social justice – Susan Feathers

The Raging Grannies have been advocating for democracy, justice, and social and economic equality since the 1980’s. Now Herstory includes an international group of wise women elders who use song and humor to deliver stinging commentary to educate and motivate for change. Tell me this is not powerful!

The Raging Grannies began in 1987 in Victoria, British Columbia, and quickly spread across the country. White, middle-class, educated, between the age of 52 and 67, they were anthropologist, teachers, businesswoman, counsellor, artists, homemakers, and librarian. Initially they were reacting to the threat to health and environment posed by the visit of US Navy warships and submarines in the waters surrounding Victoria, vessels that could be powered by nuclear reactors and/or equipped with nuclear arms. They were also reacting to sexism and ageism within the peace group they were involved with: relegated to making coffee, they found little receptivity for their ideas. Finally, when asked about the beginning of the Raging Grannies most went back to their lifelong engagement in a variety of causes. For a few, activism was new. One woman, whose husband was an ex-military officer, was surprised to see possibly nuclear US Navy vessels literally in her backyard (Brightwell, 1998). Phoning around she was outraged to find that there were no emergency plans for the civilian population, only for the military base. ~ Carole Roy, Ph.D. Candidate in Adult Education at OISE/UT

I’m especially prone toward spunky women who make a difference because of my own paternal grandmother, Hattie Mae (Smalling) Feathers. She lived in East Tennessee in the small community of Watauga. During her life which spanned the late nineteenth to the latter 20th centuries, she was a member of the first all-women’s baseball team of Watauga, a Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR), a Suffragette and a graduate of East Tennessee State Normal School (now ETSU) in the 1940s: she walked across the graduation stage to not only accept her diploma but that of her son (my Dad) whose diploma was awarded while he was flying B-29s in WWII! Talk about courage and drive….

Hattie Mae in Her Youth. Think about it. This was probably around 1900 when women had no vote and were generally unheard and unseen. Not Hattie Mae!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

Starting in November, I will be reading from Threshold, my new novel published by Fireship Press. I hope to schedule many kinds of readings from bookstores, to organizations, to private book clubs in Tucson, Phoenix, and the region. I am also happy to talk with nonprofit groups working toward similar goals who may wish to fund raise with the boo–a portion of the book sales to go to your mission.

November 12 I will read and discuss the book at the Annual Membership Meeting of the Tucson Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, PSA Chapter Arizona, to be held at the Amity Foundation.

PSR Arizona works toward a sustainable society, mitigating climate change through clean energy production, resiliency building among neighborhoods, and a nuclear weapon-free world. PSR developed Climate Smart Southwest, a training program for neighborhood leaders and associations to begin to build relationships and knowledge in their residents for combat climate change and also to work toward more sustaining ways of living. Clean energy, local food production, and emergency procedures are all part of the training. The hope is that Tucson and the region will respond to climate change with a blend of old and new technologies that will protect people’s health while building a sustainable future in the Southwest.

In Threshold characters are dealing with impending water shortage while managing frequent power failures in the Southwest during increasingly hot temperatures. Hyperthermia and heat stroke are common, and without specific knowledge and action on the part of citizens, an increase in fatalities shocks the community. As the story progresses characters make decisions, allowing readers to consider what they might do in similar conditions, or how their own community can plan to mitigate climate change in their own region.