Thanks to all who participated in June's Creative Process collaborative journal series - if you missed any of the entries, please click on the pictures below to read the work of members who contributed their writing, poems, music, etc. Don't forget to join us in July for Queer Voices, an interview series featuring some of Lady Brain Collective's LGBTQ+ members. Image description: Two rows of three photos each. Top row, left to right: Lisa Brackmann, Susan Lipson, Lizzie Wann. Bottom row, left to right: Lindsay White, Tori Roze, and Mary Hamer. Click on individual image to see full blog and full image description.
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Next up in our “Creative Process" series, we'll be featuring an original song called “Elephant" from Lady Brain Collective member Lisa Brackmann. image description: colorful writing pens overlaid on photo of Lisa Brackmann, who is holding a miniature elephant figurine. “Elephant" by Lisa Brackmann
When you’re on the road And you hit the streets like an elephant You gotta tote that load So you lift up your trunk for the hell of it I want to know Wandering stranger Where do you go Where’s there’s no danger? Well my luck turned cold and it hit with the force of a hurricane So let’s raise a glass And we’ll drink a toast to what might have been If I never was Am I a has been? Do I double down Or throw my hand in? My my We’re on different roads that go to the same destination Follow me down Follow me down Follow me down My my My my Well it comes and goes And you tell me just make the best of it But when it overflows Well you're not gonna get out ahead of it Tell me a lie Wandering stranger Where do we go When it breaks down? Breaks down? Breaks down? Breaks down? Welcome back to “Creative Process" our month-long community gathering featuring written work from members of the Lady Brain Collective. Today we'll highlight a several original poems and a song from member Susan Lipson. image description: colorful writing pens overlaid on photo of Susan Lipson reciting poetry from her book Disillusions of Grandeur. original photo credit: Darci Fontenot “The Misalignment of Cogs" by Susan Lipson (4/28/2020) While some human cogs resist the forces of cooperative movement, complaining about restlessness, anxiety, dwindling funds, unemployment, having to adapt to remote work, boredom, lack of variety in their refrigerators, lack of products at grocery stores, delayed and limited deliveries, cabin fever, overgrown hair and nails, bare skin longing for tattoos, inadequate subsidies, discomfort of masks, exhaustion from preventive measures, lack of antivirus protective gear, internet slowness, missing travel and concerts and plays and restaurants and parties and 3-D interactions and visible smiles from strangers and hugs; and even complaining about their work being deemed “nonessential,” Others grit their teeth and bear isolation, due to their “essential,” risky-to-others, daily public service; quarantine, due to exposure to COVID-19; fear, due to sudden separation from a sick loved one; helplessness, due to hospital rules against visitors; terror, due to sirens blaring, people coughing through thin apartment walls, sudden fevers, or lack of taste and smell; pain, due to the virus or their empathy for the pained ones in their care; exhaustion, due to inadequate oxygen intake; drowning, due to dysfunctional airways; or death, due to an unchecked virus-- which might have never reached them if more people recognized their role as human cogs in a social structure bigger than any one of us. image text: Racism is not a congenital defect, but an acquired virus, caused by miseducation, spread by willful ignorance, and exacerbated by hatred. Children aren't born racists. @susanllipson “Springtime Coronation" by Susan Lipson (2020) (listen to a capella recording on Soundcloud) We’re spending springtime in isolation throughout our nation; And we are One with the whole world. Thank no messiah for this illusion; Fear and confusion that both unites and divides us now. (Chorus) Ironic that a microscopic crown Can bring a planet down, Dropping to our knees. Ironic that respect does not unite as well as this great fright born of a disease. Folks hoarding products and foods for living, Taking not giving, Will feel the loneliness set in. Meanwhile Italians see from many balconies their neighbors singing and they step out to sing along. (Chorus) Ironic that a microscopic crown Can bring a planet down, Dropping to our knees. Ironic that respect does not unite as well as this great fright born of a disease. Bridge: Behind each tragedy Is a lesson in disguise-- Though that changes no demise-- I really hope we’ll see That we owe it to each other To separate now for the sake of health and unity. We’re feeling humbled now As we all face the crown That made us subjects, Of its harsh, random decrees. We’re cells and nothing more, No one knows what’s in store; We must be One before We can defeat this awful coup. (Chorus) Ironic that a microscopic crown Can bring a planet down, Dropping to our knees. Ironic that respect does not unite as well as this great fright born of a disease. I hear the silent prayers Of worldwide neighbors Seeking great saviors To bring us health and peace again. As we all wait in vain The skies are pouring rain, As if in sympathy They clean our windows to the world. (Chorus) Ironic that a microscopic crown Can bring a planet down, Dropping to our knees. Ironic that respect does not unite as well as this great fright born of a disease. image text:
@susanllipson Indelibility Antiracist words that lead to no actions or changes are like skywriting by planes: they seem grand until they fade into misty trails of nothing. Let us amplify our calls for justice by tattooing their many hashtags behind our eyelids, metaphorically, so we will see them any time we close our eyes. Welcome back to “Creative Process" - a month-long journaling series from members of the Lady Brain Collective. Today we'll showcase several poems from poet Lizzie Wann: image description: colorful writing pens overlaid on photo of Lizzie Wann reciting poetry at a live event. “Global Mourning" by Lizzie Wann another shooting another fire another politician throws thoughts & prayers upon the pyre cold’s getting colder warm’s getter warmer will shouting become a murmur or will rage sustain until there’s a reformer I want to keep safe people who are erased I want to be shelter for those who fear their protector let’s bury the guns before another one wielded by another white guy kills for fun or for hate let’s eliminate the industry that arms bigotry those ‘bad apple’ cops afraid they won’t get the drop so they shoot first it can’t be reversed another unarmed brown or black person is harmed another dream burst another black hearse another soul to the universe keep the press free to report every atrocity let journalists write & think for themselves not stick to party lines or be compelled to cover up presidential crimes and what of medicine & science as others rally around noncompliance while thousands continue to suffer & die some people can’t seem to be bothered because it’s high time we beautify they want to forget face masks and distance but I’ll remain resistant so I can keep my existence recognize beauty in and of the world the way a new language can get twirled on your tongue, in your brain the way different foods can taste when you let your mind embrace the adventure that is unfurled fuck your white nationalism fuck your ugly racism fuck your domestic terrorism I’ll create a life of global tourism of dynamic feminism of passionate egalitarianism until the end notes of my lyricism am I mourn, I triumph I grieve, I glory I bleed, I laugh I rejoice I rejoice I rejoice We are the night ocean filled with glints of light. We are the space between the fish and the moon While we sit here together. - Rumi “Safe Passage" by Lizzie Wann a journey begins whether it is your day-to-day or a new adventure each day brings opportunities you can mend a broken heart celebrate a new start create your art stand apart sometimes it’s hard enough to just exist but when you have it in you when you’re ready you can resist you can persist you can untwist your insides until all you find is love your fellow voyagers carry their own histories stories that are bone-deep, blood-soaked, and built on those from before and before when you listen and seek love you will learn from them for their wisdom is food for the soul throughout your travels you will experience peaks & valleys adversity & advantage smooth seas & rough waters there will be times when you will be lost but here’s some real-life magic wind is power adjust your sails and get moving water is a conveyor your path is untraceable clouds are inspiration let your mind get carried away rain is music a sweet song to lift your spirits and the sky is a map a constant reference point find your North Star and follow it unfailingly track the sun & stars from east to west chase the phases of the moon to mark time finally remember that when your own course is straight & clear to help those who are adrift every one of us deserves safe passage “Murders, Unkindnesses & Other Winged Things" by Lizzie Wann
(from The Hospice Bubble & Other Devastating Affirmations) I’ve got a thing for birds not just any birds, but certain ones those steeped in mythology or magic the ones that signal omens & fate that said, most birds frighten me I have only recently begun to enjoy whoosh of hummingbirds as they dive & swoop toward feeder in my parents’ backyard their impossibly fast and tiny wings fluttering like a feeling my heart used to know but when a hummingbird is still it’s like being let in on a secret birds of prey are magnificent hawks, falcons, owls enormous wingspans & mighty talons even Zeus chose an eagle as his companion but always crows & ravens have enchanted me even their collective nouns conjure mystery a murder of crows bringers of light & death godlike & wise but always up for a good joke they hold memories of other worlds their familiar caws make my mornings an unkindness of ravens known to pick on other species as a group if necessary highly intelligent symbolic of mind & thoughts straight from the myth of Odin I have dreams where I fly I am neither crow nor raven but the higher I go, the lighter I feel to escape from daily murders & unkindnesses that we know that we mourn that we rage against that don’t go away when we close our eyes In today's edition of “Creative Process" we feature a statement from Lindsay White, founder of Lady Brain Presents, written with the help and input of several friends, mentors, and Lady Brain Collective members and sent to local government officials leading into this week's City Council meeting and vote on city funding. image description: colorful writing pens overlaid on photo of Lindsay White, who is standing in the street and holding her hand over her eyes to block the sun. original photo credit: Sydney Prather Official Statement to Local Officials from Lady Brain Presents and Members of the Lady Brain Collective
Last Edit: June 8, 2020; 1:36 pm My name is Lindsay White, and I am the founder and managing member of Lady Brain Presents, a collective of womxn-identifying creatives based in San Diego. Since our inception in late 2018, we have been committed to carving out a place for womxn creatives in our city, creating opportunities where they don’t already exist, exposing the community to our members’ work, and offering assistance/resistance to health and social justice matters affecting our membership and communities. We have until now avoided issuing monolithic social and political statements because our membership consists of so many diverse voices and forms of expression, and we typically prefer to lift up these voices artistically via our monthly, member-led community gatherings. Our very existence is a social and political statement, and our work speaks for itself. However, current events that directly violate the safety of our members and threaten our values and mission compel many of us to speak out publicly. As a womxn-identified group we have a vested interest in racial justice because racial justice is a feminist issue. Structural racism is built into the fabric of society, and is therefore impossible to separate from the intersecting forms of oppression womxn face. Fighting to dismantle one form must involve fighting to dismantle all of them. Racial injustice threatens our collective because our members, especially our black members, need to feel safe and supported in their communities in order to thrive. We are a family, and we refuse to silently comply as our BIPoC siblings are forced to process the impossible amounts of trauma, fear, rage, and exhaustion that come with systemic racism and oppression. Many of our members find themselves struggling to create and survive this year due to the mental, physical, and economic ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic; we can not allow their creativity and well-being to be further stifled by locally-sanctioned violence. The safety of our black members at this pivotal moment in history is imperative and urgent. Defunding/demilitarizing/divesting from the police and abolishing ICE are essential to that safety. We have seen over the last weeks unprovoked escalation of peaceful gatherings by police, continued inhumane detainment and deportation of folks seeking asylum, and mistreatment of people of color and undocumented neighbors, friends, and relatives. In the face of budget shortfalls, our Mayor has proposed $27 million increased funding for police with no oversight or accountability for past and current wrongdoing. As long as our city continues to prioritize law enforcement over the well-being, survival, and flourishing of marginalized communities, it’s impossible to trust that safety for communities of color matters to our local leaders. As varying opinions circulate around the concept of defunding law enforcement, we ultimately trust and defer to the leadership of Black Lives Matter San Diego, March 4 Black Womxn San Diego, and other grassroots racial justice organizations to define, implement, and oversee what their communities need. We also call for increased funding for arts and education, healthcare and housing, and other social programs because we know healthy and thriving communities do far more to protect and serve San Diegans than enormous police budgets ever could. We know ours is a voice that matters and we are committed to lifting up our members because, as the UN reports, “In the long term, societies and economies can only thrive if they make full use of women’s skills and capacities.” We will be watching, voting, and focusing much of our art and action toward racial justice until the demands of Black Lives Matter: San Diego and March 4 Black Womxn San Diego are met. And we will always fight for the interests of all womxn-identifying creatives in this community, which will in turn lift up the communities of which they are a part and the health and social justice issues they care about. Supporting the safety, health, and well-being of womxn sends a positive ripple effect into our community, the world, and future generations. It’s time to dismantle the institutionalized racism that has interrupted that ripple for far too long. In solidarity, Lindsay White Founder of Lady Brain Presents & Member of Lady Brain Collective Marie Haddad Lady Brain Collective Member Barbara Rutherford Lady Brain Collective Member Lisa Brackmann Lady Brain Collective Member Noelle Pederson Lady Brain Collective Member Cathryn Beeks Lady Brain Collective Member Stacy Antonel Lady Brain Collective Member Jules Stewart Lady Brain Collective Member Amy Day Lady Brain Collective Member Lizzie Wann Lady Brain Collective Member Marlo Smith Lady Brain Collective Member Mayzie Smith-Moors Lady Brain Collective Member Ramona Ault Lady Brain Collective Member Kinnie Dye Lady Brain Collective Member Lauren Leigh Martin Lady Brain Collective Member Astra Kelly Lady Brain Collective Member Karen Lindenberg Lady Brain Collective Member Julia Sage Lady Brain Collective Member Marcia Claire Lady Brain Collective Member Ren Daversa Lady Brain Collective Member Rebekkah Baronkay Lady Brain Collective Member Mary Hamer Lady Brain Collective Member Sharisse Coulter Lady Brain Collective Member Rachel Riba Lady Brain Collective Member Sandi King Lady Brain Collective Member Emily Bartell Lady Brain Collective Member Tori Roze Lady Brain Collective Member Susan Lipson Lady Brain Collective Member Welcome back to “Creative Process" - a month-long journaling series from members of the Lady Brain Collective. Today we will lift up the writing of Tori Roze, the member who inspired this entire group project with the below work: image description: colorful writing pens overlaid on photo of Tori Roze, who is singing into a microphone. original photo credit: Darci Fontenot “From Mourning to Morning: Pandemic Sentiments” by Tori Roze If you’re feeling out of whack lately, congratulations – you’re human and you’re absolutely not alone. Society at large is currently in a forced state of mourning: in mourning for the dreams we were each actively pursuing; in mourning for the ability to be able to plan for what we each want (and are not forced) to do next; in mourning for those suffering and dying at home and in hospitals without a single friend or family member by their side; in mourning for the black and brown lives that have been endlessly and unequivocally under fire since the dawn of colonial civilization; in mourning for in-person education being brought to a grinding halt; in mourning for job and economic loss; in mourning for the way basic things have functioned for SO long that we didn’t even notice we would miss them - things like going to work, missing THAT, for chrissakes!; in mourning for the small things we each enjoyed like being able to grab a coffee somewhere else other than your home or simply being able to stand near someone without the worry of your personal-space bubble in order to protect your health.
During the three month-long worldwide forced quarantine, the “world” as we know it has already changed. WE are different. WE are finally seeing where things have been falling short for decades, if not longer: governments are crumbling, healthcare systems are broken, racism has reached its absolute boiling point (...again), and with the actual control of resources - we, as a people, don’t have access to necessary supplies to even wipe our own butts, in a serious time of Global Pandemic crises. We can’t eat, drink, smoke, exercise, share, protest, donate, meditate, cook, clean, bake, give, or create nearly ENOUGH to fill the huge void we are all aimlessly pushing through. Floundering is a thing (just keep swimming) and it’s being felt everywhere. FEEL IT! You’re human. You have feelings. Go through the full range of this emotion! There is NO blueprint or precedent for what we are experiencing in this historical moment: this IS the dawning! At this massive tipping point of the collective consciousness, it is up to each of us as individuals to decide where it is we will fit into the future = this exact moment. We are at a moral crossroads having to prioritize between human life, resources, and money. We have our work cut out for us. Only this time WE are banding together. We are inciting change now, here, today. WE are showing up and providing for each other. WE are coming up with grassroots solutions. WE are stepping in and fixing every little broken part of the systems that be AND the very morale of a people who exist without the proper guidance of a designated leader. We are CHANGING the world to the image WE, the people - the ones who are helping each other every day by showing up and standing together and protesting and feeding each other and making masks and donating and rallying together and sharing the load - WISH to SEE. And the Earth is HEALING in our moment of stillness - after years of use and abuse - because we’ve all been trying so desperately to “keep up with the Joneses” at a sprinter’s pace. “It’s been a LONG, long time coming. But I know, but I know a CHANGE is gonna come. Oh yes, it is.” -Otis Redding It is time to get DEEP with ourselves, the answers are inside of you/me/us. WE are inventing this as we go, so trust the process and yourself: because education is important, because community is important, because jobs are important, because love is important, because animals are important, because the Earth is important, because the Ocean is important, because PEOPLE are important. Does any of modern civil society even matter if it doesn’t have people to make it function properly? No, it doesn’t. Today is proof. Let’s embrace the change happening today because it’s our collective “baby” that we shall nurture together. But make sure to sit shiva long enough to have truly gotten over what the world as we once knew it was. Change is scary, but it’s the only thing we are each guaranteed in this life besides death. Be not afraid. Help each other. Listen to one another. Amplify the voices of those that need to be heard around the world. Show up. Call things out. Allow love, hope, and integrity to lead your actions. Just remember: mutual understanding will save the day, it always does. A few weeks ago, Lady Brain Collective member Tori Roze wrote and submitted a piece of writing for the Lady Brain Presents blog (look out for it later in this series) in an effort to help lift our collective spirits as so many folks in our creative community struggle with the uncertainty and grief that comes with living during a global health crisis. Her work inspired June's community gathering/collective journaling project called “Creative Process." Instead of hosting a traditional performance showcase, we asked Lady Brain Collective members to submit written work that expresses their unique experiences of living, working, creating, and surviving through the pandemic. In the time since we received Tori's submission, a massive resistance to white supremacy and police brutality erupted across the nation (spawned by the successive murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd). As the month of June unfolds, we want to offer our blog to members as a blank canvas, a journal, a microphone, a megaphone, or any other instrument they may need right now. We will bear compassionate witness to whatever our members are experiencing in this moment, and in doing so, create a time capsule for them to process, document, and express their feelings. We believe these reflections may also help folks in the community who might be having trouble articulating their own thoughts and emotions around the current state of the world. “Creative Process" starts now: image description: colorful writing pens overlaid on photo of Mary Hamer, who is playing keyboard and singing into a microphone. original photo credit: Darci Fontenot “38 Years" by Mary Hamer
For 38 years I've been “without" you And yet you searched for me. It took a virus to break years of silence To admit you, to set you free. Reflection, introspection. Now admitting to myself These things I shoved aside Were all set amongst the shelves Of loud indoctrination, Of quiet giving in To what the world did want from me, And not a “living sin." And for so long I could not admit. I could not let me see. For I thought the last thing I needed Was a new identity. And now I stand before you, Laying bare my soul, Saved and not forgotten. Finally, I am whole. |
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