August 2016 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Minnesota Women’s Press, August 2016 1 Changing the Universe through Women’s Stories Out issue Getting out from under addiction Out as a trans woman Where are my people? Time in — and out — of prison Speaking out EVA ROSE COHEN ROSE EVA for farmers In nature with my sled dogs Women of the Fringe AUGUST 2016 Volume 32, Issue 8 www.womenspress.com 2 Minnesota Women’s Press, August 2016 ACCRA SELF-DIRECTED CARE SERVICES FOR ALL AGES. In your home and community. WE PROVIDE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, ADULTS AND FAMILIES OF ALL ABILITIES AND AGE. Each person has unique needs and with our 25 years of experience providing support to people with disabilities – we'll help you navigate the different services and possibilities available to you. With PCA Choice – you have the option of choosing your own caregiver, including your friends and family members. More Choice. More Flexibility. Toll Free 866-935-3515 • Metro 952-935-3515 SERVING PEOPLE STATEWIDE www.accracare.org Minnesota Women’s Press, August 2016 3 Changing the Universe through Women’s Stories 15 10 OUT issue CONTACTUS 651-646-3968 email: [email protected] www.womenspress.com Send a letter to the editor [email protected] Subscribe [email protected] Advertise [email protected] 33 Suggest a story idea [email protected] 26 Enter your online calendar listing at http://tinyurl.com/MWP-Calendar Join book activities [email protected] MWPSTAFF Publishers/Editors Kathy Magnuson, Norma Smith Olson Contributors Fatima Ahmad, Kathleen Anderson, FEATURES READERSWRITE Roxanne Givens, Julie Kendrick, Mikki Morrissette, Stacey Poirier, Sondra THINKABOUTIT ....................................6 YOUSAID .................................................5 Samuels, Kay Stienessen, Molly Theis, Women’s Equality Day ... & more Letters from MWP readers Mary Turck, Sarah Whiting, Laura Wilkens PROFILE ................................................. 8 YOURTHOUGHTS ..................................5 Cover Artist Eva Rose Cohen Lou Anne Kling: Farm activist Readers share thoughts about “out” Design Norma Smith Olson BOOKSHELF ......................................... 12 Advertising Sales PROFILE ................................................ 10 Quinn Dreasler, Michele Holzwarth, Miranda Foslien: Out as a trans woman Kathleen Anderson: Outside, in nature Kathy Magnuson, Ashlee Moser OUTFEATURE ....................................... 18 YOURSTORY......................................... 15 Accounting Fariba Sanikhatam Out from under addiction Fatima Ahmad: Seeing with fresh eyes Operations Kari Larson WORDS&PICTURES .......................... 26 ONYOURMIND ..................................... 17 Founding Publishers Mollie Hoben, Glenda Martin Women of the Fringe Kay Stienessen: Not out of money Our mission is to tell women’s stories in OUTFEATURE ....................................... 31 ONYOURMIND .................................... 33 ways that create community and encourage Get out: Visit sites that honor women Roxanne Givens: Where are my people? change. The Minnesota Women’s Press is YOURSTORY........................................ 34 distributed free at 500 locations. To fi nd one COLUMNISTS Laura Wilkens: My time in prison near you, visit www.womenspress.com and THISISSUE ............................................. 4 click on “get a copy” or call 651-646-3968. Listening to and hearing stories YOURSTORY........................................ 35 Subscriptions are available by fi rst-class Molly Theis: My life out of prison mail: $52 for one-year Fan Community SHESAID ............................................... 16 membership (includes email updates, Sondra Samuels: Knowing our history ADVERTISINGSECTIONS invitation to community gathering, free copy ACTNOW .............................................. 38 EDUCATION& of BookWomen magazine); $28 for a basic Mentoring young parents LIFELONG one-year subscription, $53 for two years. LEARNINGGUIDE ...13 ©2016 by Minnesota Women’s Press, Inc. GOSEEDO GOSEEDOGUIDE ... 22 All rights reserved. ISSN #1085-2603. COVERARTIST .................................... 20 WOMENGOING MINNESOTA WOMEN’S PRESS, INC. Eva Rose Cohen: Insides on the outside PLACESGUIDE ...... 28 970 RAYMOND AVE., STE. 201, ST. PAUL, MN 55114 GOSEEDO/CALENDAR ...................... 22 CLASSIFIEDADS.. 36 WWW.WOMENSPRESS.COM Race, motherhood, tapestries ... & more 4 Minnesota Women’s Press, August 2016 THISISSUE NORMASMITHOLSON Listening to and hearing stories KATHYMAGNUSON Philandro Castile was shot about a mile from the Minnesota Women’s Press office and near where we each live. Like many of our readers of all races, As a culture we hold an assumption we two white women have been feeling that we should be suspicious of all black at a loss for words — and unable to know men. Our law enforcement is predomi- what might be the next steps forward as nantly about militarization and getting our society grapples with issues of race the “bad guys,” rather than peace-build- and equity. After the most recent deaths on ing and community building. both sides of law enforcement, how do we At the same time, women make up get our arms around multiple issues that only 13 percent of the police force nation- are so big, institutionalized and nuanced? ally, with women of color even more There is a lot we don’t know about underrepresented. Women are shoot- Coming up: how we collectively move forward to ing victims, too, which is often ignored. become a more just society, but what They are also emotional victims — the September’s theme is “Why we do we do know is that stories matter — mothers, wives, girlfriends, children, the work we do” and we’re asking: listening to and hearing each other’s sto- as was the case in the Castile shooting Why do you do the work you do? ries. When we know each other’s stories, with Diamond Reynolds, his girlfriend, Send up to 150 words to when we see the world from each other’s and her four-year-old daughter. Where [email protected] experiences, when we was the outrage that an unarmed, calm Deadline: August 10 “What is going on understand that “others” mother was so matter-of-factly seen as September advertising sections: and where are have mothers and sisters a threat by police officers that she was • Elder Guide my people — and brothers, friends and handcuffed rather than being able to • Grrrls Go Green Guide the people who co-workers, homes and comfort her daughter? • Spirituality Guide Valerie Castile, Philandro’s mother, believe in stories, too, we are less • GoSeeDo/Calendar Guide likely to see “them” as spoke from her heart after her son was Deadline: August 10 dignity, freedom “others,” but rather as a killed. “I want to make sure this doesn’t and justice for all part of “us.” happen to another mother,” she said at a Watch for the Minnesota Women’s — who stand for a Our mission at the peaceful gathering outside the Governor’s Directory with the September renewed sense Women’s Press is to share residence. As mothers of sons ourselves, issue. of intentional, stories. We care about we feel for her. determined breaking down gender The kind of storytelling we do at October’s theme is “women and and strategic barriers to make change the Women’s Press — and the kind we politics.” collaboration?” for the betterment of all. could use much more of in the world — When has politics been personal To quote the late Paul happens by not just reading the stories to you? When has the personal — Roxanne Givens, Wellstone, “We all do bet- with our eyes, but with our ears and read more on page 33 been political for you? ter when we all do better.” hearts and minds. Tell us your story in 150 words. Gender is one of the We share women’s stories in ways that Send to [email protected] many layers in these recent killings. Men build community and encourage change. Deadline: Sept. 10 are doing most of the shooting, and most We all need to do that deep telling and October advertising sections: of the victims are men. hearing of stories — and • Health and Wellness Guide In our February 2016 magazine, where then translate it into atti- • Home Guide we focused on gun violence prevention, tudes and beliefs and action • Smart Women’s Guide to Voting Ruth DeFoster shared her research on for cultural change. OUT • Women and Pets Guide gun violence and gender. “An uncom- The theme of this August • GoSeeDo/Calendar Guide fortable fact,” she wrote, “is that violence magazine is “out” — stand- Deadline: Sept. 10 is an unambiguously gendered issue ing out, living out, finding out, speaking — according to the U.S. Department of out. At this critical time in our country’s Justice, men comprise nearly 90 percent history, we think it is important to hear of those who commit homicide.” varied perspectives and histories, to lis- Our culture teaches our boys of all ten to many voices and stories, and to colors, from a young age, that they need discern how we can take action to make to be tough and strong, that they should positive, inclusive and peaceful change in not back down, that they should not our culture. have feelings. and Co-Publishers Minnesota Women’s Press, August 2016 5 YOUSAID YOURTHOUGHTS OUT Letters from MN Women’s Press readers Each month we ask our readers to respond to a question. For August we asked: Have you ever been out? Surviving suicide loss Out of time Out of the dark Thank you for the article on suicide survivors. [ActNow column, MWP, July Though I try to hoard it, I am con- My forebears emigrated from Finland 2016] Janet Benz is a great representative stantly running out of time. Retirement in the late 19th century, and Finnish was for survivors and your magazine did a is incredibly busy, because it freed me to my parents’ first language. Believing we wonderful job of capturing her message get involved with activities I never had kids should grow up fully American, while giving hope and sharing warning time for while working full-time. But they kept their secret language from us, signs and resources — all critical elements for me the solution is at hand, and it’s a much to our mother’s later regret. when talking about suicide in a safe way. remnant from my newspaper days.