Visionary Fine Artist, Gender Activist ~ HHHAS, MFA, MSW, LCSW

AfraShe Asungi™

& Afrakan® SpiraKultural™ Philosopher

& Wimmin's™ Spirituality Teacher

Her Innermost SheScapes™

AfraShe Asungi, HHHAS, MFA, MSW, LCSW
P O Box 91533
Long Beach, CA 90809-1533
SheKultural@yahoo.com

California Foremothers

Of Women's Spirituality: A Gathering

Of Wise Hearts Panel . . .

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2012 Conference

Creating the Chalice:

Imagination and Integrity in Goddess Studies

A Special Session:

“California Foremothers

of Women’s Spirituality:

A Gathering Of Wise Hearts”

Association for the Study of Women and Mythology (ASWM).

May 11-12, 2012

Holiday Inn Fisherman’s Wharf

San Francisco

AfraShe was recently invited and participated on an invitational panel along with several other honored SisActivists ~ Jean Shinoda Bolen, Zsuzsanna Budapest, Marguerite Rigoglioso [read SisActivist Hallie Iglehart Austen's response], M. Macha NightMare, P&W and Letecia Layson ~ who were invited to, and who procatively shared their wisdom at the "California Foremothers of Women's Spirituality: A Gathering of Wise Hearts" panel, in San Francisco on May 12, 2012.

Sis Hallie wasn't able to attend but her statement was read By Sis Marguerite that day.

The honored SisActivists were invited to this panel based on, "your past and present significant contributions to the development of Women's Spirituality and Goddess Studies".

This panel was part of the National Conference of the Association For the Study of Women and Mythology, which was creatively co-ordinated by SisMythologists, and practitioners, Patricia Monaghan, Sid Reger, Anne Key among other members.

This honored panel of SisActivists were asked to respond to this Statement: "Rather than addressing that past, we wish you to look to the future to answer these questions:

1) Where is the Women's Spirituality Movement headed?

2) What challenges does the future hold?"

Additionally others SisActivists who were in the audience were invited to address this issue and they also shared their thoughts about the panel responses as well as their own thoughts regarding the 2 questions about the future of the Women's Spirituality Movement.

The panel's responses were videotaped and the proceedings from this panel are scheduled to be published sometime in 2014 in the ASWM's Journal.

AfraShe mindfully shares:

"It was truly a 'Gathering of Wise Hearts' . . . & while I was only in attendance for a day it was great to spend the day talking about wimmin & myth & wimmin's spirituality with others who have been at the forefront of social justice, gender equalty and who included all those who were on our panel as well as a number of others, Sistras, Max, Anne, Chief Luisah, Arisika, Vicki, Cheryl, Sudie, Rashidah, Sid and a host of others who helped to make this a remarkable, and absolutely wimmin-affirmative™ gathering . . ."

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An Excerpt:

An Open Letter,

with Thanks, to the Foremothers

Posted on June 2, 2012 by gscholars | 4 Comments

An Open Letter, with Thanks, to the Foremothers, by Molly Harris

"I knew that the ASWM conference would be really enjoyable and interesting, but I had no idea how amazingly meaningful and life-enhancing it would be for me. Just sitting in that ballroom and seeing so many wise women in one place, I realized that each began some 30-40 years ago in a very small way to create a new spirituality that brought back an ancient spirituality.

I was touched by the power in that room, and the willingness of everyone to come together and share in spite of differences of approach. In fact, the differences were what made the conference whole and complete. I felt a connection with each woman I sat by at lunch or spoke to in between sessions. Everyone was wise and supportive."

ASWM Diversity Statement
It is the purpose of ASWM events to bring together people of diverse disciplines and backgrounds, in order to develop and strengthen scholarship concerning women in mythology and the female divine.

Participation of all people from diverse cultural, spiritual, racial and ethnic backgrounds is encouraged. We do not advocate or exclude any view, nor do we permit proselytizing. Respect for each other's views is essential for the success of our events and our organization.

Bee Goddess of Rhodes

The goal of ASWM is to support the work of those whose scholarly/creative endeavors explore or elucidate aspects of the sacred feminine, women and mythology.

You’ll find posts about all this and more on our Blog Posts.

Our most recent event was our 2012 Conference in San Francisco. Check our blog for responses and links to conference.

There is also a special session, “California Foremothers of Women’s Spirituality,” featuring Z Budapest, Morning Glory Zell, Letecia Layson, Macha NightMare, Lucia Birnbaum, AfraShe Asungi, and Jean Shinoda Bolen, and others.