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1Feminism Without BordersAs I began my journey through Transnational Feminism I thought of many questions. The most poignant was why did the women activists that we read about end up working with particular groups of women? Was it random? Was it strategic?

Pratt: located herself in space and time. She had a connection with the Phillipine Women Centre. Bullington and Swarr had attended a Lesbian and Gay conference in South area in the late nineties and decided to return to the area to conduct related research. As open lesbians, there was also a personal appeal to the community activism in South African as it related to Lesbians and Gays.Ananya: Was using what she loved, the power of dance and movement, to work for causes of feminism and social justice.

Canada, South Africa, New York

2The presence of borders in my life has been both exclusionary and enabling, and I strive to envision a critically transnational (internationalist) feminist praxis moving through these borders (Mohanty, 2003, p. 2)

(L-R) Mexico, Jamaica, U.S.A., Nigeria, Korea, Nigeria

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Mexico

4Home: Mi casa es su casaWe have tried to unsettle not only any notion of feminism as an all-encompassing home but also the assumption that there are discrete, coherent, and absolutely separate identities---homes within feminism---based on absolute divisions between various sexual, racial, or ethnic identities(Mohanty, 2003, p. 86).5

Winston Salem, NCFrom Costa Chica, Guerrero, Mexico

6PraxisIt is important to challenge the premise of theory and practice, ivory tower and porch, the lettered and the unlettered, as opposite poles The SKMS has resisted the compartmentalization of theory from practice. Swarr & Nagar, 2010, p. 127).7

Salem College, NCSeptember 25, 2012

8www.weboaal.com

The blood that unites us, is thicker than the waters that divide us.

9Querida hermana gemela!Te felicito por tu presentacin inconmensurable! No solamente has tenido un aforo repleto, sino que adems, has conseguido mantener al pblico totalmente interesado -con tu informacin pero tambin, tu sentido del humor y la interaccin con las alumnas- Despus de clase mis alumnas hablaban todava de la presentacin y seguan teniendo preguntas. Y sinceramente, yo tambin me siento con curiosidad y me has abierto mucho los ojos, es cierto! Por qu no se habla de la cultura africana tanto cuando se estudia espaol, si la herencia africana est TAN PRESENTE!!!! en Latinoamrica????? Ya s que andas muy ocupada, pero me encantara invitarte a un caf en un rato libre y charlar sobre el tema. Me ha encantado tu presentacin y estoy deseando que termines tu tesis, ojal me invites a la defensa!!! :)

Dicho todo esto, me disculpo por no haberte mandado una tarjeta para felicitarte, pero yo, como t, soy muy pasional y prefiero decir lo que siento en caliente!!! Felicidades, compaera!!! Muchos besos,

Ana, Personal Communication, September 25, 2012

10Sound Journey

Latin American Poetry meets African drumming

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Cuba

12When working with Philipino women in Canada, Pratt conducted individual interviews because they allowed a more thorough examination of the particularities of individual lives (Pratt, 2010, p. 69)

13Osmel, de Cuba, 2005We have another problem here in Cuba, light skinned versus dark skinned. Since I am a very dark man, the women prefer not to have children with me. They want to have children by white men so that their offspring can be mulatto, which would mean better opportunities for them as well as better hair, and lighter skin. They call it mejorando or blanqueando la raza (bettering/whitening the race).

14Flor, de CubaMany things are racist in Cuba. There are many racists who dont like Whites and Whites who dont like Blacks. Some jobs prefer Whites, but they do it discreetly. Sometimes they say negroand they fight. Ay the relationships between Blacks and Whites. A Black woman and a White woman can be best friends, but the moment her White son wants to date your Black daughter, the friendship is over. God forgive me. There were three pastors who I loved at my church, but one came to visit my church. He was not for interracial couples. He preached that you cant wear one black shoe and one white shoe (Flor, personal communication, March 21, 2012).

15Paloma, de la Repblica DominicanaI had a friend who was White when I was in elementary school. She asked if she could touch my hair. I tensed up because I knew if she touched it, it would feel differently than hers. I did not want her to touch it. Then there was a time when we had one Haitian girl in our class. Her family was well to do, but she dressed differently and spoke Spanish with a Haitian accent. At that time all of the Dominican girls had relaxers, she wore her hair in a short afro. Although she was my friend, the kids teased her mercilessly (Paloma, personal communication, March 21, 2012).

16Mariposa, de PanamIn Panam, I never felt discriminated against because of race. We were middle class so I didnt feel anything, but I understand that there used to be a difference. My grandma had told me about the history of segregation which they called the silver and gold system. They labeled the water fountains gold for Whites and silver for Blacks. Although I never experienced racism in Panam, I knew there was something there. Looking back, I notice that Whites are the only faces you see on TV although the country is 70% Black (Mariposa, personal communication, March 20, 2012).

17Zoe Saldaa I am a Black woman!

When I go to the D.R., the press in Santo Domingo always asks, Qu te consideras, dominicana o americana? (What do you consider yourself, Dominican or American?) I dont understand it, and its the same people asking the same question. So I say, time and time again, Yo soy una mujer negra. (I am a black woman.) [They go,] Oh, no, t eres trigueita. (Oh no, you are just dark skinned) Im like, No! Lets get it straight, yo soy una mujer negra. (I am a black woman).

http://lovemyblack.com/zoe-saldana-get-it-straight-i-am-a-black-woman/

18Gracias hermana,It will be nice to have a film festival with a focus on the African Diaspora in the Spanish-speaking world. A worthy joint-venture dont you think? If you have the time, let me know. Uchenna, Personal Communication. Sep 10, 2012.

Welcome to Cincinnati 19

Mis queridas estudiantes de Hola, Salem College

20See you online! Nos vemos!http://www.weboaal.com/travelogue.htm

21ReferencesMohanty, C.T. (2003). Feminism without borders: Decolonizing theory, practicing solidarity. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Pratt, G. (2010). Seeing beyond the state: Toward transnational feminist organizing. In A.L. Swarr & R. Nagar (Eds.), Critical transnational feminist praxis. (pp. 1-20). NY: SUNY Press.

Bullington, S. & Swarr, A.L. (2010). Conflicts and collaborations: Building trust in transnational South Africa. In A.L. Swarr & R. Nagar (Eds.), Critical transnational feminist praxis. (pp. 1-20). NY: SUNY Press.

Nagar, R. & Swarr, A.L. (2010). Theorizing transnational feminist praxis. In A.L. Swarr & R. Nagar (Eds.), Critical transnational feminist praxis. (pp. 1-20). NY: SUNY Press.

Tinsley, O.N., Chatterjea, A. , Wilcox, H.N., & Gibney, S. (2010). So much to remind us we are dancing on other peoples blood: Moving toward artistic excellence, moving from silence to speech, moving in water, with Ananya Dance Theatre. In A.L. Swarr & R. Nagar (Eds.), Critical transnational feminist praxis. (pp. 1-20). NY: SUNY Press.

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