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September 2013, Membership Statement: Content Review: Alix Dobkin, 1940, and Jan OLOC Is an Organization of Old Lesbians

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September 2013, Membership Statement: Content Review: Alix Dobkin, 1940, and Jan OLOC Is an Organization of Old Lesbians OldOld LesbiansLesbians OrganizingOrganizing forfor ChangeChange Founded in 1989 25 Years of Old Lesbians By Alix Dobkin, 1940 When I began to write this cover story Keynoters Dorothy Allison, Cherríe Moraga, about the 25th Anniversary OLOC National and Chrystos moved hearts and challenged Gathering, I remembered the great feedback minds. The Writers’ Night, featuring a Tribute we have been getting about it and thought, to Pat Parker and 10 outstanding writer-activists, why not let the Lesbians who attended write kept the full house riveted all Thursday night— it? I couldn’t say it better than they did. rivaled only by the kick-ass energy of Saturday’s First, for a general rundown we turn to our Bay Area Lesbian Legends/Women’s Liberation own Elana Dykewomon, who wrote this for the Boogie Dance Band. Over 50 workshops, a (SF) Bay TImes: day-long intensive, “More than 300 plenaries on class, Lesbians over 60 Lesbians of Color, came together to inter-generational plot the end of communication/ patriarchy in community, and joyful and cranky OLOC’s founding (how not?) rounded out a very full weekend. reunions. Writers Canyon Sam, Elana Dykewomon, Dorothy Allison, Jewelle Gomez, Cherríe Moraga. Photo by Diane Sabin. And, just a few comments from the attendees: “What a treat that was. It was like a dream. .” “There were so many highlights and intense, thoughtful offerings over the five days. Many, many women have told me how absorbing and inspiring it was, and how much they learned.” “(M)y very deep appreciation for the very enjoyable and politically inspiring OLOC Gathering, we had the best time and are still feeling the aftermath of all the discussions, the speakers, the dance, the readings, the workshops, the hospitality room, the Lesbian energy and the undeniably inspiring companionship of Old Lesbians.” “I had a wonderfully positive and affirming time at OLOC . I thank you for all of your efforts in making the gathering a welcoming and comfortable space for Lesbians of color.” “. i can’t remember a time that i attended an event that was so open and welcoming— the info in the registration packet was brilliant and i had no access problems at all—and as an ill and disabled woman i have had far more experiences where i have had to educate and fight for access—there was a lot of care and energy put into it and it showed.” “You all must be ‘kvelling’ on having pulled off a really fabulous event! Great job!” Well, we are kvelling and feeling pretty good about all the Old Lesbians we saw having the time of their lives together, just as we did. The Reporter — A quarterly publication of OLOC Vol 24, #3 OLOC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Sept 2014 Old Lesbians Organizing for Change The OLOC Reporter is published by Old OLOC is supported in part by a grant from the Lesbians Organizing for Change: Carpenter Foundation. OLOC thanks them. www.oloc.org To find out about OLOC chapters and groups, e-mail: [email protected] presently in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Post Office Box 5853, Athens, OH 45701 Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Utah, This Newsletter Brought to You By: Vermont, Washington State, and Washington DC, Co-Editors: Jennice Thomas, 1940, and Susan look here: www.oloc.org/about/chapters.php. Or Wiseheart, 1941. call us: 888-706-7506. Proofreader and Copy-editor: Nancy Krody, 1939. As of September 2013, Membership Statement: Content Review: Alix Dobkin, 1940, and Jan OLOC is an organization of Old Lesbians. We are Griesinger, 1942. dedicated to preserving and enhancing the Lesbian Design/Layout: Malinda McCain, 1940. voice as well as increasing Lesbian visibility in a Mailing crew and all writers and photographers. world that stifles it. National OLOC supports the Deadline for the next issue: November 1, 2014. Limit right of all people to be treated fairly and submissions to 300 words. Contact us for a style guide. respectfully and with equal justice under the law. We may edit articles for clarity and length. Send National OLOC is an ally to all who struggle for articles to OLOC at [email protected] or OLOC, PO Box justice. In the LGBTQIA* community, we are the L. 5853, Athens OH 45701. Therefore, National OLOC welcomes as members If you are a member of national OLOC who wants to only those women who have reached their 60th be on OLOC’s national yahoo e-mail list, subscribe by year and who are Old Lesbians. going to groups.yahoo.com/group/NationalOLOC/. If *Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Transsexual Two-Spirit you have any problems, contact [email protected]. Queer Questioning Intersex Asexual and Ally. To find OLOC on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/NationalOLOC The next National Steering Committee OLOC maintains a video library and will lend items to meeting will be in Atlanta, GA, members. For a complete list of items available, October 16–19, 2014. check the website: www.oloc.org WOW! Seems So Inadequate obviously was well received, as shown by the By Arden Eversmeyer, 1931, and Margaret impressive number of women who signed up Purcell, 1951 as interested in being interviewed, becoming Can we get an “amen”? The recent Oakland an interviewer, or even becoming transcribers. Gathering afforded us a wonderful opportunity Amazing! It is absolutely clear that the need to reach out and spread the gospel—the Old for gathering and preserving our own stories Lesbian Oral Herstory Project gospel, that is. is still strong. With all the women who stepped It all started with Arden’s gratefully receiving up, the OLOHP can’t help but become even a Del Martin Award (along with the much- stronger. We thank you all! deserving Joan Emerson) on opening night. Arden then spent the next few days either moving from plenary to workshop or working on interviews. With the help of Chris Pattee, M&M, and Deirdre Knowles, the OLOHP managed to conduct nine new interviews while in the area. Having been gifted with the Sunday morning plenary time slot, Arden seized the opportunity to present a fact- and photo-filled overview of the OLOHP, from baby steps back in 1998 to today’s flat-out run in 2014. The presentation Sept 2014 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 2 Old Lesbians Organizing for Change Contact List for Current Steering Committee Members OLOC Vision Statement Co-Directors: OLOC will be a cooperative community of Old Lesbian Jan Griesinger, 1942, Athens, OH, [email protected] feminist activists from many backgrounds working for justice and the well-being of all Old Lesbians. 740-448-6424 Alix Dobkin, 1940, Woodstock, NY, [email protected] Mission Statement for OLOC 845-679-7586 We are committed to: Steering Committee Members: addressing what it means to be Old and to be Ruth Debra, 1944, Palm Springs, CA, [email protected] Lesbian 760-318-6794 finding ways to gather Old Lesbians for ongoing Sally Tatnall, 1937, Cleveland Heights, OH, support [email protected], 216-862-0598 working against all oppressions that affect Old Bonnie Wagner, 1942, Woodstock, NY, [email protected] Lesbians 845-679-7710 or 845-417-1481 standing in solidarity with allies for racial, Pat Cull, 1942, Oakland, CA, [email protected] economic, and social justice 415-637-5002 OLOC works for change by supporting: OLOC’s Steering Committee welcomes constructive comprehensive immigration reform feedback and suggestions from members by way of elimination of violence against women mail, phone, or e-mail. enactment of universal single-payer healthcare OLOC has received a generous donation of shares of for all stock that a member inherited from her family. If you are all efforts to challenge/overturn racism, classism, privileged to be able to donate stock, let us know—the sexism, ableism, and ageism system to do it is very easy. an end to corporate “personhood” an end to any curtailment of voting rights Photo by EllenPhoto by Gierson Photo Ellen by Gierson Photos by Sandy Morris unless otherwise indicated. Sept 2014 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 3 Old Lesbians Organizing for Change The 2014 Del Reflecting how far our society has come, Martin Award Arden was recently honored for her work by the The Del Martin Old National Women’s History Project and also was Lesbian Pride Award a featured speaker at a US Department of was split between Energy celebration of Women’s History Month. two Old Lesbians this Joan Emerson, 1935, coordinated the San year. At the Gathering Francisco Bay Area OLOC from 1996 to ceremony in Oakland, 2013. Born in Washington, DC in 1935, each of them spoke of where her father was a lawyer for the New her work on behalf of Joan Emerson and Arden Deal, she graduated from Reed College and Old Lesbians. Here is Eversmeyer. Photo by earned a Ph.D. in sociology from the Univer- a little more about Sandy Morris. sity of California at Berkeley. She taught soci- each of them: ology at Carleton College and the State Uni- Arden Eversmeyer, 1931, founded the versity of New York at Buffalo, and she wrote Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project (1999), to articles that became classics. ensure that the stories of Lesbians born in Her biggest regret was watching the wom- the first part of the 20th century are recorded en’s movement and the civil rights movement in history. Project volunteers have document- from the sidelines. She left the field of sociol- ed hundreds of diverse life stories recording ogy and at age 55 began training to work as the sacrifices and obstacles faced by Lesbi- a psychotherapist with children.
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