Jane Fonda speaks on Activism May 5, 2008

JANE FONDA’S
SPEECH ON ART & ACTIVISM FOR
V-DAY NEW ORLEANS…April 13th, 2008

Oh mercy, oh my—it feels like when the levees broke it blew the lid off the ninth ward and Parrish unleashed these voices, these poems, these words, these doves of peace, these attitudes –power and solidarity. I don’t know think they knew what they were unleashing. And I say “they” because it wasn’t the natural disaster that did it, it was man made—it was negligence and lack of caring. That broke the levees.

I don’t know about you but I’ve been rocked to my core and I’m so grateful to Eve and V-day for creating this chance for all of us to witness the power of the women of New Orleans. Their words, their poems and songs gave voice to all the women from all the corners of the world that have been represented here so beautifully—the Congo, Kenya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Croatia, Serbia, Phillipines and it has enabled us to understand in our bodies, in our cells what sisterhood and solidarity feel like. That’s what art does. No woman no cry. Everything’s gonna be alright.

Read entire post at Roshi Joan Halifax’ blog