Reel Feminism: But I’m a Cheerleader
Celebrate Pride with this month’s installment of In Other Words presents Reel Feminism. We’re excited to be screening the cult classic But I’m a Cheerleader!
Source: Tumblr
But I’m a Cheerleader tells the story of Megan (Natasha Lyonne) as she navigates the pitfalls of True Directions, a pray-away-the-gay camp, to discover her true self. The film has been described as campy and heavy-handed by some, and as pure, gay awesome by others. Either way, seeing this film on the big screen is sure to be a treat.
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Come down to the Clinton Street Theatre on Wednesday, June 26th at 7pm for a screening of But I’m a Cheerleader with discussion to follow. Admission is $5-10, with anything over $5 going directly to support In Other Words.
For more information, RSVP on Facebook and join the In Other Words presents: Reel Feminism group.
The Portland Oregon Women’s Film Festival (POWFest) is now accepting entries for its seventh annual festival scheduled to take place March 6 – 9, 2014. The regular deadline for entries is Friday, August 16, 2013. POWFest places a spotlight on women directors by showcasing their work and empowering the community of women in film. POWFest encourages women to find their voice and to share their stories through innovative and quality filmmaking. We feature the work of today’s top women directors, honoring the true pioneers while providing support and recognition for the next generation of leading women filmmakers. Past Guests of Honor include: Allison Anders, Kathryn Bigelow, Gillian Armstrong, Amy Heckerling, Barbara Kopple and Penelope Spheeris.
Deadlines & Fees
- Early Bird Deadline: Postmarked by June 21, 2013 – $20
- Regular Deadline: Postmarked by Friday August 16, 2013 – $30
- Late Deadline: Postmarked by Friday September 13, 2013 – $35
- WAB Extended Deadline: Postmarked by October 1, 2012 – $45
Films must be directed or co-directed by women and can be of any length, style, or genre. Detailed information about submitting films can be found at www.powfest.com.
Portland TFAW Ladies Night – June 7th
Portland’s Things From Another World invites all woman-identified folks to attend their Ladies Night on June 7th!
Bring your questions for a Q&A with local women of comics Joëlle Jones (Helheim), Rachel Edidin (Wired.com), Dylan Meconis (Family Man), and Leia Weathington (The Legend of Bold Riley) from 7 to 8 p.m., then participate in a Drink & Draw and t-shirt “remodeling” demonstration from 8 to 10 p.m. Complimentary snacks and beer/wine provided (for those 21+ with valid ID).
“Portland has an incredible network of women connected to the comics community–whether they create comics, write about them, or read them. We’ve had two previous Ladies Nights, and there’s just nothing like seeing an entire store filled with women who love comics–they’re very special events.”TFAW Public Relations Manager Elisabeth Allie
In addition, Dark Horse Comics’ Kari Yadro will lead a demonstration of how to transform men’s t-shirts into cool, stylish tops for women. Bring your own t-shirt (or purchase one at TFAW) to join in!
Algorithms sometimes intimidate but really they are just recipes computers use to perform repetitive tasks. Join PyLadies PDX at In Other Words on Wednesday, June 5th at 6pm for this introductory class.
Developer Rebekah Golden will:
- Help beginners recognize when an algorithm would be useful.
- Demonstrate some basic methods for creating an Algorithm in Python(a simple computer programming language).
- Examine algorithms that have been written by others for common tasks.
If you are learning, considering learning, or are just curious about computer programming this class is for you. You don’t need a laptop for this lecture, but if you bring one you can build a computer recipe or two yourself!
Discussion and repetitive task descriptions welcome.
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PyLadies PDX is a professional and social group for women who are Python programmers at every experience level. We hold workshops and other events for primarily woman-identified developers every 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 6pm, and we welcome all to get together and hack every Saturday at 11am. We are part of the larger PyLadies organization, and as such are a nonprofit under the umbrella of the Python Software Foundation.
This workshop is open to the public, and people of all genders are welcome to attend!
PyLadies PDX meetup - PyLadies PDX twitter - PyLadies PDX github
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As always, if there is an event you’d like to schedule at In Other Words you can contact our events team at events@inotherwords.org.
Open Position: LibraryThing Custodian
Do you like books? How about maintaining lists and databases? The In Other Words Lending Library needs you!
The lending library offers books, zines, journals, and media items to the general public, and needs a book-friendly, organizationally-inclined, dedicated person to maintain our LibraryThing database. We regularly receive donations, so we add new titles and weed old titles to make space.
LibraryThing is an online service to help people catalog their books easily. You can access your catalog from anywhere—even on your mobile phone. Because everyone catalogs together, LibraryThing also connects people with the same books, comes up with suggestions for what to read next, and so forth.
from LibraryThing
Time commitment:
- 3 hrs/week
Qualifications:
- Detail oriented
- Able to understand and use web-based database software
Duties:
- Coordinate with the Library Team to maintain a current list of lending library titles on our existing LibraryThing account
If interested, please contact volunteer@inotherwords.org with a cover letter and resume.
Susan W. is the organizer of our monthly Feminist Discussion Group and the curator of our Lending Library. She’s read Women of Ideas (And What Men Have Done to Them) by Dale Spender, a book which is available to borrow from the In Other Words Lending Library.
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Reading the history book Women of Ideas is like hanging out with a witty friend who is a font of information about intellectual and activist women in American and British history since the seventeenth century. Spender’s style is conversational rather than academic, and at the same time it’s obvious that she’s an authority on the topic. I never previously heard or read of many of the women described in this book.
It is important to keep in mind that this is a Second Wave book, from the 1980s. The author has rather more vitriol toward men in general than a Third Waver would have, and she’s extremely skeptical about the existence of males who are genuinely feminist. However, this is first and foremost a history book, and she shows how men—whether relatives, husbands, politicians, or critics—have attempted to keep down brilliant women who are a threat to patriarchy. I wish the book covered women of color more, though she does include black American women such as Sojourner Truth and Ida B. Wells. Also as a Second Waver, Spender writes from an assumption of gender binary, but the up side to this is that she emphasizes the difference between female experience and values and male experience and values in the context of patriarchal society.
Women of Ideas describes, in addition to specific women in history, movements and organizations (that’s why I call it a history book rather than a collective biography). She writes about women who were openly feminist authors, women who were feminist activists, and women who were both. The reader will want to read more by and about the women Spender describes. Overall, the book is a delightful and informative read.
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Read any good books lately? You can share your review with Portland’s feminist community by contacting communications@inotherwords.org.
Reel Feminism: The Learning
Coming up this Wednesday is May’s installment of Reel Feminism! Join us at on Wednesday for The Learning, a documentary about Filipina women in the American educational system.
One hundred years ago, American teachers established the English-speaking public school system of the Philippines. Now, in a striking turnabout, American schools are recruiting Filipino teachers. THE LEARNING, from award-winning filmmaker Ramona S. Diaz (IMELDA), is the story of four Filipina women who reluctantly leave their families and schools to teach in Baltimore. With their increased salaries, they hope to transform their families’ lives back in their impoverished country. This absorbing, beautifully crafted film follows these teachers as they take their place on the frontline of the No Child Left Behind Act. Across the school year’s changing seasons, the film chronicles the sacrifices they make as they try to maintain a long-distance relationship with their children and families, and begin a new one with the mostly African-American students whose schooling is now entrusted to them.
-from Women Make Movies
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Come down to the Clinton Street Theatre on Wednesday, May 22nd at 7pm for a screening of The Learning with discussion to follow. Admission is $5-10, with anything over $5 going directly to support In Other Words.
For more information, RSVP on Facebook and join the In Other Words presents: Reel Feminism group.
