FEMINIST WRITING: The Fine Print Episode #3 with Nora Loreto

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nora Loreto is an activist based in Quebec City. She is the author of Take Back the Fight, Organizing Feminism in the Digital Age (Fernwood Publishing, 2020) and From Demonized to Organized, Building the New Union Movement (2013).

Nora is the editor of the Canadian Association of Labour Media and a sought-after facilitator. She presents regularly on media relations, writing, editing, social media and online security and privacy.

Nora writes regularly for magazines, newspapers and online outlets. She speaks about social movement organizing, activism, the far right and many other topics. She co-hosts Sandy and Nora Talk Politics with Sandy Hudson.

Locally, Nora is involved in many solidarity and anti-Islamophobia movements.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In Take Back The Fight, Loreto examines the state of modern feminism in Canada and argues that feminists must organize to take back feminism from politicians, business leaders and journalists who distort and obscure its power. Furthermore, Loreto urges today’s activists to overcome the challenges that sank the movement decades ago, to stop centering whiteness as the quintessential woman’s experience, and to find ways to rebuild the communities that have been obliterated by neoliberal economic policies.

“Charting a tumultuous history of mainstream feminism, Nora Loreto’s Take Back the Fight is a clarion call for a large-scale, intersectional and radical feminist movement in Canada.”

— Harsha Walia, author of Undoing Border Imperialism

Out on October 25, 2020. You can order from Fernwood Publishing or from your favourite local bookstore.

ABOUT IN FINE PRINT

The Fine Print is a new, FEC MEMBER EXCLUSIVE, one-hour online series about writing and reading hosted by Lana Pesch that aims to explore an author’s process, purpose and what it means to be a an activist writer.

The Fine Print series will host a total of six conversations with author from now until June 2021. We hope you will join us!

LiisBeth suggests that you purchase your books from the publishers or independent bookstores.

ABOUT THE FEC

The Feminist Enterprise Commons (FEC) is a online co-working space for enterprising womxn, gender nonconforming and trans feminists looking for community, bravery and support for building, resourcing and strengthening norm-busting feminist enterprises (and by “enterprise” we mean businesses, nonprofits, collectives, co-ops and any basically kind of project).

This community was created and is lovingly cared for by LiisBethMX, a Canadian nonprofit enterprise which also publishes www.liisBeth.com.Here you will find new friends despite closed borders, unique member-initiated meet ups, skill-share workshops, ad-hoc mentors and transformational learning and sharing opportunities--plus a chance to process and debate today's painful and encouraging current events with feminist academics, political advocates, artists, enterprise founders, and community leaders. You don't need to wear a mask when you come in. And everyone makes and brings their coffee! Essentially, we operate a bit like an collectivist, enterprise mutual aid network for those working to create sustainable, impactful flourishing enterprises of any kind that challenges--ok--in some cases—outright defies tenets of capitalism, white supremacy, colonialism and patriarchy not to mention dominant entrepreneurship and innovation narratives. We need this space because working outside of the system in order to create and experiment with new systems and models is hard, undervalued as a form of innovation and under resourced because outcomes don’t fit the “reinforce the status quo” formula that determines access.

Collectively, our members are a circuit of diverse, compassionate open-hearted activist-oriented entrepreneurs creators, researchers and community leaders known as "FEC'ers".Apart from all the benefits, FEC'ers also gather here because this is a non-surveilled (i.e.: Not Facebook), non-patriarchal, adventurous, safe, intersectional, inter-generational, trans inclusive space.

We are based in Toronto, Ontario, and therefore, not surprisingly bring a uniquely Canadian feminist perspective to this work. Toronto has arguably become the North American centre for the advancement of feminist enterprise. We gratefully operate in a culture and nation where leaders talk about “intersectional feminism” in parliament without derision. That said, at present, about 30% of our members are in the U.S. and 10% are from other countries including France and India. Can't wait to meet you!

STOP!! This is NOT a womxn's empowerment network--though we promise this space will make you feel powerFUL, plus refreshed, challenged and supported.

Social media handles @FECtrek @liisbethq www.liisbeth.com

ABOUT LIISBETH.COM

LiisBeth is a womxn-led and owned indie intersectional-lens centered feminist media enterprise with a global outlook based in Tkaronto (Toronto), Ontario, on the traditional lands of the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinabek, and the Mississaugas of the New Credit.

We publish an open-access monthly digital magazine (two-five features) and subscriber only newsletter for feminist entrepreneurs, creators, innovators, leaders and “solutionaries” working to re-imagine the economy and change business culture.” We also co-produce the Entrepreneurial Feminist Forum (EFF) and have recently launched a new membership-based online community space, the Feminist Enterprise Commons, where solutionaries can meet, share and learn.

We exist because there are not enough stories being published about womxn entrepreneurs, creators and though leaders who work to build anti-oppressive, anti-racist, gender-lens informed enterprises and communities. This work is hard. Imperfect. And deserves to be recorded and supported.

A WORD ABOUT OUR TICKET PRICING PHILOSOPHY

To recognize the value of the work that will go into this event and to generate some funds to fairly pay our presenter plus helps sustain the work of Liisbeth.com and the Feminist Enterprise Commons' online community, FEC event tickets are available at three price levels: Future Doula, Culture Maker and Pay What You Can--even if it is only $2.00 (no judgement!). It's about the commitment to show up--not the amount.

To select the ticket option that feels right for you, draw on the wisdom and example of Holly Poole-Kavana at Red Bird Botanicals. CV Harquail brought this framework to our attention. Holly created this guidance (below) which we cite with gratitude.

Consider choosing a lower ticket level if you:

• are supporting children or have other dependents
• have significant debt
• have medical expenses not covered by insurance
• receive public assistance
• have immigration-related expenses
• are an elder with limited financial support
• are an unpaid community organizer
• Consider choosing a higher ticket level if you:

Consider a higher ticket level if you:

• own the home you live in
• have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money
• travel recreationally
• have access to family money and resources in times of need
• work part time by choice
• have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, physical ability, etc.) Even if you are not currently exercising your earning power, I ask you to recognize this as a choice.