Interview with Jo Soske
- Title
- Interview with Jo Soske
- Description
- Jo Soske discusses her involvement with Herland, beginning from its early days when the collective first envisioned the creation of a women’s bookstore and resource center. The initial idea for the space, LaSalle de Femme, emerged from the collective's work on the Brazen Hussey Rag, a feminist newspaper launched in December 1981. Soske explains how members Jana Bircham and Tanya Peters discovered an empty storefront, negotiated a rent, and initiated the process of opening the bookstore. Through various fundraisers and workdays, the group worked to establish the space, despite challenges, including internal issues and financial setbacks. Soske details their role in organizing fundraising efforts, such as a campaign to pay off the bookstore's mortgage, and mentions their long-term connection with the center, including running a counseling practice there for over a decade. They also touch on the evolution of the space, its move to a new location, and its expansion into community organizing, including hosting events, retreats, and participating in Pride Parades. Through the interview, Soske reflects on their diverse roles in the group, from fundraising to volunteering, and discusses the legacy of LaSalle de Femme, later known as Herland, as a gathering place for feminist and LGBTQ+ communities.
- interviewee
- Jo Soske
- Date
- 2016
- Language
- English
- uri
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7pIk3X30C8&list=PLfobseV2uSi-XjCPXH3TsWYmJEnmvY1N6&index=3
- Item sets
- Herland Oral History Project
- Site pages
- Oral History Interviews
- Media
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Interview with Jo Soske