The Herland Voice : v.9: no.8(1992)
- Title
- The Herland Voice : v.9: no.8(1992)
- Description
- The Herland Voice is the monthly publication of Herland Sister Resources, a womanist organization with a strong lesbian focus based in Oklahoma City.
- Date Issued
- 1992-08
- Rights
- All rights reserved by Herland Sister Resources. Contact UCO Archives & Special Collections for the permission policy on the use, reproduction or distribution of these materials.
- Is Part Of
- Herland Voice
- Creator
- Herland Sister Resources
- Date
- 2017-09-02T17:03:00Z
- Date Available
- 2017-09-02T17:03:00Z
- Subject
- Oklahoma
- Type
- application/pdf
- extracted text
-
TEN YEARS OF HERLAND
In August, 1982, a small women's bookstore opened at the comer of 19th and Blackwelder in Oklahoma City. That
bookstore was the direct ancestor of Berland Sister Resources. With this issue of The Voice we celebrate those early
years and the j oumey to today's Berland. To all those who have shared the j oumey, we express our sincere appreciation.
LA SALLE DES FEMMES
Mv
Jo L. Soske
Peggy Johnson
In 1981and1982, I was associated with a radical group of Lesbian
Feminists who formed the editorial collective ofTheBrazen Hussy Rag.
Together, we put our a few issues of a newspaper and envisioned vast
changes for lesbians in the Oklahoma City area . Unfortunately, our
politics and our hopes were stronger than our ability to stay together
during difficult times. Looking back a decade later, I am able to have
some perspective. I realize that our dreams were not fruitless . The roots
of today's Her land lie in that eighties collective.
The majority of the wmmnin who worked on and wrote for The
Brazen Hussy Rag no longer reside in Oklahoma. Therefore, I have
decided that I can tell the story since I can . We all have a right to our
herstory.
There were many wommin who put long hours into The Brazen
Hussy; I personally was involved in some unlikely fund-raising which
allowed us to put out a new edition when we thought we were completely
broke. Primary among these wommin, though, were Jana B ., the editor,
and her partner, T .J. Nearly all of the work on the newspaper was done
at their home.
It was Jana and T.J. who first envisioned a wommin's bookstore.
I remember the evening. They were out walking together when they came
across an old unused store at 19th. and Blackwelder. They began talking
to each other about how wonderful it would be to have a feminist
bookstore in the city. They were so excited by the idea that they knocked
on the door of the adjoining house to discuss it with the owner. That is
when they met Murray and the idea of La Salle des Femmes was born.
The excitement spread quickly throughout our collective and we
got to work. We held organizational meetings at Jana and T.J .'s home.
We began weekend work days lasting on Saturday from 12 :00 p .m. until
6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1 :00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Originally, we
could not even enter the building due to trees which blocked the door.
My partner at the time, Cathie, and I were involved in the clean-up days.
She did some sheet-rock work. Before long, we were able to use the
building as a meeting place for the organizational rally when Reagan
visited Oklahoma in 1982.
Barbara Cleveland was around during those times, but she was not
yet directly involved with the bookstore. She was however, always
interested and supportive. In March of 1982, she wrote in an article for
The Brazen Hussy, " ... Another note. Have you heard of the new
women's bookstore? Well, Sharon is going to autograph pictures that
will be sold to raise money to help the bookstore ... " She was promoting
the Sharon Riddell concert and did not neglect to help the bookstore in
her efforts.
(Continued on page 3)
I had just hit Oklahoma City in October of 1982, fresh from the
Navy's boot and all ready to become active politically. On my way to
New Orleans or San Francisco, I was here visiting my girlfriend's
family. The only thing I knew about Oklahoma was the song.
We must have seen a sign for ameeting at Her!and (over on N.W.
19th) at D.J.'s or K.A.'s, so we went. There was a handful ofwomyn,
the most memorable being Barbara Cleveland, of course. I think Elairie
was the new secretary and I don't remember the others very well.
I signed the mailing list and put down a friend's address in New
Orleans because it was the only one I had at the time and I was
happening-city bound.
On that October night, the little group seemed to be reorganizing
with the help of some new members. Little did I know (until much later)
that they were organizing as Herland and this was one of the first
Herland meetings. I had been overseas and before that, stranded in a
small south Georgia city and I thought big cities had well-established
womyn's and lesbian organizations. I had been to San Francisco, after
all.
By the end of October, my life started undergoing some reorganization itself and I wound up getting an apartment in OKC. Ilay low from
the social scene for a while, trying to get a grasp on my personal one.
I became reconnected with Herland after the Second Fret -- that
wonderful folk music club which lived at 30th and Classen from 1984
to 1987 -- opened. It was such a great safe place for folkies, lesbians,
and acoustic music lovers to go and I started playing music there and
even hanging out a bit. Somehow the womyn started hearing about my
music and someone, probably Marian, asked me to do a coffeehouse at
Herland. That wasFriday,March29, 1985. Isentoutalightgreenflyer
to my small mailing list, calling myself"a renderer of woman-identified
blues and folk music." (I always loved that flyer.) I didn't know if they
were radicals but assumed they were. I wasn't sure ifl should sing songs
written by men or not. (I've since realized that Her land is an umbrella
for women in all phases of development.)
Pretty soon my audience atthe Second Fret became more and more
woman-oriented. Besides the Second Fret mailing list, I think it was
mostly word of mouth and word spread by the Herland folk and the
Herland newsletter.
Because of their diligent following of my music, Cindy, Rhonda,
Jean, Pat and Pat became my friends . I mean, they were always there
and carried me through the rough spots (still do). Kathy, Ginger,
Margaret, and Karen have been the same way and later Michelle and
Charlotte. These are all past and present Herland Board members.
Volume 9 Number 8
Herland Sister Resources
LIFE WITH HERLAND
(Continued on page 2)
2312 N.W. 39, OKC, OK 73112
SAINT SYBIL
Sybil Ludington, Heroine of the American Revolution and Matron
Saint ofthe Forgotten Woman, answers the occasional odd query
in this space. She is very pleased to report that this particular odd
communication w_as actually received from so71eone other than
her channeler; keep those cards and letters coming inf
Dear St. Sybling,
How about this guy Clinton? In the face of Bush, Perot, 500
years of sexism, racism, and colonialism, his big concern in
addressing the Rainbow Coalition is a brilliant, talented, angry,
activist, young, female, African American rapper.
I hear that the lesser of two (three) evils is still evil. Should
I vote?
Best Witches,
Yobro
Dear Bro,
Upon receiving your letter I tuned in to Sister Souljah and her
famous rapping; and while some of us here where I am like her more than
others do, most of us will accept your assessment of her. We also agree
with Bill Clinton's recent acknowledgment that she has a right to be as
angry as she is; the incarceration/murder rate for young blacks, the
hopelessness and alienation, the double bind, the system's back-of-thehand rather than a hand outstretched, - any African American without
a great reservoir of anger is either blind or barging down Denial, which
is not just a river in Egypt...
Some of us here, however, (including the Matron Saint of the
Strong and Eloquent, Sojourner Truth) do rathe1 wish that Souljah
would ease up a little on her white sisters, cut them a little slack, and
recognize thatthere is more than one kind of oppress:ion afoot in the land.
Which of course is one reason, albeit subconscious, why Clinton
picked on her-women traditionally are easy and acceptable targets; old
Bill was evidently trying to be seen as macho and not toadying to his
audience, even while he was otherwise giving a pretty nice talk about
specifics and asking for support.
So it was weak and stupid and mean of him; but evil? I don't know
about that. Now George Bush, with his massacre of grotesque dimension in Iraq, his unholy election strategies and a breathtaking lack of
moral principal, is clearly evil. Give Clinton the time and the presidency, and he too mightbe so corrupted by the power that he qualifies;
but don't be too cynical; it isn't inevitable.
Should you vote? Well, try this. Try thinking of the election as the
choice between three pieces of fruit, let's say three papayas . One of these
papayas is wrinkled and wizened and discolored and decaying and will
probably make your body Politic even sicker than it is now. Another one
is green and hard as a rock and guaranteed to give you one heckuva
bellyache - and besides will have dropped out of the race by the time this
comes to print; the third little old papaya is a good color and well ripened,
although it does have a soft spot or two or three. Now, Bro, remember:
it's not like you can say "thank you kindly, but no thanks'', and won't
have to eat any of these papayas; one of them is going down your little
red Jane November 3 whether yot1 like it or not. Should you vote on
which one you want? Come on, of course you should, how could you
not?
And to make it easier for you, I promise that when you join us here
where I am and become the Patron Saint of the Righteous and Slightly
Aggravating, we will not blame you for the state of the world just
because you voted
Love and best Witches to you too,
0
Sybil
2 Herland Voice, At1gust, 1992
My Life With Herland
(continued from page I)
I must mention Elaine and Marian and Kris who were always there
in the early days. There are so many to mention. I can't begin to name
all those who have a general Her land association who have crossed my
path.
.
Not until 1989 when Jean asked me if I wanted to be on the board
was I active for Her land in other than a musical capacity. I said yes and
got voted in. It's been a blast -- from the board meetings (they may be
a bit long but we laugh and work and listen and talk and make decisions
which sometimes even get carried out!) to painting inside and outside,
to remodeling the inside, to digging in the yard. The retreats are fun and,
I think, very important to this community.
We have a mailing list of over 900, staff the bookstore most every
weekend and it's all volunteer. Nobody gets paid a dime. We've brought
in women's circuit musicians, comedians and activists. The turnout
hasn't always been great but over the long haul, Her land's efforts have
touched thousands of women, most in this very area. Whether they
know it or not, the women in this conmmnity have been affected by the
Herland spirit.
Lately, several of the friends I've mentioned here and I have become
more active politically. That activist circle I was hoping to find when
I first got here is evolving and has been for the last ten years. Who
would've thought I'd be right in the middle of it?
"A womyn's place to be." "We'rehereforyou." "This land is your
land, this land is Herland." "The Herland Voice." "Herland Sister
Resources". These ideas have stood the test of time for ten years now.
Thanks especially to Barbara Cleveland and the early ones, Herland
was started. Thanks to thecurrentactivists, Her land still lives. May she
be a beacon to those who have yet to discover the sense of community
and the sense of place found only in a group of women dedicated not to
personal or material gain but rather to maintaining that place to be, that
0
spacetounfoldintothewomenthatwecouldbe--ourselves.
1
WE RE SORRY!
Many of our readers have reported that their Voice did not arrive
until mid-July and some have not yet recieved their copy. Apparently,
many copies disappeared into some bulk mail "black hole" at the post
office.
We apologize to anyone who didn't get their Voice in time to make
plans for an event or was otherwise inconvienced by its absence.
Unfortunately, such problems do occur from time to time with bulk
mail. If you don't receive your copy of The Voice on time give us a
call and we'll send another or you can pick up one at Herland, The
Porthole or the The Coyote Club.
0
2109 S. Air Depot
(405) 737-0496
Midwest City, OK 73110
AIR DEPOT ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Call for Appointment
JOY HUSKA, D.V.M.
----
- - - - - - - -- -- - - -- -- - - - - --
REFLECTIONS ON THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
MOC
I have been active in and around the progressive movement
all during the Reagan/Bush years; working hard in some areas,
less hard in others, just showing up to swell the body count in still
others, and sometimes just putting a little money where my mouth
was and letting others do all the work - from women's issues ,
including reproductive rights and the ERA, bless its heart; lesbian and gay rights; for peace and justice in Central America;
against the massacre in Iraq; against the death penalty; for the
environment; against racism, for animal rights. In other words,
I have been waging a stubborn holding action against my own
government; and it was not until the last few days that I realized
how very weary, discouraged and downhearted I had become.
Goddess knows I am a sinfully stubborn woman, and I have
refused to stop slugging away, even while most reasonable folks
knew that I and my "causes" were down for the count .
Watching the Democratic convention every night this last
week (and profound thanks to C-Span for its commentary-free
coverage), I have felt an unfamiliar emotion beginning to build in
me; and this morning, the morning after the end of the festivities,
I awoke with the strangest damn feeling; I lay still and went with
the flow and finally recognized it: optimism! I am an old woman
- well ok, merely oldish - and I clearly remember years and years
ago waking every morning with that feeling; but so help me
goddess, I haven't had it in more than a decade. I have been
bloody well depressed all during these last dreadful administrations, and now that I realize it, it really makes me mad.
But I now have the feeling that just maybe things will be all
right; maybe the country will again begin to live its stated values:
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Maybe we will have
moral leadership which will encourage our best instincts, not our
basest. Maybe our leadership will encourage a unity within and
celebration of our diversity rather than encourage division. Maybe
our next Supreme Court Justice will be more like Anita Hill than
Clarence Thomas .
Don't get me wrong, I don 't think that the Clinton/Gore
ticket or agenda are perfect, and I haven't even had a chance to
read the platform yet; I know that we can't retire from the fray and
leave it to them, they'll certainly need our dedicated, ongoing
guidance . But the struggle could be as different as slogging
through quicksand, as it was under Reagan Bush, and striding
down a wide dry pine forest path.
And maybe, just maybe, I will once again be able to feel
perky about being an American.
D
JI 6 C GllRJIGE
7DAYSAWEEK
WORK GUARANTEED • FINANCING AVAILABLE
REFERENCES FURNISHED
Digital Pager
La Salle Des Femmes (continuedfivmPageI)
Hours of hard work went into La Salle des Femmes. In addition
to the work days, we held fundraisers . We held a buffet/concert at both
D.J.'s and The Rose. The efforts were beginning to show. It was
possible to enter the building and event to hold meetings. The April,
1982 issue of The Brazen Hussy stated " ...Work on "La Salle des
Fenunes" bookstore is progressing well, but it is housed in an old
building that needs a lot of work. If you have skillsx, tools, time or
energy--We Want You!"
Suddenly, things went bad. Jana and T.J. broke up. T.J. left town
and we found that our bookstore account was empty. We were all
terribly disillusioned. we had worked so hard and we didn't have a cent
to continue. The newspaper folded. Murray lost patience with the standstill in our plans. She pad-locked the door shut.
That is when Barbara Cleveland arrived on the scene with her
gift for organization, planning, and leadership. She was able to
convince Murray to give the bookstore dream one more chance. The rest
is Herland herstory. Barbara actualized the dream.
When Herland opened, some wommin from the original
collective refused to go there. They felt that their vision of a feministlesbian bookstore had been changed and that the new name did not
reflect the radical roots of the dream. I was not one of those wommin.
I frequented Herland from the day it opened. I have nothing but
admiration and gratitude for Barbara Cleveland. She is a woman who
makes things happen and we owe her a great deal.
I do believe, however, that we must not forget the
wommin who came before and their efforts no matter how unsuccessful their end . Five years ago, my former partner, Cathie,
came up from Dallas and we attended Herland's five-year an~i
versary party. We looked at the photos and spoke to wommm.
Late in the evening, Cathie looked at me and said, "They don't
even know that we existed. I spent all of my spare time working
on La Salle de Femmes, and nobody knows that we were even part
of it." I am writing thi s for Cathie and all of the other wommin
of The Brazen Hussy collective. I know that you were there. I
know that you are part of our herstory and I love and appreciate
you as I do Barbara Cleveland. Thank you for giving us Herland
-- a place of our own.
D
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Don't Miss
Peggy Johnson
in her final pre-law school performance
9 P.M - 1 A.M
ACE
791-8186
- -- --
CINDY
521-9407
August 15
The Porthole
$2 Cover
Herland Voice, August, 1992 J
VOICES OF THE PAST
Throughout the Her/and journey of the past ten years, the
Her/and newsletter has been our constant companion. In
the early days it was known simply as ''THE newsletter"
and more recently as The Voice. Below are excerpts from
Her/and newsletters published through past years to provide
snapshots of the landmarks along the path we have
traveled.
August, 1984
On August 17, we officially change our name; from Herland
Bookstore to Herland Sister Resources .... "Herland Sister Resources"
we believe better describes our present activities and future directions
-- to develop into a women's center.
November, 1984
Dear Sisters and Friends of Herland,
For two and a half years I've worked toward a dream: making a
bookstore a center for the women's conununity. Its been an interesting
time, full of excitements and disappointments. But through it all, we've
continually moved forward.
Herland will continually move forward, but not under my ownership. She will be taken over in January by a Feminist collective. I do
not foresee any changes, except for the better ....
Barbara Cleveland
December, 1984
· The Herland Sister Resources collective has applied for nonprofit
,incorporated status within the state of Oklahoma. We have adopted bylaws and set the wheels in motion for a new organizational and financial
structure.
April, 1985
The only time I had ever heard Peggy Johnson sing was at the
Second Fret, the night of the Hawkins/DeLear concert .... Maybe it's
better to hear new-to-you artists with no preconveived notions, though,
because I found the March Herland Coffeehouse performance of Peggy
Johnson a thoroughly enjoyable experience ....! think she's well on her
way, and when she's the headliner at the National Women's Music
Festival, we can say "Oh, yes we heard her all the time at Her land Sister
Resources in OKC!"
July, 1985
It's official -- Her land is very pleased to announce our non-profit
status under section 50l(c)(3) has been approved. Thanks to Kris
Marek, our legal counselor, for her outstanding work and many donated
hours. Over the past six months we have done the groundwork for an
organizational structure which should prove accessible and responsive
to the public; flexible and functional enough to provide a base for
service for many years to come."
October, 1985
Although the site of the October 25-27 Fall Festival/Women's
Retreat has been changed to Osage Hills, plans for a fulfilling weekend
are proceedingwithexcitement ..... The musical treat of theretreatwill be
Mary Reynolds and Peggy Johnson .... The retreat is open to lesbian and
non-lesbian women and their children.
November, 1985
We sang a lot around the campfire. We played hard with passion
andlthinktrulyenjoyedthecompanywemadeforoneanother. Werode
horses which sprang into occasional gallops . We painted a totem pole
and conjured up the woman spirit of a full moon, played drums and
spoons , read tarot and rune stones, discussed health and law, survival
and children. We learned to juggle, told a continuous stream of bad
jokes, acted in plays, wrote and painted, banged on the old upright
.:iiano ....
Events like this retreat, I think, are a trip "over the rainbow" where
women can relax and share visions, can indulge in a mini-society which
we create for a few days, can receive nurturing support we don't always
get from the major society.
'
Ann Jones, author of Women WhoKillandEverydayDeath spoke
at Her land, October 11 in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Week.
December, 1985
Gayle Marie made her fourth appearance in Oklahoma City
Friday, November 22, 1985, and lived up to all the claims her fans had
made about her talents ....
This was the first concert for the Herland Collective, as such, to
produce, and its success has reminded us of how long it has been since
OK.Chad a major concert, as well as assuringtbeCollectivethat, indeed,
there is an audience out there that will support our bringing live women's
music to the area.
February, 1986
After the fall retreat at Osage Hills received such rave notices, the
Herland Collective is organizing a second one .... Make your ideas
known now so they can be included in the development of the event.
Herland retreats become what the participants make them, a tradition
possibly, with special memories.
March, 1986
Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Jan is Galloway is back from
San Francisco and she has brought her new smiles and new music to
shareatHerland's March coffeehouse, 8:00 P.M.,March 28, 1630 N.W.
19th.
... "Acoustic music was the beginning and is the backbone of rock
and roll," Galloway explained. "I write and sing about the hard times,
about a happy love, or about the adventures of being alone. I write from
the heart and sing it out to the hearts of others who have a need to identify
with something."
September, 1985
Donna Bechtel, an Edmond battered woman who shot and killed
her abusive husband last year, is currently serving a life sentence for
first degree at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center . A group of concerned
citizens (Citizens for Donna Bechtel) formed in May to express
community outrage at the plight of Ms . Bechtel and other battered
women. Ms . Bechtel would appreciate hearing from supporters. Write
to Donna Bechtel, MBCC, P.O. Box 11492., OKC, OK 73136. [ed.
not.e: !11 1992, Ms. Becht.el remains in prison at MBCC]
4 Herla11d Voice, August, 1992
Office Hours By Appointment
Debra K. Browning, R Pk, D. D.S.
Comprehensive Dental Care
5009 N Pennsylvania.
Suite 103
(405) 843-3281
Oklahoma· Cit)~ OK 7 JI 12
September, 1986
Herland did it! We have written a three-year plan. After being
genninated at the Spring Retreat's brainstorming session, the plan has
taken form and is in effect to direct our efforts and emphasis ....Five
priorities are 1) Monthly events to broaden base of support; 2) Coordination of activities and events; 3) Outreach to identifiable groups; 4)
expanding newsletter resources; 5) Coordinators for specific tasks and
events.
" ... We, as feminists, as lesbians, as women have many of the same
concerns as everybody else. We are concerned about rape. We are
concerned about racism. We're concerned about many of the 'isms' in
the world. We are probably the strongest, because we are the most
oppressed of people. They can't move the mountain without us because
they are not as strong as we are."
"I'm encouraging you to involve yourself in coalition, which is
what Herland is thinking about now."
October, 1988
March, 1987
Bring your friends and come celebrate Women's Studies at OU on
March 26, 27 and 28 with Judy Chicago, Jennifer Roberson, and
Andrea Weiss. The conference kicks off Thursday, March 27 with a
potluck dinner and the premiere showing of Before Stonewall.. .. The 3
day celebration of Women's Studies will be topped offSaturdayevening
with a Nancy Day concert brought to you by Herland.
October, 1987
On Monday, September 21 , 1987, Herland Sister Resources made
an offer to the owners of a property in northwest Oklahoma City. The
offer was accepted and Herland is now under contract to purchase the
property located at 2312 NW 39th Street.
Janumy, 1988
Herland Bookstore will be closed for the entirn month of January.
If work goes according to schedule the Bookstore will reopen m
February at its new location at 2312 NW 39th.
Februmy, 1988
On April 2nd, Herland and Shartel Productions proudly present a
return engag=ent of Jasmine. Surprised and very pleased with the
response they received on their first tour of Oklahoma City last winter,
this "top of the line", all-woman j azzgroup looks forward to coming our
way again.
July, 1988
Led by police escort, Oklahoma's first annual Gay Pride Parade
made its way up Classen Boulevard and across 39th Street to the Block
Party behind the Oasis Community Center without serious interference
on Sunday, June 19th .. ..
Of those gathered along the parade route only a handful were
thumping Bibles .... Five or· so Ku Klux Klanners, gathered near the
corner of 39thand Penn, rapidly dispersed as the parade drew closer and
the number of marchers became apparent.
August, 1988
Herland Bookstore and Library will open its doors on Monday,
August 1st at 4:00 P.M. and will be open for business until 7:00 P.M.
Although the building is still not quite completed, Herland Board
of Directors believes the store can open and be available to the women's
community while finishing work continues .
September, 1988
The rumor that Barbara Cleveland is leaving Oklahoma is true.
Herland's founding mother will be attending graduate school in Columbus, Ohio, and will no longer reside in Oklahoma by the time this
newsletter hits the stands and your mail box .
At a farewell party given in her honor recently, this is what Barbara
had to say. " ..I think this is a beautiful state, a wonderful state. It's a state
that gave me a vision and helped me find myself in the women's
movement and to find sisters, because it's difficult being a Black lesbian
anywhere, especially in Oklahoma. Those of you who are lesbians
understand that.
Karen Williams took the floor and channed a group of 7 5 women
who attended Herland's Fall Retreat at Sequoyah State Park September
17.
November, 1988
Herland's first coffeehouse in the new building will be held
November 12 from 8 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. Entertainment will be provided
by the winner of the G.A.L.A. female vocalist of the year award, Donna
DeSalvo.
Februmy, 1989
...Because here in Oklahoma City, in the short span of three weeks
in November and December, we listened as two prophetesses of a
brighter day sang to us their visions of the other side.... Alix [Dobkin]
told of the many faces of Lesbian culture that exist around the world ....
The Linda Waterfall concert was not promoted as a quote-unquote
women's concert .... But thanks to the women who supported the concert
so enthusiastically, her music was able to touch on a new direction for
the conununity here in central Oklahoma: that a woman doesn't have to
be a Lesbian to make "women's music".
March, 1989
Herland Resource Center now has a telephone!
September, 1989
Hey! Have you noticed anything different about the newsletter!
After many months, she now has her own name, her own identity, The
Herland Voice.
October, 1989
Our sympathy and concern go out to Joni T. and other friends of
Ruby Todd, who was murdered on "The Strip" on Saturday night,
Sept=ber 30.
Februmy, 1990
A-mazing. She breathes, she walks, she drinks perrier and cough
syrup-- from the vas t plains of radical feminist thought, Mary Daly
whisked onto the plains of Oklahoma last month and spoke to a crowd
of approximately 200 at the "aca ·d=ented Oh You".
(continued on page 6)
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Herland Voice, August, 1992 5
June, 1990
Oklahoma WomenAgainstViolenceAgainstWomen (OWAVA W)
will hold a Take Back the Night Rally and March on June 8, 1990 at
Memorial Park, N.W . 36th and Classen in Oklahoma City. Thetheme
of the event is "Sexual Assault Doesn't Happen to Someone Else, It
Happened to Me."
October, 1990
Hunter Davis is coming to Oklahoma .... Hunter is definitely a
musician on the move, touching audiences across the nation with her
creativity and warmth, and infectious, boundless enthusiasm weaving
instant rapport with every listener.
January, 1991
The NLC-Gulf Region will hold a variety of events including pot
luck suppers and women's video nights, dances, and slumber parties at
Herland ... beginning January 12 and running through April 10, 1991 .
February, 1991
The women of the Herland Board met on October 6, 1990 to begin
the process of developing a mission statement and three-year plan for
Herland. The process was completed with the formal adoption of the
Herland Sister Resources Mission Statement at the December Board
meeting.
HERLAND NEEDS
You!
Can you remeber when there wasn't a Herland? Can you
imagine Oklahoma City without a Herland?
Many women have made Herland. They have painted and
built. They have staffed the center on cold winter days and
beautiful spring days. They have made donations -- when times
were hard and nobody knew how the bills would be paid, they
came through. They have spent long hours in meetings planning
and making all the things we call Herland happen. They have
given freely of themselves and made Her land.
Herland needs you. You. are needed to volunteer to staff
Herland on the weekends, to use your skills to help maintain the
building, to serve on a committee to produce musical events,
fundraise, or publish the newsletter. Whoever you are and
whatever your skills , there is a place for you at Herland.
If you'd like to volunteer, drop by the center on the weekend
and leave your name and number or leave a phone message for
Michelle, the current volunteer coordinater.
Her land needs your financial support., also. It takes about
$50 a day for Herland to operate. Please consider making a
contribution to help us continue to meet these costs.
In whatever way you can, we invite you to join with the
women who make Herland.
D
March, 1991
Pro-choice counter demonstrators at the January 20th anti-abortion so called "pro-life" rally at the Capitol were delighted at the sight of
a dozen ACT-UP member winding their way through the crowd shouting slogans ....
July, 1991
Yes, the 13th Herland Retreat at Robber's Cave State Park near
Wilburton, Oklahoma didn't fall prey to unlucky superstition . Rather
it lived up to all the fun that retreats have always cracked up to be.
October, 1991
... the notice came that a pro-choice rally would be held in Wichita
to counter the actions of Operation Rescue's clinic blockades ... . Twelve
women associated with Herland gathered on Friday evening to travel
together ... .In front of the clinic, completely surrounded by the Operation Rescue crowd, we circled and sang the Mountain Song .... We
continued our rriarch back to the street corner where we took up places
on the street's edge holding signs and chanting pro-choice slogans.
November, 1991
On Tuesday, October 15, I stood among a group of friends and
strangers attheO.U. SchoolofLaw. Our eyes were fixed on a television
_ screen as the U.S. Senate voted on the confirmation of Clarence Thomas .
.. .I am angry. It is a healthy anger which will lead to action, and
I am not alone. There are many of us . We will not forget October 15th,
and we will not go away.
January, 1992
Craftswomen gained a new opportunity to display (and sell) their
wares when a new crafts consignment area was opened by Her land on
December 7, 1991.
Mowing • Fertlllzlng • Trimming
• Light Hauling •
March, 1992
For the first time in our history, Herland has been awarded a grant
from a national foundation.
May, 1992
.
Nearly a million people, mostly women, mare~ on Washington
April 5 to demand full reproductive rights for all '-¥omen.
.
And the best is yet to come...
6 Herland Voice, August, 1992
.
''
D
"We Are Insured"
Nancy
794-6884
-- - - - - -
- - ·-
Sunday
-
- -
-
Monday
Tuesda~'
Friday
Wednesday Thursday
Sat..urday
I
CONCR.~TUL~TIONS TO HERLt\ND - 10 YEARS AND GOING· STRONG!
Cleveland
County
NO\.l
2 pm
Norman Public
Librar:.i'
rr:H
DOC HERLAND SAYS: IMAGINE MY SURPRISE:lb,i
II CLARENCE THOMAS VOTED TO OVERTURN ROE v. WADE.II
2
3 Cle, aland
Count,~..
Pro-Choicl!
Lei;:al Def°"l'lse
Fun cl
Meetine,
Coalition
1::.Jo - 9
Norman Public
g
10
6
The Neui
HE fRO OKC
8
VOLLEYB~.:..L
Re11ielll~er·
HiroshirlHI,
Belle Isle
Work fbr
CoOA, 7 pm
1045;
Peace.
Librar:r
At\.8
11
7
NOW
'5 pm
Herland.
7 p.111.
Library
ROOiliS
5
4
12
14
TOliRNAl'IENT
Will Roe•r •
Park. on lhe
East Side
15
resi£1ned the
Presidency.
1974
CoDA, 7 pm
LUCY STONE
mm - 1893
f7
18.~.
::~:> '"<:E' .
)
20
Lihrat"y
CoDA. 7 pm
Volinp is a
privile~e as
well as a
rii;lhl; be
Drivile"ed,
ancl VOTE!
31
•
10TH
ANNl\IERSARY
LA~.1!11
TO
JANIS .JOPLIN
ELECTtON DAY
lp111 ,
Belle Isle
DEl>1CATED*
2 '5PRll1ARY
J~
PORTHOLE
9 -1
~NOW,
21
THIS° OAY
Board
11eelinp
4:-10
30
19
PEGGY
JOHNSO N's
Pr e>-Lau1
School Bash
al lhe
Richard Nixon
PARTY
6: 30 Pl'I
26woMEN'S
2
27
EQt/ALITY
DAY
Celebrates
Ratification
of lhe 19lh
Amendment
in i920
~s5
BROWN
TO YOlJ
J
al
fi
~
The Earth
lnOKC
29
NOw
WALl<ATHON
*'
CoDA, 7 p>11
.----------....
*Dedicate a day
ill the Voice Calendar;
can
Silent Vigil for peace in Central America. On the steps of the
Federal Buidling, MW 4th & Robinson, OIC; Wednesdays at lbm.
(405) 521- 9695
for particulars.
JIERLAIID GIFT SHOP
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES INC
23t2 N\\I 39t,h St.reet..
Oklahoma City 1 Oklahoma. 73112
405/ 521-9696
The Place to Sbq>
for Jewelry, Pottery, T-shirts,
Stationery, Bi rd Houses & Feeders,
Buttoos, Postcards, Toys and Mare!
And of course, as always, we're
the place for great books and music.
Hours: Sat.urda~ 10 - 6; Sunda~ I - 6 !!:::::========~
NonProfit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Permit No. 861
2312 N. W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES
MISSION STATEMENT
Herland Sister Resources envisions and strives toward a world in
which all women live free from oppression.
Her land supports and includes all women who experience oppression . Lesbians as a group have a deep experience of the general
oppressive climate of this world. Although Herland is not restricted to
lesbians, we have a strong lesbian focus . We are a womanist organization, support women in their journey toward self-definition and selfdetennination, and recogni zing that each woman has her own pace of
growth and enlightenment.
Herland is a non-profit volunteer organzation. We publish a
newsletter, operate a bookstore and lending library, and provide musical and cultural events for education and entertainment. We offer a safe
place for women to meet and exchange ideas, feelings , hopes and fears
and to learn about themselves and each other.
The only requirement for involvement in Herland is a desire for
0
women to be free of the restraints ofoppression.
AUSTRALIAN INVITATION
Dear Lesbians,
You are cordially invited to Western Australia in October 1993
for our Australian Lesbian Festival and Conference.
It will be in our springtime and there will be millions of wildflowers
in bloom. The gloriously unpolluted, turquoise waters of the Indian
Ocean will be sparkling and Lesbians from all over the world will be
gathering here to celebrate our lives, our diversity and to have fun.
We are asking you to pass this information on to other Lesbians via
your grapevines, newsletters, magazines, bookshops, radio programmes
and whatever other means you can manage.
We will be in touch again soon with more information about this
event but mark it in your diary now!
With love,
Karen and Aquila for the 1993 Lesbian Festival and Conference
0
Organisers, P . 0. Box 985, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160 .
TARGETING THE SENATE, 1992
In recent months The Voice has been bringing you profiles of
femin ist, pro-choice women running for the U.S . Senate. Thus far we
have profiled Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein of California,
dynamic newcomers Carol Mosely Braun of Illinois and Lynn Yeakel
of Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth Holtzman and Geraldine Ferraro of
New York (both running for the same seat, unfortunately) If you are
moved to send financial support for any of these women, you might send
a donation to the Women's Campaign Fund, 120 Maryland Avenue,
NE, Washi ngton, D.C. 20002;orthe Emily List, 1112 16th Street NW,
Suite 750, Was hington, DC 20036. "Emily" is an acronym for "Early
Money Is Like Yeast," referringtothealmostmagical effect of abundant
money early in a campaign.
If you watched much of the Democratic National Convention in
July, you will have seen and been impressed with two other lesser known
women candidates for the Senate, from Kansas and Iowa: Both women
are strongly pro-choice and pro-woman.
Gloria O'Dell from Kansas: O'Dell has adopted a tactic from
Jerry Brown's campaign (or was it the other way around?) and displays
a toll free number prominently on her campaign signs and literature: 1. 800-GLORIA-3. She has a Bachelors degree in English and a Masters
in Social Work, and has worked in mainly support positions in politics
and government for many years before stepping into the limelight
herself. She has a tough but winnable race against iucumbent Bob Dole.
Jean Floyd Jones from Iowa: Jones has traveled a long road from
work as a secretary (an honorable but vastly undervalued occupation,
not unlike "housewife") to her current position as President Pro Tern of
the Iowa Senate. She is seeking to unseat Senator Charles Grassley.
Senate Grassley was a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee
during the infamous Clarence Thomas confinnation hearing.
0
Join us in
Celebrating
ANITA HILL FUND ESTABLISHED
The Anita Hill Fund has been established to endow a professorship
at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. The professorship will
be dedicated to teaching, research, and law refonn efforts concering
equlity in the workplace . The fund's goal is to raise $250,000 which
0
will be matched by the State of Oklahoma.
at a
Quality Service With That Personal Touch'"
I"1P
Ink Well Pri n ting
FO R A L L YOUR PRINTI NG N EEDS
Teri H oe ltzel
Susan Brooks
LA\WN PARTY
Saturda)',
Au~ust. 22, 1992
6:30 pm
***
942-5693
Berland Voice, A ugust, 1992 7
The Seventh Annual Midwest Feminist Graduate Student Conference will beheld at Bowling Green State University, Ohio. Sessions will be
designed for African-American, Euro-American, and Third World feminists, and suggested topics include cyborgian identity, issues of the
subaltern, post-colonialism, and feminist theories inclusive of cross-cultural issuers. One page abstracts are due: October 15, J 992 to: MGSC,
c/o Women's Studies Program, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43402 . (419) 372-8361.
•••••••••
Workshop and performing arts ideas are needed for the 4th Annual Lesbian Bizarre, which will be held March 19 - 22, 1992. Send your odd,
strange, bizarre ideas by January 16, 1993 to Attn: Bizarre, Something Special, 7762 NW 14 Court, Miami, Florida 33147-5571.
•••••••••
The National Directory of Women of Color Organizations and Projects has recently been published. It contains names, addresses, and phone
numbers of key contact people in women of color organizations throughout the country. It provides access to the organizations and projects
that are affecting the future of Native American, Asian American, African American, Latina, and Arab American women throughout the U.S.
It is indexed by issues and by race/ethnicity/nationality. Available on book or disk, and the disk is easily converted into mailing labels. For
ordering info contact Women of Color Resource Center, 2288 Fulton Street, Suite 103 , Berkeley, CA 94704; (510)848-9272.
•••••••••
Oklahoma N.O.W. has a new phone number: (405) 321-6676 and a new address, P.O. Box 5516, Norman, Oklahoma 73070.
Where desert hearts gather...
PRESENTS ...
*OPEN MIC NITE*; A BENEFIT FOR
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES.
AUGUST 23rd
8:00 - 11:00 pm
$2 COVER AT THE DOOR.
WEDNESDAYS- YOU BRING THE MEAT, WE'LL DO THE REST.
THURSDAYS-HOT COUNTRY NIGHTS W/C & W DANCE LESSONS 7:30-9:30 PM.
SUNDAYS - VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT BEGINS AT 2:00. COOKOUT FROM 6- 8
2120 NW 39th, OKC • 521-9533
-
TEN YEARS OF HERLAND
In August, 1982, a small women's bookstore opened at the comer of 19th and Blackwelder in Oklahoma City. That
bookstore was the direct ancestor of Berland Sister Resources. With this issue of The Voice we celebrate those early
years and the j oumey to today's Berland. To all those who have shared the j oumey, we express our sincere appreciation.
LA SALLE DES FEMMES
Mv
Jo L. Soske
Peggy Johnson
In 1981and1982, I was associated with a radical group of Lesbian
Feminists who formed the editorial collective ofTheBrazen Hussy Rag.
Together, we put our a few issues of a newspaper and envisioned vast
changes for lesbians in the Oklahoma City area . Unfortunately, our
politics and our hopes were stronger than our ability to stay together
during difficult times. Looking back a decade later, I am able to have
some perspective. I realize that our dreams were not fruitless . The roots
of today's Her land lie in that eighties collective.
The majority of the wmmnin who worked on and wrote for The
Brazen Hussy Rag no longer reside in Oklahoma. Therefore, I have
decided that I can tell the story since I can . We all have a right to our
herstory.
There were many wommin who put long hours into The Brazen
Hussy; I personally was involved in some unlikely fund-raising which
allowed us to put out a new edition when we thought we were completely
broke. Primary among these wommin, though, were Jana B ., the editor,
and her partner, T .J. Nearly all of the work on the newspaper was done
at their home.
It was Jana and T.J. who first envisioned a wommin's bookstore.
I remember the evening. They were out walking together when they came
across an old unused store at 19th. and Blackwelder. They began talking
to each other about how wonderful it would be to have a feminist
bookstore in the city. They were so excited by the idea that they knocked
on the door of the adjoining house to discuss it with the owner. That is
when they met Murray and the idea of La Salle des Femmes was born.
The excitement spread quickly throughout our collective and we
got to work. We held organizational meetings at Jana and T.J .'s home.
We began weekend work days lasting on Saturday from 12 :00 p .m. until
6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1 :00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Originally, we
could not even enter the building due to trees which blocked the door.
My partner at the time, Cathie, and I were involved in the clean-up days.
She did some sheet-rock work. Before long, we were able to use the
building as a meeting place for the organizational rally when Reagan
visited Oklahoma in 1982.
Barbara Cleveland was around during those times, but she was not
yet directly involved with the bookstore. She was however, always
interested and supportive. In March of 1982, she wrote in an article for
The Brazen Hussy, " ... Another note. Have you heard of the new
women's bookstore? Well, Sharon is going to autograph pictures that
will be sold to raise money to help the bookstore ... " She was promoting
the Sharon Riddell concert and did not neglect to help the bookstore in
her efforts.
(Continued on page 3)
I had just hit Oklahoma City in October of 1982, fresh from the
Navy's boot and all ready to become active politically. On my way to
New Orleans or San Francisco, I was here visiting my girlfriend's
family. The only thing I knew about Oklahoma was the song.
We must have seen a sign for ameeting at Her!and (over on N.W.
19th) at D.J.'s or K.A.'s, so we went. There was a handful ofwomyn,
the most memorable being Barbara Cleveland, of course. I think Elairie
was the new secretary and I don't remember the others very well.
I signed the mailing list and put down a friend's address in New
Orleans because it was the only one I had at the time and I was
happening-city bound.
On that October night, the little group seemed to be reorganizing
with the help of some new members. Little did I know (until much later)
that they were organizing as Herland and this was one of the first
Herland meetings. I had been overseas and before that, stranded in a
small south Georgia city and I thought big cities had well-established
womyn's and lesbian organizations. I had been to San Francisco, after
all.
By the end of October, my life started undergoing some reorganization itself and I wound up getting an apartment in OKC. Ilay low from
the social scene for a while, trying to get a grasp on my personal one.
I became reconnected with Herland after the Second Fret -- that
wonderful folk music club which lived at 30th and Classen from 1984
to 1987 -- opened. It was such a great safe place for folkies, lesbians,
and acoustic music lovers to go and I started playing music there and
even hanging out a bit. Somehow the womyn started hearing about my
music and someone, probably Marian, asked me to do a coffeehouse at
Herland. That wasFriday,March29, 1985. Isentoutalightgreenflyer
to my small mailing list, calling myself"a renderer of woman-identified
blues and folk music." (I always loved that flyer.) I didn't know if they
were radicals but assumed they were. I wasn't sure ifl should sing songs
written by men or not. (I've since realized that Her land is an umbrella
for women in all phases of development.)
Pretty soon my audience atthe Second Fret became more and more
woman-oriented. Besides the Second Fret mailing list, I think it was
mostly word of mouth and word spread by the Herland folk and the
Herland newsletter.
Because of their diligent following of my music, Cindy, Rhonda,
Jean, Pat and Pat became my friends . I mean, they were always there
and carried me through the rough spots (still do). Kathy, Ginger,
Margaret, and Karen have been the same way and later Michelle and
Charlotte. These are all past and present Herland Board members.
Volume 9 Number 8
Herland Sister Resources
LIFE WITH HERLAND
(Continued on page 2)
2312 N.W. 39, OKC, OK 73112
SAINT SYBIL
Sybil Ludington, Heroine of the American Revolution and Matron
Saint ofthe Forgotten Woman, answers the occasional odd query
in this space. She is very pleased to report that this particular odd
communication w_as actually received from so71eone other than
her channeler; keep those cards and letters coming inf
Dear St. Sybling,
How about this guy Clinton? In the face of Bush, Perot, 500
years of sexism, racism, and colonialism, his big concern in
addressing the Rainbow Coalition is a brilliant, talented, angry,
activist, young, female, African American rapper.
I hear that the lesser of two (three) evils is still evil. Should
I vote?
Best Witches,
Yobro
Dear Bro,
Upon receiving your letter I tuned in to Sister Souljah and her
famous rapping; and while some of us here where I am like her more than
others do, most of us will accept your assessment of her. We also agree
with Bill Clinton's recent acknowledgment that she has a right to be as
angry as she is; the incarceration/murder rate for young blacks, the
hopelessness and alienation, the double bind, the system's back-of-thehand rather than a hand outstretched, - any African American without
a great reservoir of anger is either blind or barging down Denial, which
is not just a river in Egypt...
Some of us here, however, (including the Matron Saint of the
Strong and Eloquent, Sojourner Truth) do rathe1 wish that Souljah
would ease up a little on her white sisters, cut them a little slack, and
recognize thatthere is more than one kind of oppress:ion afoot in the land.
Which of course is one reason, albeit subconscious, why Clinton
picked on her-women traditionally are easy and acceptable targets; old
Bill was evidently trying to be seen as macho and not toadying to his
audience, even while he was otherwise giving a pretty nice talk about
specifics and asking for support.
So it was weak and stupid and mean of him; but evil? I don't know
about that. Now George Bush, with his massacre of grotesque dimension in Iraq, his unholy election strategies and a breathtaking lack of
moral principal, is clearly evil. Give Clinton the time and the presidency, and he too mightbe so corrupted by the power that he qualifies;
but don't be too cynical; it isn't inevitable.
Should you vote? Well, try this. Try thinking of the election as the
choice between three pieces of fruit, let's say three papayas . One of these
papayas is wrinkled and wizened and discolored and decaying and will
probably make your body Politic even sicker than it is now. Another one
is green and hard as a rock and guaranteed to give you one heckuva
bellyache - and besides will have dropped out of the race by the time this
comes to print; the third little old papaya is a good color and well ripened,
although it does have a soft spot or two or three. Now, Bro, remember:
it's not like you can say "thank you kindly, but no thanks'', and won't
have to eat any of these papayas; one of them is going down your little
red Jane November 3 whether yot1 like it or not. Should you vote on
which one you want? Come on, of course you should, how could you
not?
And to make it easier for you, I promise that when you join us here
where I am and become the Patron Saint of the Righteous and Slightly
Aggravating, we will not blame you for the state of the world just
because you voted
Love and best Witches to you too,
0
Sybil
2 Herland Voice, At1gust, 1992
My Life With Herland
(continued from page I)
I must mention Elaine and Marian and Kris who were always there
in the early days. There are so many to mention. I can't begin to name
all those who have a general Her land association who have crossed my
path.
.
Not until 1989 when Jean asked me if I wanted to be on the board
was I active for Her land in other than a musical capacity. I said yes and
got voted in. It's been a blast -- from the board meetings (they may be
a bit long but we laugh and work and listen and talk and make decisions
which sometimes even get carried out!) to painting inside and outside,
to remodeling the inside, to digging in the yard. The retreats are fun and,
I think, very important to this community.
We have a mailing list of over 900, staff the bookstore most every
weekend and it's all volunteer. Nobody gets paid a dime. We've brought
in women's circuit musicians, comedians and activists. The turnout
hasn't always been great but over the long haul, Her land's efforts have
touched thousands of women, most in this very area. Whether they
know it or not, the women in this conmmnity have been affected by the
Herland spirit.
Lately, several of the friends I've mentioned here and I have become
more active politically. That activist circle I was hoping to find when
I first got here is evolving and has been for the last ten years. Who
would've thought I'd be right in the middle of it?
"A womyn's place to be." "We'rehereforyou." "This land is your
land, this land is Herland." "The Herland Voice." "Herland Sister
Resources". These ideas have stood the test of time for ten years now.
Thanks especially to Barbara Cleveland and the early ones, Herland
was started. Thanks to thecurrentactivists, Her land still lives. May she
be a beacon to those who have yet to discover the sense of community
and the sense of place found only in a group of women dedicated not to
personal or material gain but rather to maintaining that place to be, that
0
spacetounfoldintothewomenthatwecouldbe--ourselves.
1
WE RE SORRY!
Many of our readers have reported that their Voice did not arrive
until mid-July and some have not yet recieved their copy. Apparently,
many copies disappeared into some bulk mail "black hole" at the post
office.
We apologize to anyone who didn't get their Voice in time to make
plans for an event or was otherwise inconvienced by its absence.
Unfortunately, such problems do occur from time to time with bulk
mail. If you don't receive your copy of The Voice on time give us a
call and we'll send another or you can pick up one at Herland, The
Porthole or the The Coyote Club.
0
2109 S. Air Depot
(405) 737-0496
Midwest City, OK 73110
AIR DEPOT ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Call for Appointment
JOY HUSKA, D.V.M.
----
- - - - - - - -- -- - - -- -- - - - - --
REFLECTIONS ON THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
MOC
I have been active in and around the progressive movement
all during the Reagan/Bush years; working hard in some areas,
less hard in others, just showing up to swell the body count in still
others, and sometimes just putting a little money where my mouth
was and letting others do all the work - from women's issues ,
including reproductive rights and the ERA, bless its heart; lesbian and gay rights; for peace and justice in Central America;
against the massacre in Iraq; against the death penalty; for the
environment; against racism, for animal rights. In other words,
I have been waging a stubborn holding action against my own
government; and it was not until the last few days that I realized
how very weary, discouraged and downhearted I had become.
Goddess knows I am a sinfully stubborn woman, and I have
refused to stop slugging away, even while most reasonable folks
knew that I and my "causes" were down for the count .
Watching the Democratic convention every night this last
week (and profound thanks to C-Span for its commentary-free
coverage), I have felt an unfamiliar emotion beginning to build in
me; and this morning, the morning after the end of the festivities,
I awoke with the strangest damn feeling; I lay still and went with
the flow and finally recognized it: optimism! I am an old woman
- well ok, merely oldish - and I clearly remember years and years
ago waking every morning with that feeling; but so help me
goddess, I haven't had it in more than a decade. I have been
bloody well depressed all during these last dreadful administrations, and now that I realize it, it really makes me mad.
But I now have the feeling that just maybe things will be all
right; maybe the country will again begin to live its stated values:
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Maybe we will have
moral leadership which will encourage our best instincts, not our
basest. Maybe our leadership will encourage a unity within and
celebration of our diversity rather than encourage division. Maybe
our next Supreme Court Justice will be more like Anita Hill than
Clarence Thomas .
Don't get me wrong, I don 't think that the Clinton/Gore
ticket or agenda are perfect, and I haven't even had a chance to
read the platform yet; I know that we can't retire from the fray and
leave it to them, they'll certainly need our dedicated, ongoing
guidance . But the struggle could be as different as slogging
through quicksand, as it was under Reagan Bush, and striding
down a wide dry pine forest path.
And maybe, just maybe, I will once again be able to feel
perky about being an American.
D
JI 6 C GllRJIGE
7DAYSAWEEK
WORK GUARANTEED • FINANCING AVAILABLE
REFERENCES FURNISHED
Digital Pager
La Salle Des Femmes (continuedfivmPageI)
Hours of hard work went into La Salle des Femmes. In addition
to the work days, we held fundraisers . We held a buffet/concert at both
D.J.'s and The Rose. The efforts were beginning to show. It was
possible to enter the building and event to hold meetings. The April,
1982 issue of The Brazen Hussy stated " ...Work on "La Salle des
Fenunes" bookstore is progressing well, but it is housed in an old
building that needs a lot of work. If you have skillsx, tools, time or
energy--We Want You!"
Suddenly, things went bad. Jana and T.J. broke up. T.J. left town
and we found that our bookstore account was empty. We were all
terribly disillusioned. we had worked so hard and we didn't have a cent
to continue. The newspaper folded. Murray lost patience with the standstill in our plans. She pad-locked the door shut.
That is when Barbara Cleveland arrived on the scene with her
gift for organization, planning, and leadership. She was able to
convince Murray to give the bookstore dream one more chance. The rest
is Herland herstory. Barbara actualized the dream.
When Herland opened, some wommin from the original
collective refused to go there. They felt that their vision of a feministlesbian bookstore had been changed and that the new name did not
reflect the radical roots of the dream. I was not one of those wommin.
I frequented Herland from the day it opened. I have nothing but
admiration and gratitude for Barbara Cleveland. She is a woman who
makes things happen and we owe her a great deal.
I do believe, however, that we must not forget the
wommin who came before and their efforts no matter how unsuccessful their end . Five years ago, my former partner, Cathie,
came up from Dallas and we attended Herland's five-year an~i
versary party. We looked at the photos and spoke to wommm.
Late in the evening, Cathie looked at me and said, "They don't
even know that we existed. I spent all of my spare time working
on La Salle de Femmes, and nobody knows that we were even part
of it." I am writing thi s for Cathie and all of the other wommin
of The Brazen Hussy collective. I know that you were there. I
know that you are part of our herstory and I love and appreciate
you as I do Barbara Cleveland. Thank you for giving us Herland
-- a place of our own.
D
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Don't Miss
Peggy Johnson
in her final pre-law school performance
9 P.M - 1 A.M
ACE
791-8186
- -- --
CINDY
521-9407
August 15
The Porthole
$2 Cover
Herland Voice, August, 1992 J
VOICES OF THE PAST
Throughout the Her/and journey of the past ten years, the
Her/and newsletter has been our constant companion. In
the early days it was known simply as ''THE newsletter"
and more recently as The Voice. Below are excerpts from
Her/and newsletters published through past years to provide
snapshots of the landmarks along the path we have
traveled.
August, 1984
On August 17, we officially change our name; from Herland
Bookstore to Herland Sister Resources .... "Herland Sister Resources"
we believe better describes our present activities and future directions
-- to develop into a women's center.
November, 1984
Dear Sisters and Friends of Herland,
For two and a half years I've worked toward a dream: making a
bookstore a center for the women's conununity. Its been an interesting
time, full of excitements and disappointments. But through it all, we've
continually moved forward.
Herland will continually move forward, but not under my ownership. She will be taken over in January by a Feminist collective. I do
not foresee any changes, except for the better ....
Barbara Cleveland
December, 1984
· The Herland Sister Resources collective has applied for nonprofit
,incorporated status within the state of Oklahoma. We have adopted bylaws and set the wheels in motion for a new organizational and financial
structure.
April, 1985
The only time I had ever heard Peggy Johnson sing was at the
Second Fret, the night of the Hawkins/DeLear concert .... Maybe it's
better to hear new-to-you artists with no preconveived notions, though,
because I found the March Herland Coffeehouse performance of Peggy
Johnson a thoroughly enjoyable experience ....! think she's well on her
way, and when she's the headliner at the National Women's Music
Festival, we can say "Oh, yes we heard her all the time at Her land Sister
Resources in OKC!"
July, 1985
It's official -- Her land is very pleased to announce our non-profit
status under section 50l(c)(3) has been approved. Thanks to Kris
Marek, our legal counselor, for her outstanding work and many donated
hours. Over the past six months we have done the groundwork for an
organizational structure which should prove accessible and responsive
to the public; flexible and functional enough to provide a base for
service for many years to come."
October, 1985
Although the site of the October 25-27 Fall Festival/Women's
Retreat has been changed to Osage Hills, plans for a fulfilling weekend
are proceedingwithexcitement ..... The musical treat of theretreatwill be
Mary Reynolds and Peggy Johnson .... The retreat is open to lesbian and
non-lesbian women and their children.
November, 1985
We sang a lot around the campfire. We played hard with passion
andlthinktrulyenjoyedthecompanywemadeforoneanother. Werode
horses which sprang into occasional gallops . We painted a totem pole
and conjured up the woman spirit of a full moon, played drums and
spoons , read tarot and rune stones, discussed health and law, survival
and children. We learned to juggle, told a continuous stream of bad
jokes, acted in plays, wrote and painted, banged on the old upright
.:iiano ....
Events like this retreat, I think, are a trip "over the rainbow" where
women can relax and share visions, can indulge in a mini-society which
we create for a few days, can receive nurturing support we don't always
get from the major society.
'
Ann Jones, author of Women WhoKillandEverydayDeath spoke
at Her land, October 11 in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Week.
December, 1985
Gayle Marie made her fourth appearance in Oklahoma City
Friday, November 22, 1985, and lived up to all the claims her fans had
made about her talents ....
This was the first concert for the Herland Collective, as such, to
produce, and its success has reminded us of how long it has been since
OK.Chad a major concert, as well as assuringtbeCollectivethat, indeed,
there is an audience out there that will support our bringing live women's
music to the area.
February, 1986
After the fall retreat at Osage Hills received such rave notices, the
Herland Collective is organizing a second one .... Make your ideas
known now so they can be included in the development of the event.
Herland retreats become what the participants make them, a tradition
possibly, with special memories.
March, 1986
Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Jan is Galloway is back from
San Francisco and she has brought her new smiles and new music to
shareatHerland's March coffeehouse, 8:00 P.M.,March 28, 1630 N.W.
19th.
... "Acoustic music was the beginning and is the backbone of rock
and roll," Galloway explained. "I write and sing about the hard times,
about a happy love, or about the adventures of being alone. I write from
the heart and sing it out to the hearts of others who have a need to identify
with something."
September, 1985
Donna Bechtel, an Edmond battered woman who shot and killed
her abusive husband last year, is currently serving a life sentence for
first degree at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center . A group of concerned
citizens (Citizens for Donna Bechtel) formed in May to express
community outrage at the plight of Ms . Bechtel and other battered
women. Ms . Bechtel would appreciate hearing from supporters. Write
to Donna Bechtel, MBCC, P.O. Box 11492., OKC, OK 73136. [ed.
not.e: !11 1992, Ms. Becht.el remains in prison at MBCC]
4 Herla11d Voice, August, 1992
Office Hours By Appointment
Debra K. Browning, R Pk, D. D.S.
Comprehensive Dental Care
5009 N Pennsylvania.
Suite 103
(405) 843-3281
Oklahoma· Cit)~ OK 7 JI 12
September, 1986
Herland did it! We have written a three-year plan. After being
genninated at the Spring Retreat's brainstorming session, the plan has
taken form and is in effect to direct our efforts and emphasis ....Five
priorities are 1) Monthly events to broaden base of support; 2) Coordination of activities and events; 3) Outreach to identifiable groups; 4)
expanding newsletter resources; 5) Coordinators for specific tasks and
events.
" ... We, as feminists, as lesbians, as women have many of the same
concerns as everybody else. We are concerned about rape. We are
concerned about racism. We're concerned about many of the 'isms' in
the world. We are probably the strongest, because we are the most
oppressed of people. They can't move the mountain without us because
they are not as strong as we are."
"I'm encouraging you to involve yourself in coalition, which is
what Herland is thinking about now."
October, 1988
March, 1987
Bring your friends and come celebrate Women's Studies at OU on
March 26, 27 and 28 with Judy Chicago, Jennifer Roberson, and
Andrea Weiss. The conference kicks off Thursday, March 27 with a
potluck dinner and the premiere showing of Before Stonewall.. .. The 3
day celebration of Women's Studies will be topped offSaturdayevening
with a Nancy Day concert brought to you by Herland.
October, 1987
On Monday, September 21 , 1987, Herland Sister Resources made
an offer to the owners of a property in northwest Oklahoma City. The
offer was accepted and Herland is now under contract to purchase the
property located at 2312 NW 39th Street.
Janumy, 1988
Herland Bookstore will be closed for the entirn month of January.
If work goes according to schedule the Bookstore will reopen m
February at its new location at 2312 NW 39th.
Februmy, 1988
On April 2nd, Herland and Shartel Productions proudly present a
return engag=ent of Jasmine. Surprised and very pleased with the
response they received on their first tour of Oklahoma City last winter,
this "top of the line", all-woman j azzgroup looks forward to coming our
way again.
July, 1988
Led by police escort, Oklahoma's first annual Gay Pride Parade
made its way up Classen Boulevard and across 39th Street to the Block
Party behind the Oasis Community Center without serious interference
on Sunday, June 19th .. ..
Of those gathered along the parade route only a handful were
thumping Bibles .... Five or· so Ku Klux Klanners, gathered near the
corner of 39thand Penn, rapidly dispersed as the parade drew closer and
the number of marchers became apparent.
August, 1988
Herland Bookstore and Library will open its doors on Monday,
August 1st at 4:00 P.M. and will be open for business until 7:00 P.M.
Although the building is still not quite completed, Herland Board
of Directors believes the store can open and be available to the women's
community while finishing work continues .
September, 1988
The rumor that Barbara Cleveland is leaving Oklahoma is true.
Herland's founding mother will be attending graduate school in Columbus, Ohio, and will no longer reside in Oklahoma by the time this
newsletter hits the stands and your mail box .
At a farewell party given in her honor recently, this is what Barbara
had to say. " ..I think this is a beautiful state, a wonderful state. It's a state
that gave me a vision and helped me find myself in the women's
movement and to find sisters, because it's difficult being a Black lesbian
anywhere, especially in Oklahoma. Those of you who are lesbians
understand that.
Karen Williams took the floor and channed a group of 7 5 women
who attended Herland's Fall Retreat at Sequoyah State Park September
17.
November, 1988
Herland's first coffeehouse in the new building will be held
November 12 from 8 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. Entertainment will be provided
by the winner of the G.A.L.A. female vocalist of the year award, Donna
DeSalvo.
Februmy, 1989
...Because here in Oklahoma City, in the short span of three weeks
in November and December, we listened as two prophetesses of a
brighter day sang to us their visions of the other side.... Alix [Dobkin]
told of the many faces of Lesbian culture that exist around the world ....
The Linda Waterfall concert was not promoted as a quote-unquote
women's concert .... But thanks to the women who supported the concert
so enthusiastically, her music was able to touch on a new direction for
the conununity here in central Oklahoma: that a woman doesn't have to
be a Lesbian to make "women's music".
March, 1989
Herland Resource Center now has a telephone!
September, 1989
Hey! Have you noticed anything different about the newsletter!
After many months, she now has her own name, her own identity, The
Herland Voice.
October, 1989
Our sympathy and concern go out to Joni T. and other friends of
Ruby Todd, who was murdered on "The Strip" on Saturday night,
Sept=ber 30.
Februmy, 1990
A-mazing. She breathes, she walks, she drinks perrier and cough
syrup-- from the vas t plains of radical feminist thought, Mary Daly
whisked onto the plains of Oklahoma last month and spoke to a crowd
of approximately 200 at the "aca ·d=ented Oh You".
(continued on page 6)
INTRODUCTORY SPECIAL
l\llASSAGE
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For a limited time, four (4) Aston-Pattern ing® sessions are being offered for just
$100. These are 90-minute bodywork sessions (regularly $60 each session),
geared toward deep tissue release work and corresponsing movement
coaching. If you are in pain or just want to feel more energized and have your
body more available to you, this is an excellent opportunity for relief and
positive change.
OFFER
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911 192
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OFFER
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9 11192
Herland Voice, August, 1992 5
June, 1990
Oklahoma WomenAgainstViolenceAgainstWomen (OWAVA W)
will hold a Take Back the Night Rally and March on June 8, 1990 at
Memorial Park, N.W . 36th and Classen in Oklahoma City. Thetheme
of the event is "Sexual Assault Doesn't Happen to Someone Else, It
Happened to Me."
October, 1990
Hunter Davis is coming to Oklahoma .... Hunter is definitely a
musician on the move, touching audiences across the nation with her
creativity and warmth, and infectious, boundless enthusiasm weaving
instant rapport with every listener.
January, 1991
The NLC-Gulf Region will hold a variety of events including pot
luck suppers and women's video nights, dances, and slumber parties at
Herland ... beginning January 12 and running through April 10, 1991 .
February, 1991
The women of the Herland Board met on October 6, 1990 to begin
the process of developing a mission statement and three-year plan for
Herland. The process was completed with the formal adoption of the
Herland Sister Resources Mission Statement at the December Board
meeting.
HERLAND NEEDS
You!
Can you remeber when there wasn't a Herland? Can you
imagine Oklahoma City without a Herland?
Many women have made Herland. They have painted and
built. They have staffed the center on cold winter days and
beautiful spring days. They have made donations -- when times
were hard and nobody knew how the bills would be paid, they
came through. They have spent long hours in meetings planning
and making all the things we call Herland happen. They have
given freely of themselves and made Her land.
Herland needs you. You. are needed to volunteer to staff
Herland on the weekends, to use your skills to help maintain the
building, to serve on a committee to produce musical events,
fundraise, or publish the newsletter. Whoever you are and
whatever your skills , there is a place for you at Herland.
If you'd like to volunteer, drop by the center on the weekend
and leave your name and number or leave a phone message for
Michelle, the current volunteer coordinater.
Her land needs your financial support., also. It takes about
$50 a day for Herland to operate. Please consider making a
contribution to help us continue to meet these costs.
In whatever way you can, we invite you to join with the
women who make Herland.
D
March, 1991
Pro-choice counter demonstrators at the January 20th anti-abortion so called "pro-life" rally at the Capitol were delighted at the sight of
a dozen ACT-UP member winding their way through the crowd shouting slogans ....
July, 1991
Yes, the 13th Herland Retreat at Robber's Cave State Park near
Wilburton, Oklahoma didn't fall prey to unlucky superstition . Rather
it lived up to all the fun that retreats have always cracked up to be.
October, 1991
... the notice came that a pro-choice rally would be held in Wichita
to counter the actions of Operation Rescue's clinic blockades ... . Twelve
women associated with Herland gathered on Friday evening to travel
together ... .In front of the clinic, completely surrounded by the Operation Rescue crowd, we circled and sang the Mountain Song .... We
continued our rriarch back to the street corner where we took up places
on the street's edge holding signs and chanting pro-choice slogans.
November, 1991
On Tuesday, October 15, I stood among a group of friends and
strangers attheO.U. SchoolofLaw. Our eyes were fixed on a television
_ screen as the U.S. Senate voted on the confirmation of Clarence Thomas .
.. .I am angry. It is a healthy anger which will lead to action, and
I am not alone. There are many of us . We will not forget October 15th,
and we will not go away.
January, 1992
Craftswomen gained a new opportunity to display (and sell) their
wares when a new crafts consignment area was opened by Her land on
December 7, 1991.
Mowing • Fertlllzlng • Trimming
• Light Hauling •
March, 1992
For the first time in our history, Herland has been awarded a grant
from a national foundation.
May, 1992
.
Nearly a million people, mostly women, mare~ on Washington
April 5 to demand full reproductive rights for all '-¥omen.
.
And the best is yet to come...
6 Herland Voice, August, 1992
.
''
D
"We Are Insured"
Nancy
794-6884
-- - - - - -
- - ·-
Sunday
-
- -
-
Monday
Tuesda~'
Friday
Wednesday Thursday
Sat..urday
I
CONCR.~TUL~TIONS TO HERLt\ND - 10 YEARS AND GOING· STRONG!
Cleveland
County
NO\.l
2 pm
Norman Public
Librar:.i'
rr:H
DOC HERLAND SAYS: IMAGINE MY SURPRISE:lb,i
II CLARENCE THOMAS VOTED TO OVERTURN ROE v. WADE.II
2
3 Cle, aland
Count,~..
Pro-Choicl!
Lei;:al Def°"l'lse
Fun cl
Meetine,
Coalition
1::.Jo - 9
Norman Public
g
10
6
The Neui
HE fRO OKC
8
VOLLEYB~.:..L
Re11ielll~er·
HiroshirlHI,
Belle Isle
Work fbr
CoOA, 7 pm
1045;
Peace.
Librar:r
At\.8
11
7
NOW
'5 pm
Herland.
7 p.111.
Library
ROOiliS
5
4
12
14
TOliRNAl'IENT
Will Roe•r •
Park. on lhe
East Side
15
resi£1ned the
Presidency.
1974
CoDA, 7 pm
LUCY STONE
mm - 1893
f7
18.~.
::~:> '"<:E' .
)
20
Lihrat"y
CoDA. 7 pm
Volinp is a
privile~e as
well as a
rii;lhl; be
Drivile"ed,
ancl VOTE!
31
•
10TH
ANNl\IERSARY
LA~.1!11
TO
JANIS .JOPLIN
ELECTtON DAY
lp111 ,
Belle Isle
DEl>1CATED*
2 '5PRll1ARY
J~
PORTHOLE
9 -1
~NOW,
21
THIS° OAY
Board
11eelinp
4:-10
30
19
PEGGY
JOHNSO N's
Pr e>-Lau1
School Bash
al lhe
Richard Nixon
PARTY
6: 30 Pl'I
26woMEN'S
2
27
EQt/ALITY
DAY
Celebrates
Ratification
of lhe 19lh
Amendment
in i920
~s5
BROWN
TO YOlJ
J
al
fi
~
The Earth
lnOKC
29
NOw
WALl<ATHON
*'
CoDA, 7 p>11
.----------....
*Dedicate a day
ill the Voice Calendar;
can
Silent Vigil for peace in Central America. On the steps of the
Federal Buidling, MW 4th & Robinson, OIC; Wednesdays at lbm.
(405) 521- 9695
for particulars.
JIERLAIID GIFT SHOP
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES INC
23t2 N\\I 39t,h St.reet..
Oklahoma City 1 Oklahoma. 73112
405/ 521-9696
The Place to Sbq>
for Jewelry, Pottery, T-shirts,
Stationery, Bi rd Houses & Feeders,
Buttoos, Postcards, Toys and Mare!
And of course, as always, we're
the place for great books and music.
Hours: Sat.urda~ 10 - 6; Sunda~ I - 6 !!:::::========~
NonProfit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Permit No. 861
2312 N. W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES
MISSION STATEMENT
Herland Sister Resources envisions and strives toward a world in
which all women live free from oppression.
Her land supports and includes all women who experience oppression . Lesbians as a group have a deep experience of the general
oppressive climate of this world. Although Herland is not restricted to
lesbians, we have a strong lesbian focus . We are a womanist organization, support women in their journey toward self-definition and selfdetennination, and recogni zing that each woman has her own pace of
growth and enlightenment.
Herland is a non-profit volunteer organzation. We publish a
newsletter, operate a bookstore and lending library, and provide musical and cultural events for education and entertainment. We offer a safe
place for women to meet and exchange ideas, feelings , hopes and fears
and to learn about themselves and each other.
The only requirement for involvement in Herland is a desire for
0
women to be free of the restraints ofoppression.
AUSTRALIAN INVITATION
Dear Lesbians,
You are cordially invited to Western Australia in October 1993
for our Australian Lesbian Festival and Conference.
It will be in our springtime and there will be millions of wildflowers
in bloom. The gloriously unpolluted, turquoise waters of the Indian
Ocean will be sparkling and Lesbians from all over the world will be
gathering here to celebrate our lives, our diversity and to have fun.
We are asking you to pass this information on to other Lesbians via
your grapevines, newsletters, magazines, bookshops, radio programmes
and whatever other means you can manage.
We will be in touch again soon with more information about this
event but mark it in your diary now!
With love,
Karen and Aquila for the 1993 Lesbian Festival and Conference
0
Organisers, P . 0. Box 985, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160 .
TARGETING THE SENATE, 1992
In recent months The Voice has been bringing you profiles of
femin ist, pro-choice women running for the U.S . Senate. Thus far we
have profiled Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein of California,
dynamic newcomers Carol Mosely Braun of Illinois and Lynn Yeakel
of Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth Holtzman and Geraldine Ferraro of
New York (both running for the same seat, unfortunately) If you are
moved to send financial support for any of these women, you might send
a donation to the Women's Campaign Fund, 120 Maryland Avenue,
NE, Washi ngton, D.C. 20002;orthe Emily List, 1112 16th Street NW,
Suite 750, Was hington, DC 20036. "Emily" is an acronym for "Early
Money Is Like Yeast," referringtothealmostmagical effect of abundant
money early in a campaign.
If you watched much of the Democratic National Convention in
July, you will have seen and been impressed with two other lesser known
women candidates for the Senate, from Kansas and Iowa: Both women
are strongly pro-choice and pro-woman.
Gloria O'Dell from Kansas: O'Dell has adopted a tactic from
Jerry Brown's campaign (or was it the other way around?) and displays
a toll free number prominently on her campaign signs and literature: 1. 800-GLORIA-3. She has a Bachelors degree in English and a Masters
in Social Work, and has worked in mainly support positions in politics
and government for many years before stepping into the limelight
herself. She has a tough but winnable race against iucumbent Bob Dole.
Jean Floyd Jones from Iowa: Jones has traveled a long road from
work as a secretary (an honorable but vastly undervalued occupation,
not unlike "housewife") to her current position as President Pro Tern of
the Iowa Senate. She is seeking to unseat Senator Charles Grassley.
Senate Grassley was a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee
during the infamous Clarence Thomas confinnation hearing.
0
Join us in
Celebrating
ANITA HILL FUND ESTABLISHED
The Anita Hill Fund has been established to endow a professorship
at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. The professorship will
be dedicated to teaching, research, and law refonn efforts concering
equlity in the workplace . The fund's goal is to raise $250,000 which
0
will be matched by the State of Oklahoma.
at a
Quality Service With That Personal Touch'"
I"1P
Ink Well Pri n ting
FO R A L L YOUR PRINTI NG N EEDS
Teri H oe ltzel
Susan Brooks
LA\WN PARTY
Saturda)',
Au~ust. 22, 1992
6:30 pm
***
942-5693
Berland Voice, A ugust, 1992 7
The Seventh Annual Midwest Feminist Graduate Student Conference will beheld at Bowling Green State University, Ohio. Sessions will be
designed for African-American, Euro-American, and Third World feminists, and suggested topics include cyborgian identity, issues of the
subaltern, post-colonialism, and feminist theories inclusive of cross-cultural issuers. One page abstracts are due: October 15, J 992 to: MGSC,
c/o Women's Studies Program, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43402 . (419) 372-8361.
•••••••••
Workshop and performing arts ideas are needed for the 4th Annual Lesbian Bizarre, which will be held March 19 - 22, 1992. Send your odd,
strange, bizarre ideas by January 16, 1993 to Attn: Bizarre, Something Special, 7762 NW 14 Court, Miami, Florida 33147-5571.
•••••••••
The National Directory of Women of Color Organizations and Projects has recently been published. It contains names, addresses, and phone
numbers of key contact people in women of color organizations throughout the country. It provides access to the organizations and projects
that are affecting the future of Native American, Asian American, African American, Latina, and Arab American women throughout the U.S.
It is indexed by issues and by race/ethnicity/nationality. Available on book or disk, and the disk is easily converted into mailing labels. For
ordering info contact Women of Color Resource Center, 2288 Fulton Street, Suite 103 , Berkeley, CA 94704; (510)848-9272.
•••••••••
Oklahoma N.O.W. has a new phone number: (405) 321-6676 and a new address, P.O. Box 5516, Norman, Oklahoma 73070.
Where desert hearts gather...
PRESENTS ...
*OPEN MIC NITE*; A BENEFIT FOR
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES.
AUGUST 23rd
8:00 - 11:00 pm
$2 COVER AT THE DOOR.
WEDNESDAYS- YOU BRING THE MEAT, WE'LL DO THE REST.
THURSDAYS-HOT COUNTRY NIGHTS W/C & W DANCE LESSONS 7:30-9:30 PM.
SUNDAYS - VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT BEGINS AT 2:00. COOKOUT FROM 6- 8
2120 NW 39th, OKC • 521-9533
-
TEN YEARS OF HERLAND
In August, 1982, a small women's bookstore opened at the comer of 19th and Blackwelder in Oklahoma City. That
bookstore was the direct ancestor of Berland Sister Resources. With this issue of The Voice we celebrate those early
years and the j oumey to today's Berland. To all those who have shared the j oumey, we express our sincere appreciation.
LA SALLE DES FEMMES
Mv
Jo L. Soske
Peggy Johnson
In 1981and1982, I was associated with a radical group of Lesbian
Feminists who formed the editorial collective ofTheBrazen Hussy Rag.
Together, we put our a few issues of a newspaper and envisioned vast
changes for lesbians in the Oklahoma City area . Unfortunately, our
politics and our hopes were stronger than our ability to stay together
during difficult times. Looking back a decade later, I am able to have
some perspective. I realize that our dreams were not fruitless . The roots
of today's Her land lie in that eighties collective.
The majority of the wmmnin who worked on and wrote for The
Brazen Hussy Rag no longer reside in Oklahoma. Therefore, I have
decided that I can tell the story since I can . We all have a right to our
herstory.
There were many wommin who put long hours into The Brazen
Hussy; I personally was involved in some unlikely fund-raising which
allowed us to put out a new edition when we thought we were completely
broke. Primary among these wommin, though, were Jana B ., the editor,
and her partner, T .J. Nearly all of the work on the newspaper was done
at their home.
It was Jana and T.J. who first envisioned a wommin's bookstore.
I remember the evening. They were out walking together when they came
across an old unused store at 19th. and Blackwelder. They began talking
to each other about how wonderful it would be to have a feminist
bookstore in the city. They were so excited by the idea that they knocked
on the door of the adjoining house to discuss it with the owner. That is
when they met Murray and the idea of La Salle des Femmes was born.
The excitement spread quickly throughout our collective and we
got to work. We held organizational meetings at Jana and T.J .'s home.
We began weekend work days lasting on Saturday from 12 :00 p .m. until
6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1 :00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Originally, we
could not even enter the building due to trees which blocked the door.
My partner at the time, Cathie, and I were involved in the clean-up days.
She did some sheet-rock work. Before long, we were able to use the
building as a meeting place for the organizational rally when Reagan
visited Oklahoma in 1982.
Barbara Cleveland was around during those times, but she was not
yet directly involved with the bookstore. She was however, always
interested and supportive. In March of 1982, she wrote in an article for
The Brazen Hussy, " ... Another note. Have you heard of the new
women's bookstore? Well, Sharon is going to autograph pictures that
will be sold to raise money to help the bookstore ... " She was promoting
the Sharon Riddell concert and did not neglect to help the bookstore in
her efforts.
(Continued on page 3)
I had just hit Oklahoma City in October of 1982, fresh from the
Navy's boot and all ready to become active politically. On my way to
New Orleans or San Francisco, I was here visiting my girlfriend's
family. The only thing I knew about Oklahoma was the song.
We must have seen a sign for ameeting at Her!and (over on N.W.
19th) at D.J.'s or K.A.'s, so we went. There was a handful ofwomyn,
the most memorable being Barbara Cleveland, of course. I think Elairie
was the new secretary and I don't remember the others very well.
I signed the mailing list and put down a friend's address in New
Orleans because it was the only one I had at the time and I was
happening-city bound.
On that October night, the little group seemed to be reorganizing
with the help of some new members. Little did I know (until much later)
that they were organizing as Herland and this was one of the first
Herland meetings. I had been overseas and before that, stranded in a
small south Georgia city and I thought big cities had well-established
womyn's and lesbian organizations. I had been to San Francisco, after
all.
By the end of October, my life started undergoing some reorganization itself and I wound up getting an apartment in OKC. Ilay low from
the social scene for a while, trying to get a grasp on my personal one.
I became reconnected with Herland after the Second Fret -- that
wonderful folk music club which lived at 30th and Classen from 1984
to 1987 -- opened. It was such a great safe place for folkies, lesbians,
and acoustic music lovers to go and I started playing music there and
even hanging out a bit. Somehow the womyn started hearing about my
music and someone, probably Marian, asked me to do a coffeehouse at
Herland. That wasFriday,March29, 1985. Isentoutalightgreenflyer
to my small mailing list, calling myself"a renderer of woman-identified
blues and folk music." (I always loved that flyer.) I didn't know if they
were radicals but assumed they were. I wasn't sure ifl should sing songs
written by men or not. (I've since realized that Her land is an umbrella
for women in all phases of development.)
Pretty soon my audience atthe Second Fret became more and more
woman-oriented. Besides the Second Fret mailing list, I think it was
mostly word of mouth and word spread by the Herland folk and the
Herland newsletter.
Because of their diligent following of my music, Cindy, Rhonda,
Jean, Pat and Pat became my friends . I mean, they were always there
and carried me through the rough spots (still do). Kathy, Ginger,
Margaret, and Karen have been the same way and later Michelle and
Charlotte. These are all past and present Herland Board members.
Volume 9 Number 8
Herland Sister Resources
LIFE WITH HERLAND
(Continued on page 2)
2312 N.W. 39, OKC, OK 73112
SAINT SYBIL
Sybil Ludington, Heroine of the American Revolution and Matron
Saint ofthe Forgotten Woman, answers the occasional odd query
in this space. She is very pleased to report that this particular odd
communication w_as actually received from so71eone other than
her channeler; keep those cards and letters coming inf
Dear St. Sybling,
How about this guy Clinton? In the face of Bush, Perot, 500
years of sexism, racism, and colonialism, his big concern in
addressing the Rainbow Coalition is a brilliant, talented, angry,
activist, young, female, African American rapper.
I hear that the lesser of two (three) evils is still evil. Should
I vote?
Best Witches,
Yobro
Dear Bro,
Upon receiving your letter I tuned in to Sister Souljah and her
famous rapping; and while some of us here where I am like her more than
others do, most of us will accept your assessment of her. We also agree
with Bill Clinton's recent acknowledgment that she has a right to be as
angry as she is; the incarceration/murder rate for young blacks, the
hopelessness and alienation, the double bind, the system's back-of-thehand rather than a hand outstretched, - any African American without
a great reservoir of anger is either blind or barging down Denial, which
is not just a river in Egypt...
Some of us here, however, (including the Matron Saint of the
Strong and Eloquent, Sojourner Truth) do rathe1 wish that Souljah
would ease up a little on her white sisters, cut them a little slack, and
recognize thatthere is more than one kind of oppress:ion afoot in the land.
Which of course is one reason, albeit subconscious, why Clinton
picked on her-women traditionally are easy and acceptable targets; old
Bill was evidently trying to be seen as macho and not toadying to his
audience, even while he was otherwise giving a pretty nice talk about
specifics and asking for support.
So it was weak and stupid and mean of him; but evil? I don't know
about that. Now George Bush, with his massacre of grotesque dimension in Iraq, his unholy election strategies and a breathtaking lack of
moral principal, is clearly evil. Give Clinton the time and the presidency, and he too mightbe so corrupted by the power that he qualifies;
but don't be too cynical; it isn't inevitable.
Should you vote? Well, try this. Try thinking of the election as the
choice between three pieces of fruit, let's say three papayas . One of these
papayas is wrinkled and wizened and discolored and decaying and will
probably make your body Politic even sicker than it is now. Another one
is green and hard as a rock and guaranteed to give you one heckuva
bellyache - and besides will have dropped out of the race by the time this
comes to print; the third little old papaya is a good color and well ripened,
although it does have a soft spot or two or three. Now, Bro, remember:
it's not like you can say "thank you kindly, but no thanks'', and won't
have to eat any of these papayas; one of them is going down your little
red Jane November 3 whether yot1 like it or not. Should you vote on
which one you want? Come on, of course you should, how could you
not?
And to make it easier for you, I promise that when you join us here
where I am and become the Patron Saint of the Righteous and Slightly
Aggravating, we will not blame you for the state of the world just
because you voted
Love and best Witches to you too,
0
Sybil
2 Herland Voice, At1gust, 1992
My Life With Herland
(continued from page I)
I must mention Elaine and Marian and Kris who were always there
in the early days. There are so many to mention. I can't begin to name
all those who have a general Her land association who have crossed my
path.
.
Not until 1989 when Jean asked me if I wanted to be on the board
was I active for Her land in other than a musical capacity. I said yes and
got voted in. It's been a blast -- from the board meetings (they may be
a bit long but we laugh and work and listen and talk and make decisions
which sometimes even get carried out!) to painting inside and outside,
to remodeling the inside, to digging in the yard. The retreats are fun and,
I think, very important to this community.
We have a mailing list of over 900, staff the bookstore most every
weekend and it's all volunteer. Nobody gets paid a dime. We've brought
in women's circuit musicians, comedians and activists. The turnout
hasn't always been great but over the long haul, Her land's efforts have
touched thousands of women, most in this very area. Whether they
know it or not, the women in this conmmnity have been affected by the
Herland spirit.
Lately, several of the friends I've mentioned here and I have become
more active politically. That activist circle I was hoping to find when
I first got here is evolving and has been for the last ten years. Who
would've thought I'd be right in the middle of it?
"A womyn's place to be." "We'rehereforyou." "This land is your
land, this land is Herland." "The Herland Voice." "Herland Sister
Resources". These ideas have stood the test of time for ten years now.
Thanks especially to Barbara Cleveland and the early ones, Herland
was started. Thanks to thecurrentactivists, Her land still lives. May she
be a beacon to those who have yet to discover the sense of community
and the sense of place found only in a group of women dedicated not to
personal or material gain but rather to maintaining that place to be, that
0
spacetounfoldintothewomenthatwecouldbe--ourselves.
1
WE RE SORRY!
Many of our readers have reported that their Voice did not arrive
until mid-July and some have not yet recieved their copy. Apparently,
many copies disappeared into some bulk mail "black hole" at the post
office.
We apologize to anyone who didn't get their Voice in time to make
plans for an event or was otherwise inconvienced by its absence.
Unfortunately, such problems do occur from time to time with bulk
mail. If you don't receive your copy of The Voice on time give us a
call and we'll send another or you can pick up one at Herland, The
Porthole or the The Coyote Club.
0
2109 S. Air Depot
(405) 737-0496
Midwest City, OK 73110
AIR DEPOT ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Call for Appointment
JOY HUSKA, D.V.M.
----
- - - - - - - -- -- - - -- -- - - - - --
REFLECTIONS ON THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
MOC
I have been active in and around the progressive movement
all during the Reagan/Bush years; working hard in some areas,
less hard in others, just showing up to swell the body count in still
others, and sometimes just putting a little money where my mouth
was and letting others do all the work - from women's issues ,
including reproductive rights and the ERA, bless its heart; lesbian and gay rights; for peace and justice in Central America;
against the massacre in Iraq; against the death penalty; for the
environment; against racism, for animal rights. In other words,
I have been waging a stubborn holding action against my own
government; and it was not until the last few days that I realized
how very weary, discouraged and downhearted I had become.
Goddess knows I am a sinfully stubborn woman, and I have
refused to stop slugging away, even while most reasonable folks
knew that I and my "causes" were down for the count .
Watching the Democratic convention every night this last
week (and profound thanks to C-Span for its commentary-free
coverage), I have felt an unfamiliar emotion beginning to build in
me; and this morning, the morning after the end of the festivities,
I awoke with the strangest damn feeling; I lay still and went with
the flow and finally recognized it: optimism! I am an old woman
- well ok, merely oldish - and I clearly remember years and years
ago waking every morning with that feeling; but so help me
goddess, I haven't had it in more than a decade. I have been
bloody well depressed all during these last dreadful administrations, and now that I realize it, it really makes me mad.
But I now have the feeling that just maybe things will be all
right; maybe the country will again begin to live its stated values:
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Maybe we will have
moral leadership which will encourage our best instincts, not our
basest. Maybe our leadership will encourage a unity within and
celebration of our diversity rather than encourage division. Maybe
our next Supreme Court Justice will be more like Anita Hill than
Clarence Thomas .
Don't get me wrong, I don 't think that the Clinton/Gore
ticket or agenda are perfect, and I haven't even had a chance to
read the platform yet; I know that we can't retire from the fray and
leave it to them, they'll certainly need our dedicated, ongoing
guidance . But the struggle could be as different as slogging
through quicksand, as it was under Reagan Bush, and striding
down a wide dry pine forest path.
And maybe, just maybe, I will once again be able to feel
perky about being an American.
D
JI 6 C GllRJIGE
7DAYSAWEEK
WORK GUARANTEED • FINANCING AVAILABLE
REFERENCES FURNISHED
Digital Pager
La Salle Des Femmes (continuedfivmPageI)
Hours of hard work went into La Salle des Femmes. In addition
to the work days, we held fundraisers . We held a buffet/concert at both
D.J.'s and The Rose. The efforts were beginning to show. It was
possible to enter the building and event to hold meetings. The April,
1982 issue of The Brazen Hussy stated " ...Work on "La Salle des
Fenunes" bookstore is progressing well, but it is housed in an old
building that needs a lot of work. If you have skillsx, tools, time or
energy--We Want You!"
Suddenly, things went bad. Jana and T.J. broke up. T.J. left town
and we found that our bookstore account was empty. We were all
terribly disillusioned. we had worked so hard and we didn't have a cent
to continue. The newspaper folded. Murray lost patience with the standstill in our plans. She pad-locked the door shut.
That is when Barbara Cleveland arrived on the scene with her
gift for organization, planning, and leadership. She was able to
convince Murray to give the bookstore dream one more chance. The rest
is Herland herstory. Barbara actualized the dream.
When Herland opened, some wommin from the original
collective refused to go there. They felt that their vision of a feministlesbian bookstore had been changed and that the new name did not
reflect the radical roots of the dream. I was not one of those wommin.
I frequented Herland from the day it opened. I have nothing but
admiration and gratitude for Barbara Cleveland. She is a woman who
makes things happen and we owe her a great deal.
I do believe, however, that we must not forget the
wommin who came before and their efforts no matter how unsuccessful their end . Five years ago, my former partner, Cathie,
came up from Dallas and we attended Herland's five-year an~i
versary party. We looked at the photos and spoke to wommm.
Late in the evening, Cathie looked at me and said, "They don't
even know that we existed. I spent all of my spare time working
on La Salle de Femmes, and nobody knows that we were even part
of it." I am writing thi s for Cathie and all of the other wommin
of The Brazen Hussy collective. I know that you were there. I
know that you are part of our herstory and I love and appreciate
you as I do Barbara Cleveland. Thank you for giving us Herland
-- a place of our own.
D
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Don't Miss
Peggy Johnson
in her final pre-law school performance
9 P.M - 1 A.M
ACE
791-8186
- -- --
CINDY
521-9407
August 15
The Porthole
$2 Cover
Herland Voice, August, 1992 J
VOICES OF THE PAST
Throughout the Her/and journey of the past ten years, the
Her/and newsletter has been our constant companion. In
the early days it was known simply as ''THE newsletter"
and more recently as The Voice. Below are excerpts from
Her/and newsletters published through past years to provide
snapshots of the landmarks along the path we have
traveled.
August, 1984
On August 17, we officially change our name; from Herland
Bookstore to Herland Sister Resources .... "Herland Sister Resources"
we believe better describes our present activities and future directions
-- to develop into a women's center.
November, 1984
Dear Sisters and Friends of Herland,
For two and a half years I've worked toward a dream: making a
bookstore a center for the women's conununity. Its been an interesting
time, full of excitements and disappointments. But through it all, we've
continually moved forward.
Herland will continually move forward, but not under my ownership. She will be taken over in January by a Feminist collective. I do
not foresee any changes, except for the better ....
Barbara Cleveland
December, 1984
· The Herland Sister Resources collective has applied for nonprofit
,incorporated status within the state of Oklahoma. We have adopted bylaws and set the wheels in motion for a new organizational and financial
structure.
April, 1985
The only time I had ever heard Peggy Johnson sing was at the
Second Fret, the night of the Hawkins/DeLear concert .... Maybe it's
better to hear new-to-you artists with no preconveived notions, though,
because I found the March Herland Coffeehouse performance of Peggy
Johnson a thoroughly enjoyable experience ....! think she's well on her
way, and when she's the headliner at the National Women's Music
Festival, we can say "Oh, yes we heard her all the time at Her land Sister
Resources in OKC!"
July, 1985
It's official -- Her land is very pleased to announce our non-profit
status under section 50l(c)(3) has been approved. Thanks to Kris
Marek, our legal counselor, for her outstanding work and many donated
hours. Over the past six months we have done the groundwork for an
organizational structure which should prove accessible and responsive
to the public; flexible and functional enough to provide a base for
service for many years to come."
October, 1985
Although the site of the October 25-27 Fall Festival/Women's
Retreat has been changed to Osage Hills, plans for a fulfilling weekend
are proceedingwithexcitement ..... The musical treat of theretreatwill be
Mary Reynolds and Peggy Johnson .... The retreat is open to lesbian and
non-lesbian women and their children.
November, 1985
We sang a lot around the campfire. We played hard with passion
andlthinktrulyenjoyedthecompanywemadeforoneanother. Werode
horses which sprang into occasional gallops . We painted a totem pole
and conjured up the woman spirit of a full moon, played drums and
spoons , read tarot and rune stones, discussed health and law, survival
and children. We learned to juggle, told a continuous stream of bad
jokes, acted in plays, wrote and painted, banged on the old upright
.:iiano ....
Events like this retreat, I think, are a trip "over the rainbow" where
women can relax and share visions, can indulge in a mini-society which
we create for a few days, can receive nurturing support we don't always
get from the major society.
'
Ann Jones, author of Women WhoKillandEverydayDeath spoke
at Her land, October 11 in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Week.
December, 1985
Gayle Marie made her fourth appearance in Oklahoma City
Friday, November 22, 1985, and lived up to all the claims her fans had
made about her talents ....
This was the first concert for the Herland Collective, as such, to
produce, and its success has reminded us of how long it has been since
OK.Chad a major concert, as well as assuringtbeCollectivethat, indeed,
there is an audience out there that will support our bringing live women's
music to the area.
February, 1986
After the fall retreat at Osage Hills received such rave notices, the
Herland Collective is organizing a second one .... Make your ideas
known now so they can be included in the development of the event.
Herland retreats become what the participants make them, a tradition
possibly, with special memories.
March, 1986
Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Jan is Galloway is back from
San Francisco and she has brought her new smiles and new music to
shareatHerland's March coffeehouse, 8:00 P.M.,March 28, 1630 N.W.
19th.
... "Acoustic music was the beginning and is the backbone of rock
and roll," Galloway explained. "I write and sing about the hard times,
about a happy love, or about the adventures of being alone. I write from
the heart and sing it out to the hearts of others who have a need to identify
with something."
September, 1985
Donna Bechtel, an Edmond battered woman who shot and killed
her abusive husband last year, is currently serving a life sentence for
first degree at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center . A group of concerned
citizens (Citizens for Donna Bechtel) formed in May to express
community outrage at the plight of Ms . Bechtel and other battered
women. Ms . Bechtel would appreciate hearing from supporters. Write
to Donna Bechtel, MBCC, P.O. Box 11492., OKC, OK 73136. [ed.
not.e: !11 1992, Ms. Becht.el remains in prison at MBCC]
4 Herla11d Voice, August, 1992
Office Hours By Appointment
Debra K. Browning, R Pk, D. D.S.
Comprehensive Dental Care
5009 N Pennsylvania.
Suite 103
(405) 843-3281
Oklahoma· Cit)~ OK 7 JI 12
September, 1986
Herland did it! We have written a three-year plan. After being
genninated at the Spring Retreat's brainstorming session, the plan has
taken form and is in effect to direct our efforts and emphasis ....Five
priorities are 1) Monthly events to broaden base of support; 2) Coordination of activities and events; 3) Outreach to identifiable groups; 4)
expanding newsletter resources; 5) Coordinators for specific tasks and
events.
" ... We, as feminists, as lesbians, as women have many of the same
concerns as everybody else. We are concerned about rape. We are
concerned about racism. We're concerned about many of the 'isms' in
the world. We are probably the strongest, because we are the most
oppressed of people. They can't move the mountain without us because
they are not as strong as we are."
"I'm encouraging you to involve yourself in coalition, which is
what Herland is thinking about now."
October, 1988
March, 1987
Bring your friends and come celebrate Women's Studies at OU on
March 26, 27 and 28 with Judy Chicago, Jennifer Roberson, and
Andrea Weiss. The conference kicks off Thursday, March 27 with a
potluck dinner and the premiere showing of Before Stonewall.. .. The 3
day celebration of Women's Studies will be topped offSaturdayevening
with a Nancy Day concert brought to you by Herland.
October, 1987
On Monday, September 21 , 1987, Herland Sister Resources made
an offer to the owners of a property in northwest Oklahoma City. The
offer was accepted and Herland is now under contract to purchase the
property located at 2312 NW 39th Street.
Janumy, 1988
Herland Bookstore will be closed for the entirn month of January.
If work goes according to schedule the Bookstore will reopen m
February at its new location at 2312 NW 39th.
Februmy, 1988
On April 2nd, Herland and Shartel Productions proudly present a
return engag=ent of Jasmine. Surprised and very pleased with the
response they received on their first tour of Oklahoma City last winter,
this "top of the line", all-woman j azzgroup looks forward to coming our
way again.
July, 1988
Led by police escort, Oklahoma's first annual Gay Pride Parade
made its way up Classen Boulevard and across 39th Street to the Block
Party behind the Oasis Community Center without serious interference
on Sunday, June 19th .. ..
Of those gathered along the parade route only a handful were
thumping Bibles .... Five or· so Ku Klux Klanners, gathered near the
corner of 39thand Penn, rapidly dispersed as the parade drew closer and
the number of marchers became apparent.
August, 1988
Herland Bookstore and Library will open its doors on Monday,
August 1st at 4:00 P.M. and will be open for business until 7:00 P.M.
Although the building is still not quite completed, Herland Board
of Directors believes the store can open and be available to the women's
community while finishing work continues .
September, 1988
The rumor that Barbara Cleveland is leaving Oklahoma is true.
Herland's founding mother will be attending graduate school in Columbus, Ohio, and will no longer reside in Oklahoma by the time this
newsletter hits the stands and your mail box .
At a farewell party given in her honor recently, this is what Barbara
had to say. " ..I think this is a beautiful state, a wonderful state. It's a state
that gave me a vision and helped me find myself in the women's
movement and to find sisters, because it's difficult being a Black lesbian
anywhere, especially in Oklahoma. Those of you who are lesbians
understand that.
Karen Williams took the floor and channed a group of 7 5 women
who attended Herland's Fall Retreat at Sequoyah State Park September
17.
November, 1988
Herland's first coffeehouse in the new building will be held
November 12 from 8 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. Entertainment will be provided
by the winner of the G.A.L.A. female vocalist of the year award, Donna
DeSalvo.
Februmy, 1989
...Because here in Oklahoma City, in the short span of three weeks
in November and December, we listened as two prophetesses of a
brighter day sang to us their visions of the other side.... Alix [Dobkin]
told of the many faces of Lesbian culture that exist around the world ....
The Linda Waterfall concert was not promoted as a quote-unquote
women's concert .... But thanks to the women who supported the concert
so enthusiastically, her music was able to touch on a new direction for
the conununity here in central Oklahoma: that a woman doesn't have to
be a Lesbian to make "women's music".
March, 1989
Herland Resource Center now has a telephone!
September, 1989
Hey! Have you noticed anything different about the newsletter!
After many months, she now has her own name, her own identity, The
Herland Voice.
October, 1989
Our sympathy and concern go out to Joni T. and other friends of
Ruby Todd, who was murdered on "The Strip" on Saturday night,
Sept=ber 30.
Februmy, 1990
A-mazing. She breathes, she walks, she drinks perrier and cough
syrup-- from the vas t plains of radical feminist thought, Mary Daly
whisked onto the plains of Oklahoma last month and spoke to a crowd
of approximately 200 at the "aca ·d=ented Oh You".
(continued on page 6)
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Herland Voice, August, 1992 5
June, 1990
Oklahoma WomenAgainstViolenceAgainstWomen (OWAVA W)
will hold a Take Back the Night Rally and March on June 8, 1990 at
Memorial Park, N.W . 36th and Classen in Oklahoma City. Thetheme
of the event is "Sexual Assault Doesn't Happen to Someone Else, It
Happened to Me."
October, 1990
Hunter Davis is coming to Oklahoma .... Hunter is definitely a
musician on the move, touching audiences across the nation with her
creativity and warmth, and infectious, boundless enthusiasm weaving
instant rapport with every listener.
January, 1991
The NLC-Gulf Region will hold a variety of events including pot
luck suppers and women's video nights, dances, and slumber parties at
Herland ... beginning January 12 and running through April 10, 1991 .
February, 1991
The women of the Herland Board met on October 6, 1990 to begin
the process of developing a mission statement and three-year plan for
Herland. The process was completed with the formal adoption of the
Herland Sister Resources Mission Statement at the December Board
meeting.
HERLAND NEEDS
You!
Can you remeber when there wasn't a Herland? Can you
imagine Oklahoma City without a Herland?
Many women have made Herland. They have painted and
built. They have staffed the center on cold winter days and
beautiful spring days. They have made donations -- when times
were hard and nobody knew how the bills would be paid, they
came through. They have spent long hours in meetings planning
and making all the things we call Herland happen. They have
given freely of themselves and made Her land.
Herland needs you. You. are needed to volunteer to staff
Herland on the weekends, to use your skills to help maintain the
building, to serve on a committee to produce musical events,
fundraise, or publish the newsletter. Whoever you are and
whatever your skills , there is a place for you at Herland.
If you'd like to volunteer, drop by the center on the weekend
and leave your name and number or leave a phone message for
Michelle, the current volunteer coordinater.
Her land needs your financial support., also. It takes about
$50 a day for Herland to operate. Please consider making a
contribution to help us continue to meet these costs.
In whatever way you can, we invite you to join with the
women who make Herland.
D
March, 1991
Pro-choice counter demonstrators at the January 20th anti-abortion so called "pro-life" rally at the Capitol were delighted at the sight of
a dozen ACT-UP member winding their way through the crowd shouting slogans ....
July, 1991
Yes, the 13th Herland Retreat at Robber's Cave State Park near
Wilburton, Oklahoma didn't fall prey to unlucky superstition . Rather
it lived up to all the fun that retreats have always cracked up to be.
October, 1991
... the notice came that a pro-choice rally would be held in Wichita
to counter the actions of Operation Rescue's clinic blockades ... . Twelve
women associated with Herland gathered on Friday evening to travel
together ... .In front of the clinic, completely surrounded by the Operation Rescue crowd, we circled and sang the Mountain Song .... We
continued our rriarch back to the street corner where we took up places
on the street's edge holding signs and chanting pro-choice slogans.
November, 1991
On Tuesday, October 15, I stood among a group of friends and
strangers attheO.U. SchoolofLaw. Our eyes were fixed on a television
_ screen as the U.S. Senate voted on the confirmation of Clarence Thomas .
.. .I am angry. It is a healthy anger which will lead to action, and
I am not alone. There are many of us . We will not forget October 15th,
and we will not go away.
January, 1992
Craftswomen gained a new opportunity to display (and sell) their
wares when a new crafts consignment area was opened by Her land on
December 7, 1991.
Mowing • Fertlllzlng • Trimming
• Light Hauling •
March, 1992
For the first time in our history, Herland has been awarded a grant
from a national foundation.
May, 1992
.
Nearly a million people, mostly women, mare~ on Washington
April 5 to demand full reproductive rights for all '-¥omen.
.
And the best is yet to come...
6 Herland Voice, August, 1992
.
''
D
"We Are Insured"
Nancy
794-6884
-- - - - - -
- - ·-
Sunday
-
- -
-
Monday
Tuesda~'
Friday
Wednesday Thursday
Sat..urday
I
CONCR.~TUL~TIONS TO HERLt\ND - 10 YEARS AND GOING· STRONG!
Cleveland
County
NO\.l
2 pm
Norman Public
Librar:.i'
rr:H
DOC HERLAND SAYS: IMAGINE MY SURPRISE:lb,i
II CLARENCE THOMAS VOTED TO OVERTURN ROE v. WADE.II
2
3 Cle, aland
Count,~..
Pro-Choicl!
Lei;:al Def°"l'lse
Fun cl
Meetine,
Coalition
1::.Jo - 9
Norman Public
g
10
6
The Neui
HE fRO OKC
8
VOLLEYB~.:..L
Re11ielll~er·
HiroshirlHI,
Belle Isle
Work fbr
CoOA, 7 pm
1045;
Peace.
Librar:r
At\.8
11
7
NOW
'5 pm
Herland.
7 p.111.
Library
ROOiliS
5
4
12
14
TOliRNAl'IENT
Will Roe•r •
Park. on lhe
East Side
15
resi£1ned the
Presidency.
1974
CoDA, 7 pm
LUCY STONE
mm - 1893
f7
18.~.
::~:> '"<:E' .
)
20
Lihrat"y
CoDA. 7 pm
Volinp is a
privile~e as
well as a
rii;lhl; be
Drivile"ed,
ancl VOTE!
31
•
10TH
ANNl\IERSARY
LA~.1!11
TO
JANIS .JOPLIN
ELECTtON DAY
lp111 ,
Belle Isle
DEl>1CATED*
2 '5PRll1ARY
J~
PORTHOLE
9 -1
~NOW,
21
THIS° OAY
Board
11eelinp
4:-10
30
19
PEGGY
JOHNSO N's
Pr e>-Lau1
School Bash
al lhe
Richard Nixon
PARTY
6: 30 Pl'I
26woMEN'S
2
27
EQt/ALITY
DAY
Celebrates
Ratification
of lhe 19lh
Amendment
in i920
~s5
BROWN
TO YOlJ
J
al
fi
~
The Earth
lnOKC
29
NOw
WALl<ATHON
*'
CoDA, 7 p>11
.----------....
*Dedicate a day
ill the Voice Calendar;
can
Silent Vigil for peace in Central America. On the steps of the
Federal Buidling, MW 4th & Robinson, OIC; Wednesdays at lbm.
(405) 521- 9695
for particulars.
JIERLAIID GIFT SHOP
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES INC
23t2 N\\I 39t,h St.reet..
Oklahoma City 1 Oklahoma. 73112
405/ 521-9696
The Place to Sbq>
for Jewelry, Pottery, T-shirts,
Stationery, Bi rd Houses & Feeders,
Buttoos, Postcards, Toys and Mare!
And of course, as always, we're
the place for great books and music.
Hours: Sat.urda~ 10 - 6; Sunda~ I - 6 !!:::::========~
NonProfit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Permit No. 861
2312 N. W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES
MISSION STATEMENT
Herland Sister Resources envisions and strives toward a world in
which all women live free from oppression.
Her land supports and includes all women who experience oppression . Lesbians as a group have a deep experience of the general
oppressive climate of this world. Although Herland is not restricted to
lesbians, we have a strong lesbian focus . We are a womanist organization, support women in their journey toward self-definition and selfdetennination, and recogni zing that each woman has her own pace of
growth and enlightenment.
Herland is a non-profit volunteer organzation. We publish a
newsletter, operate a bookstore and lending library, and provide musical and cultural events for education and entertainment. We offer a safe
place for women to meet and exchange ideas, feelings , hopes and fears
and to learn about themselves and each other.
The only requirement for involvement in Herland is a desire for
0
women to be free of the restraints ofoppression.
AUSTRALIAN INVITATION
Dear Lesbians,
You are cordially invited to Western Australia in October 1993
for our Australian Lesbian Festival and Conference.
It will be in our springtime and there will be millions of wildflowers
in bloom. The gloriously unpolluted, turquoise waters of the Indian
Ocean will be sparkling and Lesbians from all over the world will be
gathering here to celebrate our lives, our diversity and to have fun.
We are asking you to pass this information on to other Lesbians via
your grapevines, newsletters, magazines, bookshops, radio programmes
and whatever other means you can manage.
We will be in touch again soon with more information about this
event but mark it in your diary now!
With love,
Karen and Aquila for the 1993 Lesbian Festival and Conference
0
Organisers, P . 0. Box 985, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160 .
TARGETING THE SENATE, 1992
In recent months The Voice has been bringing you profiles of
femin ist, pro-choice women running for the U.S . Senate. Thus far we
have profiled Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein of California,
dynamic newcomers Carol Mosely Braun of Illinois and Lynn Yeakel
of Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth Holtzman and Geraldine Ferraro of
New York (both running for the same seat, unfortunately) If you are
moved to send financial support for any of these women, you might send
a donation to the Women's Campaign Fund, 120 Maryland Avenue,
NE, Washi ngton, D.C. 20002;orthe Emily List, 1112 16th Street NW,
Suite 750, Was hington, DC 20036. "Emily" is an acronym for "Early
Money Is Like Yeast," referringtothealmostmagical effect of abundant
money early in a campaign.
If you watched much of the Democratic National Convention in
July, you will have seen and been impressed with two other lesser known
women candidates for the Senate, from Kansas and Iowa: Both women
are strongly pro-choice and pro-woman.
Gloria O'Dell from Kansas: O'Dell has adopted a tactic from
Jerry Brown's campaign (or was it the other way around?) and displays
a toll free number prominently on her campaign signs and literature: 1. 800-GLORIA-3. She has a Bachelors degree in English and a Masters
in Social Work, and has worked in mainly support positions in politics
and government for many years before stepping into the limelight
herself. She has a tough but winnable race against iucumbent Bob Dole.
Jean Floyd Jones from Iowa: Jones has traveled a long road from
work as a secretary (an honorable but vastly undervalued occupation,
not unlike "housewife") to her current position as President Pro Tern of
the Iowa Senate. She is seeking to unseat Senator Charles Grassley.
Senate Grassley was a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee
during the infamous Clarence Thomas confinnation hearing.
0
Join us in
Celebrating
ANITA HILL FUND ESTABLISHED
The Anita Hill Fund has been established to endow a professorship
at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. The professorship will
be dedicated to teaching, research, and law refonn efforts concering
equlity in the workplace . The fund's goal is to raise $250,000 which
0
will be matched by the State of Oklahoma.
at a
Quality Service With That Personal Touch'"
I"1P
Ink Well Pri n ting
FO R A L L YOUR PRINTI NG N EEDS
Teri H oe ltzel
Susan Brooks
LA\WN PARTY
Saturda)',
Au~ust. 22, 1992
6:30 pm
***
942-5693
Berland Voice, A ugust, 1992 7
The Seventh Annual Midwest Feminist Graduate Student Conference will beheld at Bowling Green State University, Ohio. Sessions will be
designed for African-American, Euro-American, and Third World feminists, and suggested topics include cyborgian identity, issues of the
subaltern, post-colonialism, and feminist theories inclusive of cross-cultural issuers. One page abstracts are due: October 15, J 992 to: MGSC,
c/o Women's Studies Program, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43402 . (419) 372-8361.
•••••••••
Workshop and performing arts ideas are needed for the 4th Annual Lesbian Bizarre, which will be held March 19 - 22, 1992. Send your odd,
strange, bizarre ideas by January 16, 1993 to Attn: Bizarre, Something Special, 7762 NW 14 Court, Miami, Florida 33147-5571.
•••••••••
The National Directory of Women of Color Organizations and Projects has recently been published. It contains names, addresses, and phone
numbers of key contact people in women of color organizations throughout the country. It provides access to the organizations and projects
that are affecting the future of Native American, Asian American, African American, Latina, and Arab American women throughout the U.S.
It is indexed by issues and by race/ethnicity/nationality. Available on book or disk, and the disk is easily converted into mailing labels. For
ordering info contact Women of Color Resource Center, 2288 Fulton Street, Suite 103 , Berkeley, CA 94704; (510)848-9272.
•••••••••
Oklahoma N.O.W. has a new phone number: (405) 321-6676 and a new address, P.O. Box 5516, Norman, Oklahoma 73070.
Where desert hearts gather...
PRESENTS ...
*OPEN MIC NITE*; A BENEFIT FOR
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES.
AUGUST 23rd
8:00 - 11:00 pm
$2 COVER AT THE DOOR.
WEDNESDAYS- YOU BRING THE MEAT, WE'LL DO THE REST.
THURSDAYS-HOT COUNTRY NIGHTS W/C & W DANCE LESSONS 7:30-9:30 PM.
SUNDAYS - VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT BEGINS AT 2:00. COOKOUT FROM 6- 8
2120 NW 39th, OKC • 521-9533
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