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A review by seeceeread
Bananeras: Women Transforming the Banana Unions of Latin America by Dana Frank
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
š "Las mujeres hemos sido globalizadas en la invisibilizaciĆ³n, en la explotaciĆ³n, en el cuerpo, en la violencia, en el silencio, en la familia." āAlda Facio
š "I want to learn to learn how to defend myself from whoever tries to oppress me, whether it's my husband, my union, or my boss." ādomestic violence workshop participant
Some months ago, I ran a "get to know each other" activity among colleagues using music as a theme. One of the questions was, "What kind of radio DJ" would you be? My answer: I want better questions on talk radio. Less 'Is cheating okay? Fellas, call in now. Ladies, sound off!' ... and more discussion of the best ways to prepare a household for a strike or how to support coworkers through major life changes. Less debate of how much mental illness (rather than sexism and white supremacy) are animating a celebrity's behavior and more about the leftist ground game behind the Brazil elections.
Such a radio program exists for unionized banana workers across Latinoamerica; it's one of the tools women leverage to advertise workshops and promote day-to-day work in šš¢ šš¶š¤š©š¢. Rereading, I also like this book for the ways Frank moves out of the way of her subjects. While she translates, adds analysis and clarifies context, the bananeras' own quotes and instructions to her (when to dance, what to photograph and explain in the text) are more salient. The construction is therefore remarkable: a US academic whose work makes space for others, in this case, working class others who are often illiterate and struggling with self-esteem.
A slim book, this is a good read for labor organizers and activists interested in the Latin American landscape and/or strategies that could strengthen and shift entrenched organizations. Frank details institutional changes adopted in resolutions and governance, relational moves and painstaking power brokering over fifteen years to define and elevate women's work ā local, national and finally regional and international ā in and for their unions in Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala.
š "I want to learn to learn how to defend myself from whoever tries to oppress me, whether it's my husband, my union, or my boss." ādomestic violence workshop participant
Some months ago, I ran a "get to know each other" activity among colleagues using music as a theme. One of the questions was, "What kind of radio DJ" would you be? My answer: I want better questions on talk radio. Less 'Is cheating okay? Fellas, call in now. Ladies, sound off!' ... and more discussion of the best ways to prepare a household for a strike or how to support coworkers through major life changes. Less debate of how much mental illness (rather than sexism and white supremacy) are animating a celebrity's behavior and more about the leftist ground game behind the Brazil elections.
Such a radio program exists for unionized banana workers across Latinoamerica; it's one of the tools women leverage to advertise workshops and promote day-to-day work in šš¢ šš¶š¤š©š¢. Rereading, I also like this book for the ways Frank moves out of the way of her subjects. While she translates, adds analysis and clarifies context, the bananeras' own quotes and instructions to her (when to dance, what to photograph and explain in the text) are more salient. The construction is therefore remarkable: a US academic whose work makes space for others, in this case, working class others who are often illiterate and struggling with self-esteem.
A slim book, this is a good read for labor organizers and activists interested in the Latin American landscape and/or strategies that could strengthen and shift entrenched organizations. Frank details institutional changes adopted in resolutions and governance, relational moves and painstaking power brokering over fifteen years to define and elevate women's work ā local, national and finally regional and international ā in and for their unions in Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala.