By BRUCE MORRIS Executive Director, Human Dignity Coalition
March is Women’s History Month Human Dignity Coalition is celebrating local women with our annual HERstory Open Mic on Thursday, March 22 at Broken Top Bottle Shop Ale Café in Bend.
Human Dignity Coalition (HDC) has been organizing HERstory since 2003. This is a night to celebrate the music, voices performances of women in our community. Of course men are welcome encouraged to join the audience.
The word HERstory is taken from the feminist term that plays off of the word history (“his-story”). Women’s history is recognized in HerStory events all over the country. Our local version celebrates the powerful presence contributions of women in Central Oregon.
The history of women often seems to be written with invisible ink. Even when recognized in their own times, women are often not included in the history books. In fact, Women’s History Month was not formally recognized until 1978. HERstory allows us to honor the women of our own community, celebrate those who are making a difference through their art, music dance. We also have an amazing time every year.
This year Women’s History Month is dedicated to Women in Education, which we will spotlight at HerStory. Years past have featured belly dancing, drumming, spoken word, lots of music Betty the Dancing Granny. We expect no less from this year’s event.
HDC has been working in Central Oregon since 1992 to advance safeguard human rights promote equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Queer community in Central Oregon. As a grassroots organization, HDC works to cultivate focus the power of collaboration partnership to build safer schools for our children, marriage equality for all committed couples, a deeper level of equality that just laws on the books for the LGBTQ other vulnerable communities to work to create a more just equal community for all people.
Whether you want to be in the audience or have some talent to share, this st ing room only event is sure to make you proud to be a woman, or proud to know one.
HERstory Open Mic, Wednesday, Thursday March 22, 7pm (performers sign it by 6:45).
Broken Top Bottle Shop Ale Café, 1740 NW PENCE LANE (at the College Way Circle). $5 donation, performers get in free. To perform or for more information, contact Emily at eswainscoat@yahoo.com.