The interdisciplinary Intercollegiate Women’s Studies program of the Claremont Colleges presents a series of lectures and film screenings on the topic “Changing Lives: Stories of Transformation,” from Monday, April 10 through Tuesday, May 2 on the Scripps College campus. Intercollegiate Women’s Studies of the Claremont Colleges emphasizes feminist scholarship and is based on the premise that gender is significant in social, cultural and scientific study. More than 150 faculty members in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences are affiliated with Intercollegiate Women’s Studies. While encouraging alternative pedagogies and fostering the development of new paradigms of knowledge, this interdisciplinary program explores the study of women as a source of personal, institutional and social transformation.
Film screenings of “The Lore of the Bee Priestess” and “Ties on a Fence: Women in Downtown Los Angeles Speak Out” will be presented the week of April 10. On Monday, April 10, 7:30 p.m., in the Hampton Room of the Malott Commons, Scripps art faculty member Nancy Macko will screen her digital video, “The Lore of the Bee Priestess.” This visual narrative of the lost history of the ancient bee priestesses—a matriarchal culture that she has mythologized—evokes aspects of utopia, feminism and spirituality. A question and answer session will follow the screening. On Tuesday, April 11, 4:15 p.m., in the Hampton Room of the Malott Commons, documentary “Ties on a Fence: Women in Downtown Los Angeles Speak Out” will be shown, followed by a question and answer session with filmmaker Corina Gamma and women from the Downtown Women’s Center, L.A. In the film, women residing on L.A.’s Skid Row tell the stories of their poverty and struggles, revealing that “homelessness” is more than a physical situation—it is a condition of poverty and becomes a state of mind.
On Monday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m., poet, author, and activist Minnie Bruce Pratt will present a lecture entitled “At the Intersection of Oppression and Resistance: Changing Identities, Changing Lives.”
Pratt will explore her journey of identity from being a white Southerner raised under segregation to becoming an anti-racist, anti-war, lesbian activist and writer. This talk, co-sponsored by Malott Commons, will be held in Balch Auditorium on the Scripps College campus. A reception and book signing will follow in the Hampton Room of the Malott Commons.
“P.S. Still Standing…” Acclaimed comedienne, actress, poet, director, and community activist Phyllis Yvonne Stickney talks about her life and work. Tuesday, May 2, 7:00 p.m., Balch Auditorium, Scripps College/ Registration is $30, and is available online. For more information, please contact Intercollegiate Women’s Studies of The Claremont Colleges at (909) 621-8274 or visit the Feminist Majority Foundation’s website.
Film Screening
The Triumvirate, Vital Records, Blood Brother. In these three short films, filmmaker Jean Strauss tells stories of finding her birth family and raises issues that adoptees face. Q & A follows screenings. Tuesday, April 18, 7:00 p.m., the Hampton Room, Malott Commons, Scripps College.
NO! This documentary addresses rape, sexual violence, and healing in African-American communities, through the voices and stories of women who are survivors. Q & A with filmmaker Aishah Shahidah Simmons follows. Thursday, April 27, 7:00 p.m., Balch Auditorium, Scripps College.
Performance
“Michelle Tea: A Reading to Break the Silence.” The award-winning poet, novelist, and performance artist reads from her work. Wednesday, April 26, 8:00 p.m., the Motley Coffeehouse, Scripps College.