On this week’s 51%, we spend time with feminist poet and activist Margaret Randall, she has advice for activists today and a Native American poet says working on her latest volume brought some pain to the surface.
Whether it is one object or several, we all have touchstones. Things that we consider crucial to our life story. I, for one, still have a bunting that my mother’s best friend knitted for me. It reminds me that I was once a newbie in this galaxy, with practically all of life left to learn, like how to walk, impressionable, unencumbered. “My Life in 100 Objects” is a personal reflection on the events and moments that shaped the life and work of Margaret Randall. She is a feminist, activist and internationally renowned poet. Through each “object,” in her new book Randall uncovers another part of herself. She begins in a museum in Amman, Jordan, and ends in the Latin American Studies Association in Boston. Interwoven throughout are her most precious relationships, her growth as an artist, and her brave, revolutionary spirit. Randall spoke with 51%’s Elizabeth Hill about what inspired her to tell her life story using a collection of objects.
That was feminist poet Margaret Randall speaking with 51%’s Elizabeth Hill. Randall’s recently released memoir is called “My Life in 100 Objects.” It is published by NYU Press.
Poet Heid E. Erdrich is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe. She has authored several volumes of poetry. Her latest is called “Little Big Bully.” KFAI’s Sheila Regan has more.
Denmark’s Parliament has passed a bill that will recognize that sex without consent is rape. Amnesty International Women’s Rights Researcher, Anna B?u? says it is the result of years of campaigning by survivors who, by telling their painful stories, have helped to ensure that other women do not have to go through what they endured. Denmark becomes the 12th country in Europe to recognize sex without consent as rape, although momentum for change is building in other countries to amend their laws. Greece amended its rape definition in 2019 and Spain and the Netherlands recently announced plans to amend their national laws to recognize this.
A recent study by the University at Albany and partners found that a mother’s postpartum depression can last for a full three years after the birth of her baby and, in some cases, get worse over time. Published in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the study found that one-quarter of mothers had elevated depressive symptoms in the three years after the birth of their babies. Additionally, young mothers, those without college education and those with gestational diabetes were at a higher risk for depressive symptoms.
That’s our show for this week. Thanks to Tina Renick for production assistance. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock. Our theme music is Glow in the Dark by Kevin Bartlett. This show is a national production of Northeast Public Radio. If you’d like to hear this show again, sign up for our podcast, or visit the 51% archives on our web site at wamc.org. And follow us on Twitter @51PercentRadio
