"Bail out women, not the banks"
By Frank Neisser
Boston
Mar 19, 2009
A thoroughly multinational crowd of more than 50 women and supporters filled
the cafeteria of Roxbury Community College on the afternoon of March 14 for an
International Women’s Day “Sistah Summit—Women Rise Up”
event organized by the Women’s Fightback Network (WFN). The program was
chaired by Miya X, Rachel Hassinger and Dorotea Manuela.
Teresa Gutierrez, coordinator of the May 1 Coalition for Worker and
Immigrant Rights in New York City, which is mobilizing for massive May Day
demonstrations, gave the keynote talk. Gutierrez is also a coordinator with the
International Migrant Alliance. She spoke movingly of women in Mexico
organizing communities to bring food to migrants on trains on their way north
and fighting back against conditions of sexual slavery.
She went on to condemn the trillions of dollars being given to the bankers
and called on everyone to come out for the April 3 mobilization on Wall Street
being organized by the Bail Out the People Movement. Many in attendance
expressed enthusiasm and signed up to get on the buses to the Wall Street
demonstration. The women also signed on to the WFN’s petition to the
governor demanding an economic state of emergency be declared to defend the
people from the economic crisis.
Miya X discussed the history of International Women’s Day and
described the march in New York City on March 8 to the Triangle Shirtwaist
Factory, site of the 1911 fire and women’s resistance from which
International Women’s Day was born. She also led a tribute to Odetta,
Miriam Mikeba and other sister warriors who died in 2008.
Dorotea Manuela saluted working women warriors, including those who carried
through the Flint sit-down strike to victory in 1937. Sandra McIntosh of Work
for Quality, Fight for Equity spoke of the struggle for access to quality
education, which is under attack in Boston. Palestinian activist Layla Hijab
Cable gave an inspiring historical overview of Palestinian women resisting
Zionist occupation, ethnic cleansing and genocide.
Diva Lisa Green gave moving testimony about domestic violence and organizing
efforts to fight back against it. Josephina Vazquez of the Boston Women’s
Fund shared her history as a member of the Young Lords Party and spoke of how
those lessons need to be applied today.
Amanda Ali of the young women’s group Reflect and Strengthen told how
the economic crisis is rolling over youth—with school closings, homes
being lost and domestic violence rising—and how youth need to organize
locally but also stand in solidarity with struggles for justice everywhere,
like in Palestine.
Tasha of New Era, a youth organizing project focusing on the HIV epidemic,
spoke of her group’s efforts to bring resources and awareness to young
people on protecting themselves and staying healthy.
A highlight of the afternoon was a stirring traditional Mexican dance
performance by La Piñata, a troupe of 30 young people led by Rosalba
Solís.
