Archived Radio Show

February 12, 2024

Original Radio Show  ID:
WSA240212

Listen to the Show on the Mp3 Player below

Duration 57 minutes

The Guest interview begins at 16 minutes.

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Featuring

Click the Name to access the Segment below

1. Commentary by Elaine B. Holtz,  Host of Women's Spaces 

2. Guest 1: Dr. Kim D. Hester Williams, Professsor of Literature, Sonoma State University

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1. Commentary by Elaine B. Holtz: 

I have a very special guest for this show, joining me in the studio is, Dr. Kim D. Hester Williams, a Professor of Literature at Sonoma State University. She teaches African American literature, from the early to the contemporary period. Additionally, she is an affiliate faculty member in the American Multicultural Studies department where she teaches courses in Ethnic Literature, African American literature and culture, and Language and Ethnicity as well as Film Studies and Women and Gender Studies.

Today we will be talking about Black Women in literature and Music and the impact they had. It is an honor to have Dr. Williams with me in the studio this morning.

So much happening this month. On February 10 our Chinese brothers and sister celebrated the Chinese New Year. This year is the Year of the Dragon. Myself, my daughter Susan and grandson Ryan are all Dragons. Can you just imagine what it is like when we all get together. In Chinese culture? The dragons are majestic and powerful. They could lead the world due to their dominant nature and ambitious spirit. The emperors of ancient China often regarded themselves as the Dragon, the Son of Heaven. Gifted with innate courage, tenacity, and intelligence, Dragons are usually enthusiastic and confident. They are not afraid of challenges, and willing to take risks. They strive to break away from traditional norms and pave the way for a brighter future. PS. Ken is born Year of the Rat, which is supposed to be compatible with Dragons. He says he is the Dragon tamer. 

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2. Our Guest, Dr. Kim D. Hester Williams, shares the mentoring she received to heighten her interest in literature, poetry and feminism. Classes from Prof. Bettina Aptheker at UC Santa Cruz awoke her to feminism, women in literature, as well as to social issues. As our host Elaine plays the music selections, Dr. Williams gives the background and importance of the lyrics. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child is a song from the collection of slave songs by William Barton in 1899, that expresses the despairing feeling of many slaves separated from their mother as a child, and many were sexually abused as children. The song about Sojourner Truth, recounts how this illiterate woman was able to move people to support abolition of slavery. She, too, was taken from her mother as a child, as well as her children from her. Sojourner Truth also became an advocate of women’s rights. The Color Purple book by Alice Walker and the films of that name treat sexual abuse of a child and as an adult claiming she has control over her life. I’m Here! is a cry to define herself, to state that her personhood is fully enabled.

About our Guest:  Dr. Kim D. Hester Williams is a Professor of English and American Multicultural Studies (AMCS) at Sonoma State University. Dr. Williams also teaches nineteenth-century American literature, African American literature and culture. She is an affiliate faculty in Film Studies and Women and Gender Studies at Sonoma State University and is co-editor, with Leilani Nishime, of Racial Ecologies — a book collection of interdisciplinary essays on race and environment, published by the University of Washington Press in 2018. She is presently co-editor of Legacy, which is a journal about women in literature all the back to the 17th century through the 20th century. Her poetry is grounded in the long tradition of African American Womanist poetics. She is currently an active member of the American Canyon Soroptimist Association, and takes great pride in merging her teaching, scholarship, and research about racial and gender equality with her commitment to community service, social justice, and enacting an equitable, sustainable society—in both personal and communal practice.

Guest Links:

Dr. Kim D. Herster Williams at SSU: https://english.sonoma.edu/faculty-staff/kim-d-hester-williams

Dr. Kim D. Herster Williams email: kim.hester.williams@sonoma.edu

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Other Women's Spaces shows with our guest Dr. Kim D. Hester Williams:

• Feminism and Black Lives Matter, Part 1: Octavia Butler and Modern Feminism on May 11, 2020,
  

• Feminism and Black Lives Matter, Part 2: Historical and Feminist Perspective on June 8, 2020,
  

• Feminism and Black Lives Matter, Part 3. Early Feminists Were Abolitionists on July 6, 2020.
  

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 Herstory

Our History Is Our Strength.

Check out important dates to remember in herstory at the National Women's History Alliance, where the date descriptions were sourced unless otherwise indicated.

Special thank you to the National Women’s History Alliance for making women’s history alive. Shout out to Co-Founder and Retiring Executive Director, Molly McGregor who will be on the show when we celebrate Women’s History Month in March for making the fabulous list of Women in History where I get most of the info I present in this Herstory segment.

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Announcements

Wednesday, February 14, 2024 Peace and Justice Center issues new weekly list of events and links to community non-profit organizations:  
PJC website www.pjcsoco.org

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February 2024 NAACP Black History Month Activities, for more information see https://www.facebook.com/naacpsonoma

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February and March 2024, Figures and Faces, Santa Rosa Arts Center, 312  South A St., Santa Rosa, CA. See poster below:

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Sunday, February 18, 2024, 2:00 - 3:30 PM, Rohnert Park/Cotati Regional Library, Telling Our Stories Through Ethnic Studies Panel Discussion, sponsored by Sonoma County Office of Education and NAACP of Sonoma County. Part of the Celebrate Black History Month series of Sonoma County Libraries - For more information on this series see : https://sonomalibrary.org/blackhistorymonth

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Sunday, February 18, 2:00 PM, Catch A Beat, Led by Tina Rogers, Sonoma County Library Rohnert Park-Cotati Branch, For moe information see link: https://events.sonomalibrary.org/events/upcoming?keywords=catch-a-beat  , Download PDF for Catch-a-Beat in English and Spanish .

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Monday, February 19, 2024 11 AM PT # repeats 11 PM PT, the show will feature our guest Katrina Phillips, Chair, Commssion on Human Rights of Sonoma County.  Radio KBBF 89.1 FM, North SF Bay or live streaming at https://kbbf.org/live

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Monday, February 19, 2024, 7:00 - 8:50, Special Event - Candidates Forum, and Membership Meeting by Zoom

Given that California's primary election is March 5th, Sonoma County NOW is pleased to host a forum for the Sonoma County Democratic Party's Central Committee candidates in District 1 and District 3. If you are in either of those districts, please join us. Learn what the Central Committee does and how important its work is. We will have prepared questions for each candidate.

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Tuesday February 20 2024, 6 PM, League of Women Voters Civics Class: Democracy: It's Up to Us! The second of three FREE, virtual (Zoom) presentations in February and March at 6pm on Tuesdays. Registration is required; sign up for each class separately, click RSVP link below for class date. Guaranteed to be interesting, fun and inspiring! 

1. 2/6 Calif State Gov,  Click Here to view past event on LWV Sonoma YouTube Channel

2.  2/20 From An Idea to Law,  Click Here
   to RSVP

3.  3/12 City and County Government,  Click Here to RSVP

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Wednesday, Monday, February 21, 2024, 11 AM PT, repeat of Monday's show that will feature our guest Katrina Phillips, Chair, Commssion on Human Rights of Sonoma County.   Radio KPCA 103.3 FM, Petaluma, CA. https://petalumacommunityaccess.org/kpca& 

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Music Selections

The Opening and Closing Theme song The Woman in Your Life is You is done with permission of the Composer and Singer Alix Dobkin ((August 16, 1940 – May 19, 2021) Alix Dobkin death was just announced - Thank you for all you did for Lesbians to be recognized and Women to be honored. May you rest in peace. See our Interview with Alix Dobkin on 12/1/2014 and our Memorial to Alix Dobkin on 5/24/2021

The Woman in Your Life is You by Alix Dobkin from the album Living with Lavender Jane (2010 Women's Wax Works) - www.alixdobkin.com

Black Women in History, sung by Futch Rissi, Palmer and Snookknuk from Rthe single Black Women in History (2021 Fyusion)

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, sung by Jasmine Sullivan from the album ELVIS - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2022 ME - House of Iona/RCA Records)

Sojourner Truth sung by New Harmony Sisterhood Band from the album And Ain’t I a Woman (Released 1977 Paredon Records)

I'm Here, sung by Fantassia from the album The Color Purple (music from and inspired by) (Released 2023 VYDIA - WaterTowerMusic/gamma)

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For music purchasing opportunity, supporting the artists: