sharonksobotta

Betty Reid Soskin

Of the hundreds of people I've interviewed over the years, Betty Reid Soskin remains one of my favorites. She is always articulate, thoughtful, introspective and changing. Among the favorite things I've learned from Betty are that we live in a Both-and world (meaning we each have truths and that those truths might conflict), that retirement is unnecessary and that it is better to reinvent yourself at least once every ten years. I've interviewed Betty about the importance of voting, sexism, racism, CHANGE and most importantly hope. This particular piece is the result of what turned into more than two hour interview/story sharing session in 2011.

Final Project for Audio Production Students

This project is the result of a creative collaborative process from the students in Audio Production 132.

Maheen Zia, Filmmaker of Lyari Notes

What would happen if children from conflicting regions of the world reconciled their differences through music? Maheen Zia and her co-producer grappled with this question as they followed the transformation of 4 girls as they studied music along with an independent musician.

Founder of Factory Farming Awareness Coalition

Katie Cantrell, the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition Executive Director, was inspired by the book Eating Animals to do something about the factory farming epidemic. She put together a power point presentation and began sharing her message with anyone who would listen. Today, she has a successful coalition that is built around the model of meeting people where they are--figuratively and allowing them to make bite-sized changes that align with their belief system.

Patricia McGregor

Patricia McGregor is a writer and play director based in Harlem, New York. I spoke with her during the Berkeley tour of The House that Will Not Stand, she shared her thoughts on theater as an intimate form of activism and called on people from all groups to stand in alliance with one another.

The Legacy of Catalina Torres-As recalled by her cousin

In 2008, Catalina Torres, who had been a survivor of domestic violence and a longtime advocate and activist engaged in the movement to end domestic violence, was killed by the estranged husband of another woman who was dealing with domestic violence. Catalina's cousin recalls her story and shares the lessons he learned from losing his cousin in this tragic way.

Today, women in the United States are more likely to be killed by their intimate partner than in any other way. An average of 3 women per day are killed in this way. Every 9 seconds a woman is beaten by her partner. 

If you see or suspect something, gently voice your concerns and offer to be there for the person when/if she/he needs someone to talk to or someone to assist with getting help.  

Building Community in Times of Crisis

Dr. Marcia Chatelain, Founder of #FergusonSyllabus, offered the keynote address at the 2016 Wo/men's Conference at Saint Mary's College. Listen in for some of her insight!

Reclaim Valentine's Day!

It is the start of Valentine's Day weekend! It's a time when many of us think about love. It's also the time for the global movement VDAY: Stop the Violence Against Women asks us to think about obstacles that stop us from receiving and sharing the love that we deserve. One in three women experience dating/domestic violence or sexual assault in their lifetimes and one in ten men experience those issues.

Start your weekend by attending SMC's VDAY hybrid production of "A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer" and original student pieces touching on issues ranging from the impact violence has on women of color to how to navigate the world without sight. Don't miss this. It is at 3pm and 8pm in the Soda Center at Saint Mary's College of California!

WORLD AIDS DAY is December 1

In December as the holidays are upon us, it's a time of mixed realities and emotions. For some it's a time when our hearts warm up with happiness as we prepare for time with family and loved ones. For others, who may be estranged from families and homes, it represents a time of struggle. For people, like Lauren, who is featured in this podcast, who had to deal with homelessness and an HIV diagnosis (and is still thriving decades later), it's a time of gratitude. December 1 is World AIDS Day. Take a moment to honor the people in the world who are struggling with HIV or AIDS, educate yourself and have compassion.

Black Lives Matter--A look across the nation

Protestors across the country continue to raise awareness about the war against persons of color as more and more stories come to light about people of color being shot by police officers. From Oakland to Chicago to Minneapolis, diverse groups of people are raising awareness about the BlackLivesMatter movement while demanding justice.