The
work in Sistahs has been shaped most dramatically by a desire to
co-create a writing and photography community premised on cultivating
and exploring sisterhood. I have tried to envision and enact our
work with writing, photographing, and sharing as central practices
oriented toward community-building and political awareness of women's
lives rather than toward isolated learning objectives.5Graduate School, a
poem by Ruth Forman that we read in class, suggests the kind of
writing and photography community we have been trying to cultivate.6
Over
the course of the year, the students have written about and photographed
various aspects of sisterhood, reflecting the visions they have
for it within the course and within their lives. The writings collected
here range from free-writes, to journal entries, to poems.
Sister-
Evita, Erica, and Alicia the
greatest gifts I have in the world to be
able to sit, talk and confide in my girls
Sistah-
A word usually meaning a
woman of color in the struggle. A
woman who has had bad times.
Women who have been up mountains
and into small isolated caves.
Sisterhood-The
togetherness of woman
in general. All the woman who has
ever had a crush, man, boy issues and
tear filled nights. The woman who are
strong when we are not supposed to
be. When we are smart when we're not
allowed. When we are brave in the eye
of every and any man.
By
Yasmein James (listen)
Me
and You
(inspired by Lucille Clifton's "sisters")
me
and you be rided for each other
me and you do dirt together
me and you share with each other
if I have it you know you got it
me and you talk about our problems
me and you share our boy stories
me and you have boy problems
me = I do hair
you = do you
By
Sade Cohen (listen)
Me
& You: aka Shanté &
Sade
(inspired by Lucille Clifton's "sisters")
me
and you laugh all the time
we be arguing all the time
me and you
coming from two different places.
me and you
be dressing the same
getting touch-ups on our braids
me and you
speak our mind and we ain't afraid of nothing
i mean nothing.
me and you
going to parties and shaking our thing
and my mama laughs and shakes her head at
me and you
you and me
but sometime you trade
but you're still my friend
me and you
me and you
By
Shanté Johnson (listen)
Sistahs
Club 2nd trimester
My
dream would be
To make me, my family, and God satisfied
To be content and at peace
To find myself
To rest my wandering soul
To die with a smile on my face
For
Sistahs
unity, respect, and freedom of speech
to open up their souls and write from within
accepting who we are as women, the future of tomorrow,
to anoint ourselves with words of wisdom, faith and encouragement
For
sisterhood
To write about women, bring us together with words
To rise up from the oppressed
To educate ourselves, embrace
Our beauty, curves, sexuality, sensuality
To beat the odds, and stand tall
Look and learn from failures,
To give life, and add radiance to the world.
By
Madonna Deflish
Sister,
I Love You
Sister,
I love you
So I tell you to leave
I see your pain and how you grieve
Sister,
I love you
It's time to let him go
But you won't though
Sister,
I love you
You shouldn't have tears
and be afraid of your fears.
Sister,
I love you
I'm telling you I was there
If you listen to what I say
You hear me clear.
Sister,
I love you
It's time to make a change.
You don't have to sit around
and play his same old game.
I'm
here and around, not trying to
bring you down. That's why I
call your name to help you
and to care for you
because I'll always be there.
