September 2019 in 1989 Vol 29 #3
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Old Lesbians Organizing for A quarterly publication Change of OLOC Founded September 2019 in 1989 Vol 29 #3 The 2019 OLOC National Gathering by Alix Dobkin, 1940 The 2019 OLOC National Gathering was Then we saw five minutes of Every Room in the greatest I can remember! And not just the House, a film about Ruthie and Connie Kurtz, because I had such a fine time during my 1936–2018, her co-winner. concert, but mostly because of the entire The workshops provided for a variety of event, not to mention seeing our dear Susan interests and passions and enjoyed good Wiseheart again (yay)! attendance and good receptions. Bringing new dimensions of color and In the ever-popular, always welcoming depth to this normally animated cohort, the Hospitality Room, we were entertained and Puerto Rican contingent pumped up the educated with readings by some of our most animation even further. accomplished and noteworthy OLOC authors, such as Carole Anne. They also offered the workshops “Playwriting” with Terry Baum, Photo by Kristi Hildebrand 1946, and “Writing with All Our Senses” with Elana Dykewomon, 1949. Photo by Mev Miller And from the balcony outside our room, the sight of happy Old Lesbians enjoying each other and their custom-made breakfasts Following my concert on Thursday night, every morning filled me with joy. we were lifted from our seats compliments of Wednesday afternoon, we registered María Cora (center in photo) and Azúcar con arriving attendees in the lobby while the Old Aché’s irresistible Latin/Salsa musica. A wild Lesbians of Color did their work in the ballroom. mob of Lesbians dancing to brilliant live music Wednesday night, from an accomplished ensemble of their peers Carol Anne Douglas, inspires a Lesbian energy exchange that creates 1946, winner of the the highest level of vibration possible on this planet 2017 Del Martin Old at this time. Photo by Retts Scauzillo Lesbian Pride Award, Friday night, Karen Williams wove the presented this Gathering theme, Resist and Persist, into her year's Award to pitch-perfect keynote, and on Saturday night, Ruthie Berman, DJ Jamie furnished us with more high-energy 1934 (on left in music, a great ending to a great Gathering! photo). OLOC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization OLOC Reporter is published by Old Introducing OLOC’s Newest Steering Committee Lesbians Organizing for Change: Member! • www.oloc.org; email: [email protected] María Cora was born in 1953 in Philadelphia, • PO Box 834, Woodstock, NY 12498 Pennsylvania, grew up in Puerto Rico, and has been • 888-706-7506 (toll-free) living in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1981. She This newsletter brought to you by Guest Editor: OLOC Member, 1954. is a Black Puerto Rican vocalist, writer, and feminist Proofreader and Copy-editor: Nancy Krody, social change activist. Her focus has 1939. been the empowerment of women Content Review: Alix Dobkin, 1940, Sally and People of Color. She has served Tatnall, 1937, and Jan Griesinger, 1942. in diverse leadership roles at the Design/Layout: Malinda McCain, 1940. Photo Kristi by Hildebrand All of the writers and photographers. Lesbian Health and Research Center Deadline for the next issue is November 1, at the University of California at San 2019. Limit general contributions to 300 words. Francisco, the Aqua Foundation for Contact us for the style guide (revised November 2018). We may edit articles for Women, and the Office of Women’s clarity and/or length. Send articles to Health of the San Francisco OLOC: [email protected]. Department of Public Health. Memorial announcements: only name, She is a founding dyke of Lesbian birth and death years, and city and state of of Color organizations that include the María Cora at the the Lesbian who died. See the E-News for National life stories. NIA Collective, Mujerío, and Ellas en Gathering Steering Committee Members Acción. It has been her pleasure to be the lead vocalist of women’s ensembles such as Co-Directors: Alix Dobkin, 1940, Woodstock, NY, Orquesta Sabrosita, Azúcar y Crema, and Different [email protected], 845-679-7586 Touch, and for the past 10 years, Azúcar Con Aché. Sally Tatnall, 1937, Lyndhurst, OH, María currently coordinates 13 older adult choirs at [email protected], 440-868-5021 the Community Music Center in San Francisco. As Co-Director Emerita: the newest member of the OLOC Steering Jan Griesinger, 1942, Athens, OH, Committee, she looks forward to bringing attention to [email protected], 740-592-1255 the realities of older Lesbians of Color and helping to Steering Committee Members: strengthen OLOC as a crucial national Lesbian Ruth Debra, 1944, Operations Coordinator, Palm Springs, CA, organization. [email protected], 760-318-6794 Bonnie Wagner, 1942, Woodstock, NY, OLOC works for change by supporting: [email protected], 845-679-7710 or 845-417-1481 • comprehensive immigration reform Alí Marrero-Calderón, 1948, Oakland, CA, • elimination of violence against women and Bayamon, Puerto Rico, alí@oloc.org, • enactment of universal single-payer 510-365-6745 healthcare for all María Cora, 1953, San Lorenzo, CA, • an end to corporate “personhood” marí[email protected], 510-366-8630 • an end to any curtailment of voting rights Who We Are: OLOC is an organization • the Black Lives Matter movement of Old Lesbians. We are dedicated to preserving and enhancing the Lesbian voice • the Say Her Name! movement as well as increasing Lesbian visibility in a • the civil rights of all indigenous people world that stifles it and threatens to erase it. OLOC Membership (as of 10-23-2015): It is with regret that the Steering Committee National OLOC welcomes as members Old Lesbians who have reached their 60th year. has accepted the resignation of Jan Griesinger, 1942, our former long-time OLOC Support: Anyone who wants us Co-Director. There will be more about Jan in to succeed in our work is welcome as a the December issue. supporter. www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 2 Photo by Mev Miller Photo by Bernice Photographer Miller Best GATHERING ever. .so uplifting and special. .So many great Old dykes. I had a blast and learned so much. LOC [Lesbians of Color] panel was outrageous; I was so moved and impressed. All the entertainment rocked. .different and great. It was hard to get back to the unreal world. Love you all. Let’s keep the energy going. Retts Scauzillo, 1953 Karen Williams gave Friday night’s keynote address. I only wished it had gone on and on. I felt cared for; I truly did. I'll start working on raising money for Puerto Rican Lesbians and encouraging other women in Photos by Kristi Hildebrand Minnesota to join us in Phoenix in 2021. Mary Jean Mulherin, 1951 Photo Mev by Miller Coming back from the 2019 OLOC Gathering let me think about all the beautiful experiences I had in Columbus, Ohio. Meeting all those powerful Old Lesbian women was something else! Sandra Garcia, 1957 Old Lesbians Resist Photo by Kristi Hildebrand and Persist Photo by Kristi Hildebrand Thanks to everyone for making my first Gathering one of the best adventures of my Lesbian life! Laurie, 1941 Boricua (Borikén) was an early name for the Island of Puerto Rico. Every morning I looked down from my second floor room on the dining area to see beautiful women clustered at tables, greeting Photo by Mev Miller one another with plates of breakfast in one hand and their arms around each other with the other. I heard laughter billowing up to my ears inviting me to join them. I made so many friends, besides seeing old friends. I love you all. Janis Sommers, 1951. [Editor: The rest of Janis's report will be in the Sept. E-News.] Get OLOC merchandise here! t-shirts tanks sweatshirts buttons and pins Check out the beautiful shopping webpage at oloc.org/shop/. www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 3 Hibernation to Old Lesbian Nation and Chapter Coordinator By Mev Miller, 1955 phone calls. I was intro- I’ve waited many years to be old enough to duced to many other attend an OLOC Gathering. When I moved to Lesbians from around the Photo by Kristi Hildebrand Rhode Island in 2002, there wasn’t an easy way country. And the radical to become connected to Lesbian community; conversations and political my Lesbian activism and connection to disagreements that community went into hibernation. involved me in the 1980s When I turned 60, I joined OLOC. At 62, and 1990s were evolving: I realized I knew enough Old Lesbians in How white Lesbians must Rhode Island to initiate an OLOC-Rhode Island work against racism and Chapter. And this year, I finally attended a become allies to Lesbians Mev Miller Gathering. I was concerned that my hunger of Color, Lesbian invisibility for Lesbian space and high expectations and the need for Lesbian-centered spaces, might be disappointing. butch-femme controversies, women born I discovered that what I wanted and needed women and tensions with transwomen, how to was all here—and not at all disappointing. interact with Lesbians with disabilities, open From the second I went to the registration talk about Lesbian sexuality, radical feminist table and put on my name tag, I knew I was responses to patriarchy and hierarchy, and so about to experience exhilaration. I started much more. I was happy. And I loved every breathing Lesbian air and became intoxicated. minute of it! I reconnected with many Lesbians from I carry with me a renewed sense of around the country that I hadn’t seen for nearly connections to Lesbian community among 20+ years.