Category Archives: Special Women Around Us

It’s not only a man’s world!

Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign: Victory! Marissa Alexander home for Thanksgiving

FMNletterhead copyText by Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign

Words cannot express the relief and joy of everyone in the Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign that Marissa Alexander is home with her family this Thanksgiving Day. Ms. Alexander has been released on bond until a verdict is reached in her new trial that begins March 31, 2014.  We hope the decision means that the Florida justice system has relented in its vindictive, hostile and racist legal assault on this African American mother of three. Ms. Alexander has been victimized twice — once by her abusive ex-husband and again by the state of Florida, which has stolen nearly three years from her life for an act of self-defense that injured no one.

We are thrilled that Ms. Alexander will be able to prepare for her new trial amid the support and love of her children and family from whom she has been separated far too long.

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Honoring Women’s History Month…sorry a little late but not forgotten!

Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

March is Women’s History Month which is celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with International Women’s Day on March 8, and during October in Canada, corresponding with the celebration of Persons Day on October 18.

Me, SoSaLa and DooBeeDooBeeDoo join in paying tribute to the generations of women in this country and around the world whose commitment to women rights and social issues have proved invaluable to their respective societies.

My band SoSaLa dedicated this song to all theses great female activists in my home country Iran, in this country and around the world: NU PERSIAN FLAMENCO Continue reading →

Special women around us: “Finding Your Own Voice” Poet-activist Jayne Cortez, dies at 78.

Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Jayne Cortez  was an African-American poet, spoken-word performance artist and activist of the Black Arts Movement. Yes, this great woman passed away in New York on December 28, 2012. I met her once at Ornette Coleman‘s birthday party last year. At that time I didn’t know much about her legacy. Yes, I knew she was my mentor’s ex wife. And I knew that Denardo Coleman was their son. And I knew he had been playing the drums in her band. Sorry that’s all what I knew about her.

But her death told me more about her…what she has been about for the last 78 years. Death has the power to bring people together. Death doesn’t mean that it kills a human life. No, on the contrary, death can give birth to life if the dead person got some s-o-u-l.

So I did some research of her and felt that some of you, my dear readers, would like to know about her. Continue reading →