Welcome to our annual digest of Michigan Women's Music & Arts Festivals! This Summer of 2023 was packed with gynocentric encounters, culture and music!
First up, hear long-time WLRN member April Neault greet the listener with her announcement that she is stepping back from her monthly duties with WLRN after this edition and that we are looking for a new volunteer to work our YouTube channel and do some video editing. You'll also hear a special announcement from April about a women's speaking event happening in Ottowa, Ontario Canada on September 9th. For more info about that event, go to womensrightsmatter.ca.
Next, Mary O'Neill delivers WLRN's World News segment that includes stories about gender ID laws in Norway and the ongoing crackdown on Iranian feminist activists. Next, enjoy "August Moon" by Nedra Johnson, a long-time Michigan performer and founder of Big Mouth Girl on the Land.
After the world news, we take you on a journey to a rainy tent at MFR where Thistle and Emily interview a young detransitioned woman who attended Fest in Michigan for the first time this year. Enjoy the ambient sounds and a visit from a neighbor who walks over to chat about the big puddle of water under her tent after the rain! Also, enjoy Lou's beautiful and moving performance of "If I Wrote You" by Dar Williams during this interview segment.
Following the interview, you'll hear Ferron's song "Misty Mountain" right before jumping into Jenna's commentary about her experiences at Fest this year and how women's spirituality and spiritual practices are essential to getting out of the bounds of patriarchy.
After Jenna's two cents, the listener is treated to Thistle's commentary interwoven with clips of her performance of two of her original songs on the Land, an ukulele choir rehearsal, and a trip to the marketplace downtown in the women's village that springs up every year on the Land.
Thank you so much, dear listeners, for tuning in to our woman-powered monthly show and for spreading it far and wide throughout the Femisphere. Join us next month for a digest of the Women's Declaration International - USA's Convention happening over the weekend of September 16th in San Francisco. Thanks to WLRN member Emily Faye for stepping up to cover this herstoric event.
To donate to the cause of feminist-powered community radio, please visit our Wordpress site at wlrnmedia.com and click on the donate button. Or, go to our merch page and buy any number of fabulous WLRN merch items to both donate and display your love of feminist radio on a t-shirt, mug, or sticker! #WomenSpeakOut #LetWomenSpeak #Michigan #MichFest
