![\"lisbet1.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.kuma2.net\/skyeview\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/11\/lisbet1.jpg\")
<\/center>I am here to tell you, by the end of our conversation I was a big jumble of emotions. The behind the scene organizing, the reunion of lesbian warrior women, the rare archival images of Pat and Audre, and reading the feedback from young Black lesbians profoundly impacted by the event left me feeling quite full and very excited.<\/p>\n
I got goose bumps looking at the Sister Comrade event photographs including an image of Melanie DeMore, Jewelle Gomez, Vicki Randle, Linda Tillery, and Mary Watkins. They were all original members (w\/exception of DeMore) of “The Varied Voices of Black Women” showcase that toured the country in 1978. Their reunion marked the 30th anniversary of the debut of “Movement In Black”.<\/p>\n
Over 18 years ago when Pat Parker crossed-over to the place of the ancestors, Lisbet was given the keys to Pat\u2019s house and access to all her personal effects including over 20 years of correspondence. Though she discovered a rich treasure trove of correspondence she agreed to use her access to the material for archival and research purposes only. It wasn\u2019t until last year when she was asked to consider co-producing a tribute to Audre Lorde did she began reflecting on the letters as a potential focus for the Sister Comrade tribute.<\/p>\n
The images of Audre Lorde as lesbian icon tend to be static. Lisbet told me that she wanted to show images of Audre and Pat that brought them to life. During her visit to my office, she showed me jpegs of some of the images shown at the tribute event. The photos depicts Audre and Pat in all manner of daily life including one cool picture of Audre Lorde washing her car in a swimsuit top and shorts, post mastectomy, with a license plate that read \u201cPoet 1\u201d. Viewers can see this image and other forthcoming images on the Sister Comrade web site. Also, do keep checking back for updates on plans to bring Sister Comrade to Atlanta and New York. Lisbet envisions a 4-day event that will include opportunities for inter-generational connections, literary and visual art presentations and of course the final evening performances. The web site will also include uploads of high quality audio and digital video excerpts from the event.<\/p>\n Lisbet is looking for recommendations for progressive or otherwise reputable on-line booksellers. She said the SC event has generated a lot of interest in Pat and Audre’s books and she would like to link a bookseller on the SC website.<\/p>\n Please contact Lisbet directly if you want to lend support to this project in New York or Atlanta or have a recommendation for a bookseller. E-mail: sistercomrade@yahoo.com<\/a><\/p>\n The tribute was to honor Pat and Audre not in any type of passive nostalgic way but in a way that would rejuvenate and energize “old heads” plus inform and educate a younger generation of lesbians who may be unfamiliar with the literary work of Pat Parker, Audre Lorde and their contemporaries.<\/p>\n Oba ase.<\/p>\n
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\nThere were plenty of images of Pat when she was still Patricia Cooks, a bright-eyed youngster. One photograph that was a complete disconnect for me was the image of her snuggled up ![\"lisbet2.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.kuma2.net\/skyeview\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/11\/lisbet2.jpg\" "\\"lisbet2.jpg\\"")
<\/a>with her former husband, not the African American one, the white one. Another sweet image is of Pat sitting in an elementary school classroom looking intently at the face of a young Black boy.<\/p>\n<\/center><\/p>\n