatural Disaster." The title says so much. Your story reminds me of a quote on the fridge at the World Pulse office that reads, “Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow” (by Mary Anne Radmacher). I think about these words often when, even with persistence, I feel like I'm treading water and not quite making it to the shore of my dreams.
Warmly,
Lisa
That quote is definitely
That quote is definitely going up on a post-it on my mirror. :)
We love WFN - welcome!
HI Nwan,
What a joy to "meet" you here. At World Pulse we are great fans of the WFN. In fact please say hi to Chris Grumm for me as I was just with her last month in a visioning session, and I enjoyed getting to know her. You must be getting geared up for the big conference? Rock ON with all your amazing work. Enjoy mingling on PulseWire - we have women from over 115 countries now. All these hopes, dreams and bold voices give me shivers!
I hope to meet you one day in person.
Cheers!
Jensine Larsen
World Pulse
What a small world!
Hi Jensine,
What a small world it is! Although Chris gets around quite a bit so I shouldn't be surprised. I'm proud to say she's definitely a force for the women's funding movement!
Come to think of it, I really love Pulsewire for the same reason I love WFN -- it emerges from the conviction that when smart, caring, passionate women come together, amazing things will happen. The philosophy hasn't failed me yet. I've so enjoyed being part of this global community. It's unlike anything I've ever experience before! I just "spoke" with AWEsome women from the Philippines, Mexico, Brazil! WOW! So, thank you for World Pulse!
~Nancy