Episode 10 - What is Womanism?

Hey QueenSiS! I’m putting my professor tam on for a few moments, but don’t worry, there is no final exam at the end! Today’s episode is about Womanism  - I use it in the title of the DDQ Journal, and tag our episodes with #WomanistWinsDay so I thought it only fair to dedicate an episode of the podcast sharing some more information about the concept. Here I define womanism and discuss just a few luminaries in the field; I talk about why this discussion matters today, by examining womanism's relevance from perspectives of the academy, environmental sustainability, and theology. And, I play a few excerpts from womanist thought leaders for added context.

Here are links to the many (many!) items I reference in the episode:

Video Links

• Democratic Womanism – poem by Alice Walker read on Free Speech TV. https://youtu.be/iuHfX-dX4-I (September 28, 2012).
• Excerpt from Alice Walker’s October 3, 2003 address at "Jumpin' at the Sun: Reassessing the Life and Work of Zora Neale Hurston at Barnard. https://youtu.be/iUyOQ3DpqzM?si=-c8xYOoS0TfHPqdg.
• Dr. Wil Gafney: Biblical Language for a God Who Transcends Gender. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLfpaRhsSUI (TheoED Talk, 2.20.2020).

Books & Articles Mentioned in the Episode

• In the service of social equity: Leveraging the experiences of African American women professors (article by Najmah Thomas, 24 Jan 2019) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15236803.2018.1565041.
• Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land. By Leah Penniman. https://www.soulfirefarm.org/media/farming-while-black/
• Ecowomanism: African American Women and Earth-Honoring Faiths. By Melanie L. Harris. https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/melanie-l-harris/2053506/

Three Womanist Theologians I'm Following:

• Raquel S. Lettsome, PhD - https://youtu.be/XXAhxuie47g?si=8itI8yWhOKN5_qUN
• Dr. Renita Weems - https://youtu.be/lOo040NYrOw?si=TDiOclrXHUiFbdIB
• Judy Fentress Williams - https://www.youtube.com/live/O1QWdf5WlyE?si=2aWdYyO6vG63WxwH

KweliTV Movie Reference (“Jesus loves the sex worker too”). Africa United. https://www.kweli.tv/watch/kweli/africa-united.

3.15.25 DDQ Vision Board Day Party (go to the https://www.mydayclean.com/store-2/p/ddq-vision-board-day-party to purchase your tickets – very limited quantities available!)

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