FM Nov 1: EcoFeminist Conference / Beauty Bites Beast / Pussy Riot

Coming up this week on Feminist Magazine with hosts Karina Elias and Kiyana Williams: … FIRST … What are the interconnections between the ways our society values and relates to women, and to nature and animals?  Kiyana talks to organizer Julia Orr about the upcoming West Coast EcoFeminism Conference: Women, Climate Change & Animals that will be looking at the herstory and interconnections between women, animals and the environmental justice movements and how these root issues are connected. All about ways to resolve the problems of domination and the ‘might makes right mentality.’ The conference aims to spark activism in many different forms – with a lineup of speakers including grassroots tree-sitters, organizers, professor-activists, scholars, and direct action protestors – ready to inspire attendees to take a stand wherever they are.
AND … How often can you say with certainty that a movie will save lives?
‘Beauty Bites Beast‘ flips ideas about female helplessness, as women all over the world undertake the transformative experience of learning boundary setting and self-defense. Cherise Charleswell talks to writer/director Ellen Snortland, all about her new documentary film that discusses empowering women through training in self-defense and that sparks “missing conversations” for preventing violence. The film brings the message that “women and girls have a right to set boundaries – emotionally, verbally, and, if push comes to shove, physically. Teaching them that fact is one missing key to empowering females to stop personal violence.”
PLUS … Russian feminist punk protest group Pussy Riot is a name we all know! Formerly imprisoned Pussy Riot member Maria (Masha) Alyokhina now also travels the world campaigning for prison reform and freedom of expression. And she’s connecting the dots between oppression in Russia and oppression in the rest of the world—and looking to strengthen connections with activists around the globe.
Coming to LA on Election Eve – she’ll be in conversation with Pussy Riot collaborator/journalist Sasha Bogino, political poster artist Shepherd Fairey and riot grrrl founder & former Bratmobile member Allison Wolfe onstage at The Regent Theater.   Lynn Harris Ballen talks to Sasha about how Pussy Riot inspired her as teen and the activism of her journalism and reporting at Pussy Riot co-founded independent media site, MediaZona. And we hear from Allison about the connections between the US riot grrrl movement and the music, performance and anti-mainstream activism of Pussy Riot.
Tuesday at 3:00 PM. THIS is what feminism sounds like!