Accent of Women

On March 17, 2015, thousands of jornaleras and jornaleros (agricultural workers) from the town of San Quintin, in Baja California (Mexico) marched to the US border, to demand fair wages, sanitation, housing, an end to the 21st century slatery conditions they have endured for decade and that the NAFTA has just made worst.Gloria Gracida Martnez is a teacher and activist, a former jornalera and a spokes-person for the movement. On Accent of Women she talked to us about the story of the march and two month long occupation and strike, the formation of their union, and educating the youth abouth fighting for their rights.Boycott Driscoll campaign.

International Women's Day ‪#‎IWD2016‬ we have put together a special show showcasing two of our favourite recent interviews. Lourdes Garcia-Larque spoke with teacher and activist Gloria Gracida, about the struggle of strawberry pickers in the Mexican border, their fight for justice, their newly formed union & the boycott against multinational company Driscoll. You can find more information about the campaign following this link.Jiselle Hanna spoke with Filipino activist Liza Maza. They spoke about resisting American imperialism in the Asia Pacific region, and about the impacts of military bases in the Philippines.

Colombian artists Katherine Gailer & Maria Esther Pena talk about their upcoming EXHIBITION ▷ INHABITED: A Magical Realism that opens on Tuesday, 2 February 2016, 5 -7pm, 45 Downstairs (45 Flinders Lane) in Melbourne. We talked about Magical Realism, telling different stories and being an Immigrant. We discussed about what is a "LAtin american" artist in Australia.Dates: 2 – 13 February 2016Opening Night: Tuesday, 2 February 2016, 5 -7pmINHABITED: A Magical Realism’ is a group exhibition by Colombian-Australian artists Katherine Gailer and Maria Peña comprising a collection of visual metaphors representing identities in transition, disintegration and reconstruction. It presents a body of works– which incorporates oil paintings and drawings– aiming to uncover the magical realism, which inhabits Australia’s multicultural landscape. The artists reveal a mythical dimension, which embraces visions of fragmented memories and dreamlike sates arising out of the journeys of people migrating, being displaced and travelling around the globe. These are experiences of dislocation that give birth to new identities and generate unique cultural connections. Moreover, INHABITED holds deeper meanings inspired by a shift of consciousness, a spiritual awakening, and presents art that facilitates the depiction of new interconnected realities. The works presented are strongly concerned with the intrinsic relationship that exists between nature, the human spirit and identity.While exploring stories of diaspora and myths in Melbourne’s demographic, it became evident for the artists that experiences of relocation unfold deep spiritual and social transformations that affect the public consciousness. Hereby, Peña and Gailer are drawn to the possibility of creating art that serves as a window to alternative realities, which enables processes of reconciliation with past memories, the self and our natural environment. Just as Marc Auge described it: ‘Humankind is not in ruins it is in reconstruction’. By exposing their artistic response to issues of memory and relocation, these women aim to create an imaginary landscape. A scenery, where humans are often portrayed interacting with flowers, water, animals and other natural forms– as well as overlapped spaces– as a way to express the complexities of beings navigating the in-between places, that exist in the past and present. As immigrants in Australia, INHABITED is a fascinating platform for Gailer and Peña to explore identities in transit, restore myths, awaken memory and open new spiritual spaces. An exhibition inviting the audience to imagine, reconstruct and decipher their own magical realism.INHABITED is proudly supported by Multicultural Arts VictoriaDETAILS:Free EventOpening Night: Tuesday 2 February 2016, 5 – 7pmExhibition Runs: 2 February – 13 February 2016Location: Fortyfive Downstairs Gallery(45 Flinders Ln, Melbourne 3000 VIC)Opening Hours: Tue to Fri: 11am - 5 pmSat: 12pm - 4pm Artists Websites:www.katherinegailer.comwww.maria-pena.com

January 26.  Australia Day.  It marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, in New South Wales, the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at that site by Governor Arthur Phillip, the invasion of Australia and the start of genocide against the original owners of this land.  We should not celebrate Australia Day, and to tell us why, Aboriginal woman, Daniela Rochford joins us on Accent of Women.

Canadian-Australian mining company OceanaGold continues a US$315 million US dollar lawsuit against El Salvador, a small country in Central America. This is possible under the Free Trade Agreement laws. a snapshot of what could come with the secretive TPP. Vidalina Morales speaks about environmental impact in an already fragile country, and about the violence used by mining companies to eliminate activists.

In November 2014, Filipina transgender woman, Jennifer Laude was murdered by US marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton. He has not been brought to justice. On this week and next, Accent of Women looks at this case and the campaign for justice.

In November 2014, Filipina transgender woman, Jennifer Laude was murdered by US marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton.  He has not been brought to justice.  On this week and next, Accent of Women looks at this case in some detail.

We discuss the situation of political prisoners in Peru over the last 20 years, particularly in the context of  the fierce anti-communism of the Fujimori regime, and the recent changes to the incarceration system.We talk about how political prisoners have used art as a therapeutic tool and a way to share their stories.Viviana Salas is a Peruvian photographer living in Melbourne and the curator of Art Inside, an exhibition presented at the Victorian Trades Hall suering May this year.The exhibition presented artwork produced by political prisoners around the world, including West Papua, Chile and Peru. The interview was recorded ruing the time of the exhibition.

In the context of recent Reclaim Australia demonstrations against immigrants, muslims and generally people of colour, we bring some updates on the Middle East. We will hear about the everyday life of people in Syria that forces people to cross their borders from Hanan Maarouf ‪#‎SyriansForFreedom‬ in a speech she gave at the‪#‎StopReclaimAustralia‬ rally in Melbourne in November 22. We will also hear Palestinian socialist Reem with updates on Palestine, the most recent Intifada and upcoming solidarity events from ‪#‎CAIA‬ Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid.

African feminism is as old as society. From Kenyan women asserting their right to dress as they choose and Nigerians standing up to the misogynist Boko Haram to feminists organising across the continent for LGBTIQ rights. The Socialist Feminist organisation, Radical Women, recently organised a public meeting on Feminism in Africa. Nita Okoko, Kenyan feminist and international student at Melbourne University was the keynote speaker, and 3CR's Areej Nur recorded the speech.Nita started off by explaining that in many respects, it's difficult to discuss feminism in Africa – an entire continent, and that the expression of women's struggle is very different depending on where in Africa you are. Nonetheless, Nita embarked on this mammoth task.