Yup...we are doing this thing again!

But I want to share a new spin on the photo challenge. One selfieist on Instagram thought up #365FeministLife to use this year. From what I can tell selfies are definitely cool for the challenge, but the life part of the hashtag allows you to NOT selfie on some or most days, but to show the world how you live a feminist life. HOW COOL IS THAT?! I am looking forward to a lot of every day feminist life photos.

Also be sure to keep an eye on #366FeministSelfie as it is a leap year. Some of us will also be using #365FeministSelfieLeapDay on February 29th.

In other words, because it's a leap year, it might be a hot mess around the hashtag! But as always it will be a lot of fun and discovery.

I hope you will (continue to) join us for another year of awesome.

Veronica


We're just days away from the Midwest Retreat! We're so excited to see everyone.

Program Schedule:
Conference Schedule  Day One: 
9:00am-9:30am – Registration / Meet & Greet.
9:30am-10:30am – Group Discussion & Ice Breaker
10:30am-11:30am – Rae Reed, Writer & Editor, presents a Writing   Workshop: Writing for Wellbeing
11:30am-1:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm-2:00pm – Self Care Hour! Join us in the conference room for   coloring books and/or a stitch’n’bitch, or feel free to take a nap or
2:00pm-3:00pm – Pauline Campos, Writer, on Body Image:   Ourselves & Our Children
3:00pm-4:00pm – Veronica Arreola, Professional Feminist, on   Feminist Theory & the 365 Selfie Project
4:00pm-4:15pm – Break – change your clothes before DDPP if you   wish, or grab a snack for energy!
4:15pm-5:15pm – “Girl Power” DDPP (Dance Dance Party Party)  with DJs  Soozapalooza and Hanna Bananahammock
6:00pm-8:00pm – Dinner as a group - Sidebar

Day Two:  
9:00am-9:30am – Wake up session
9:30am-10:30am – Elizabeth Hawksworth, Writer, on Native Rights:   A Feminist Point of View
10:30am-12:00pm – Offsite at Phoenix Rising Printmaking   Cooperative (243 S 5th St, #140):  Amanda Farler, Printmaker, on   Women’s Leadership and Fellowship in the Visual Arts
12:00-1:30 – Group lunch – Milestone 229

There is still space available if you wish to join us. Simply register! But please do note that lunch on Saturday has already been ordered.

Special thanks to all of our generous sponsors, donors, vendors, speakers, and conference organizers. In no particular order and with warm gratitude extended equally to all: Bitch Magazine, Veronica Arreola, Rae Reed, Cinnamon Cooper / Poise, Pauline Campos, Joyful Girl Bakery, Sand Steel Designs, Alison Biggs, Terri Roberts, Shannon Hillinger, Amy Battagglia, Hanna Wheeler, Suzanne Jangda, Andrea Plante, Alexis Thompson, Cara Laird, Elizabeth Hawksworth, Amy Rhime, Amanda Farler / Phoenix Rising Printmaking Coop, Jennifer Subsavage, Melissa Carden, Amanda McIntosh, Diane Bonham, Diva Cup, Mahasin Ameen, Tamara Harris, Jorje Axline, Sckoon Cup, Laura Kazak, Ulysses Press, all of our silent auction bidders, and everyone else who supported us via our Booster t-shirt, zazzle.com, and Jamberry fundraisers!

Conference Committee: Veronica Arreola, Shannon Hillinger, Cara Laird, Amy Rhime

Veronica


Can you believe we're less than a month away?!

Things to note:
  • The hotel can no longer honor the conference rate on the retreat page. 
  • Please register by Sunday, October 25th to be included in group meals. 
  • After you register, fill out our poll for group meals! 
  • Anyone who supports feminism and selfies can attend this retreat. You don't have to have been actively participating in any of the #365FeministSelfie communities. 
Have additional questions? Just leave them in the comments!

See you in a few weeks!

Veronica

In order to make sure that our upcoming retreat is as low-cost as possible, we are holding an online auction. There is a great assortment of fab things to bid on. Get an early holiday gift or treat yo self!

Check out some of our fab items!

#365FeministSelfie Auction items

There's an adorable bat shirt for the smallest caped crusader, $100 gift certificate to Poise.cc, an autographed copy OR audio book of Tamara Winfrey Harris' "The Sisters Are Alright," One-year subscription to Bitch magazine, three different handmade bookmarks from Pauline Campos, two hand crafted infinity scarves with a secret pocket, your choice of a Diva Cup, and a beautiful print of the Tulsa skyline.

#365FeministSelfie Auction items
For those in Tuscon, Arizona, a Yoga Therapy Session with Lydni Rivers, also for Tuscon residents a gift certificate for your choice of either 24 cupcakes or one 8" 2-layer cake from  Cara of Joyful Girl Bakery (she also runs this auction!), a horsehair raku vase, your choice of a Sckoon Cup Mentrual Cup and a teddy bear made from your favorite piece of clothing.

The auction ends on September 7th so get those bids in now!

Thanks for helping us hold a retreat that is as affordable as possible.

Veronica


We're gearing up for the #365FeministSelfie Midwest Retreat!

Reminder that we will be meeting in Columbus, OH on November 7 and 8, 2015.

And we have hotel information for you:

The Holiday Inn® Hotel Columbus Downtown - Capitol Square
175 E. Town Street Columbus, OH 43215
614.221.3281  <<< Ask for reservations

Rate: $109+17.5% tax.

Rooms must be reserved by October 6th. 

Key Amenities:
  • On-site parking for a $10 nightly fee 
  • Complimentary airport shuttle between 7:00am and 11:00pm.
  • Gym
  • Indoor Pool
If you even 60% or more sure you will be attending, please RSVP via our Facebook event page until we have our registration page up and running. Plus it will be great to connect on Facebook!

Veronica

Thanks to Beth of Vibrant Nation for writing about discovering #365FeministSelfie at Blogher 2015 and how she's joining the community.

As she now knows, some days we tackle the hard issues like fighting the patriarchy and on others we simply support each other when our coffee makers decide to call in sick. #TheStruggleisReal

Veronica


I can't believe it has been two weeks since Blogher 2015! I still feel like I am catching my breath. But I owe you all a short update:
  • Friday's keynote was amazing! I was super nervous, but once I got up on stage talking about this project I was good to go. I did go off script so I failed to mention a few things I did want to say. Especially about how the people who have been most active in #365FeministSelfie are not famous feminists. The hashtag is often their refuge in a world where being a feminist can feel lonely if you do not have a local feminist gang to support you. 
  • While I felt like everywhere I went people were telling me how amazing the project sounded, two people stood out among the well wishers. Marian came to find me once my 10x10 was over and I sat down for lunch. She has a blog to countdown to her 70th birthday. Marian told me that she recently realized how few pictures she had of her life, but would start to use selfies to leave some great pics behind for her children & grandchildren. Then there was Lorne who runs Raising Sienna, his blog about being a dad with depression. He wrote me a note that said he wanted to take a lot of what I had said in my talk home to his daughter for future use. Lorne, as many men have & still do, struggles with his own body image and thinks that incorporating more selfies into his routine with his daughter will benefit both of them.
  •  #365FeministSelfie was mentioned in a few Blogher 2015 round up posts! Thanks to Bella & to Blogher founder, Jory Des Jardins.
  • November Retreat: We are still working on all the fine details, but we do plan to hold a retreat in Columbus, Ohio the weekend of November 6th.  
    • The Portland retreat's schedule was Friday dinner (optional), Saturday all day programming, Sunday morning programming. I hope to stick to that formula. 
  • AUCTION!! We are putting together an auction that should launch in the next few weeks to help cover the expenses of the retreat. The Portland retreat raised enough money that it was a no cost (but bare bones) retreat. 
I have a lot to still dig out from due to Blogher, so thanks for being patient!

Veronica