I Am Beautiful: A Celebration of Women in Their Own Words

activismHOW THE SPIRITMOVESAt Mississippi's Camp Sister Spirit, survival is the best revengeBY BRENDA AND WANDA HENSONHERE IN THE DEEP SOUTH, WHERE YOU COMEfrom and who you belong to is everything.Folks will go to great lengths tofind out who your people are and whobelongs to you. What might be considered"nosy" in other parts of the U.S. isconsidered "caring" here at home. Forfour years, Sister Spirit Incorporatedworked to raise money so that a feminist educationaland cultural retreat center could be built in Mississippi.The core group of women wanted to create a placefor self-sufficiency and autonomy from the patriarchy, aplace for creating indigenous lesbian culture, a place fromwhich to share food and clothing with neighbors, a place towork and to care.We wanted to be able to work with whoever camethrough our door. Some have labeled our work "actionfeminism." We call ourselves "doers"—we do what needsdoing, with whatever we have to work with. Since ourstruggle became national news in November 1993, sistersand brothers from all over the world have responded.When the violence against us broke out three years ago,we had daily contact with only one neighbor. He told usthat since he owned the 100 acres to the north of us and the100 acres to the south of us that he has always hunted theland—even the 120 acres sandwiched between his land,now legally owned by Sister Spirit Incorporated. When wetold him that our land was a wildlife refuge and wouldnever be hunted again, he was enraged. He told us that wehad no right; considering himself the patriarch of this community,he thought he could run us off. So far he has failed.People from around the country have stuck by us.We can hardly believe that three years of our lives havepassed so quickly. We are proud, amazed and grateful forBRENDA AND WANDA HENSON are two of thefounders of Camp Sister Spirit, located in Ovett, Mississippi.what more than 3,000 volunteers have done. We have succeededin creating our dream: a feminist educational andcultural retreat center with what we call a "land dyke"focus; a safe space—no violence in word or deed; a spacecommitted to sobriety. Camp Sister Spirit now has a 33-bedbunkhouse for womyn-born-womyn only, an eight-bedcabin and a six-bed bunkhouse for men or womyn. The cabinsare ramped for access by the disabled, though thebunkhouse upstairs is not. Our meeting space can holdabout 75 folks; our kitchen is large and well equipped. Ourpantry doubles as a community food pantry, and we feedmore than 100 people each month. One mile of used tinfence protects the perimeters of the 120 acres and the electricfront gate, given by Robin Tyler's West Coast Womyn's Musicand Comedy Festival participants, is remote controlled andlavender. In the face of terror, we have managed to survive.WE CONTINUE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER GROUPS ANDcharities to make referrals and to complete jointprojects. We call our efforts fellowshipping, or"networking for peace." Recently, after four months ofspeaking to local ministers, community leaders and volunteers,we were able to get a wheelchair ramp put on thetrailer of a neighbor who recently lost her leg to diabetes.This effort was followed by a letter to the local newspapereditor, thanking all those we had spoken with as well asthose who actually helped. Mennonites from five countiesover built the ramp. Several other churches offered money,but could not find folks within their congregations willingto volunteer to do the work! Several women we've connectedwith who share our desire to make Mississippi a betterplace to live, (including the directors of the local Red Crossand Good Samaritan Center), are now making referrals tous. We in turn refer to them. Our list of professionals, peoplewho are willing to work on a referral basis and acceptsliding scale fees, is limited but growing.Despite the local fundamentalists, we are who we are44 O N T H E I S S U E S • S p r i n g 1 9 9 7