I Love Cooperation
"It's not about catching up, it's about doing what's next"
So you've got this idea that the old wooden futon frame you're getting ready to throw out could be made into a workbench or table of sorts. The only problem is, you don't have the tools to cut the frame down to size, nor do you have the cash to buy them. What are your options? Wouldn't it be awesome if you could look at a quick list of names and phone numbers posted on your fridge to see who has access to a workshop, or at least has the items you need to start your project? I met up with a couple of ladies last week who are trying to answer that question right now. Allison and Lindsay, aka I Love Cooperation aka Dites Donc aka Connexxxion/Reflection have been working on a social network that just might help a sister out when it comes to finding the right woman for the job.
Yes, I said, 'Right woman for the job'. I Love Cooperation is putting together a resource guide filled with information from who has what tools to who has what skills - and all the contributors are women. Earlier in the year a survey was sent out to every woman in their address book asking for a list of any tools, skills or resources they'd be willing to share - and so far the feedback has been brilliant. Responses have ranged from play date offers for fellow mothers to free laundry facilities and proofreading of student papers. Also, this isn't a guide for free-loaders, so far, only those that have offered their services are able to take advantage of this wealth of options.
The creators of this guide, Allison Halter and Lindsay Hayden, are feminists without any long explanation of which kind of feminist or why or how. Before anyone gets snarky about talking about feminism, let me clarify first - this guide isn't about man-bashing. In a recent interview with these two ultra-busy ladies, we got to talk about the philosophy surrounding the I Love Cooperation resource guide.
VS: What is feminist about this guide?
ILC: The guide takes into account a bunch of different aspects regarding empowering women. This guide will nurture value for skills, things we can do, not just for our sensitivity or whatever. Women should take pride in their skills, be more boastful, less shy about being good at something. Its also a way to be proactive in a collective way - it is easy to get isolated and become competitive in that stereotypical "catty" way.
VS: It is easy to become isolated and see women only as competition.
ILC: Yeah, at least, that's how popular culture paints us. This guide is created in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration. Basically, we will all win more if we cooperate and collaborate (Allison). For women it isn't about catching up - it is about doing what is next (Lindsay). The way we see it, it isn't about repairing wrongs, it is about taking the next step, about moving on. Women need to see that there is space for them to show their stuff and be proud of it. This guide should not be branded as "feminist lit", it is just published by feminists and you don't have to call yourself a feminist to contribute.
VS: So the debut of this resource guide is coming up. You two have planned an event in the month of August called Let it Bleed". Tell me a little about that.
ILC: The event is going to be two weeks and will feature all women artists, performers and teachers. The audience is open to anyone who wants to come, but it is a showcase for women talent. We are also musicians among many things, and this event spawned from a few different ideas. Traveling as our performance/music group Dites Donc we participate in a lot of group shows. We were in this one show where there were 100 bands, and only two were bands of women. This was at an event where progressive politics were supported, but hardly any women groups performed. It is kind of like LadyFest, its all volunteers performing, teaching and organizing the events.
VS: What is the goal for all this?
ILC: We want women to step outside the sociodrama created by popular culture. We want women to know they can depend on each other to get things done. This resource guide is a way to make those connections, this event is a way to promote the idea.
About the Organizers:
Allison Halter and Lindsay Hayden have been collaborating under a variety of names since 2003, and have produced independent performance art shows ("Fash Attack!!"), a feminist dance band ("Dites Donc!"), and simultaneously participated in two rival dance troupes ("CONNEXXXION" and "reflection"). I Love Co-Operation is the umbrella term for their collaborations past, present and future. They have participated/performed in Milwaukee's 2005 Performance Art Showcase, Plan-It-X-Fest (Bloomington, IN), Catch that Beat (Astoria, WA) as well as a number of independent shows in Milwaukee. They have taken both Fash Attack!! and Dites Donc! on national tours to their audience's great delight.
For more information about the event, specific performances, etc:
ilovecooperation (at) gmail.com
Dates: August 11-28th at Neighbors, 800 E. Clarke Street, Milwaukee, WI
What are the Milwaukee masses flocking to this week? The VITAL Source Street Team will be covering events from kickball games and bike races to festivals and special events. Look to this blog for choice reviews of events, quotes from people on the scene and pictures of what you missed even if you were there.