HERSTORY: My work around women of color politics began to develop during my study at UC Santa Cruz largely due to the influence and leadership of feminists of color like Angela Davis, Aida Hurtado, and Catriona Rueda Esquivel. In the same respect, my consciousness had always been developing since childhood and like many others this was often from the women in my immediate family. A prominent figure in my life was my aunt, Nancy Eulalia Ramirez-Valdez (b.1935-2007).
With the encouragement of a friend from college, I came to work in radio as a co-host and DJ at KZSC. The show was called "Ladies of Jazz" and we featured women of color artists in hip-hop, salsa, jazz, and spoken word and local talent as well like Nandi Ellis and Genny Lim. We also helped organize a benefit hip hop concert to raise money for La Familia Center. When I moved to San Francisco I decided to start Macha Femme Productions in 1999 to continue my work supporting women of color artists.
-Mica Valdez
Founder-Executive Director
CURRENT PROGRAMS>>>
Macha Femme Productions
Black and Brown Visions is a multimedia group show featuring conscious women of color emcees. This annual event is a benefit for the program Sistas Take back the Mic!
Macha Femme Press
The Xochiquetzalli Award for Poetry was awarded to Gabriela Erandi Rico (2006, judged by Genny Lim). The anthology for Native American and Latina women artists and poets is forthcoming, 2010.
Macha Noticias, is an on-line group and newsletter for women of color artists and writers.
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Sistas Take Back The Mic!:
[Charitable Youth Arts Organization]
Sistas Take Back The Mic! is a summer workshop series and rap competition for young women of color aspiring emcees (ages 16-25). Dates and Location TBA.
Blaze Poetics
Graduate students of color and alumni, MFA Creative Writing program at Mills College in Oakland.
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Past projects include multimedia group shows: Daughters of Coyolxauhqui and Ojos Indigenas (Corazon del Pueblo), art workshops (Southern Exposure Gallery, Youth-In-Action, Corazon del Pueblo, LYRIC, and more) and jobs for youth (California Academy of Sciences Museum). Some organizations Macha Femme has collaborated with are: Serafemme Queer Women of Color Music Festival, LYRIC, Corazon del Pueblo, Galeria de la Raza, Chica Luna Productions, Danza Azteca Xitlalli, Latin Eyes TV, Univision, Mission Dignity, and the California Academy of Sciences Museum. girls layout @ MyHotComments