Update, 7/13/09: Two things. There’s a post on my progress and thoughts here, and also, to reflect the offline donations I’m getting, I’m now gradually lowering the goal of the ChipIn.

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Friends, colleagues, clients! Lend me your ears…

I’m writing you with some exciting news that makes me very happy. I just signed a contract from Berrett-Koehler publishers to write a book I’ve been imagining for a long time. But it’s going to take some very hard work on my part, and I hope you can help me succeed.

The book I’m writing is on the topic that has been all the rage in the media — social networking and all that implies with Twitter, Facebook, and much more. Here’s the purpose of the book: how do we ensure that these tools are in being used most effectively by those who have too often been on the sidelines of technology advances– women, people of color, queer folk, and more?

This is a fabulous opportunity for many social change advocates to jump into the new tech conversations and help shape the future, and I want to make sure that happens. Specific topics I want to cover about women’s experiences online include privacy and security, as well as shifting cultural values through organizing and action. I’m also going to be highlighting the voices of experts working in with social media in communities of color and more– voices you don’t hear when tech is being talked about.

Here’s my challenge and why I need your help: Berrett-Koehler is an incredible publisher — supportive, collaborative, and incredibly innovative– and I’m thrilled to be working with them. But they don’t pay advances. So, to do this book (and it is incredibly fast-tracked), I need to stop working as a consultant for the next three months and do nothing but write the book. Thus, I need investors. I need you to help me raise $15,000 to cover my expenses, travel, and research. Please toss some money into a “Feed Deanna” pot!

I’m off to a good start: the Hightower Lowdown (Jim Hightower’s monthly newsletter), where I’ve worked for 4 years, is covering my rent through the summer. And Don Hazen, editor of AlterNet.org (where I also have worked) and Doug Kreeger (AlterNet’s board chair) will put the first $2,000 in if people will match it. All donations of $250 and over can be made through the Independent Media Institute, so they’ll be tax-deductible.

So, here I am, hat in hand for a good cause. I’ll make you proud. You can donate via PayPal at http://www.deannazandt.com/chipin or send a check to me (address below).

I know it is a tough time to be asking for money with many people out of work and struggling. I hope you’ll forgive my chutzpah. Yet I want this all to happen so badly I can taste it; it’s more than anything I’ve wanted in a very long time. It’s a dream come true in many ways, and I hope even if you can’t give at this time, you’ll join me in celebrating the moment.

much love,
deanna

P.S. — For anyone who donates $100 or more, I will give you a copy of the book with an inscription of my heartfelt thanks. One more time, that donation link is:

http://www.deannazandt.com/chipin

P.P.S. — Thanks in advance for anything and everything that you can do to support this wildly excited, somewhat humbled first-time author. Here’s more info about the book: http://www.deannazandt.com/bookannounce , and I’ll be blogging as much of the book’s content as possible at http://www.deannazandt.com/ throughout the summer.

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For donations over $250, checks can be made payable to:

Independent Media Institute
77 Federal St
San Francisco, CA 94107

Memo: Deanna Zandt Project

Bonus: I also played superfangrrl and got my picture taken with Jane Fonda.

In short, every woman I know should apply for this program. The deadline for applications to get into the next round of classes is coming soon: March 10. Women from all disciplines, backgrounds and identities are strongly encouraged to apply! Don’t let geography or other constraints prevent you from applying — the staff is more than willing to work with candidates that get accepted. This is one of the most brilliant programs for empowering women with real skills that I’ve ever seen– get your application in today.

We are "changing the conversation" by making sure that there are plenty of qualified, authoritative, progressive women experts available to editors, reporters, producers, and bookers. For the women chosen to participate in our 2009 Progressive Women's Voices program, we provide intense media training sessions in New York, with weekly follow-up briefings and continued training, as well as support and resources for media bookings.

Not only am I thrilled to be participating myself, but I’m especially excited to work with amazing classmates — Rinku Sen, Jehmu Greene, hello! — and almuni of the program (Carmen, Courtney, I’m lookin’ at you…). Thanks to the Women’s Media Center for giving us all this fabulous program.

So, even as mothers need the support of the … whaddya call us? Non-mothers? … we need the support of the mothers, goddammit!

That's right! We want the mothers to step up.

She goes on to talk about the how and the why, the shorter version being that motherhood as it stands right now is a tool for the patriarchy. This is what the feminist mothers are having a hard time swallowing. Hmmm. Why I find the level of outrage problematic: I don’t agree with Twisty’s take on het sex or makeup, and I sure as hell still giggle mightily when she derides my — yes, my! — four-inch heels. Not that my four-inch heels are babies, or my choice to by them as Large, Looming and Very Important as the decision to breed, but come on… do you really have to take down a whole person because she kicks you in the DNA?

So, Twisty says that becoming and being a nuclear-family mother supports the patriarchy. Twisty thinks a lot of things that many mainstream-y leaning feminists like also support the patriarchy (see aforementioned heels). She talks about them in almost every single post. But all of the sudden it’s not okay because she’s talking about your own personal uterus? You gotta read it within context, people– the context of Twisty’s brand of radical feminism.

The job of the bleeding edge of various movements — political, cultural/artistic, etc.. — is to continually push the envelope of the boundaries of the conversation. By pushing farther out than what’s been tread before, we create the space for conversation to happen. Out of conversation comes (hopefully) enlightenment and understanding, and following that, progress and/or revolution.

Radical feminism is no different, and calling what serves as the current Western role for mothers, or my four-inch heels, tools for patriarchy really isn’t that radical. It’s examination and self-criticism that maybe doesn’t happen too much because we’re busy attacking misogynists that live outside feminism-country (necessary, valid, worthwhile, just to be clear). But when someone on your side points something that could be problematic out, and you go buckwild? I don’t know, it reminds me of when we point out sexist behavior by Good Lib’rul Guys and get bombed out for it.

Pot, kettle. Meet. Talk amongst y’selves.

Dang, to be listed among such fabulous luminaries on the list, and to be plucked out of over 350 amazing women. Many thanks to Robert Greenwald and Evan Derkacz who nominated me, and the friends who humored and edited me as I wrote my self-plug. ;-)

On the upshot, I finally got to meet Jill from Feministe, who is one of my biggest online heroines. I got all flustered. (Warning, mutual blog-crushing happening.)