Chicana writer credits immigrant women with crucial leadership Raised in a barrio of Phoenix, author Christina López learned about racial bigotry when strangers would tell at her to go back to Mexico -- despite the fact her family has roots in the Southwest that predate U.S. borders. Her mother encouraged her to stand up, be proud of her heritage and always fight for what's right. Taking these words to heart, López began a lifetime of community organizing. As part of MEChA, a Chicana/o student group, she campaigned against the passage of a racist English-only law in Arizona. In 2005, López became the president of Seattle Radical Women, a socialist feminist organization, where she helped lead the chapter in defense of immigrant rights, union campaigns, and reproductive justice, and in opposition to police brutality, U.S. wars, and budget cuts targeting the most vulnerable. López is currently the U.S. vice-presidential candidate on the Freedom Socialist Party slate. She is also the author of a newly published work on the struggles of immigrant women. Pairing careful research with personal passion, Estamos en la Lucha: Immigrant Women Light the Fires of Resistance examines the fighting spirit that immigrant women bring to social movements despite formidable barriers. The 40-page, highly readable pamphlet offers a poignant look at the specific conditions faced by both documented and undocumented immigrant women. It explores the role of xenophobia, economic reliance on immigrants, the military-industrial-prison-border complex, and how female militancy impacts the labor movement. Estamos en la Lucha also addresses roadblocks to an effective defense of immigrant rights, including what López calls a "go slow, aim low…recipe for limited gains," "dead-end" reliance on the Democratic or Republican parties, and sexism. López offers concrete examples of women "actively creating dynamic strategies of resistance and solidarity" between Latina/o immigrants, newcomers from other regions of the world, and U.S. residents of all races. According to López, "Immigrant women have the power and need to form a united multi-issue movement to confront xenophobia, violence, labor abuses and free trade." "Ultimately," says the author, "the issue of immigrant rights is a problem of ethnic, racial and gender justice for the world's most oppressed workers. Foreign-born and native-born workers share a common class interest." Estamos en la Lucha: Immigrant Women Light the Fires of Resistance can be purchased from RadicalWomen.org or from Amazon.com. # # # Estamos en la Lucha: Immigrant Women Light the Fires of Resistance By Christina López Publication date: March 30, 2012 * Radical Women Publications * www.RadicalWomen.org $5.00 * 40 pages ISBN: 978-0-9725403-9-1 For a review copy or to arrange an interview with Christina López call 206-722-6057 or email RadicalWomenUS@gmail.com. From: Radical Women, 5018 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98118 206-722-6057 * RadicalWomenUS@gmail.com * www.RadicalWomen.org

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL GOLDEN CROWN LITERARY CONFERENCE JUNE 13-17, 2012 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA www.goldencrown.org Register now to prepare for the upcoming Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) Conference Lambda Award winning author Jewelle Gomez will be the keynote speaker for the 2012 Eighth Annual GCLS Literary Conference. Gomez is a writer and activist who is also the recipient of a literature fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, two California Arts Council fellowships and an Individual Artist Commission from the San Francisco Arts Commission. She is the author of the award-winning novel, The Gilda Stories, which has been in print since its publication in 1991 and is taught in classrooms across the country. Her fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in numerous periodicals, among them: The San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, The Village Voice; Ms Magazine, ESSENCE Magazine, The Advocate, and Black Scholar. Anthologies have included Home Girls, Reading Black, Reading Feminist, Swords of the Rainbow, The Best Lesbian Erotica of 1997 and Dark Matter. Her other publications include three collections of poetry-- The Lipstick Papers, Flamingoes and Bears and Oral Tradition. She is also the author of a book of essays called Forty-Three Septembers and a collection of short fiction, Don’t Explain. Gomez was born and raised in Boston. Her background is Native American, African American and Cape Verdean and her writing has always meaningfully explored ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality. This year’s conference will offer author panels, seminars/workshops for readers and writers and social events such as pool parties, karaoke night and special activities for new attendees. The final night of the event will be presentation of the Goldies, the annual Golden Crown Literary Awards. Since the first Goldies were awarded in 2005, the categories have expanded from three to twelve. This year, more than three dozen book awards will be given, along with the Trailblazer Award, the Directors’ Award and the Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award. The Golden Crown Literary Conference is the best opportunity for readers, authors, editors, publishers, aspiring writers, and media to learn about and meet colleagues as they explore lesbian literature. Membership in the GCLS is not required to attend. For more about the conference, as well as a schedule, please visit the GCLS website at www.goldencrown.org. Registration is currently underway. The Mission of the Golden Crown Literary Society The Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) is a literary and educational organization for the enjoyment, discussion, and enhancement of lesbian literature. Our goals are to support and strengthen quality lesbian literature by providing places for readers and writers to interact, to encourage and assist new writers and established authors, and to recognize and promote lesbian work ###

Robin Becker Chapbook Prize Submissions Open

Announcing the Robin Becker Chapbook Prize, awarded annually to two LGBTQ poets. The submission period is currently open until April 16 (since the 15th falls on a Sunday this year). This series began in 2008 with Judith Barrington's Lost Lands; the most recent titles, selected last year by Barrington, are slated for release in March and April: Ellen Goldberg's Each Perfect One and D. Gilson's Catch & Release.

Complete details and guidelines about the Robin Becker Chapbook Series, and all Seven Kitchens Press titles, can be found at the Seven Kitchens Press site: http://sevenkitchenspress.com/series-guidelines/guidelines-the-robin-becker-chapbook-prize/

Ron Mohring does amazing work as a publisher at Seven Kitchens Press. Check out his books (including my chapbook, Sisterhood!) and submit to the contest to support his important work.

Split This Rock Poetry Festival 2012

Just two more days for the advance registration rate for the Split This Rock Poetry Festival!

From the Split This Rock website:
Poetry by and for the 99%!
March 22-25, 2012
Washington, DC

Split This Rock Poetry Festival: Poems of Provocation & Witness invites poets, writers, activists, and dreamers to Washington, DC for four days of poetry, community building, and creative transformation. The festival features readings, workshops, panel discussions, youth programming, parties, activism—opportunities to speak out for justice, build connection and community, and celebrate the many ways poetry can act as an agent for social change.

As people’s movements ignite here at home and throughout the world in response to economic inequality, political repression, and environmental degradation, the festival will consider the relationship of poets and poetry to power and to the challenges to power. We will also celebrate the life and work of poet-essayist-teacher-activist June Jordan on the 10th anniversary of her death.

Split This Rock calls poets to a greater role in public life and fosters a national network of socially engaged poets. Building the audience for poetry of provocation & witness from our home in the nation’s capital, we celebrate poetic diversity and the transformative power of the imagination. Please join us in March!

I'll be presenting with Eryca Kasse and Bonnie Morris on the collection, Milk & Honey: A Celebration of Jewish Lesbian Poetry at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, 22 March 2012. You can see the schedule for that day here.

Easily register online here.

Please join us for this panel and all of the great happenings at the festival!