Blogs

by President Heidi R. Lewis March 3, 2025 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as Sandra Guzmán points out, land acknowledgements “recognize and respect Indigenous peoples as the traditional stewards of their lands and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories.” The day after NWSA’s 35th annual conference in Puerto Rico concluded on November 17, 2014, the Toni Cade Bambara 75th Birthday Forum Aishah Shahidah Simmons and I co-curated and edited for ...

Black Panthers in Oakland, CA (1969) Photo Credit: Pirkle Jones and Ruth-Marion Baruch | Long Shot Factory by President Heidi R. Lewis February 3, 2025 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as Sandra Guzmán points out, land acknowledgements “recognize and respect Indigenous peoples as the traditional stewards of their lands and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories.” “Their names exist almost like family photos relegated to a wall ...

L to R: Scott Kurashige, Tiffany Lee, Gloria House, Julia Putnam, Deloris Ann Berrien-Jones, Aurora Harris, Alice Jennings, and Heidi R. Lewis at the National Conference in Detroit, MI (2024) Photo Credit: Latasha Stewart by President Heidi R. Lewis December 2, 2024 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as my colleague Dr. Natanya Ann Pulley points out, acknowledgements are “more than identifying or recognizing someone or something. Acknowledging is also an act of honoring, blessing, celebrating, and thanking.” ...

Photo Credit: BBC (2024) by President Heidi R. Lewis November 4, 2024 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as my colleague Dr. Natanya Ann Pulley points out, acknowledgements are “more than identifying or recognizing someone or something. Acknowledging is also an act of honoring, blessing, celebrating, and thanking.” I remember 2016. I think I always will. I was all set for our annual conference in Montréal, which was set to begin just two days after the U.S. empire’s presidential election. I was ...

by President Heidi R. Lewis October 7, 2024 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as my colleague Dr. Natanya Ann Pulley points out, acknowledgements are “more than identifying or recognizing someone or something. Acknowledging is also an act of honoring, blessing, celebrating, and thanking.” Part I: Today is October 7 Twenty years ago, my son AJ (pictured above) was born—Thursday, October 7 at 1:55 pm ET, to be exact. That day, October 7 became a forever occasion to celebrate life and love—the day ...

Photo Credit: Joan Suarez Collection of Farah Manufacturing Strike Materials, 1972-1990 by President Heidi R. Lewis September 2, 2024 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as my colleague Dr. Natanya Ann Pulley points out, acknowledgements are “more than identifying or recognizing someone or something. Acknowledging is also an act of honoring, blessing, celebrating, and thanking.” “They could keep their turkey. We didn’t need their cake. We need better conditions, better safety.” —Farah Striker ...

Photo Credit: Zinn Education Project by President Heidi R. Lewis August 1, 2024 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as my colleague Dr. Natanya Ann Pulley points out, acknowledgements are “more than identifying or recognizing someone or something. Acknowledging is also an act of honoring, blessing, celebrating, and thanking.” “Black August is a time to engage in self-reaffirming action to advance our struggle for self-determination and national liberation and to commemorate actions of resistance, ...

by President Heidi R. Lewis featuring Megan Thee Stallion July 1, 2024 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as my colleague Dr. Natanya Ann Pulley points out, acknowledgements are “more than identifying or recognizing someone or something. Acknowledging is also an act of honoring, blessing, celebrating, and thanking.” “I mean, the sooner you accept that I'm that bitch, the better your life'll be.” —Megan Thee Stallion, "Rattle" (2024) Today, I submitted the final draft of my manuscript, “Make ...

Dr. Heidi R. Lewis and the Late Erika “Ika” Hügel-Marshall (1947-2022) in Berlin Photo Credit: Dr. Heidi R. Lewis (2021) “Many years have now passed, and Heidi is still interested in the further development of the Black Diasporic movement in Germany and in transnational exchange. She remains committed to ensuring students broaden their view of Germany with its still too obscure Black history, especially because many in the U.S. who are familiar with the work of Audre Lorde often do not know her impact and the significance of her Berlin years. It is precisely these lessons that Heidi makes possible for her students through direct experiences and ...

Atquetzali Quiroz (’24), far left, during the Feminist & Gender Studies Department Senior Capstone Project Presentations at Colorado College Photo Credit: Heidi R. Lewis (2024) by President Heidi R. Lewis May 6, 2024 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as my colleague Dr. Natanya Ann Pulley points out, acknowledgements are “more than identifying or recognizing someone or something. Acknowledging is also an act of honoring, blessing, celebrating, and thanking.” “Truth, acceptance of the truth, ...

Photo Credit: Joe Raedle ( Getty Images , 2023) by President Heidi R. Lewis April 1, 2024 I write this blog from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as my colleague Dr. Natanya Ann Pulley points out, acknowledgements are “more than identifying or recognizing someone or something. Acknowledging is also an act of honoring, blessing, celebrating, and thanking.” “We’re all under siege right now.” —Past NWSA President Dr. Bonnie Thornton Dill , “ BANNED ” (2023) I was overjoyed when I realized NWSA would be celebrating the ...

Photo Credit: 2014 Sarah-Ji ( Flickr ) by President Heidi R. Lewis March 4, 2024 1 I write this blog, my first, from Colorado Springs, CO. Stolen land—the unceded territory of the Ute Peoples, to be precise—developed with stolen and exploited labor. I do so, because as my colleague Dr. Natanya Ann Pulley points out, acknowledgements are “more than identifying or recognizing someone or something. Acknowledging is also an act of honoring, blessing, celebrating, and thanking.” Black History Month just passed. Women’s History Month is here. People across the world likely have been and likely will continue speaking the names of legendary ...