If you want a chance to support Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls and hang out with amazing female musicians, here is your chance! The Fourth Annual Rock N Roll Auction will be held Tuesday February 9th, 8 pm at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn.

The auction helps provide much needed scholarships for young rock stars to attend camp. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $75 for a VIP Ticket that includes pre auction reception with Kathleen Hanna and Kaki King, plus complimentary hors d’oevres & cocktails from Tito’s Handmade Vodka, gift bags, & mini drum lessons! The event will be hosted by Mr. Murray Hill with performances by Kaki King, Saffire and Erin McKeown. Come support!

For folks who follow local New York politics there has been a lot of buzz recently around how broken the New York State juvenile justice system is. Reports published in 2009 indicate high levels of re-arrest after release, abuse of young detainees by guards and staff and an over representation of young people of color in detention centers. While in most recent news the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice(DJJ) was merged into the Administration for Children’s Services(ACS).

Disturbing (yet not entirely surprising) information about juvenile detention in NYS started coming to my attention in my professional life. By chance I’ve also been reading Victoria Law’s Resistance Behind Bars which turned out to be key in keeping a radical feminist perspective while researching juvenile justice in the context of a liberal work setting. Law reminds the reader at the beginning of Resistance that she is not advocating for a more humane prison system, but rather to “strive for a better world – one in which prison’s are obsolete.” I would tend to agree that the prison system for adults and juveniles cannot simply be reformed into a slightly better place. I also believe that the struggle for some changes which can prevent the most egregious violations of human rights, such as the shackling of birthing women’s legs and the level of physical restraint which lead to the death of 15 year old Darryl Thompson at Tryon Boys Residential Center in November 2006, are crucial to advocate for.

More… »

As women and feminists, zine writing has been a crucial part of documenting our personal and political history for almost two decades. So, how excited were we at For The Birds Collective to hear that Kathleen Hanna donated her papers and zines to NYU’s Riot Grrl Archive at Fales Library! Immediately following my reaction “how fucking cool” was “how do I sneak into NYU”?

This scholarly attention is a giant step forward for Riot Grrrl as a movement, and to read about this news on The New Yorker’s blog The Book Bench was a real brain bomb. Author of the blog entry, Macy Halford, posits that archiving these papers means Riot Grrrl has passed into history, bringing sad news with the good news. I beg to differ! Something’s been aflutter in the girl punk scene, especially in our very own Brooklyn, NY, for sometime now, as collective bird Kate writes in her article Girls Germs: A Brooklyn Scene Report, printed in the October Issue of Maximum Rocknroll.

As if NYU hadn’t already won our (speed) hearts with this important archival, NYU Press also recently published Alison Piepmeier’s book, Girl Zines: Making Media, Doing Feminism. The book is the first of its kind to fully explore the connection between zines and feminism for the past two decades as well as their joint role in our future. Piepmeier is the director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at the College of Charleston, South Carolina.

IN BIRD NEWS: We will be tabling with our distro at the Anti-Valentines Riot Grrl Cover Band Show!

No, seriously, we’re not going anywhere.

Hello birdfriends,

Us here at For the Birds HQ have made a decision to be more present in the internet world. At the moment, the majority of us are in grad school, in touring bands, or just busy with other projects, and we decided this would be a good way to remain constantly active. So let’s get this thing going!

First, happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Racialicious posted a great collection of his quotes earlier today.

Lots of our work in For the Birds has to do with queering social spaces, specifically, spaces that are assumed to be safe or “queer” in some way already. I am constantly wondering what is going on nationally and internationally with queer and/or girl-made music or movements: where is our riot grrrl? Why does riot grrrl seem to be so ghettoized in punk history? Lately, I’ve been turned on to some really rad blogs documenting riot grrrl and queercore music or movements that have happened in the past but are also happening currently. Here are my recommendations:

Stacy Konkiel a.k.a. “SISSY SOULPONY” from the Bay Area has a virtual How To for queercore & riot grrrl called SOUL PONIES. She covers current news about riot grrrl happenings as well as posting mp3s of both current bands and older bands that may or may not be extinct. Here’s an excerpt from the SOUL PONIES manifesta:

Because independent record labels are dying off and are being sold to megacorporations more and more often;

Because queer independent record labels, by their “niche” nature, are especially susceptible to closing;

Because we often lose the work of amazing LGBTQ artists to the dollar discount bin of the used record store when queer record labels go under;

Because we wish to preserve the legacies of important riot grrrl and queercore musicians for present and future generations to appreciate their work…

Young Creature is a self-proclaimed blog focused on exposing and supporting Queer musicians, artists, filmmakers, writers, troublemakers, and earth shakers.

If you can think of more, please comment here and let us know what’s up!

[Event curated by Kathi K., flyer by Cristy Road]

TONIGHT
SUNDAY DECEMBER 13TH, 2009

Benefit for Girls Rock Camp Alliance!
with

Death First
Layers/Quake (Philly)
The Homewreckers
Each Other’s Mothers

Tabling by For the Birds Collective

1087 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY

$5-10 sliding scale donation
8PM
See you there!

Hey folks! This event is gonna be awesome. It’s also the first event For the Birds has tabled since August, so come by and get your fill of feminist media. We have ALL OUR ZINES in stock, as well as all of the comps:

FTB-001: The Big She-Bang
FTB-002: Gimme Cooties
FTB-003: The Best of the Nest (with AMAZING artwork by Carolina Paquita)

That being said, this is officially the first time The Best of the Nest comp is available outside of The Big She-Bang IV. We are super proud of it & know you won’t be disappointed, so come to the show, support the Girls Rock Camp Alliance, and pick up some tunes by friends of the Birds!

Greetings!

You may have been wondering what For the Birds has been up to since the Big She-Bang in August. Upon reaching the one-year mark of organizing together, we took some time to explore internal group dynamics, discuss conflicts and patterns, and strategize for how we could improve ourselves in the future.

The Big She-Bang IV also represented the beginning of our efforts to reach beyond the D.I.Y. punk community to connect with other New York city-based feminist projects, artists, and musicians. While reviewing your feedback from the Big She-Bang survey (thanks for participating!) and discussing our own thoughts about the event, we began a productive discussion about For the Birds’ racial and ethnic composition, and the types of climates we seek to create at our events.

While we strive to create safety for all types of feminists coming from diverse racial backgrounds, gender presentations, sexual orientations and ways of life, we realize that we will always have more to learn about how to bridge the gaps between different feminist communities here in New York. We discussed how punk has the potential to create a climate of “whiteness” that feels alienating for non-punk-identified folks, as well as dynamics of privilege and discomfort within our own collective.

We hope to continue these internal conversations as we once again begin to actively engage in booking events, tabling, and outreach after this period of reflection. We have identified several goals to guide us in the coming year:

+ To reach out past our usual comfort zone of D.I.Y. punk to plan, collaborate on, and attend feminist events from different communities in the city.

+ To enrich our distro with zines and pamphlets from even more voices usually marginalized by mainstream society, such as feminists of color and transfolk.

+ To implement structural changes in the ways we organize together so that workload is evenly shared, all voices are heard, and existing safe space policies are easier to maintain.

+ To keep race and privilege on the table in our conversations and in our organizing, through the use of an anti-racist ally Birds subgroup, readings and discussions.

+ To make more contact with other feminist groups in the form of meetings, co-sponsoring events, and keeping each other informed of our projects so that we can strengthen the New York City feminist movement!

That said, we are back in the game and would love to hear from you about exciting feminist events you would like us to be a part of! Stay tuned for updates to our website, additions to our distro, and events which celebrate the diversity of feminisms in our city. While we definitely still hope to maintain a feminist presence at D.I.Y. punk events, we are especially interested in seeking out other subcultures, styles of music, feminist agendas, creative projects and modes of expression. Please get in touch!

MUCH LOVE,

FOR THE BIRDS COLLECTIVE + DISTRO
forthebirdscollective@gmail.com
http://forthebirdscollective.org
http://myspace.com/forthebirdsnyc

Check out our amazing poster, made by Tamara at No Guts No Glory!

Here is the schedule we’ve come up with for The Big She-Bang IV. Obviously it’s tentative, but it’s a framework for the day.

SHE-BANG SCHEDULE

10:30AM | Breakfast

Workshops:

11am-12:30pm | Queer Eye for the D.I.Y.

12:45-2:15 | Feminist Urban Mobility

2:15-2:45 | Lunch break / Art show break

2:45-3:45 | Women & Prison Resistance

4:00- 5:00 | Sexual Assault & Accountability

5:00pm | Dinner break & raffle!

Bands begin at 6:00pm:

Ina! Ina!
Kate Ferencz
Full of Fancy
Inertia
Zombie Dogs
Little Lungs

See ya there!

Two of our collective members will be reading their contributions to the zine, “Sick: a Compilation Zine on Physical Illness,” Tuesday August 11th at Bluestockings. Please come to support those with physical illnesses and to learn the support that communities can offer to those who are ill.

Tuesday, August 11, 7PM @ Bluestockings Books, 172 Allen Street in New York City (www.bluestockings.com)

Release Party & Reading with several contributors from “Sick: A Compilation Zine on Physical Illness” (Microcosm Publishing, 2009)!

Join several contributors for a reading from Sick as well as a discussion on experiences related to physical illness and the importance of creating networks of support within our communities. Sick collects peoples’ experiences with physical illness to help establish a collective voice of those impacted by illness within left/DIY communities. The zine is a resource for those who are living with illness as well as those who have not directly experienced illness themselves.

For more information on the event: illnesszine at gmail dot com or http://sickzine.blogspot.com

For more information on the zine: http://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/2764/

Hello all!

Us birds over here at FTB HQ have been non-stop planning for The Big She-Bang IV. We have a NEW COMP to be released at the event, and some newer surprises up our sleeves! We’re even presenting our original workshop, Queer Eye for the DIY. Here’s the press release!

THE BIG SHE BANG IV!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15TH, 2009 @ JUDSON MEMORIAL CHURCH
55 Washington Square South
New York, NY

The Big She-Bang IV
A Celebration by Women, for Women

CONTACT:

thebigshebang@gmail.com
FORTHEBIRDSCOLLECTIVE.ORG
myspace.com/forthebirdsnyc

The Big She-Bang, organized by For The Birds Collective, is being held on Saturday, August 15th at Judson Memorial Church, located at 55 Washington Square South, New York, NY from 10 AM to midnight.
The Big She-Bang is an all-day event of workshops, panel discussions, visual art, and music by and for women and women-identified artists & community members. The Big She-Bang strives to cultivate a space for women to share creative endeavors, exchange ideas, and provide support in a safe and open-minded environment. It is a multimedia event that serves as a platform for women artists and activists. This year’s She-Bang festival will include workshops and panel discussions, live musical performances, an all-day art show and tabling by various feminist organizations from New York. The event is always all ages, and everyone is welcome. Childcare will be provided.

THIS YEAR, our theme is – A How-To Guide for D.I.Y. Feminism!

Throughout the day, there will be an art show exhibiting different mediums of work created by various women in New York City:

Demostina
Heather Kelly
Neilie Meyer
Caroline Paquita
Anna Sgherzi
Kristine Virsis

Workshops and panel discussions will also be happening throughout the day, covering topics such as:

Feminist Urban Mobility
presented by Right Rides, Safe Walk, & Holla Back NYC

Women and Resistance in Prison
presented by Victoria Law

Queer Eye for the DIY
presented by For the Birds Collective, featuring Karen Soskin of Strength In Numbers

Sexual Assault and Accountability workshop
presented by Support New York

The event will end with performances by:

FULL OF FANCY
ZOMBIE DOGS
LITTLE LUNGS
INA INA
KATE FERENCZ
INERTIA

We are asking for a $6 to $10 sliding scale donation, although no will be turned away. A tape and CD compilation of the bands performing, as well as many more, will be available for purchase.

The Big She-Bang was previously a celebration thrown by the Long Island Womyn’s Collective. Information on The Big She-Bang 1 & 2 can be found here: http://myspace.com/liwomynscollective. All information on The Big She-Bang 3 & 4 can be found here: http://myspace.com/thebig_shebang

DIRECTIONS

Judson Memorial Church is on the south side of Washington Square Park between Thompson and Sullivan Streets.

SUBWAY:
We are accessible by subway from the 8th Street/NYU R and W stop, the West 4th Street A, C, E, F and V stop or the Christopher Street/Sheridan Square 1 and 2 stop.

BUSES:
NYC Transit bus # 5, Southbound, stops at 8th Street at Fifth Avenue. Bus #? (Northbound, stops on 6th Avenue at W. 4th St. Check MTA bus maps for other possibilities.

AUTOMOBILE (FROM THE WEST):
If you’d like to drive to Judson, from the West Side Highway exit at 14th Street. Drive east on 14th to 7th Avenue, turn right on Seventh Avenue and go south to West 4th Street. Turn left onto West 4th Street and go about 6 short blocks. Judson is on the Corner of West 4th Street (aka, Washington Square South) and Thompson Street. On Sunday mornings parking can usually be found along West 4th or on Thompson Street.

AUTOMOBILE (FROM THE EAST):
Those coming down FDR drive should exit at Houston Street, drive west and turn right onto 6th Avenue. Drive north to West 4th and make a right. Drive 2 1/2 blocks and we are on your right, across from Washington Square Park, at the corner of Thompson Street and West 4th Street (aka Washington Square South).

THE BIG SHE-BANG IV
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15TH, 2009 @ JUDSON MEMORIAL CHURCH
55 Washington Square South
New York, NY

10AM – MIDNIGHT

In case you haven’t heard about it, The Big She Bang is an all-day event of workshops, panel discussions, visual art, and music by and for women and women-identified artists & community members. The Big She-Bang strives to cultivate a space for women to share creative endeavors, exchange ideas, and provide support in a safe and open-minded environment. It is a multimedia event that serves as a platform for women artists and activists. A typical She-Bang festival will include workshops and panel discussions on relevant community issues, live musical performances, an all-day art show and DIY flea market / craft fair. The event is always all ages, and everyone is welcome.

THIS YEAR, our theme is – A How-To Guide for D.I.Y. Feminism!
As a fairly new group, we have engaged in networking with other DIY feminist groups – as well as feminist authors, artists, and bands/musicians in this past year. We will be celebrating the DIY roots of other groups and artists in our New York feminist community, as well as offering workshops and panel discussions on the resources and tools that we have found helpful while forming our own collective. We will explore questions about how to better solidify this network, as well as how to acknowledge our differences while working together. Continuing to explore the themes we addressed in our workshop, Queer Eye for the DIY (more on that later), we will identify feminist groups past and present that have successfully “queered the queered,” and established safe spaces for feminist activists and artists – all while maintaining a more inclusive feminism. We want you to leave with the tools you need to start your own collective, we aim to provide you with the things feminists need in order to be empowered in their work, like self-defense, community, sexual assault & mental health resources. All this among simply showcasing the creative feminist community in New York.

SO PLEASE, if you are a woman-identified artist/music-maker (including full bands!)/writer/craftster/or feminist group, please apply to participate in THE BIG SHE-BANG! Similarly, if you’re interested in volunteering, let us know! E-mail contact is preferred.

We can be reached at: thebigshebang@gmail.com.

More information on the event can be found here: http://myspace.com/thebig_shebang – PLEASE use the Big She-Bang e-mail address for Big She-Bang inquiries only. Thanks!