TONIGHT: Me and TED

For me, this week can be summed up in 2 word: Life Lessons. It's been a week of personal advances, and professional set backs. But I get it, it happens. Sometimes the work/life combo doesn't quite pan out the way we hope, but we learn and keep on going. In the end, all this determination and self-reflective brain activity is freakin' exhausting.

So Feministas, I do not have an event for you this weekend because frankly, I don't wanna leave my house. BUT, I do have something to enjoy while deeply buried in the folds of my couch.

Does everyone here know about TED? It's an organization that hosts live conferences, performances and talks by the world's leaders in innovative thought.  If you can name a subject, genre, or idea, TED has a video of someone talking about it. It's awesome.

A woman from CareerOverview.com brought this to my attention, and I thought it would be perfect for this brain-cloudy weekend.

"12 Terrific TED Talks Every Young Woman Should Watch"

1. "Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders" by Sheryl Sandberg
2. "How The Internet Enables Intimacy" by Stefana Broadbent
3. "Embrace Your Inner Girl" by Eve Ensler
4. "Keep Your Goals To Yourself" by Derek Sivers
5. "The Paradox of Choice" by Barry Schwartz
6. "Standing Out" by Seth Godin
7. "New Data On The Rise Of Women"by Hanna Rosin
8. "Radical Women Embracing Tradition" by Kavita Ramdas
9. "What Adults Can Learn From Kids" by Adora Svitak
10. "Why We Need The Explorers" by Brian Cox
11. "Our Century's Greatest Injustice" by Sheryl WuDunn
12. "The Power Of Vulnerability" by Brene Brown

I've only gotten through a few so far, but I think I'm for a sweet (and rather empowering) Saturday night. Please listen, and feel free to leave comments about what you think of each talk.

Xo
LAF

Netflix Goes Feminist!! (Sort of)

Hello Everyone,

This week I don't have an event for you per se (blame the venues), but I do have an awesome find that will bring feminist media in to our lives every darn day!  Do all of you know about FemaleDirectors.com? Well, you should.

Check this out, it's a link to all of the female directed films and TV shows that are currently featured on netflix. The rad women (and possibly men) at FemaleDirectors.com have recently showcased a study representing that the number of female directed movies on Netflix has almost doubled!  From less than 1% to almost 2%.   Not exactly stellar numbers.

(To clarify, this does not represent any sort of bias on the part of the folks at Netflix. Rather, it represents the low number of female film makers who are being supported by the movie making machines. *See comment below*)

The good news is that we now have a tool that will direct us to the source of female directed media. The more we click, the more we demand a variety in the types of films we want to watch. Let Netflix know that we love what they do - we just want to see ourselves represented appropriately.

I'm going to use this tool to order at least TWO female directed fims/TV shows from Netflix in each cycle, in hopes of showing the number crunchers that we demand more.

Thank you FemaleDirectors.com - your site rules.

Xo
LAF

TODAY: "A Life In Motion" Release Hosted by Ms. Magazine

He Feministas!

This just in! TODAY, Ms. Magazine is hosting a release party for Florence Howe's new memoir "A Life In Motion" Attendees will be Gloria Jacobs (Executive Director, Feminist Press), Carol Jenkins (Woman's Media) and Katherine Spillar (Executive Director, Ms. Magazine)!

It's happening today, in like 4 hours, so if you can make it, RSVP to the number below...

Here are the details:
Sunday, Jan 9th 2-4PM
433 South Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA
(Between Olympic Blvd & Pico Blvd)
RSVP required - 310.566.2515

Xo
LAF

TOMORROW: "A Small Act"

Hello Feministas, and Happy New Year!!

I hope you all had a lovely holiday season, enjoying the snow/ rain/ multiple screenings of Black Swan.. etc.

I'm excited to kick off the new year with such a positive event. The Hammer Museum will be screening the documentary "A Small Act", Produced and Directed by Jennifer Arnold, and Produced by Patti Lee.

One of my focuses for the new year is to make positive contributions to my surroundings, therefore creating positive change in the lives around me. This is the perfect way to begin, and this film is the perfect introduction to a year of positive ripple effects.

You may have already heard about "A Small Act",  it's gotten so much great buzz and has been awarded the Elle/ Garnier Film Independent Directing Fellowship, and the Women In Film National Geographic All Roads Film Program award.  I can't wait to see it, and I'm bringing tissues. Here's a little synopsis.

"A Small Act explores the ripple effect a single action can create. This award winning documentary tells the story of Chris Mburu, a young man from Kenya, and his astonishing journey from an impoverished village to becoming a Harvard Law School graduate and a human rights lawyer for the United Nations. Eventually Mburu traces the woman who sponsored his early education for 50 cents a day, and finds she is a Holocaust survivor, who is amazed to discover that her small act of generosity has led to educating a man who would then dedicate his life to fighting crimes against humanity." - Hammer Museum


Writer/ Director/ Producer Jennifer Arnold and Producer/DP Patti Lee will be there for a Q&A following the screening.

But best of all, the screening is FREE! Just another reason to love The Hammer Museum. (They're not paying me, I swear. I just think they're great)

Here's the Info:

Date: January 4, 2011
Time: 7:00PM
Location:
Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Phone: 310.443.7000

And here's the trailer .... About those tissues...