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Resist Newsletter, May 2001 Trinity College Trinity College Digital Repository Resist Newsletters Resist Collection 5-30-2001 Resist Newsletter, May 2001 Resist Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/resistnewsletter Recommended Citation Resist, "Resist Newsletter, May 2001" (2001). Resist Newsletters. 332. https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/resistnewsletter/332 Inside: Appalachian Women's Alliance ISSN0897-2613 •Vol.10#1 A Call to Resist Illegitimate Authority May2001 Sisters in Action for Power Raise Roof Girls and Young Women Learn to Lead the Struggle for Social Change AMARAPEREZ Sisters in Action are door-knocking, lead­ membership organization that works with ing membership meetings, working with low-income women and girls of color. We "Are you glad I have been coming to public officials and the media, training other develop members' leadership and organiz­ Sisters in Action? I bet you thought I was members on turning issues into campaigns, ing skills by engaging them in identifying, never going to stay? " initiating and implement­ "Yes I did because of ing direct action issue your style. " campaigns designed to "Because ofmy style?" promote racial, gender "Yes, your mind and and economic justice. concerns for rights and your interest in history and Girls on the Front Line action! I I!. " In 1998 Sisters in Ac­ tion for Power launched is was taken from a a campaign against Tri ote being passed Met, Portland's Public T:between two girls, 12 Transit System. After two and 15 years old, during a years of making presen­ youth night movie. I found tations at Board meet­ it stuck between cushions ings, hosting community on the couch underneath speak-outs, and gathering pizza crusts and broken the support of students, combs. It made me smile as teachers and leaders I thought about girls, like throughout the commu­ nity, members of Sisters in these two, who naturally Group members protest outside the Tri Met office for access to public change because of their in­ transportation. Photo courtesy of Sisters in Action for Power Action wanted results. volvement in the organiza­ During the summer of tion-the way they see themselves, their storming into the offices of people in posi­ 2000, more than 15 middle and high school role in the world and their capacity to make tions of power and having long discussions girls, and many of their mothers, marched a difference. about colonialism. For low-income girls in unannounced into the office of Tri Met's Most of the girls at Sisters in Action for Portland this is the only place where such General Manager, Fred Hansen. There were Power spend their most formative years skills are strengthened and leadership op­ several attempts made at the door by Tri building and strengthening their leadership portunities are designed to support them Met staff, secretaries and security guards skills in the context of building collective in taking action. to discourage these young women from en­ power and promoting progressive change. Sisters in Action for Power is an tering the office, including: lies that Mr. At 13, 14, 15 years of age, young women at intergenerational, multi-racial, multi-issue continued on page two Vol. 10, #5 RESIST Newsletter Page 1 Sisters in Action for Power Hansen was not in the building; paternal­ istic coaxing suggesting real ladies did not behave like this; and threats to herd the group of girls to the police station. These young women simply wanted Mr. Hansen to follow through on his promise to present Sisters in Action for Power's resolution at the Tri Met Board budget review. After one hour of persuasive testimony from students and mothers and reporting on research findings, Mr. Hansen agreed. After this victory, youth-led chants and cheers filled the sterile administrative build­ ing. Staff came from every floor, gathered at windows and peeped around their cu­ bicle walls to catch a glimpse of this well organized and tightly unified group of girls. After the action one youth member wrote in her journal, " ... doing direct action gives you this burning sensation in your Members of Sisters in Action for Power gather outside the office in Portland. Photo stomach that lasts a long time. Nothing else courtesy of Sister in Action for Power in the world feels like that. This is why we ers, take action and work with other girls program creates a fire, a burning drive to do actions to make changes." and women to do that." make change. It is rooted in the personal, Sisters in Action is an inter-generational connected to the political and inherently Taking on Projects for Justice organization that prioritiezes the full par­ promotes collective action. For example, we Our first campaign in 1996 aimed to raise ticipation and leadership of girls and young have been conducting a three-month awareness and encourage institutional ac­ women. Youth under 18 were recruited first project on the historical context and legacy tion on the problem of gender violence and in the organization's beginning base-build­ continued on page three the lack of safety for girls in the Portland ing efforts. Young women develop and Public School District. Led primarily by strengthen the skills necessary to build young women in high school, this cam­ collective power, move a social justice cam­ paign achieved many successes, includ­ paign and build a community-based orga­ ing prompting the school district to track nization that can respond to the needs of and report sexual harassment, and prompt­ low-income communities. ing Multnomah County to pass a resolu­ Over the past two years, adult women tion to incorporate gender violence in all have been recruited into the organization violence prevention and intervention. and leadership body- primarily by girl-led Our current campaign to promote trans­ outreach efforts. Young women and girls portation equity resulted from girls com­ are now training adult members with the ing to the office frustrated by the daily task skills and information they have learned. ILLEGITIMATI AUTHORlff ,=it,,dilJ1 ~,.( ~ ""'e "67 of securing money to get to and from They draw from their experiences, their For information and grant guidelines, write school. In Portland there is no yellow bus work in the field and from the collective to: Resist, 259 Elm St., Suite 201 Somerville, MA 02144 service for many of our public schools. In vision for change they are formulating. www .resistinc.org;[email protected] fact, students have to pay to go to school. They are eager to build power and excited Resist Newsletter is published ten times a This has forced many low-income families to lead the movement. year by RESIST, Inc., ( 617)623-5110. The to have to make tough decisions like choos­ views expressed in articles, other than edi­ ing between a bus pass or a winter jacket, a Consciousness Raising-the Fire torials, are those of the authors and do not bus ticket or lunch. Youth leaders wanted Behind the Action necessarily represent the opinions of the to take action. The role of popular education as a RESIST staff or board. Recently, Sisters in Action for Power means to promote critical thinking is at the RESIST Staff: Robin Carton was able to secure a small victory-a pilot· core of our work to take action. Political Amanda Matos-Gonzalez project that would allow all students eli­ education is an integral part of grassroots Carol Schachet gible for free and reduced lunch to also leadership development as well as a criti­ receive a free bus pass to get to and from cal piece of building a movement that inte­ RESIST Volunteer: Daphne Lees school. Elisha Williams, 12, explains, "We grates consciousness raising and action. Newsletter Editor: Carol Schachet have been able to make real changes that We use role-plays, theater activities, and Printing: Red Sun Press benefit our community. There are hardly other engaging exercises to promote criti­ ~ Printed on Recycled Paper with Soy any places in Portland for girls to be lead- cal analysis. A strong political education \..1 ~ - Page2 RESIST Newsletter May 2001 Sisters in Action for Power continued from page two young Taino girl 500 years ago. future. We are leaders right now, leading of colonialism. "Talking about colonization We are now moving from discussing the change in our community," said one young is like going into a land mine. Everything pillars of colonialism to its contemporary woman leading a community action meet­ you learn feels like an explosion. Then all manifestation-globalization and cultural ing. Intergenerational organizing focuses of a sudden you see how things have been hegemony. A popular education curricu­ on developing both young and adult and are today, not the myths and lies we lum like this example connects issues to a women's understanding of sociopolitical are told in school," writes one girl. larger political framework. Members can concepts as well as strengthening commu­ A wide variety of activities and teach­ then understand how our organizing efforts nity action skills so members work together ing methods have provided young women and other social justice struggles around to build power and ultimately a successful an entry point to understand the legacy of the world fit into a larger framework and a progressive movement. colonialism as well as a framework to un­ larger movement to bring about change. derstand oppression and violence today. Given supportive mechanisms that pro­ Amara Perez helps organize Sisters in On a world map girls color-coded coloniz­ vide information and community building Action for Power, which received a grant ing and colonized countries, they put Co­ opportunities, girls learn to harness their from RESIST in 1999. For more informa­ lumbus on trail for genocide, and wrote voices and personal power, bolstering their tion, contact Sisters in Action for Power, journal entries from the perspective of a self-esteem.
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