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Honor thy restlessness
Oct. 25th, 2005 06:05 amRosa Parks died yesterday evening. She was 92. I can't do her amazing contribution justice with words, but it seems fitting that I should post now about the National Gathering of the Damaris Project on women who rise up to make a difference in the world.
This may get long, and I should probably cut-tag it, but...well...I want you to read it. This is my heart. So you'll have to scroll if you want to skip it.
I don't even know where to start. So many of the things I wrote down are just quotes that resonated with me, even though they sound really simple in print. And there are so many more of them than I put here. My hand is still cramping.
We spent the day reading different excerpts from a wide variety of literature and discussing those in the small groups at our table. We also had a panel discussion with women who are working toward change - who are "honoring their restlessness," as one of them put it - Jen, who works to stop human trafficking, Tara (my personal hero who - yay! - was at my table), who, after receiving her degree, decided to turn her summer job as a groundskeeper at TCU to a long-term commitment so that she can fight for a living wage for those who work with her from the inside, and Shana, a member of the Denver Anti-Racism and Reconciliation Team. Then we had a lecture on ethical leadership from Naomi Wolf (whom you really should go hear speak if ever you get a chance).
Ach. So much. The best I can do are some of my favorite quotes from the day (which, actually, are probably more paraphrased than quoted):
"When your high ideas meet resistance when worked out practically, you're going in the right direction. There will be resistance. Celebrate every reached goal."
"Change is about bringing the marginalized in from the outskirts and giving them voice."
"Don't cry for me; cry for you and the injustice that you have allowed to go on in this country."
"If your self-esteem gets too closely linked to your issue, you're in trouble. Your personal worth is not tied to your success or failure."
"Usually the ones who know how to solve the problem are those bearing the brunt of it. Go where they are."
"In evaluating your anger, is it anger that leads to hopelessness, or is it an anger that leads to action?"
"We don't just want to take over the world - we want to take it over and make it right."
"When you actually turn into someone that bad people are afraid of, it's such a good feeling." (That one was from Naomi Wolf, and I wish that you could hear the tone of voice that she said it in - so funny!).
Anyway, I really enjoyed Saturday. I think Beth and I are starting a Damaris salon pretty soon.
This may get long, and I should probably cut-tag it, but...well...I want you to read it. This is my heart. So you'll have to scroll if you want to skip it.
I don't even know where to start. So many of the things I wrote down are just quotes that resonated with me, even though they sound really simple in print. And there are so many more of them than I put here. My hand is still cramping.
We spent the day reading different excerpts from a wide variety of literature and discussing those in the small groups at our table. We also had a panel discussion with women who are working toward change - who are "honoring their restlessness," as one of them put it - Jen, who works to stop human trafficking, Tara (my personal hero who - yay! - was at my table), who, after receiving her degree, decided to turn her summer job as a groundskeeper at TCU to a long-term commitment so that she can fight for a living wage for those who work with her from the inside, and Shana, a member of the Denver Anti-Racism and Reconciliation Team. Then we had a lecture on ethical leadership from Naomi Wolf (whom you really should go hear speak if ever you get a chance).
Ach. So much. The best I can do are some of my favorite quotes from the day (which, actually, are probably more paraphrased than quoted):
"When your high ideas meet resistance when worked out practically, you're going in the right direction. There will be resistance. Celebrate every reached goal."
"Change is about bringing the marginalized in from the outskirts and giving them voice."
"Don't cry for me; cry for you and the injustice that you have allowed to go on in this country."
"If your self-esteem gets too closely linked to your issue, you're in trouble. Your personal worth is not tied to your success or failure."
"Usually the ones who know how to solve the problem are those bearing the brunt of it. Go where they are."
"In evaluating your anger, is it anger that leads to hopelessness, or is it an anger that leads to action?"
"We don't just want to take over the world - we want to take it over and make it right."
"When you actually turn into someone that bad people are afraid of, it's such a good feeling." (That one was from Naomi Wolf, and I wish that you could hear the tone of voice that she said it in - so funny!).
Anyway, I really enjoyed Saturday. I think Beth and I are starting a Damaris salon pretty soon.
