PODCAST: On International Women’s Day, Indigenous and Women of Colour Rise
March 8th is International Women’s Day — a day to honour women as well as to acknowledge the work we still have to do, in terms of fighting for our liberation. This year, Asian Women for Equality and Fertile Ground Institute for Social and Environmental Justice have partnered to specifically address the experience and oppression of women of colour and Indigenous women under patriarchy. These two organizations will be hosting Dominique Christina — the author of four books and the only person to ever become a two-time world champion in slam poetry — and Cherry Smiley, a feminist activist, scholar, and artist from the Nlaka’pamux (Thompson) and Dine (Navajo) nations. These two women will be speaking at an event called Indigenous and Women’s of Colour Rise, which will take place at the Seattle Central Library in downtown Seattle, Washington. To learn more about the event and the need for such an event to take place in today’s climate, I spoke with two of the organizers, Suzanne Jay and Saba Malik. Suzanne is a feminist activist and a member of Asian Women for Equality — a grassroots feminist group working to change societal attitudes towards women, especially women of Asian descent; to advance equality for Asian women; and to create opportunities for Asian women to have meaningful participation and to take leadership roles in civil society. Saba is a radical revolutionary, a therapist, herbalist, and mother. She is a board member of the Fertile Ground Institute, a non-profit working for ecological and social justice. You can get tickets for Indigenous and Women of Colour Rise, taking place on Friday, March 8th, at brownpapertickets.com.