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Event celebrates
women’s voices
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| Susan Bradford rehearsing
a dance that she will perform at Women’s Voices Out Loud on
Saturday, March 13, 7 p.m., in the Bryan Center gym. |
When she was a young writer and actress, Mary Donahoe
strongly felt the importance of feeling other women’s support for
her work. Ever since then, Donahoe said, she has done her best to offer
the same nurturing to other women, especially younger ones.
“I know how much women need to have their voices
heard, especially their creative voices,” she said on Monday.
This Saturday, March 13, Donahoe and all local residents
have the opportunity to hear, and to lend support to, community women who
will offer up their original poems, stories, artwork, dances and songs during
Women’s Voices Out Loud. The annual event, which has taken place in
town for more than 20 years, will be held at 7 p.m. at the Bryan Community
Center gym.
New this year is an emphasis on the voices of young
women, as several Yellow Springs High School and McKinney School students
will take part. The girls were encouraged to participate by their language
arts teachers, Elizabeth Lutz and Aurelia Blake.
“I want the community to hear these girls’
voices,” Lutz said. “Their writing expresses a lot of what’s
on their minds and each one is completely original.”
Taking part will be YSHS students Elizabeth Brown,
Seiko Yamashia, Sarah Wolfe, Rebecca Guest, Tina Chen, Anna Haller, Georgia
Alexander and Nathania Dallas, who will read vignettes about their lives.
The girls wrote the pieces after reading The House on Mango Street by Sandra
Cisneros, which includes writing in a similar style. Lutz said she gave
the assignment as a way to help each girl strengthen her own writing voice.
YSHS students Julia Swisher and Katie Trivett will also participate.
McKinney School students Lara Donnelly and Marina
Owen will also read their work.
“I like for my students to publish or read
their work to make their writing real,” said Blake. “This is
a good opportunity for them to be recognized in their own community.”
Another theme for the evening, which emerged during
the event’s rehearsal last Sunday, is women reading about the experience
of mothering. Lindie Keaton will share a piece about her feelings in response
to her son going to school, and Karen Swinger will read a poem she wrote
for the young people of Yellow Springs. Donahoe’s poem, Winky Mitchell’s
poem and Blake’s short story also focus on mothering.
Having a place for mothers to share their creative
efforts is especially important, Keaton believes, because their voices tend
to be overlooked.
“The voices of women who are doing what women
do a lot, taking care of others, are still not valued in our culture,”
she said.
At the rehearsal, Susan Bradford performed an East
Indian classical dance that, until recently, she said, women weren’t
allowed to perform in temples. Marion Axilrod Jensen read a poem in memory
of her late husband, Dave Jensen, Marina Owen read an original story and
Maxine Skuba, Jeannene and Daria Schaffnit and Gail Davidson also contributed
poems. Susan Gartner read an essay and Birgitta Valey read from her diary.
Other participants on Saturday night will be Chris
Hess, Marsha Bush, Leeam Gatten, Patti Dallas, Nancy Pearce, Shirley Mullins
and Amy Ceney. Lynn Sontag is organizing the event.
Women’s artwork will be displayed on the second
floor of the Bryan Center during the event, and refreshments will be served.
—Diane Chiddister |
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