NEWS RELEASE
Date: March 12, 2015
From: INCITE! Women of Color and Trans People of Color Against Violence
Contact: Essence McDowell, incite.natl.media@gmail.com
Date: March 12, 2015
From: INCITE! Women of Color and Trans People of Color Against Violence
Contact: Essence McDowell, incite.natl.media@gmail.com
Convergence Will Feature Women of Color Imprisoned for Self-Defense
Color of Violence 4 Convergence Welcomes Marissa Alexander, Cece McDonald, Renata Hill, and Yvonne Swan for Historic Discussion
Chicago, March 12, 2015 - INCITE!, a national organization of radical women of color and trans people of color, will host a major conference entitled, Color of Violence 4 (COV4)--Beyond the State: Inciting Transformative Possibilities. The event will be held at Chicago’s Hyatt Regency McCormick Place on March 26-29, 2015.
On Thursday, March 26th at 7:30 pm CT, the convergence will feature an historic discussion among women of color who have been prosecuted and incarcerated for defending their lives or the lives of their friends and families. Speakers include Marissa Alexander, a black mother from Jacksonville, FL, who defended her life from an attack by her abusive husband. Alexander was denied a Stand Your Ground defense, and was prosecuted and sentenced to 20 years before she appealed the verdict and recently agreed to a plea deal. Cece McDonald, a black trans woman from Minneapolis, fought back against a violent, racist and transphobic attack. McDonald was forced to serve time in a men’s prison, but was recently released and is now the feature of an upcoming documentary, Free CeCe, that focuses on violence against trans women. Renata Hill was with her friends, Patreese, Venice, and Terrain – all black lesbians -- when they were threatened with sexual assault by a man while in the West Village in New York City. They were arrested, called a “Gang of Killer Lesbians” by the media, and sentenced to years in prison. Their story is currently featured in the award-winning documentary, Out in the Night. Yvonne Swan, member of the Colville Tribe, was known as Yvonne Wanrow when she was prosecuted for killing a man who attempted to sexually assault her son in 1976. The discussion will be facilitated by Chicago activist, Mariame Kaba, member of the Chicago Alliance to Free Marissa Alexander (CAFMA).
“I am thrilled that Marissa Alexander is joining the panel discussion for the COV4 convergence!,” said Ayanna Banks Harris, also a member of the Chicago Alliance to Free Marissa Alexander. “Though she remains tethered to the State of Florida for the next two years, we at CAFMA find great joy in seeing Marissa transition into the community and world with multiple opportunities to share her story. The retelling of her story is made invaluable through her voice. Marissa has been clear in her belief that “this” has not just been for and about her solely, and she continues to demonstrate that belief by using her voice to raise greater awareness about domestic violence, its survivors, and the women of color who’ve been criminalized for interrupting that violence.”
COV4 will draw 1500 women of color and trans and queer people of color from across North America and beyond to generate discussions and action planning focused on ending all forms of violence against their communities. “Movements that address domestic and sexual violence, reproductive violence, immigration violence, police violence, and the prison industrial complex must do more to build powerful coalitions,” said Alisa Bierria, member of INCITE! and the national Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign. “As we have seen with these speakers’ experiences, these issues work together to undermine the lives of women of color from across different contexts, locations, and gender expressions. At COV4, activists, artists, and scholars will develop movement building strategies that incorporate a strong consciousness of the intersections of these issues as they impact our lives.”
Chicago activists have hosted numerous events highlighting cases of women of color criminalized for self-defense, including creating the art exhibit, “No Selves to Defend,” which will be on display at COV4. Conceptualized and curated by Kaba and local activist Rachel Caidor, “No Selves to Defend” placed Marissa Alexander’s case within the broader historical context of women of color who are criminalized for self-defense and the resulting resistance campaigns that emerged. For example, Swan was part of a cohort of women of color who generated political action and protest when they were prosecuted in the 1970s for self-defense. These early cases – including, the prosecutions of Joan Little, Inez Garcia, Dessie Woods, and Swan (then known as Yvonne Wanrow) – were also featured in the exhibit.
Internationally renowned scholar, prison abolitionist, and former political prisoner, Angela Davis, will speak directly after this panel, concluding the opening of the conference.
COV4 registration is open with rates ranging from $25 to $200. To register or learn more about INCITE! and COV4, explore our website, colorofviolence.org. For up to date information, follow INCITE! on Facebook at facebook.com/incitecommunitynews and Twitter @incitenews.
To apply for media credentials and/or to schedule a media interview with a speaker, please contact Essence McDowell at incite.natl.media@gmail.com.
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Chicago, March 12, 2015 - INCITE!, a national organization of radical women of color and trans people of color, will host a major conference entitled, Color of Violence 4 (COV4)--Beyond the State: Inciting Transformative Possibilities. The event will be held at Chicago’s Hyatt Regency McCormick Place on March 26-29, 2015.
On Thursday, March 26th at 7:30 pm CT, the convergence will feature an historic discussion among women of color who have been prosecuted and incarcerated for defending their lives or the lives of their friends and families. Speakers include Marissa Alexander, a black mother from Jacksonville, FL, who defended her life from an attack by her abusive husband. Alexander was denied a Stand Your Ground defense, and was prosecuted and sentenced to 20 years before she appealed the verdict and recently agreed to a plea deal. Cece McDonald, a black trans woman from Minneapolis, fought back against a violent, racist and transphobic attack. McDonald was forced to serve time in a men’s prison, but was recently released and is now the feature of an upcoming documentary, Free CeCe, that focuses on violence against trans women. Renata Hill was with her friends, Patreese, Venice, and Terrain – all black lesbians -- when they were threatened with sexual assault by a man while in the West Village in New York City. They were arrested, called a “Gang of Killer Lesbians” by the media, and sentenced to years in prison. Their story is currently featured in the award-winning documentary, Out in the Night. Yvonne Swan, member of the Colville Tribe, was known as Yvonne Wanrow when she was prosecuted for killing a man who attempted to sexually assault her son in 1976. The discussion will be facilitated by Chicago activist, Mariame Kaba, member of the Chicago Alliance to Free Marissa Alexander (CAFMA).
“I am thrilled that Marissa Alexander is joining the panel discussion for the COV4 convergence!,” said Ayanna Banks Harris, also a member of the Chicago Alliance to Free Marissa Alexander. “Though she remains tethered to the State of Florida for the next two years, we at CAFMA find great joy in seeing Marissa transition into the community and world with multiple opportunities to share her story. The retelling of her story is made invaluable through her voice. Marissa has been clear in her belief that “this” has not just been for and about her solely, and she continues to demonstrate that belief by using her voice to raise greater awareness about domestic violence, its survivors, and the women of color who’ve been criminalized for interrupting that violence.”
COV4 will draw 1500 women of color and trans and queer people of color from across North America and beyond to generate discussions and action planning focused on ending all forms of violence against their communities. “Movements that address domestic and sexual violence, reproductive violence, immigration violence, police violence, and the prison industrial complex must do more to build powerful coalitions,” said Alisa Bierria, member of INCITE! and the national Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign. “As we have seen with these speakers’ experiences, these issues work together to undermine the lives of women of color from across different contexts, locations, and gender expressions. At COV4, activists, artists, and scholars will develop movement building strategies that incorporate a strong consciousness of the intersections of these issues as they impact our lives.”
Chicago activists have hosted numerous events highlighting cases of women of color criminalized for self-defense, including creating the art exhibit, “No Selves to Defend,” which will be on display at COV4. Conceptualized and curated by Kaba and local activist Rachel Caidor, “No Selves to Defend” placed Marissa Alexander’s case within the broader historical context of women of color who are criminalized for self-defense and the resulting resistance campaigns that emerged. For example, Swan was part of a cohort of women of color who generated political action and protest when they were prosecuted in the 1970s for self-defense. These early cases – including, the prosecutions of Joan Little, Inez Garcia, Dessie Woods, and Swan (then known as Yvonne Wanrow) – were also featured in the exhibit.
Internationally renowned scholar, prison abolitionist, and former political prisoner, Angela Davis, will speak directly after this panel, concluding the opening of the conference.
COV4 registration is open with rates ranging from $25 to $200. To register or learn more about INCITE! and COV4, explore our website, colorofviolence.org. For up to date information, follow INCITE! on Facebook at facebook.com/incitecommunitynews and Twitter @incitenews.
To apply for media credentials and/or to schedule a media interview with a speaker, please contact Essence McDowell at incite.natl.media@gmail.com.
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