Sheltering Ourselves: A Women´s Learning Exchange

Sheltering Ourselves is an association of women who are personally and professionally involved in issues of women´s housing and community and economic development... grass roots organizations, architects, home owners, government workers, educators, developers, authors, small business owners, bankers, engineers, renters, tradeswomen, lawyers, planners, environmentalists, housing cooperatives, land trusts, service providers and realtors.

Highlights of 1998´s Conference

Thursday -- tours of three communities with innovative revitalization programs, networking, exhibit opening and receptions for



"Digital Investigations" by Darlene Brady & students of Architecture at U of IL, Urbana-Champaign studying color and urban context, and

"Virgins & Madonnas" by Lynn Estomin challenging current conservative thinking that blames crime, poverty, illiteracy et al on single mothers.




Friday -- Events at Cincinnati City Hall Council Chambers with Mayor Roxanne Qualls and emcee Leslie Kanes Weisman

Presentations by...

Roberta Feldman -- Affordable Housing With & By Seniors
Kay Bea Jones -- Co-housing for Single Parent Students

Building the Living Community -- Panel
Janet Kalven - Building Participatory Community - Grailville
Linda Zachary - On Community at Garfield Commons
Helen Jones - On Hopes at Chase Commons


Garfield and Chase were once school buildings and have now been transformed by WRDC into affordable community housing, by enlisting volunteers and creating multi-trade training and management opportunities for women.




Financing Community Development -- Panel

Karen Przypysny - Bank One
Ellen Gilligan - Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Gaye Alexander - Toronto Housing Dept Manager
Maureen Wood - Women´s Research & Development Center



Evening Film Festival featuring Mortgaged Generations, Global Assembly Line, One Fine Day, Ancient Healing, When Diamonds Were A Girl´s Best Friend.






Saturday -- Presentations/Discussions at Garfield Commons


Susan Stall & Roberta Feldman - Participatory Research with Women in Chicago Public Housing

Ena Dubhoff - Opportunities for Neighborhood Empowerment
Leslie Kanes Weisman - Education, Ethics & Serving Community
Karen Franck - New Households, New Housing

Focus on Kansas City´s long range strategic plan

Gail Sullivan - Sullivan Associates on Innovative Daycare Center Design
Tommie Thompson - Cincinnati City Planning
Jeanette Raichyk - Building Community on the Land ****
Researcher - Women in Prisons, the impact of raising their children on perfect rehabilitation

Zrazy Concert
Award Dinner & Dance



Sunday -- Networking and the Hands-on Building Project

"With seven learning exchanges beginning in 1987, bringing women together
to share their experiences, voice their concerns, and present their accomplishments,
the collaborative process makes every resource person a learner
and every learner a resource person.

You are invited to come and share your knowledge and skills,
strategies and methods, frustrations and hopes with us.
By taking stock of how we have coped and what we have achieved
we can both support and inspire each other."

Stay in touch for our next Sheltering Ourselves: a women´s learning exchange.
Drop WRDC a line and get on the mailing list...
Then join Last Straw Revolution´s discussion, subscribe
to LSR, the web zine.