On June 17, The Heartland Feminist Workshop Series (HFWS) opens the first of several workshops taking place over a two week period of time. Maria Guzman, a Topeka native and the event’s founder, took time to give us an interview on the complex topic she’ll be presenting in the workshops.

785: What inspired you to put together the Heartland Feminist Workshops and how do you envision its affect on the Topeka Community?

Maria Guzman: I was inspired because I missed my hometown, and it became clear to me that there were aspects of my current belief systems and principles that were inextricably linked to Topeka.

In realizing that my roles were constantly evolving, my visits home were always staying with me and in turn, I felt that I was bringing my experiences to Topeka.  As I walk around The Mission district in San Francisco, I am always in two places at once.

It’s become clear that everything that I value today has always been inspired by my family, my oldest friends, and the seeds of activism that I had been given back home.  At times, I did not have the confidence or the drive to take advantage of those insights.

I chose to frame this workshop series in light of feminism because I grew up in a family that was predominantly female, and I saw a wide range of struggles and victories because of that.  More specifically, my graduate studies at OU [Ohio University] introduced me to more inclusive approaches to issues that characterize our culture.  Nothing that proclaims a community’s interests at heart is ever exclusive. Despite the stereotypes, feminism is open, and each one of us benefits from it in an active or passive manner. Yet, I am aware that to label yourself can be limiting and worse yet, boring.  Truthfully, my mother and grandmother were great examples of feminist role models but neither of them were approaching it from an academic perspective-they just called it “que no te dejes,” which is loosely translated as “stand up for yourself.”

No one has to leave this workshop series a dedicated feminist, but I would like to see people talking about things that may not be spoken about in other spaces-activism, psychology, art, family, and whatever else we can come up with.

785: What is it about Topeka that you carry with you?

MG: The values that my mother and grandmother passed on to me always give me a way of understanding a lot of experiences, and their deep respect for education has left an impression on me.  My education began in Topeka, and I am thankful for the teachers that I had at Quinton Heights, Robinson, Topeka High School and Washburn University.

An early experience at Topeka High School also led me to explore more examples of multicultural empowerment.  It was an African-American Literature class taught by Ms. Jones; she invited me to write and encouraged an appreciation for art as an expression of civil rights.  I still consider the Harlem Renaissance a great inspiration.  In addition, Ms. Larson lent me Ginsberg’s “Howl,” which was amazing.

785: What, in turn, do you bring back from San Francisco and the other places you’ve been?

MG: Being in San Francisco has provided a great education about civil rights history and the Latino/a presence as a part of it.  I went to a Cesar Chavez event recently and had to call my mom afterwards because it was so exciting.  I remember growing up and hearing so much about him and what he stood for, and then, there I was witnessing how Chavez’s cause was being carried on by the community.  It made everything that I thought was important “real”. There is so much openness about identities in San Francisco, and it reminds me of the experiences in Topeka that I treasured growing up.  The comfort that I feel in San Francisco feels possible in Topeka, and it should grow.  It’s already happening.

A great recent example pertains to the LGBTQ community-I loved seeing that Nate Phelps was going to speak in Topeka on April 24, and I value that it must have been a very empowering step for him as a witness to such discrimination.  Having learned more about the importance of organizing, it feels like a good time to see my visits home as continuations in these great developments.

Finally, being in the Mission District, which is a Latino/a community, makes me very thankful that I had the opportunity to experience that same sense of community in Topeka, especially during the Fiesta Mexicana.  We are very lucky to have that, and it proves that Topekans know how to organize.
785: Can men attend the workshops?

MG: Oh yes, in fact, a conversation with a male member of the Topeka/Oakland community inspired the first workshop!  His name is Raul Barron and he is a coach at Topeka Golden Gloves in East Topeka.  They conduct the boxing matches in Oakland, too.  He loves it, and you can tell.

I asked him about it and was initially intrigued because I had recently completed training to be a Kickboxing instructor at my local Y.  In addition, Girlfight is one of my favorite films.  As we continued to talk (at the Brass Rail, which is owned by a great friend, Robert Stevens), the conversation shifted to his role as a father to a teenaged daughter who was an excellent amateur boxer at the gym.  Later that night, I remember thinking, “Wow, those aren’t the types of things that get hyped often…why?”  They do what they love, and they get props from fellow boxers, friends, and family, and it’s an opportunity that many are unaware of.  I also saw that we have a cool roller derby team in the community, too!  I thought that that was exciting, and hope to see a match while I am in town.  That is such a fun example of being a strong woman.

This series is open to teenagers, too, especially since I’ve recently been thinking a lot about my own teen years as an older sister to a 14 year old.

785: Can you expand a little more on what you mean by, “feminism.”

MG: I’ll be honest, when I first encountered feminism as a field of study in college, it wasn’t too appealing and I felt that it didn’t address my interests.  At the time, I was helping a family member deal with an immigration case, and it didn’t seem as if this issue could be understood in terms of feminism.  There was a lack of connection for me because of that, at least initially.  I just didn’t know that it was about women being strong and putting their skills to use through community efforts. Dealing with that case was such an influential time in my life, and many friends supported us.  Perhaps that was my first true encounter with community organization and the great results that it can bring.

After that, I realized that action is a major part of feminism. I read about early feminists and their cause: voting rights, which is still an important topic in American politics.  The suffragists were the first feminists.  They have influenced activists working for the environment, the arts, workers’ rights, and other great causes. This is what historians call “first wave feminism.” In our everyday lives, it’s better known as an important step for women in the United States and abroad. The more popular understanding of feminism is rooted in the “second wave” of 60s and 70s feminists that were concerned with equal opportunity in the workplace. I believe that we are now at 77 cents to the dollar that men earn.   Many people think of bra burning and the invention of the Pill as memorable events during this time.  In addition to that, many women of all backgrounds were involved and they began to talk about other parts of their lives, too, such as racism. By contributing their ideas, they helped to shape activism today.

The contemporary version of feminism, which scholars refer to as “third wave” feminism, includes race and ethnic group relation studies, environmental studies, LGBTQ studies, and popular culture as topics of discussion.
785: To some, the word, “feminism” evokes a negative connotation. What might you say to those who might be a little sketchy about the workshops?

MG: As noted by Bell Hooks, feminism critiques power, not men.  I understand that feminism may appear to be an extreme or “no boys allowed” perspective.  The fact is, there are extreme examples for everything.  We all have experienced racism, sexism, classism and more generalized discrimination.  That is not my approach to feminism, and it’s not that way for others who see it as an interest.

Feminists are not all women, either.  There are men out there who also support it because they have sisters, mothers, daughters, nieces, and other women in their lives that they want to support.

Recently, I was contacted by a community member who provides assistance for male parents, and she considers herself a feminist because it is a way of providing equality for both parents. This is a good example of the reality of what it is to be a feminist.

785: Are these workshops a time for idea exchange? Learning? Sitting and listening to speakers?

MG: Yes! For anyone that is interested in any of the topics, most likely, the workshops will begin with an introductory demo about what the presenters do.  Each workshop is also an open invitation to speak about local experiences and concerns in the community.  The greatest thing to come of this would be new insights.

785: Are the workshops free to attend? Do we need to sign up?
MG: Yes, all workshops are free except for the fact that the Feminist Writing Workshop will have a potluck at its conclusion.  In addition, anyone who is interested in learning more can RSVP to HeartlandFeminist@gmail.com.

785: The workshops include presentations made by community members, open forums and a writing workshop. All events are free and open to the public, but an RSVP to HeartlandFeminist@gmail.com is encouraged for all workshops.

Please visit the workshop’s blog or its Facebook page for more details.

[June 2010 | Macie Smith | image courtesy Judith White]