S2Ep7: Margo Okazawa-Rey: Creating Freedom Spaces for Love, Justice, and Transformation

Woke WOC Docs

“Who could we become and who are we if we define ourselves in ways other than just being oppressed and under siege?” The wisdom of Margo Okazawa-Rey in this podcast radiates, y’all. We are so excited for you to hear it. In this episode, we talk more about Margo’s journey into and through activism as one that is a deeply personal endeavor, from being a founding member of the historic Black feminist Combahee River Collective to pursuing international peacemaking work and liberation efforts. Together, we discuss how local health injustices in the United States are connected to global struggles for liberation and freedom and why loving, authentic relationships are critical to defeating individualistic and othering mindsets that have plagued many of today’s societies. By the end of this episode we hope y’all note these wise words from Margo: Our future depends on freedom spaces. Our future depends on authentic, loving relationships. Our future depends on moving with joy. Our future depends on us. Bio: Margo Okazawa-Rey is an activist and educator working on issues of militarism, armed conflict and violence against women. Margo was a member of the historic Black feminist Combahee River Collective. She is a founding member of the Afro-Asian Relations Council, East Asia-U.S. Women’s Network Against Militarism, and the Institute for Multiracial Justice and the International Network of Women Against Militarism. She has a long standing relationship to social justice work in South Korea and with the Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling in Palestine. Margo is co-author of “A Black Feminist Statement” (1978) with the Combahee River Collective and co-editor of Activist Scholarship: Antiracism, Feminism and Social Change (2009), and of Women’s Lives, Multicultural Perspectives (1998) and author of Beyond Heroes and Holidays: A Practical Guide to Anti-Racist, Multicultural Curriculum and Staff Development (1998). Margo is currently Elihu Root Peace Fund Visiting Professor in Women’s Studies at the Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. She is also professor Emrita at San Francisco State University and has held the Jane Watson Irwin Chair at Hamilton College.