Turtles About Town is a community art project that highlights the City of Galveston and the conservation efforts of Turtle Island Restoration Network to protect endangered sea turtles on the upper Texas coast. Turtle lovers of all ages have the opportunity to see 50 colorful Kemp’s ridley sea turtle statues that have been installed around the island since 2018. Businesses, individuals and organizations graciously sponsor the turtle statues while local artists are commissioned to give each one its own personality and meaning.
seaturtles.org
Download a FREE map and go on a tour at seaturtles.org/turtles. Be sure to tag Turtle Island Restoration Network in your images (@TIRN-Gulf on Facebook and @TIRN.Gulf on Instagram) and tag #TurtlesAboutTown!
clapcupstudios.com
HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTT!
No, really. Hold onto it.
Cigarette butts can take 25 years to decompose, are 98% plastic, and are toxic to marine life!
Please help Galveston Surfrider reduce butt litter on the island, and in the ocean, by disposing of your butts in one of these cans provided by local businesses and individuals. #hotyb
For more info, go to www.Galveston. Surfrider.org
To volunteer or sponsor a can, email hotyb@galveston. surfrider.org
Women ’s Issues
Galveston is home to a diverse and eclectic group of women. Women who, despite their differences, are united in the fact that we all navigate and overcome the same daily struggles by simply being women. This issue highlights only a few topics that directly affect women. Our contributors have focused on the challenges we as women overcome daily. Although we are closer than ever to being considered equals, women of today understand there is still so much more to overcome. Join us as we dive into Women’s Issues. We hope you read, enjoy, and share.
Write us an email or shoot us a comment any time online: CultureClashGalveston.com CultureClashGalveston@gmail.com
Janese Maricelli Publisher
THE COVER: “Flow,” by Elizabeth Punches. This is an acrylic study for a larger painting done in oils. Elizabeth specializes in traditional Italian oil methods, materials, and techniques. It’s an expensive and extremely responsive way of working, so she does small studies in acrylics for patron approval to make changes or work out color pallet and composition. Contact her at 740-624-7797, 410 23rd St, Galveston, TX 77550 or zabethanne@gmail.com
The Battle for Feminism in 2022 The Battle for Feminism in 2022
By Robert Dean
IN A PANDEMIC-DRIVEN WORLD, A LOT IS UP FOR DEBATE. We’ve had many cultural conversations on finding your place, knowing who you are, and what your worth is. Life is complicated. It’s critical to find space at the table for everyone. Equality and equanimity are essential - no matter our tax bracket. Because of the pandemic, many of us have heard the wolves at the door. We know someone who lost their job, their house, or watched their life go underwater. We saw the lines at the food banks, we got the stimulus checks, but many of us paid child support or made deals with the devil to keep the lights on.
We’ve learned the world can break with a few screws turned, because ours is a fragmented social system. And that failure isn’t drawn upon party lines. Because it’s an easy topic to angry up the blood, we’re still arguing about what it fundamentally means to be a human in America in 2022.
No matter the breakthroughs, the fight for a woman to be a true equal is still a back-alley boxing match. How in 2022 is feminism still a thing? How are we still debating a woman’s place?
Women have had to work from home with a baby on a hip while also managing to keep the wheels of their professional and personal lives moving. And guess who makes up most of the nurses who’ve treated the world during a pandemic? Women. The World Health Organization went so far as to say, “Women deliver global health, and men lead it.” Women make up 70% of the global health workforce.
Women have dealt with more job losses, increased time spent on unpaid household work and childcare, and are more likely to experience household violence than pre-pandemic.
Are women more emotional than men? Sure, but you know what, every great boss I’ve ever had has been a woman. That emotional balance goes a lot longer than a man’s “take the bull by the horns” attitude regarding basically any hurdle in life. If women led the world, there would probably be a whole hell of a lot less war because they’re vested in talking about things rather than pulling out dicks for the sake of who’s got more world-ending toys. In my experience, women aren’t leading by smashing their enemies but rather by investing emotionally into those around them for collaborative success. Men want glory on the battlefield. Look at the scores of the dead and those who decided to pull the trigger. It certainly wasn’t someone in a tasteful pantsuit.
Do you know who nailed handling COVID?
Countries with female leaders: New Zealand, Slovakia, Germany, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland, have been internationally recognized for their pandemic responses. Instead of pulling some Juicy Fruit American cowboy shit, these women were proactive with social distancing early, gathering expert advice, and unifying their countries with transparent processes and compassionate communication.
We’re also still debating dollars earned by the hour. Sign the check. This isn’t rocket science. Pay people their worth, no matter what body parts they have. And if she chooses to have children, she needs time off to be a mom and be within a system that won’t rob her of her livelihood when she expresses the need to build a crew of rugrats. By the same token, if a woman doesn’t want a family, no pack of middle-aged white men with bibles tucked under their arms should have any say in what she does with her body. If you don’t think plenty of Senators have someone to provide abortions to mistresses and daughters on speed dial, you’re dreaming, pal. People with money will always find a way. The lower tiers of society are punished for being just like the rest of us – a little horny.
Women should never have to look over their shoulder at night, and they shouldn’t have to cover their drinks when they go out to the bar, but they must because they’re in a system that lets men continue to walk free and clear unless someone puts them on blast. I don’t know if you know any dudes, but let’s say we get a cold or scrape our knees, we turn into gigantic crybabies. In her third trimester, my ex-wife passed a kidney stone and went to work as an ICU nurse the next day. She’s made of something a little tougher, probably because women know they handle business when a job needs to get done. Us dudes, we complain about it on the couch till it’s everyone’s problem.
FEMINISM FAST FACTS
Women earn 78 cents for every dollar a man makes.
Only 17% of the seats in Congress are held by women.
Although 48% of law school graduates and 45% of law firm associates are female, women make up only 22% of federal-level and 26% of statelevel judgeships.
Even in the 10 top paying jobs for women, females earn less than men; only one career, speech pathology, pays the same regardless of gender. dosomething.org
IN HIGH SCHOOL I HAD THIS ADMINISTRATOR, WE’LL CALL HER MS. P, WHO WAS EASILY THE MOST DESPISED PERSON ON CAMPUS. She was notorious for following girls around campus, interrupting classes, and humiliating the young women at my school in a variety of ways, all in the name of “dress code”. Through her words, like, “I know you’re trying to impress the boys”. And “You just look trashy”!, always delivered in a demeaning, unsympathetic tone, it became clear that she was less concerned with adhering to the school’s dress code than with some deep-seated desire to shame us. I have been scolded and scorned for my clothing choices in both personal and professional areas of my life, as have most of the women I know. I don’t know what the motivation behind shaming girls and women for clothing deemed “inappropriate” is, exactly. Are we trying to “protect” boys and men from being distracted, as was the common reasoning given by school dress code monitors? Are we trying to shield women and girls from unwanted comments and harassment? Each of these rationalizations for controlling what women wear suggests that we must conform to the problematic behavior of others and completely neglects to address the true cause of the issue. This reflects our society as a whole, which caters to the whims of males while demanding that we tiptoe meekly around them.
As if it isn’t hard enough to be female in our society, (especially for trans women and female-presenting members of marginalized communities), we are shamed and often harassed everywhere we go for our clothing, something that is our choice and that should be an enjoyable means of self-expression. High school and Ms. P are long gone, yet I still feel an overwhelming sense of shame and unworthiness when I wear something that makes me feel attractive. THE MISOGYNISTIC IDEOLOGY THAT INSTILLED THIS SENSE OF SHAME IN MYSELF AND MILLIONS OF OTHER WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD ONLY REINFORCES RAPE CULTURE AND THE IDEA THAT WOMEN ARE TO BLAME FOR THE VIOLENCE PERPETRATED AGAINST THEM BY ABUSERS.
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Sure, there are situations in which I’d feel safer or more comfortable in a baggy sweatshirt than a tube top and miniskirt, but in neither outfit do I wish to be harassed, slutshamed, or sexually assaulted. Indeed, it is hard to reconcile my feminist beliefs with the fact that I’d never wear a crop top to my office job, and there certainly are situations that call for more formal, modest attire. But policing women and girls’ clothing, rather than people’s inappropriate, dehumanizing, and violent reactions to it is the dangerous, yet pervasive view, upheld by many in our society, including fellow women.
So, how can we help women live safe, liberated, and empowered lives no matter how they choose to present themselves?
To start, rather than teaching young girls to “protect” themselves and emphasizing aspects of purity culture, we should teach all children about consent and its importance, even when it comes to nonsexual contact. This, in turn, can help children and adults recognize abuse and speak up if they are victimized.
Self Expression
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We can also choose not to blame victims of sexual assault and other abuse, and believe survivors when they make the terrifying yet brave choice to come forward.
Finally, stop telling women what they should and shouldn’t wear. It’s rude, unnecessary, and sets us back as a society. When you tell a woman she shouldn’t be wearing something, you are also telling potential predators and abusers that it’s OK to cat-call her, that it’s OK to touch her inappropriately without her consent, that it’s OK to assault or even kill her because of what she put on her body that morning.
Self Expression
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Circumcision: Reshaping the Narrative
CULTURE CLASH READERS, DOES IT CLASH YOUR CULTURE TO TALK ABOUT CIRCUMCISION? Although this issue is focused on women, I challenge you to consider circumcision, male or female, to be relevant.
This continent has had a philosophical adoption of male circumcision which resulted in the normative narrative of infant males enduring a surgical procedure to remove the foreskin from their penis. This surgery typically occurs at the request (or consent) of a female, the mother.
Some of the things fathers-to-be might say when informed mothers-to-be question the practice of male circumcision go like this: “I want my son to look like me” or “I don’t want my son to be made fun of in the locker room”.
Why is this often enough to justify an elected surgery on a newborn? How can we shift our society away from thinking negatively about intact penises?
By Leslie Whaylen
For some women who have natural childbirths, free from medical intervention (e.g., scalpels), choosing the surgical procedure of circumcision on a baby boy can feel like a giant step backwards, especially since women must first buck the medical odds stacked against natural childbirths. Literature points to the prevalence of penile desensitization after circumcision, because an extremely sensitive area, the foreskin, has been removed from the penis. In other words, sex feels better for males who are intact (not circumcised).
Before expanding your family, consider looking into how widely circumcision is, or is NOT, chosen as an elective surgery in your area. Be a part of the philosophical adoption of a different narrative in which circumcision is not normative.
THE WO M A N ’ S V I E W P O I N T
By Dr. Victor Viser
SOME TIME AGO I WAS PERUSING THROUGH A SMALL GALVESTON YARD SALE WHEN I SPIED A BOX OF DUSTY OLD NEWS MAGAZINES. As reader of history, I snatched up the box for a buck and took it home. There, buried beneath the World War II editions of Life and the Saturday Evening Post, the unusual title of another magazine jumped out at me – The Woman’s Viewpoint, March 1925. The cover was resplendent with an illustrated crowned beauty reposed in a mammoth Galveston whelk shell, a sprig of oleander blossoms in her hand. Along the bottom was the Gulf surf as well as the symbols of shipping and industry.
Inside, I found the large main section dedicated to Galveston. Amongst ads for Doherty & Co. Dress Shop (Market & Tremont), The
Gift Shop (2110 Avenue E), and The Bonnet Shop (418 22nd Street) were typical articles about Galveston’s recreational appeal, its wealthy families and their charity, and Galveston –“The Oleander City.” Brides, debutantes, and highsociety news of Galveston’s “attractive matrons” filled out the section. True to the period, none of the married women in the pieces have first names; it’s always Mrs. Jack so-andso, or Mrs. Bryan so-and-so. Only the unmarried women have possession of their full names (e.g., Miss Rose Estelle Brown, etc.).
The contribution of women in the history of Galveston has always fascinated me. Here was a city that, until the Great Storm of 1900, was considered the most affluent place between the Mississippi River and San Francisco, and while tales
of the business acumen of names like Kempner, Moody, and Mitchell have always focused on the men behind the success, the stories of the women behind the
men have always been the more interesting, though less heralded, part of our past. Perhaps of equal, if not more intriguing importance, are the strong and independent characters of
suffragettes of the early 1900’s, Brown’s stance was, “at the very least, every property holder should have the right to vote.”
wealth, were culturally domineering in this city. Take for example, women such as Rebecca Ashton “Bettie” Brown, a philanthropist and civic leader who openly smoked and drank at the parties she hosted at her Ashton Villa home. Like many
However, what struck me most about the magazine was noticing each piece was written by a woman, and the bent of the periodical was most definitely feminist. The Woman’s Viewpoint was published by an all-woman staff in Houston from 1923 to 1928. Its founder and president was Florence M. Sterling. Sterling was one of the “Trio,” along with her two brothers, Ross and Frank – the three sibling founders of Humble Oil. As treasurer and secretary of Humble Oil, Sterling became enormously prosperous when Standard Oil purchased a 50% share of the company. With her wealth, Sterling set her sights on being fully engaged in the women’s suffrage movement. She was a vice president of the National Women’s Party and founded The Women’s Viewpoint to
give women a voice because, as she said, “No man on earth can give a woman’s point of view.” Notable contributors to the magazine included Texan writer, Dorothy Scarborough (The Unfair Sex) and Presidential First Lady, Grace Coolidge.
Perhaps, it is this drive for equality for women in business and in the vote that is notable for its appearance as nostalgia in our distant past, yet still a very reflection of the continued struggle of women today. Indeed, while women in the U.S. attained their voting franchise in 1920, we must remember that was only after a lengthy and difficult struggle; victory took decades of agitation and protest by women, including Sterling’s National Women’s Party. Thus, the voice of Women’s Viewpoint during its time was in the timbre of a newly liberated female cohort with earnest dreams that equality in the workplace, politics, and the domestic life would come to rapid fruition.
Of particular note in my 1925 copy of The Women’s Viewpoint, is an article on the all-female Texas Supreme Court, convened in 1924 with Special Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Hortense Ward at its head. Matagorda born, Ward was the first woman to pass the Texas state bar exam, and later became the first Texas woman admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. A leader in the early women’s rights movement, Ward was the author of the groundbreaking legal treatise, “Property Rights of Married Women in Texas.” Ironically, Ward chose not to argue cases in court for fear her appearance
FlorenceM.Sterling HortenseWard
All Women Court
disadvantage for her clients when judged by the all-male juries of the era.
Finding and reading this rare copy of The Women’s Viewpoint (there are only two other copies of the magazine known to be publically archived, both from 1923) reminded me Galveston
has a rich history of women pioneers. Galveston’s joie de vivre is a reflection of the women who helped build the city to what it is today. We have benefitted from women who purposefully changed the cultural landscape – in a way men wouldn’t or couldn’t – through their socially iconoclastic natures. At the same time, Galveston
women also instilled the basis of the strong philanthropic attitude that weaves through our city today. Finally, our city has benefitted from, and continues to realize great success through, bold women who create successful businesses, such as our own women-owned and operated iconoclastic magazine, Culture Clash .
1950’s
sustainable periods
article and art by violet robin schubert
THE AVERAGE MENSTRUATING PERSON WILL SPEND 3,500 DAYS OF THEIR LIFE MENSTRUATING. Let’s say a person uses 3 period products each day of their period (a conservative estimate). On average, that is 10,500 period products, and with single use products, it is easy to see how much waste is generated by a process that is seemingly unavoidable. However, perpetuating sustainable practices even during your period is possible.
I am lucky enough to have a mom who taught me about sustainable period products from the very beginning. When I got my first period, I was given Lunapads. At first, I was embarrassed, frustrated that I had to use something different
than my peers. I felt these reusable pads hanging on my laundry line outside broadcasted to the world “I’m different!” I asked my mom to give me “normal” paper pads, and she did. However, the Lunapads were always available to me, and it did not take me long to realize what a better option fabric pads were. Sustainability aside, fabric pads were much more comfortable, and cheaper as I didn’t have to buy them once a month. I got over the embarrassment pretty quickly. Sustainability means something different to everyone, so I could not possibly list every option, but knowing what options are available is the first step towards incorporating sustainability into your menstrual cycle.
cloth pads
Washable pads! Simply wear as normal pads, rinse them in the sink, and then stick them in the washing machine to get hundreds of uses from the same pad. These are comfortable, cute, and super sustainable. You could even make them yourself.
menstrual cups
Though they may seem daunting, the dozens of choices in size, material, flexibility, and even color makes it easier than ever to find a menstrual cup perfect for you. These cups are able to be worn for up to 8 hours, and you simply dump the full cup in the toilet, rinse, and then reinsert. Between periods, disinfecting is as easy as boiling with soap and water, making these cost-effective, convenient, and clean.
menstrual discs
A newer innovation in sustainable period products, menstrual discs are inserted similarly to menstrual cups, but sit directly beneath your cervix to catch menstrual flow for up to 12 hours. The biggest difference is that you can have sex with menstrual discs in comfortably.
period underwear
Period underwear are exactly what they sound like - underwear that catch your flow as you wear them. Wearable for up to 8 hours, these underwear are light flow only, but can be worn in conjunction with other sustainable period products.
Sustainable period products don’t just mean silicon, infinitely reusable products. Cutting down on disposable plastic wherever you can, such as the applicator, is a great step towards incorporating more sustainable practices in your life.
Making the best choice for you and your period is most important, and perpetuating sustainability in any way you can comes secondary to your health. Go forth and be sustainable!
applicator free tampons
HOWL@theMoon ByAmyCaton
FOR CENTURIES, A DEFINING FEATURE OF BEING A WOMAN IS HAVING A SECOND-CLASS VOICE IN ANY ROOM, (IF YOU CAN GET INTO THE ROOM, BUT THAT’S ANOTHER ISSUE). Women inherit a societal playbook that teaches subservient silence and nonverbal compliance while working with a reduced allotment of verbal space in a conversation. Speak less, smile more.
As a woman I often experience and witness women fight to be heard, not get talked over, or be dismissed for talking too much. As a woman, I also witness this effect and behavior with transgendered women and effeminate men. So let’s rethink and expand our definition of women as the target of this discrimination. The scope of the term women is capable of including non-dominant, male identities. The term women is flexible and incorporates effeminate characteristics. However, for all that women includes, it does not seem to include our voice.
There is a deep growl growing in the absence of women’s voices. Can you hear it? It’s the grinding of teeth, swallowed howls, and subvocalized rebellion of millions of women’s missing voices.
Here’s how:
Be assertive and make statements not asks.
Don’t rush. Take the time you need to share, present, and explore your ideas.
Keep talking. If someone talks over your sentence, ignore them and keep talking like you can’t even hear them.
Use your voice to repeat and support what the woman next to you said to bring her voice and ideas back into the conversation.
Hold the silence and don’t be tempted to fill it by repeating or re-explaining your idea. Silence can be powerful and used to make a point.
So howl woman! Howl and growl and bark to defend your voice.
Let’s reset the classism of voice and get out of our own heads to recognize and value diverse voices and ideas. The defining feature of being a woman should be including, valuing, and applauding other women’s voices, ideas, and successes. To all the non-women, give this a try: wait your turn to speak, search for connection and meaning in other’s ideas, and listen actively. To all my fellow women: Speak when you want; smile when you feel like it.
To all my fellow women: Speak when you want; smile when you feel like it. “ “
Meditating About Menopause Meditating About Menopause
by Pat McGrew by Pat McGrew
SO, YOU THINK YOU ARE BAT SHIT CRAZY NOW? OH HONEY, JUST WAIT. Menopause is coming, maybe not soon, but when it does, you will meet head-on with a whole new level of cra-cra-crazy. The trick is how to make this change work in your favor.
The bad news is that you can’t look back on menopause after it is over and have a re-do. So LISTEN UP and hear what I wish I could re-do and what I managed to do right.
Point # 1 is to embrace the simple truth. It isn’t you acting like a freaking bitch and losing control. It’s your hormones carrying out a full-blown attack on your body and your mind and trying to take over everything from your relationships to your waistline. Those little chemicals that used to be your friends turn on you with the full force of Mother Nature herself. Until you begin to take charge of the dreaded “change of life,” you will be stunned at the things you hear rolling out of your mouth and the absolute, terrible, torrential flood of emotions that run though you like a
What will hit you next is “OMG, what happened to my V-jay-jay?” That sloppy fluid-soaked channel of joy just took a vacay in the Sahara Desert! Never fear; it is a natural part of the process. A pH-balanced slippery vag moisturizer will become your new best friend. Try Gynactil which is distributed nationwide exclusively from Galveston.
Then, to my absolute horror, the source of my pride and ego, my hourglass shape, did WHAT? It melted and all the good parts drifted to lumps and bulged where I never expected to have them. If you ever thought that you didn’t have time for exercise, get over it and find the time. Your body will need it like never before, and so will your mind. Believe me, stress will become a word you use about a thousand times more than usual, and exercise helps with balancing the hormones that are causing it. Hit the gym for strength training or elliptical and treadmill time. Walking, biking or swimming can get the job done too. Or get your Zumba on. Dancing is fantastic, as it combines exercise with spirit-
lifting music. Make exercising your “me” time because after 50 years of putting up with everyone else’s crap, you certainly deserve it. In the midst of menopause you will likely be telling everyone just how much you deserve it! Bite your tongue, go easy on all the other people in the world and put on some salsa sounds. And yoga, oh yes, yoga! It somehow seems to put hot flashes and fatigue in reverse. The irritability you will be blaming on everyone else but is really your hormones, well it really responds to yoga. It’s peace, balance, harmony, and all that good shit. Yoga works.
WHAT AGE DOES MENOPAUSE START?
Most women reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age being around 51. However, about one percent of women experience menopause before the age of 40 years. This is known as premature menopause. Menopause between 41 and 45 years of age is called early menopause.
Next on the list, run, don’t walk, to the nearest health food store for the natural stuff to balance out your body and spirit. I highly recommend staying away from drugs, at least until after you have tried every natural remedy possible. Drugs can cause you to exchange your new set of problems for a different set of problems. There are supplements to help you feel like you again, put you back in charge of your own attitude and restore your personality to that wonderous state you spent years perfecting. Read up on black cohost, non-GMO phytoestrogen, evening primrose, Mexican yam, and more. The one that did it for me was a Chinese herb called Dong Quai.
All those things you hear about hot flashes, night sweats, aches, bloating, tension, and ranting out-bursts can be helped with a few smart changes that allow you to metamorphosis into the wise, posed, sexy older woman who college boys dream about and older guys lust for. So, face the new slightly-rounder, grayer, older you. Over the course of your life, you have learned so much and now is time to learn something new. Know that what is happening to you is not you going f’g nuts or turning into your family’s worst nightmare. Menopause is natural and, with the help of healthy eating, your favorite form of exercise, quality supplements, and a positive spiritual attitude, you can toss your tampons and birth control and live more happily than ever.
I did, I am.
VOTING IS OUR LOVE LANGUAGE
BY ROXY D HALL WILLIAMSON
SAY THEIR NAMES. The ABC Original series “Women of the Movement” opens Season One centering Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, and exploring her fight for judicial relief in the bowels of an extremely confederate 1950s Mississippi. The events surrounding the August 28, 1955 lynching murder of Emmet Till and his mother’s fight to bring his murderers to justice propelled the Civil Rights Movement forward in the United States. Fast-forward 65 years - May 25, 2020 - the nation watches helplessly while a full grown Black man calls out for his mother as his life is literally extinguished in broad daylight, George Floyd. Emmett Till. Travon Martin. Tamir Rice. Grieving mothers, broken hearts, and hurtful unjust verdicts. The movement for human rights rests in the bosom of women’s pain, Black women’s pain. Say their names.
Women’s issues are nuanced at best. The fingerprints of so many women are enduring legacies in the heart and soul of Civil Rights Movement throughout
the history of this country. Mrs. Mamie Till-Mobley, Mrs. Myrlie Evers-Williams, the women of the Floyd family, Representative Lucy McBath (GA), Sybrina Fulton and every mother enduring the pain of the loss, the sting of the injustice, and the exhaustion of the fight, these stories must continue to be amplified while simultaneously allowing space for new voices to enter the historical discourse. As the nation prepares for the Biden administration to announce the nominee for the vacant Supreme Court Justice seat (SCOTUS), the push for more women in leadership, particularly Black women and other women of color, has illuminated glaring double standards and disturbing patterns of intentional discrimination in the institutions responsible for protections and policies.
2022 opened up with all facets of the country in transition. Redistricting maps across the nation continue to capture headlines as some states in the Union display long established patterns of intentional discrimination. Utah, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Maryland are presenting the most gerrymandered maps for 2022. For Black women in leadership, the complexities of various women’s issues, compounded by the reality of the resistance challenging their authority, women like Fulton County, Georgia’s District Attorney Fani Willis and New York’s Attorney General Letiticia James are necessary to achieve transparent accountability and whose expertise is pivotal in the quest to establish a more perfect union through judicial equity.
The recent bomb threats at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), of which at least 25% of the presidents are women who identify as Black, the heightened potential for physical violence against Black people has become more real in recent years. The threats menacing the lives of Black faculty, staff, and students are too closely reminiscent of the collective pain.
The pain is agitated further by the aggressive attempts to take over local school boards as depicted in Southlake, Texas. The school board fights along with the statewide and national naziesque book bans overlaying censorship of curriculum all happening under the guise of anti-Critical Race Theory (CRT), puts a certain chill up the spine. The threats aimed toward Black voices seem to know no bounds and are bound by no laws. By removing authors and books like Toni Morrison’s TheBluestEye , the established majority is deliberately ignoring policies meant to prevent censorship to placate an unreasonable group of parents with ideologies from the fringes of society. There is a popular social media meme that sums it up best that reads: ‘The people who threw rocks at Ruby Bridges for trying to go to school are now upset their grandchildren might learn about them throwing rocks at Ruby Bridges for trying to go to school.’
Locally, BIPOC candidates and constituents in La Marque, and other rural districts in Southeast Texas have allegedly been harassed and threatened with physical violence. Yet each of these servant leaders continues to stand tall in their perspective offices and are brave representatives of the daily harassment experienced by BIPOC public officials, when being confronted by
angry local residents openly affiliated with and actively engaging white nationalist groups. These lived experiences highlight the need for local, state, and federal eyes and resources to be focused on the volatility of the area. These experiences in real time also demonstrate why it is essential to support, protect, and invest in the local, state, and federal campaigns doing the work of the people and working to uplift everyone fighting to defend our democratic Republic.
Intersectionality, as a life grid for Black women, is the cornerstone to why voting rights is such a serious matter in communities of interest. Redistricting has redrawn the lines on the battlefield of voting rights. Many jurisdictions are being confronted by cultural divisions as redistricting maps are setting the parameters for new, more confusing voting precincts and the process for mail-in ballots becomes more tedious for the elderly and alternatively-abled voting populations. These changes and ensuing confusion have already resulted in ballots being rejected at higher percentages than ever before. The fight for basic equity in the democratic process seems a birthright for some and a civil rights battle for others. State legislative bodies across the nation have invested heavily in massive disenfranchisement of the voters voted to put them in office. The lack of federal protections from states with enduring histories of intentional discrimination combined with the removal of polling locations, outlawing ballot drop boxes, and the overwhelming rejection of mail-in ballots are some of the main issues motivating grassroots organizations to double down on efforts to educate voters and get out the vote. Black women are integral components buffering the
blunt assault on human rights. Texas voters can expect the tone and tenor of the primaries in Texas will set the stage for the political landscape in November. Women’s issues are on the ballot. All of them. Voting, health, the energy grid, equal pay, maternity leave, mortality rates, every issue; and every issue intersects with another.
There is a clarion call to women of conscious. Now is the time to be heard. Now is the time to move from ‘ally’ to ‘accomplice’. Now is the time. In spite of the evident disparities and blatant obstacles, local trailblazers continue to step up and bring dignity to the local municipalities they serve. Women like County Chair Tierrishia Gibson (Galveston County), Councilwoman Kimberly Yancy (La Marque), Councilwoman Sharon Lewis (Galveston) as well as candidates like Alisa Simmons (Tarrant County) who is vying for a county commissioner seat, Texas is a crucible for the most talented, brilliant, and fierce legislative advocates and defenders of the people who fight for the rights and humanity of all residents. Black Herstory Month lends to the public the life experiences and incredible narratives of the Women of the Movement (Fannie Lou Hamer) and Mothers of the Struggle (Shirley Chisholm). Quite a few of us ‘daughters of sorrow’ find solace in and through the intercessory prayers of our mothers, sisters, aunts, and cousins. In the spirit of their strength, let us take time to honor those who have allowed their pain to lead them to help others while we also remember and pay homage to women like late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, Attorney Lani Guinier, and author Bell Hooks. The genius of their work is anchored in the depth of the intersectional life experience of Black people in the
African Diaspora through the lens of North America and through the weighty veil of so called white supremacy in the United States.
Locally, the women of Galveston County continue to work tirelessly to defend and protect human dignity and preserve civil rights. Redistricting in Texas has been swift and brutal in vulnerable districts across the state and Galveston County continues to make national headlines as one of the most egregious illustrations of intentional discrimination through mapping. Recent litigation asks Texas courts to consider the current maps and the County Commissioners’ recent actions as part of an established pattern that began well over ten years ago. The dramatic redrawing of the county commissioners’ map demonstrates the severity of the intentional discrimination openly on display in the county. Though these tactics are meant to depress and discourage voter turnout, there are Black women in the county making herstory despite the challenges and stepping into the spaces required to amplify the voices of the people.
This Black Herstory Month 2022, identify, engage, and uplift all the legislators, municipal representatives and local community members who move forward as women of conscious and challenge policies and procedures that not only endanger our current quality of life but the lives of generations yet unborn. Summoning the courage, fortitude and determination of the ancestors who laid the path to liberation, we are all called to quash the negative agendas meant to delineate and disenfranchise voters while also implementing innovative strategies to preserve and expand the rights of all.
Hike for Hope
BY TERRI SUDUTH
SUICIDE IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T ALWAYS GET TALKED ABOUT. It’s also something that doesn’t discriminate. People often have this misconception that only visibly depressed people die by suicide and that just isn’t true. Often times it’s the person who looks so put together on the outside who is really the one falling apart on the inside.
On Sat, Jan 26, 2002, I received a phone call informing me my mom died. I literally answered my phone and after saying hello, all I heard was “Terri, your mom is dead!” I was shocked but not surprised. For the majority of my childhood, teenage years and early adulthood my mom struggled with depression and addiction. There were several times she attempted suicide but it wasn’t until the night of my grandma’s funeral that she actually succeeded.
Processing my mom’s death was hard for me. It was easier to pretend I was ok than to productively heal. I finally came to the understanding that she did what she felt was best for her and no matter how much I wish I could have prevented it, I couldn’t keep her alive. My mom felt hopeless and thought ending her life was better than living it. That thought breaks my heart because I know there are so many people out there silently suffering and are convinced life is better without them. That’s so not true, so I got involved with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to help spread a little hope and love to people who are hurting.
GALVESTON HIKE FOR HOPE MARCH 26 9AM - 1PM
The Galveston Hike for Hope is a 5K walk down the Seawall, beginning at the McGuire Dent Rec Center. The event will feature local vendors, mental health vendors, music, a small kids’ zone, and a commencement ceremony. I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who have reached out to me to see how they could help or who have shared their stories of loss. I’m looking forward to bringing those people together at this walk so we can honor our loved ones who have died by suicide.
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It’s time to bring positivity to the forefront. It’s time to focus on being part of the solution team. Below I share wonderful quotes I have read over the years, some of them other sisters may have never read. May their words flow into their spirits and perhaps someday be shared at a future time with other young Afrocentric sisters. Words we read or hear can be powerful. They can affect our minds in many ways. The following quotes are by Afrocentric women.
Lawanda Hardeman-Ward
We will band together and survive or live apart and die as fools.
-SUSAN TAYLOR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ESSENCE MAGAZINE
In search of my mother’s garden, I found my own.
- ALICE WALKER, PULITZER PRIZEWINNING AUTHOR
I refused to be discouraged, for neither God nor man could use a discouraged soul.
- MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE, EDUCATOR
It’s better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one, than have an opportunity and not be prepared.
- WHITNEY YOUNG, FOUNDER, NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE
Stand on your own two black feet and fight like hell for your place in the world.
- AMY JACQUE GARVEY, BLACK NATIONALIST
A problem not worth praying about is not worth worrying about.
-AZIE TAYLOR MORTON, FIRST AFRICANAMERICAN TREASURER OF THE USA
Can’t nothin’ make your life work if you ain’t the architect.
-TERRY MCMILLAN, AUTHOR AND LECTURER
It’s no disgrace to start over or begin anew.
- BEBE MOORE CAMPBELL, JOURNALIST AND WRITER
I’m no martyr, I just had a hard day at work and I was too tired to give up my seat.
- ROSA PARKS, MOTHER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
WAKE UP. The hour has come to be more responsible. Change this world by starting with yourself. The world is not going to change until you change.
- DR. BETTY SHABAZZ, EDUCATOR, WIFE, WIDOW OF MALCOLM X
There is only one source - the Spirit of God. There’s no need to search any further.
- BARBARA KING, PASTOR HILLSIDE INTERNATIONAL TRUTH CENTER
March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history.
Celebrate and Learn More at www.womenshistory.org
Drink up
RUBY BREESE
Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka, Pineapple Juice, Cranberry Juice
Shrimp N Stuff Downtown 2506 Avenue H
people of GALVESTON
NELLY SALAZAR
Who are the women who have influenced your life?
Interviews By Jose Mendiola
Maya Angelou has always been a great influence in my life. I read I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings when I was 12 years old, and it has stayed with me ever since. I always heard hope was a powerful thing in literature and movies, but I think after reading her works I really began to understand why.
Another influence of mine is Michelle Obama. I recently saw her documentary on Netflix and was amazed at everything she had accomplished personally and professionally. As someone who’s applying to law school, I like to read up on Michelle’s experiences at Princeton and Harvard to inspire me.
LIZBETH RAMIREZ
As cliché as it sounds, I really look up to Selena. I recently took a dive into reading multiple memoirs of her and aside from her beauty and great music she really opened the door to the integration of Mexican culture into mainstream media and arts. A lot of people forget the Chicano Movement had only been around about 30 years. Many Mexican Americans were still pushing for their community to be recognized as a class in order to gain equal rights. She also paved a way into breaking machismo cycle that has been ever so present in Mexican culture by not only proving that women were great and successful entertainers but they could also do more than fill a motherly role.
ALEXANDRIA YVONNE SMITH
Her name was Sandra Muñoz, she was the principal of the first elementary school I went to as a child. She later became a close family friend and helped lead me on the career path towards becoming a school psychologist. If it wasn’t for her I would not be in the amazing career I am in right now.
GERRY MENA
María Félix. She continues to be a cultural force across entire continents. Ahead of her time on leading the fight for Native American rights and recognition. Legendary ambassador for the golden age of Mexican cinema. All that, and a solid standard for timeless beauty and elegance that is said to have stopped traffic on the streets of Paris.
JOANNA CHYU
The woman who’s influenced me the most in life is my mom. It sounds cliché, but I truly got lucky getting to call the kindest and most loving person in the world my mother. If we could choose our own parents in this lifetime like we choose our friends, I would pick her every time. I used to appreciate her the most as a mother- the things she’d do for me like braiding my hair before school, picking me up from art class, and cooking me hot meals at the end a long day. As I grew older though, I started appreciating her more as a person outside of her relation to me. Things like her beauty, inside and out; her grace toward herself and her imperfections; and the light she shines one everyone around her, making people better. She is a fearless shield for me against the winds of life. She has loved me when I stopped believing in myself and was at my lowest. Because of her I know that real love is unconditional and expects nothing in return. I can only hope to be the same person to my future children as she has been for me.
