"i have the light of freedom" gathering for black female justice workers

[Raha]

CONTACT PERSON : Mae Jackson, 718-852-8798

Ruby Sales
Founder and Director
The SpiritHouse Project
http://www.thespirithouseproject.org

The Spirithouse Project announces 'I Have the Light of Freedom' --
A historic and groundbreaking SisterAll gathering for black female
justice workers between the ages of 18 to 35.

This gathering will take place June 18-23, 2006 at the Bishop
Claggett Center in Buckeyestown, Maryland. The center is one hour
outside of Washington, D.C.

Partial List Of Speakers

The 'I Have The Light of Freedom' SisterAll speakers include young
justice workers as well as older outstanding Black female 'long
distance' justice workers who continue to push and work for a more
just society. They include:

Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon
Cultural Historian
Founder, 'Sweet Honey In the Rock'
Musicologist
social critic
producer and director
veteran of the Southern Freedom Movement

Jill Nelson
journalist and activist
former writer for The Washington Post
author of many books including the best-selling 'Straight, No
Chaser: How I Became A Grown-Up Black Woman'

Stacyann Chin
full-time artist, performer, cast member of Def Poetry Jam
author and performer of two off-Broadway shows, 'Hands Afire' and
'Unspeakable Things'

Rev. Dr. Renita Weems
ordained elder in the A.M.E. Church
teacher and Hebrew Scholar
author of several widely acclaimed books on women's spirituality
and wholeness, including 'Just A Sister Away' and 'I Asked for
Intimacy'

Dr. Paula Matabane
award-winning media producer
published scholar
ordained minister
activist and educator in mass media, culture, and religion. Her
new documentary memoir is 'This Way Leads Home: Hair Like Wool,
Feet Like Brass, The Search for Jesus'

Dr. Barbara Ransby
activist
scholar
historian
social critic
founder of the Black Radical Congress
Associate Professor of African American Studies and History
Author of the award winning biography of Ella Baker: 'Ella Baker
and the Black Freedom Movement'


Limited to forty women, the 'I Have The Light Of Freedom' SisterAll
is a community-building project that calls together Black female
scholars, activists, artists, students, workers, practitioners, and
lay and ordained spiritual leaders between the ages of 18 and 35
who work for justice or who feel called to build up a non-violent
movement that advances democracy in our community and in other
communities.

Furthermore, the SisterAll strengthens the connections between
younger and older Black female justice workers. It renews our
trust, respect, and intimacy so that we can build hospitable, just
and life affirming environments where "we express the power of our
collective voices in ways that add meaning and vitality to our
lives" and the lives of others.

The following essential and overarching questions provide the
fertile ground and the multidimensional tools (including
spirituality and culture) for us to consider the short term and
long term mission of using our gifts, skills and resources to build
up our lives and the lives of others without tearing anyone down.

-- What does it mean to be a young Black female justice worker in
the 21st century, i.e. to encounter and address systemic injustice
such as racism, sexism, claims and heterosexism?

-- How do you address your gender needs and the needs of your
community especially when you face demeaning stereotypes at home
and in other communities?

-- From what participatory models of leadership can you draw?

-- How do we strengthen and democratize our coalitions with white
groups while building coalitions with groups of color?

The SpiritHouse Project and its Co-Conveners

'I Have The Light Of Freedom' is a SpiritHouse project.
SpiritHouse is a well known national non-profit:

http://www.thespirithouseproject.org

... that brings diverse people together to build a non-violent
movement that advances democracy by dismantling systemic injustice
such as racism, sexism, heterosexism and claims.

The director of The SpiritHouse Project and Co-Convener of the 'I
Have the Light of Freedom' gathering is Ruby Sales, a long distance
runner for justice, veteran of The Southern Freedom Movement,
public historian, spiritual leader, activist, seminarian graduate,
history-maker and social critic.

The other Co-Conveners are Martha Prescod Norman, long distance
runner for justice, veteran of The Southern Freedom Movement,
public historian, social critic and co-editor of a forthcoming
anthology on the stories and voices of female veterans of the
Southern Freedom Movement; and Gloria House, Professor of African
American Studies, poet, social critic, activist and veteran of The
Southern Freedom Movement.

Location

'I Have The Light Of Freedom' SisterAll will take place at the
Bishop Claggett Center in Buckeystown, Md. located approximately
one hour outside of Washington, D.C. The Center offers a tranquil
setting at a very reasonable rate that includes air-conditioned
cottages, three meals a day, bike and walking trails, meeting
rooms, beautiful scenery, a chapel, a swimming pool, and an
activity room for entertainment.

Diversity

In choosing the forty participants, the organizers will keep in
mind a range of variables that include geography, age, sexuality,
class and personal statements. It is our intention to bring young
Black women from different social, economic, sexual, political and
spiritual locations together into a community of Black women who
begin to collectively think of strategies that build up Black
women's lives as we simultaneously build up the lives of our
families, institutions, and communities.

Cost and Scholarships

The cost per participant for this five day SisterAll is $710: $330
for room and board and $380 for tuition and materials. Room and
board includes housing and three meals a day. This cost does not
include transportation to the SisterAll.

SpiritHouse wants to make it possible for a diverse group of Black
women to attend this SisterAll by providing scholarships to young
women who are financially challenged. We need your help. We
strongly encourage you to ask your organization, job, school or
church to sponsor you. Sponsors will be listed in all program
booklets and will be listed on our web site. Application packets
and requests for scholarship will be available to download from the
SpiritHouse website ..

You can download the complete list of speakers on the SpiritHouse
website, http://www.thespirithouseproject.org. For additional
information please contact Mae Jackson at 718-852-8798, or email
Attia@nyc.rr.com

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