Women Rising Radio Program XIX: Masters of the Spoken Word
EVE ENSLER: Feminist dramatist, writer and activist Eve Ensler is in the forefront of the struggle for the rights of girls and women. Abused herself as a young child, Eve began writing very early in life to deal with her own feelings. Her strong work first came to national and international attention with her major hit play The Vagina Monologues. It has been translated into 45 languages – yes, 45! And it’s been performed just about everywhere on Earth. An investigative oddyssey to the Democratic Republic of the Congo revealed to Eve that the abuse of girls and women is far worse than that decried in her hit play. She founded V-Day, her worldwide movement to end violence against women and girls. V-Day has raised millions of dollars and built hospitals and safe houses for women and girls in the hardest hit places on the planet. Eve has also written books, among them her latest titled I Am An Emotional Creature: The Secret Life Of Girls Around The World. It has also been performed as a play.
DIANE FERLATTE: African American storyteller and performance artist Diane Ferlatte has shared her gift of the gab worldwide – bridging racial and cultural divides wherever she’s performed. She grew up in the US in Louisiana, moving to California when she was about 10 years old. In Louisiana she inherited the rich oral and story telling traditions of generations of bayou culture. She began telling stories to her own children in order to get them to read – so they would be properly educated. Others saw her telling stories at her church, and urged her to perform for a living. She’s done handsomely at that. She has travelled from Africa to Australia, and New Zealand to Canada, to Europe and all over the US, enthralling audiences with her tales. And she was invited to perform at the Clinton inaugural in Washington D.C. She’s made many cd’s including the Grammy nominated Whickety Whack Brer Rabbit is Back! And her one woman performance piece Sepalo! was hailed as a cultural blockbuster. Listen to her spinning a tale for you…