Undefeated #1 – Intro
cover detail for Undefeated v1.1
Introducing. . .
WE ARE A CIRCLE OF ACTIVISTS, ARTISTS, YOUTH WORKERS AND DAUGHTERS.
WE CAME TOGETHER
initially because of a man who came into some of our lives who used lies, sex, and false intentions as tools to hold power over the women he was dating and/or working with in our town. His process lacked transparency and integrity. His behavior was harmful, divisive, manipulative and unacceptable. His game was sloppy, insensitive, and self-absorbed. His actions exemplify systems of patriarchy and misogyny that we also call macktivism[1] and counter-organizing[2]. As more sisters joined our circle we realized that we all had a story to share.
WE MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER
because we demand a community without misogyny or patriarchy. We realize that the challenge is far broader and deeper than any one incident and that we need to organize ourselves for the long-term. We are founded on the principles of accountability, sisterhood, solidarity and integrity. We formed the Sister Council calling solidarity and healing to this group of women who were masterfully pitted against each other in hopes that we would never come together in a proactive way. The meeting was an act of social justice in and of itself.
Within the process we found sisterhood, solidarity, organizing tools, and transformative healing. We were able to come out of the shame and isolation that is often left as a mark by abusive and dishonest relationships. Indeed the truth set us free.
We are trained by society to not believe our own experiences, to not believe our sisters, and to not believe our instincts, in order to enable patriarchy to continue. Here we remind ourselves why we must listen and ground in our wisdom, in order to liberate ourselves from the stories we’ve been told all our lives. Here we tell our own truths. Here we break the silence.
WE BELIEVE
that our work, our schools, our neighborhoods, our homes, our families and our relationships will be stronger, safer and freer without misogyny and patriarchy. That we are all accountable to making this happen for the survival of our movement, our relationships, our families, our youth, our children, our grandchildren and each other. And that a progressive movement cannot, and will not, make the change that we need to see for our communities to thrive – if patriarchy and misogyny still exist in our organizations, our meetings, our coalitions, our friendships and our intimate relationships.
THIS ZINE
was created as a process of uncovering and discovering. The pieces reveal how the personal is, in fact, political. The writing is connected by the themes of sister solidarity and telling our truths. Please download the digital file for this zine at www.oaklandsistercircle.org. Copy it and share it with your community as we all are challenging these same counter-organizing efforts. Then make your own and make it available so we can read it, too.
WE ARE
the Oakland Sister Council.
[1] See p.10 of the zine for a visual depiction of a macktivist.
[2] See p. 56 for INCITE’s definition of counter-organizing from their report on “Community Accountability Within the People of Color Progressive Movement”