Nominate your Womyn Warrior by:

A Call for Nominations for Young & Adult Womyn of Color who

March 21st, 2012

Move, touch and inspire you & those around them to overcome & break the cycle of violence. Continue to evolve and pursue their unique missions & purpose despite the harsh realities that society has developed to bury their strength and spirit. Have powerfully transformed their life and courageously won battles against experiences of sexual assault and domestic violence, incarceration, mental illnesses that include bipolar disorder, manic depression and anxiety, addictions, chronic diseases

About Womyn Warriors Womyn Warriors celebrates womyn of color of all ages who are on their journey of self-love. These womyn have learned to extract from the oppressive circumstances of their lives the strength they need to resist the daily dehumanization of modern day slaveryAngela Davis. Young and adult womyn fight everyday against the many forms of war they experience in their own lives, locally, nationally and internationally. Whether you attend a rally, organize, create art, make love, cook a healthy meal, dance, raise a family, write poetry, or teach others, Casa believes that you and/or the womyn in your life are warriors in the struggle to spread love and create peace in a time of war. Womyn Warriors is rooted in the legacy of our Ancestors. We believe womyn of color are warriors in their own right because in the face of multiple forms of violence and oppression ,we still dare to dream, to love, and create the world we want to live in. Historically, we have been fighting enslavement, colonization, and raping of our minds, bodies, spirits, land, and cultures. Casa believes that violence against womyn, particularly young womyn of color, is varied, interrelated, and epidemic. In its definition it should incorporate a human rights and social justice framework that includes state, economic , racial profiling, police brutality, immigrant , globalization, militarism, violence against our reproductive rights, gender, community, family violence, relationship and partner violence. We see this as a war against our very essential right to live in peace. Womyn Warriors believe that womyn are experts of their own lives. We are all born with the power to heal and transform ourselves, our families and our communities. At Casa, womyn reclaim the tools they have within, their cultural and spiritual practices and use the elements of Mother Earth as weapons of resistance against the impact of racism, classism, ageism, sexism, homophobia, and patriarchy on their lives. In community, we learn how to love without judgment, receive love without expectations, and love ourselves so we dont look for love outside and in others. Womyn Warriors is Casas way of celebrating this process among young and adult womyn.

Rebirth of a Queen Goddess Squad: Amanda Torres Carmen Mojica Dayanara Marte Grace Figueroa Jezabel Paulino Kayla Burgos Lorean Valentin Monique De La Oz Scarlett Feliz

The Politic of Rebirth of a Queen We are loose, they say. Too many children at a far too young age, womyn of color must be asking for it when we are wrongfully raped at a much higher rate than Caucasian womyn. We are welfare queens who either cant keep their partners by their side or are weak and stupid for staying in abusive relationships. And if were not weak, we must be violent offenders we make up nearly half of the nations female prison population. Expected to fail, the teachers dont think much of us and are likely to not encourage us. We continue to fare worse in terms of health status, disproportionately affected by illnesses such as high blood pressure, lupus, breast cancer and HIV/AIDS. The idea of addressing mental health issues or depression is often taboo in communities of color; consequently, womyn of color particularly suffer in silence and when they do seek help, they can encounter inadequate and irrelevant treatment programs with little or no sensitivities to specific gender, racial and cultural issues. Because of this and more, our womyn fall into unhealthy lifestyles, often addicted to detrimental substances and habits. If the world had it their way, it would have you believe that womyn of color wither away and stay in the dark corners, never to break the cycle. There is a growing army of womyn who have been and continue to meaningfully exist in spite of the oppressive systems in place within many of our communities. These womyn of color are revolutionary in their ability to continually evolve and purse their ideals and unique missions despite the harsh realities that society has developed to oppress and bury the nascent strength and spirit of womynhood. They are the womyn on the frontlines of change; using their own stories of struggle to empower their communities suffering from what they were able to conquer. Their journeys are not highlighted as often as we hear the ones perpetuating the stereotypes created about us. Day to day, so many womyn of color are affirming their own success stories, often without any acknowledgement and support. It is decisively important in altering old stigmas attached to the perception of womyn of color. Despite the realities and harshness of life for many womyn of color, womyn of color continue to boldly surpass the limits that societies has set for them in pursuit of their dreams. This year, Casa Atabex Ache is bringing back our annual event, Womyn Warriors, with the theme, Rebirth of a Queen. Rebirth of a Queen is a ceremony for womyn to be honored for their strength and courage. It will provide a unique experience in the way herstory will be retold and acknowledged as the stories of these womyn of color will sought to be understood and remembered. Celebrating womyn of color is a radical act because of its resistance to the continued ignorance and blindness towards the vitality and dignity of womyn of color worldwide. Our society seeks to condone what womyn of color have accomplished and continue to achieve on a regular basis, and the act of celebration resists this very covert silencing and ignorance.

Nominee Demographic (Optional) Gender/Preferred Pronoun:

Racial/Ethnic Background:

Age Group: 12-18 19-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+

Please provide a brief answer to the following questions: What motivates your nominee to boldly be in pursuit of her dreams and create change in her life or the lives of others? What relationship do you have with the nominee and what would you like us to say about them? What moves, touches, and inspires you about this powerful womyn? How has your nominee powerfully transformed her life and overcome violence, trauma and other challenges? How does your nominee use her own story of struggle, resilience and Perseverance to empower her family and community?
Any questions, contact Carmen at (718) 585-5540 or carmenatcasa@gmail.com
Casa Atabex Ache * 471 East 140th Street, Garden Level * Bronx, New York 10454 * www.casaatabexache.org