“Join us, tell us your story” is the prompt given by the Kitchen Sisters for their most recent project, “The Hidden World of Girls.” This is one of 3 storytelling projects I’ve been enjoying lately that center women as storytellers about their lives and histories.
The Hidden World of Girls
The Hidden World of Girls, is a recent project by NPR radio production duo, The Kitchen Sisters. It’s a series of radio documentaries featuring women and stories about women that people called in responding to the full prompt, “Who are the women that inspire you? What are the rituals for girls in your community? Whose stories have yet to be told? Help us on our quest for tales of the extraordinary and everyday, from the past to the present” by calling into the Hidden World of Girls message line (202-408-9576) or leaving stories in writing, images, audio and video on the web form.
This series is available in 2 different hourlong podcasts hosted by Tina Fey including stories that were contributed via the message line and further developed and produced by Tina Fey and the Kitchen Sisters and as a series of shorter stories that have been featured on NRP programming.
Podcasts hosted by Tina Fey: http://www.kitchensisters.org/girlstories/listen-to-tina-fey-host-hwofg/
Shorter stories featured throughout NPR programming: http://www.npr.org/series/125026905/hidden-world-of-girls
Words of Women from the Egyptian Revolution
Words of Women from the Egyptian Revolution “intends to shed the light on the participation of women and to document their experiences as part of the historical (herstorical) memory of the Egyptian revolution. We also view it as a tool for women empowerment everywhere and as a resource for researchers, students and everyone interested in the matter.” A friend of mine recommended the series to me and pointed me towards the project’s call for crowdsourced funding on indiegogo while it was active. This call was not fully funded, but the team, Marta Paz (Art-Work), Sandy Chamoun (Sound Recorder), Salma Shamel (Editor), Nazly Hussein (Executive Producer), and
Leil-Zahra Mortada (Videographer & Director) continues to document women’s stories from the Egyptian Revolution.
Women speak about their experiences and participation in the revolution and reflect on the successes and failures of the revolution movement. It’s inspiring to hear interviewees express their sustained commitment to the demands of the revolution.
In this episode, Maheinor El-Massry speaks passionately about her experience and participation in the revolution. I particularly appreciate her frank reflection on the successes and failures of the revolution thus far and her commitment to continue to agitate for the values of the revolution.
Episode 10: Mahienour El-Massry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rasuQSemUKM&list=UUoJMzdw8wTSR5NY3zENZCmg&index=2&feature=plcp
Smart Girls at the Party
Smart Girls at the Party is a show that “celebrates extraordinary individuals who are changing the world by being themselves” hosted by Amy Poehler, producer Meredith Walker, and musical director Amy Miles. Episodes feature Amy talking with young women and riffing together playfully about their lives and interests. What’s really extraordinary to me is that most of the interviewees are younger than 12 and the conversations they have with Amy are entertaining and engaging. It really does seem like we get to see the guest(s) being themselves in every episode because the guests seem to make the show as much as the production team does.
One of my favorite episodes featuring 2 sisters, the question, “If you guys could have chosen what sister you had, would you have chosen each other?” and the answer in unison, “YES.”
Sisters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMuRWpnmNpw&feature=plcp
A bit that Amy does called “Ask Amy” wherein Amy gives advice to questions written-in by viewers. Following the sisters theme, this one is about relationships with sisters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIziyi9-u0E&feature=plcp
DANCEPARTY
Every episode of Smart Girls at the Party ends with a Dance Party. Which is how I will be ending this and every blog post from now on!