“No justice, no peace, no racist police!” Dejo una mujere muy joven. Aqui estan jente de todas partes y de todos differente colores. Ay jente que cantan, bilan, y jente que vienen a supportar y hacer una buena infulencia para otra jente. A woman from Mexico City said some very simple, but wise words. “Your life matters”. She talked about her experiences in Mexico and how she was tortured and not privileged with the same things we are in this country regarding sexuality and it was very inspiring. She is one of the many people at the even who came not only to talk about music, but to influence the world around them, and they are able to use music as a tool for expression, bring people together, and sending out positive messages.

-Heaven Aguilar

There are a lot of things to see at this unconference. I start my visit downstairs at the cultural center. This is a session called a skill swap; where groups come together to teach others about the purpose of their group. There are many different tables set for each group. I have encountered a group that focuses on Zaps. They are encouraging every one of every age to use their imagination to create a comic. They have laid out tutorials to teach everyone how to create a comic within one page. There is a separate table where a mother is focusing on publishing books of all types. She even published a book that her youngest daughter wrote. She spoke about convincing her mother to write a book because her mother never thought of herself as a writer.  She said the purpose of this was so that people can show others their voice in a different light.

Indigenous emcee Sista Hailstorm graced the stage during the morning session. She described women as “the womb, the power, [and] the strength,” a power needed to affect the kind of structural and spiritual change that our communities so desperately need. She called for us to honor our ancestral legacies of struggle to get to a place of healing. In celebrating our influence as women to alter realities and envision new possibilities, Hailstorm reminds us that our struggles across communities should never be compared and that we need to bridge our shared oppressions to affect change. “It’s not about a victimization marathon,” says Hailstorm, challenging the stale model of oppression olympics in organizing. “We need to retrain our minds, bodies and spirits.” Communities of sound are spaces for this kind of sacred healing, like Seattle’s vibrant hip hop scene represented by organizations like 206 Zulu (which Hailstorm represents) and the efforts to build ‘convivencia’ by the Seattle Fandango Project. Hailstorm embodied the essence of what WWR is all about – making scenes and building communities.

Image Source: MySpace

Although T-shirt making was not the focus of the event, I still felt the need to discuss this station. Firstly, the machine that was used for the t-shirts was made by a young women at her house. This was a contraption I had never witnessed and it worked successfully every time she used it. She also explained how I could attempt to recreate the machine and possibly use it as a fundraiser at my school for my organization Sisterhood. She was very friendly a gave positive vibes. I noticed a sign that stated suggested donations, and even after all my questions and comments she didn’t mention the price. I gave her money anyways and I know she appreciated it. Another station that was very unique was the painting canvases, they were all very authentic and looked very detailed. Overall whether you were buying merchandise or engaging in conversation, everyone volunteering was friendly and social. I even got a few pictures taken.

–   Tryakel Anderson

Hi my name is Tryakel Anderson and I am a junior at the University of Washington. For my African American studies class I had to attend this event and I am very appreciative of this requirement. This event was very intriguing and inspirational for me. Being that I consider myself a feminist and I am also a musician (drums and clarinet) it was very interesting to attend a festival that commemorated those two things. Although there were many, the most intriguing aspect was the panel of women of color. They were women of multiple ethnicities who spoke to the audience about systematic change and media justice. I like that people were able to ask them questions about their work and that they advocated for women empowerment and solidarity.

Parents are so often made to feel shame for their children’s actions, for their kids being kids. Society is a fan of putting people into boxes. Mothers are supposed to keep their children in check. They’re told do dim their children’s light when they’re in public. This space is so revolutionary for allowing kid’s lights to shine brightly. They got to dance around, run around, give their input and be acknowledged like the real human minds that they are. Like facilitator Luzviminda Uzuri “Lulu” Carpenter put it, “Kids are our future ancestors.” Let’s treat them like it.

–Mercedes Delgado

The children’s panel, which kicked off a larger discussion is a wonder reflection on the day as a whole. Starting with some comments from the youngest participants of the conference (highlights including, “I loved the grass to play on” “Women who rock is a celebration!”) this portion then opened up to a discussion on the day and parts that were enjoyable and aspects that have been strengthened. This portion really encapsulates the event as a whole: a really open place to share, reflect, connect, educate and a plethora of other elements. This feels as though it’s the “closing ceremony” of the Women Who Rock (Un)Conference. One commenter in the audience said that it’s a place to, “honor the voices of women” which really helps to also sums up the warmth of the conference leading up to the cypher of the conference. And there is going to be cake before the cypher well. What could be better than educating yourself, music, making connections, and cake?!

Something that’s been really rewarding about attending the WWR conference is being exposed to the passions and skills of all sorts of people and significance of their skills. I went to the ‘social justice media’, which is a non-profit organization that helps people become technologically literate. It’s a program that emphasizes community and how having technological skills is a feminist tool; it helps people have access to valuable information and have their voice be heard. I also listened in on a skill sharing workshop, where a group of women learned a beautiful Balkan folk song. The leaders introduced with a traditional folk song about the morning star, and I appreciated its haunting quality. I overhead one of the leaders describe the work shop as a ‘beautiful bonding experience’ for the women present.

Group 14

Molly Woerner

The panel on media justice was led by Jasmine and Arethra from the Women Of Color For Systemic Change. Their lively personalitys balance well with the inspiring and empowering panel guests. All six members, Harmony, Lola, Denae, Sharon, Jackie, and Star experienced thel interplay of social injustice and the media. Their personal stories and encounters were riveting. Star’s personal story of human trafficking was moving. For she described her journey as one that allows her to share with others for those who cannot speak. At a young age music spoke to her and moved her. She sang the song “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” as one that “bite her”. When she sang I felt chills. This to me was an example of how music changes people’s lives and speaks to them to build community.

Something I really enjoyed learning about at the WWR (un)conference is the genre of music known as the ‘ son jarocho’, which is where a group of musicians play to the heartbeat that’s being led by the tarima, the person on the board stomping out the beat. A lovely, knowledgable woman explained to me that this music is practically impossible to classify because its learned through oral traditions that have been passed down for generations. She also explained the ‘really good’ players of the son jarocho understand that the music they’re playing is not a performance, the music they’re playing is meant to bring people together, to create a community. I thought of this particular genre as being a microcosm for the WWR (un)conference.