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LESBIAN ACTIVISM CHANGING the WORLD S G E N a I

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LESBIAN ACTIVISM CHANGING the WORLD S G E N a I zing fo ni r C ga h r a n O LESBIAN ACTIVISM CHANGING THE WORLD s g e n a i b s e F L o d • The Kaiser Room is reserved for Lesbians of Color r l 2 O 5 Y e ! a s r Throughout the Gathering • There are sign-up sheets for workshops with limited attendance WORKSHOP SCHEDULE & Description THURSDAY; 11am-12:30pm LESBIAN ACTIVISM GETS PERSONAL • Broadway Room As activists we sometimes forget that “the personal is political” and think we have to suffer our “personal problems” alone. In this workshop we’ll re-define the personal struggles we face as Old Lesbians as political problems needing activist solutions. Jane Arlene Herman (1948, Jewish) is a disability activist and a radical therapist for political activists and community organizers. She shares her Jewish, feminist, dyke, fat-friendly home in Northern California with her wife and their butch, roller-derby star niece. PASSIONATE PURSUITS PATHWAYS • Ballroom G The film “Passionate Pursuits of Angela Bowen” which depicts Bowen’s life with rare historic footage, photographs and interviews will be screened. Bowen’s candid and compelling stories allow us to understand how her race, class background, gender, age, and sexuality contributed to her decisions, missions, and strategies for survival. Jennifer Abod (1946, Caucasian Jewish) is an award winning audio/video documentarian. Her works include The Edge of Each Other’s Battles: The Vision of Audre Lorde; Look Us in the Eye: The Old Women’s Project; Ra- dio Profile of Audre Lorde. Abod was a singer in the New Haven Women’s Liberation Rock Band, a radio broadcaster and a professor. Angela Bowen PhD (1936 African American) is a classical dancer, teacher, mentor, professor and author who has influenced and inspired untold numbers speaking out as strongly for the arts and Black and women’s rights as she has for LGBT rights. Bowen’s book, Out of the Blue: Aleta’s Stories, is five stars on Amazon. LESBIAN HEALTH 2014: HOW ARE WE AND WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT • Main Ballroom, limit 40 This workshop will explore perspectives and current work as it relates to Lesbian health and wellness: includ- ing historical overview, health conditions and disparities, access to health care services, research efforts, the Affordable Care Act, non-traditional healthcare alternatives, resilience, and the work of the Lesbian Health and Research Center at UCSF. We will encourage discussion that examines health as an individual circumstance, a community phenomenon and as a vehicle for social change. Maria Cora (1953, Puerto Rican of African descent) is the Associate Director of the Lesbian Health and Re- search Center at the University of California, San Francisco. She has been a leader and cultural activist in the pursuit of health and well-being in our communities for 30 years. She is an artist, a filmmaker, poet, and musi- cian. She is a vocalist with women’s salsa and jazz bands. Maria was the recipient of a Lesbian of Achievement and Vision award. Diane Sabin, DC (1953, Jewish) is the Executive Director of the Lesbian Health and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco, and Clinic Administrative Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at UCSF. She has been a community activist for over three decades and has served on many boards of Lesbian organizations and foundations. She had a chiropractic clinic in San Francisco for seventeen years. Rev. Trinity A. Ordona, Ph.D. (1951, Filipino American) Trinity is a college instructor, ordained minister, spiri- tual counselor, energy healer and community leader. She was the Associate Director of the Lesbian Health and Research Center from 2002-2004 and has worked with survivors of sexual violence. She has a 40-year history of national and international civil rights activism in communities of color and queer communities. p-21 zing fo ni r C ga h r a n O LESBIAN ACTIVISM CHANGING THE WORLD s g e n a i b s e F L o d r l (cont’d) 2 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE O 5 Y e ! a s THURSDAY; 11am-12:30pm r Michele Eliason (1953, White) is an Associate Professor in the Health Education Department of San Francisco State University. She has a background in nursing and psychology and has had clinical and research experience in hospitals, clinics community-based treatment agencies and a women’s prison THE IMPORTANCE OF ECO-FEMINISM IN THE 21st CENTURY • Ballroom F Ecofeminism traces the dual and intertwining oppressions of women and nature and the importance of a new relationship to nature and the vital role of women in creating a sustainable culture. We will look at the impor- tance of cultural diversity and the devastation caused by environmental racism. Peggy Luhrs (1945, Euro-American, Italian, German, French, Mohawk Indian), a feminist activist since the 1970s, is the director of Burlington Women’s Council for 10 years. She taught Ecology and Feminism at the Insti- tute of Social Ecology and was part of the UN conference on Women in Beijing. She participated in the Green- ham Common and Seneca Peace camps. HOW TO CHALLENGE AGEISM • Room 207 What do we hear and what do we want to say? This will be a discussion of how ageism affects us. Jan Griesinger (1942, Euro-American) is the co-director of OLOC. She is the co-founder of the Susan B. Anthony Memorial Unrest Home Womyn‘s Land Trust. LET’S LAUGH IT OFF: ADVENTURES IN LAUGHTER YOGA • Room 206, limit 20 “We will be laughing out loud for the fun of it; along with stress/tension relief”. This workshop will be great for a change of pace, time to yuk it up! We will combine comic relief with gentle movements. Bring your creativity and find ways for laughter to be your guide Vickie Lew (1945, American Chinese) describes herself as a bi-coastal smiley face. She has been teaching yoga and fitness in senior settings since she returned to the Pacific Coast from the Boston area eight years ago. She has worked in construction, early childcare education and yoga instruction. EAR REFLEXOLOGY FOR SELF-HELP • Room 205, limit 30 Ear reflexology is a way to help your body to increase circulation, relax, and come to a better balance. A person can learn to work with her own ears or a friend’s to improve body balance. This hands-on workshop is fun and a great way to get to know someone else. Janet Stetser (1937) has been a professional reflexologist since 1983. She is a certified in hand, foot and ear reflexology. She enjoys helping others to learn how to take care of themselves. KEEPING OURSELVES SAFE INTO THE FUTURE; PREVENTING FRAUD AND ELDER ABUSE • Room 204, limit 25 This workshop will review all types of elder abuse. We will look at California and federal laws. We will look at financial scams and fraud with a focus on the scammer’s technique of creating emotional upset. We will also dis- cuss the impact of a caregiver’s homophobia on an Old Lesbian’s quality of care. There will be small group discus- sions to focus on personal experiences and to develop strategies for prevention and recovery from victimization. Ginny Garrett (1946, Euro American) has been an Adult Protective Services Investigator for the past 15 years. She has worked as a medical social worker with an emphasis on older adults and families. She welcomes the op- portunity to share what she’s learned about elder abuse with the hope of preventing Old Lesbians from becoming victims. THURSDAY: 2pm-3:30pm zing fo ni r C ga h r a n WHAT’S MY BODY UP TO NOW? • Room 206, limit 20 O s g e n a i If we live long enough, we will start losing some of our ability to function. For some, it’s hearing, mobility or b s e F L o d r l 2 O 5 Y e ! a s p-22 r WORKSHOP SCHEDULE (cont’d) THURSDAY: 2pm-3:30pm • WHAT’S MY BODY UP TO NOW? (cont’d) vision; for others it may be cognitive or a chronic condition such as pain or fatigue. We will share ideas for successfully dealing with attitudes and prejudices around disability, both within ourselves and from others. Pnina Tobin (1942, white Jewish) is a Lesbian feminist activist grandmother, who works as a certified Life Coach and Educator with women, parents and grandparents. She also developed programs to prevent child sexual abuse. Pnina organized Disability Access at two OLOC Gatherings. Marg Hall (1947, white Irish Catholic) spends much of her time engaged in political activism, self-care, and fixing things around her house. She stopped working as a carpenter and building inspector in her 50’s because of disability. She is a former nun who came out as a Lesbian many years ago. Simi Litvak (1942, Jewish) has been a disability rights activist, policy researcher/analyst and occupational thera- pist for more than 45 years; she wants to bring independent living movement philosophy and disability pride to old people with chronic conditions and disabilities. She is a Fat Activist and has been pursuing “Health at Every Size” all her life A CALL TO RECLAIM OUR TRADITIONAL ROLES AS LEADERS, HEALERS AND TEACHERS; THE MEANING OF THE MAYAN CALENDAR PREDICTION FOR LGBT PEOPLE TODAY • Ballroom G Based on a study of the Mayan calendar of 2013, combined with research on the history of homophobia in the Americas, this workshop will present an interpretation of the meaning of this significant metaphysical event and its specific importance to LGBT people in the world.
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