Tonight I got a wonderful email from an old friend, Berenice Carroll, not only is she a Professor of Women's Studies and Political Science at Purdue University, but she was one of the brave women I adore from The Grassroots Group of Second Class Citizens who chained themselves to the State Senate doors in June of 1982 demonstrating for women to be included in the US Constitution.
Berenice wrote and told me that there are students fasting at Purdue asking the administration to stop purchasing clothing produced in sweatshops. You can read about it on their blog site Purdue hungerstrike.org . There are students who have been fasting for 20 days and some for 10 days. And they do not have beds and clean sheets, but sleeping bags in the halls. They are demonstrating that the university should be ashamed to be supporting sweatshops. They are asking that the administration join the Designated Suppliers Program of the Workers Rights Consortium. You can see a video on YouTube under the title, Purdue sit-in against Sweatshops.
Here is the comment I just left for them ~ Tears well in my eyes as I read your blogs, your site, you intention. I am so proud of you! I fasted 25 years ago for women’s rights and I have the most fantastic thing to tell you - you are now changed forever. You have put the body on pause and sped up the spirit of humanity and it can never be undone.
And that your fast be for this most worthy cause is great. When I was part of a fast, Dick Gregory spent a few days with us, (fasted on AIR!) and told us that only the right side can fast ~ only the side which is advancing humanity can fast because it is so deep and pure.
I hold you in my heart and wish you well. In 25 years you will be writing a group of fasters and the circle will grow. Sweet dreams. in your service, Zoe
Whenever I know people are fasting I want to tell everyone I know, "People are fasting for you today." We are so blessed that people are fasting for us today.
Comments