Black Feminism LIVES!

School of Our Lorde CONTINUES!  March: Pedagogy ****Applications due February 25th 2010******

Pedagogy: Not everyone knows that Audre Lorde was breaking down the master’s house by being a master teacher and librarian.  Do you teach students armed and ready to text message? Well Audre Lorde taught John Jay College of Criminal Justice students who wore loaded guns to class as part of their uniform!!!  Participants in this session will get to see Audre Lorde’s syllabi, and course evaluations, practice their own interpretations of her teaching methods and transform the meaning of education.  Participants also get to help design and facilitate the Audre Lorde Survival School.  We will meet over dessert on Thursday March 4, 11, and 18th.

Apply for the pedagogy course here:School of Our Lorde Pedagogy Application (pdf version)

School of Our Lorde Pedagogy Application (doc version)

email applications to brokenbeautifulpress@gmail.com or drop them off at the Inspiration Station (email for directions)

IF YOU HAVE THE MISFORTUNE TO NOT LIVE IN DURHAM… sign up here www.schoolofourlorde.ning.com

Note on the applications:
I invited each of your because I really really want you in the course. ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHOOL OF OUR LORDE REGARDLESS OF MOOLA AND OTHER NEEDS! Holler at me. I’m at your service ;)

What makes Eternal Summer of the Black Feminist Mind projects ETERNAL?
The second page of the application asks you to dedicate your participation to at least 7 people who learn from you.  This is a key part of the educational experience.  A mentor of mine reminded me that somehow those extra deep parts of our brains and hearts get opened up when we approach a learning experiences with our beloved communities in mind.   Even more so when our participation is accountable to specific living folks in our lives and they know it!!!

One way to make that accountability tangible is for folks in your community to sponsor you for the course…one especially helpful form of support (for the short time that capitalism continues) is MOOLA (as not-so- subtly hinted by the dollar $ign$ on the application).  But there are infinite ways for a supporter to sponsor you…I especially love it when folks contribute food, poetry, meditations that they know etc!!!

What makes Community Supported Education Possible?
Also the “asking people for money and other forms of support” exercise on the application is also about transforming our relationships to money and learning how to create sustainable educational spaces outside of/and past/and beyond/and in secret subversive collaboration with the dominant institutions of discipline and indoctrination.  You might love asking folks for monetary support…you might absolutely hate it (like I do) but either way it teaches us a lot and is part of our educational process in the course.

I am so excited about the possibility of your participation. Get at me with any questions!
love,
lex

On this day 97 years ago…my grandfather Jeremiah Gumbs was born.  Pop-pop was the person who taught me how a love for poetry could transform my life.   It seems not mere coincidence that my favorite poet and chosen ancestor Audre Lorde was ALSO born on this day 76 years ago!  This podcast, lovingly released on this birthday of two of my beloved ancestors who make their spirits known in my life on a daily basis is also dedicated to a new ancestor.

My godmother Aunt Andie (Andria Hall) died from breast cancer a little over a year and a month ago today. To honor Aunt Andie and Audre Lorde, and June Jordan, and my stepsister Kyla’s mom Diane and Mama Nayo Barbara Watkins and so many more beautiful ancestors who are so powerfully with us, my mom, my Aunti Akosua and the brilliant and inspiring Mary Anne Adams who is a breast cancer survivor collaborated on this podcast.  May it be healing for you and may it be an invitation to the energy of all of your ancestors to fill your heart and kiss your face.

love always,

lex

[audio http://brokenbeautiful.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/audre-lorde-survival-podcast.mp3]

http://brokenbeautiful.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/audre-lorde-survival-podcast.mp3

you can also find the recent podcast on itunes if you search “brokenbeautiful press”

And if you are in or near Durham don’t forget to come to the B-day Party this Saturday!!!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&story_fbid=309108934999&id=103868#!/event.php?eid=299116552453

<3<3<3<3<3

thingsimreading:

guerrillamamamedicine:

i am reminding myself that even though there are those who want to convince me that writing is not work, that poetry is not work, that art is not work. and that ‘real work’ ‘meaningful work’ would be me being a better mother or a better wife or a better wage slave—i am reminding myself that poetry and art and music are not just ‘hobbies’ or ‘artistic pursuits’ that you should only engage in once the ‘real work’ is done. but that poetry is not a luxury. poetry is housework. poetry is one of the keys to our survival.