OldOld LesbiansLesbians OrganizingOrganizing forfor ChangeChange A quarterly Founded publication of OLOC in 1989 June 2015 Vol 25 #2 OH, WHAT A NIGHT! Four days before Correction: In the March issue, Eunice Samuels By Alix Dobkin, 1940 and after the show, the OLOC Steering was mistakenly reported Combine a variety of sparkling Lesbian to have died. We’re happy poetry, music, wit, and consciousness with a Committee convened, to say she's alive and beautiful, colorful, and spirited audience of as we do twice a year, well in NYC. See p. 5. “Women Sweet on Women,” and you have to conduct OLOC a night to remember. And we will long remember business. This time we checked into the the night of April 25th, when, with active OLOC airport Holiday Inn North where the next support, ZAMI NOBLA Gathering will be held, (National Organization of and were joined by our Black Lesbians on three provisional Aging), in the person of members: Ali Marrero- Mary Anne Adams and Calderon (1948) of her cohorts, produced Oakland CA and such a night at the idyllic Bayamón, Puerto Rico; Agnes Scott Women's Mary Anne Adams College in Decatur GA, (1954) of Atlanta GA; where the Women’s and Paij Wadley-Bailey Studies department co- (1939) of Montpelier VT. sponsored the event and We love ZAMI NOBLA and have become provided the recital hall. Gaye (left) and Wild Rutz Theresa Davis, Deidre increasingly impressed McCalla, Gaye Adegbalola and her band, with and excited about working with them as The Wild Rutz (Tanya Cotton, Gloria partners, and we love the Lesbians we met Jackson, and Marta Fuentes), emcee Trey in Atlanta. We welcome this new phase of our Anthony, and I faced a packed house of beloved OLOC and look forward to organizing more than 200 Lesbians for “Women Sweet for the changes that will be generated by this on Women ll: An Evening of Music, Words, & new collaboration. Song.” The excitement, the pure joy of connecting with so many happy Lesbians in “This w as epic. It was great to be out with one of those rare Lesbian-centered community old friends and new. THIS is exactly the events, charged every Lesbian battery in the community I have longed for in Atlanta. house and put a smile on every Lesbian face. It Thank you, Mary Anne Adams and all of was a fundraiser for next year’s ZAMI NOBLA/ the visionaries at ZAMI NOBLA and OLOC OLOC National Gathering to be held in October for bridging the gap and making this 2016, a first-of-its-kind celebration co-produced happen. Let’s do it again and again.” —Robin G. White by the two groups. OLOC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. The OLOC Reporter is published by Old Report on Creating Change 2015 Lesbians Organizing for Change: By Sally Tatnall, 1937, and Ruth Debra, 1944 www.oloc.org Four thousand LGBTQ people were in attendance at e-mail: [email protected] this year’s annual Task Force conference. There were PO Box 5853, Athens OH 45701 22 all-day intensives and 337 workshops, but only four This Newsletter Brought to You By: Co-Editors: Jennice Thomas, 1940, and Susan offered any Lesbian content (three were on “femme” Wiseheart, 1941. and OLOC did one on “Ageism and Feminism,” which Proofreader and Copy-editor: Nancy Krody, was the only workshop with feminism in the title.) The 1939. lack of space for Lesbians has been argued before, Content Review: Alix Dobkin, 1940, Jan Griesinger, 1942, and Sally Tatnall, 1937. and there is no indication of change in that area. Design/Layout: Malinda McCain, 1940. The Task Force has paid a lot of attention to anti- Mailing crew and all writers and racist work, which is good. The breakout groups were photographers. more effective this year, as some were not only racially Deadline for the next issue: Aug 1, 2015. divided but also showed experience with Racial Justice. Limit submissions to 300 words. Contact us for The all-day Elder Institute was the best one to date: a style guide. We may edit articles for clarity and length. Send articles to OLOC at [email protected] Lots of sharing and lots of herstories. Ruth participated or OLOC, PO Box 5853, Athens OH 45701. in a panel on activism. Current Steering Committee Members The LGBT history workshop was excellent, although Contact List there was not much of what Lesbians have done. The Co-Directors: presenter started with the 1800s when the terms Alix Dobkin, 1940, Woodstock NY, [email protected], 845-679-7586 “homo-” and “heterosexual” were invented. The link to Sally Tatnall, 1937, Cleveland Heights OH, see the power point is www.warrenblumenfeld.com. [email protected], 216-862-0598 The People of Color workshop focused on solidarity. Steering Committee Members: Women of Color especially talked very openly about Ruth Debra, Program Director, 1944, Palm Springs CA, [email protected], 760-318-6794 prejudices they learned and how they are unlearning Jan Griesinger, 1942, Athens OH, them now. [email protected], 740-448-6424 A workshop on African American elders emphasized Bonnie Wagner, 1942, Woodstock NY, bonnie the intersections of oppressions that we all need to be @oloc.org, 845-679-7710 or 845-417-1481 aware of. It also focused on how LGBT organizations Pat Cull, 1942, Oakland CA, [email protected] 415-637-5002 need to interact with elders-of-color organizations. In the femme caucus, in response to what Sally said Membership Statement (as of April 26, 2015) about what “femme” means to her, a young woman OLOC is an organization of Old Lesbians. said, “Oh, that must be a generation gap because that We are dedicated to preserving and is not what ‘femme’ means to me.” Ageism in action! enhancing the Lesbian voice as well as increasing Lesbian visibility in a world What’s in a Name? that stifles it. National OLOC supports the By Jan Griesinger, 1942 right of all people to be treated fairly and Mary Morgan, in her last three months of life, was in respectfully and with equal justice under the law. National OLOC is an ally to all a hospital and in a care facility. She was often called who struggle for justice. In the LGBTQIA* Honey, Sweetie, Dearie, Sweet Pea, Sweets, Sweet- community, we are the L. Therefore, heart, Moms, Rosie. Most often she was called “Miss National OLOC welcomes as members Mary.” Yes, almost all were women staff who used only those women who have reached these words, and I know they felt they were being their 60th year and who are Old Lesbians. warm and friendly. * Lesbian Gay Bisexual Bulldagger Transgender Transsexual Two-Spirit Queer Questioning Intersex Interestingly, the hospital had a note on its room info Asexual and Ally board that read: “What would you like us to call you?” Her answer written there was “Mary.” Somehow that OLOC is supported in part by grants from the didn’t work for the staff. They were honoring an old Carpenter Foundation, the Horizons Founda- woman, age 89, by using all the words above instead tion (for the Bay Area), and the Sisters of Per- of her name. What does this say about petual Indulgence. Thank you. our politics, our values? June 2015 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 2 Chapter News We are looking for volunteer coordinators to California Political Action Committee revive chapters and groups that have disap- (PAC) peared or to start new chapters and groups. The San Francisco Bay Area Political Action If you are interested, please contact OLOC at Committee participated in an action support- [email protected] or 888-706-7506. ing the national “Fight for $15” low-wage Bay Area OLOC’s Successful Transitions workers’ campaign. By Susan Chacin, 1945 Low-wage workers are overwhelmingly The San Francisco Bay Area chapter has women and people of color. managed a number of challenging transitions The PAC aspires to play two roles: We are this year. organizing so OLOC is present at important The national Gathering took a lot of local events on the “street,” and we plan to bring organizing, and we are proud to have con- pressing issues to the attention of OLOC tributed to its diversity and energy. Moreover, members. rather than draining our chapter, the Gather- At this time we see our priorities as: ing seems to have helped us “power up.” 1) protecting senior programs such as So- Local women who attended got a chance to cial Security and Medicare, see what OLOC is all about, and connections 2) standing in solidarity with the Black with others were strengthened. So far, I haven’t Lives Matter movement, particularly as ex- heard of any Gathering organizers who have pressed by Black women, and burned out after the two years of planning, 3) taking action against climate change. and we have gained a number of new members. At the same time, our chapter has gone through an intense period of reorganization. The chapter’s leadership, previously a five- member steering committee, has morphed into a Coordinating Council of representatives of working committees. This structure shares tasks among more members and is still a work in progress—more people involved means a need for more communication. However, the pace of our chapter’s activities is unabated. Since the Gathering, we have held a picnic, two day-long meetings, and two overnight retreats. A game day is planned for June, and the annual summer picnic has become an important way to get to meet new women and for them to get to know OLOC.