A V-DAY WEEKEND: WHEN WOMEN HAVE YOUR BACK

The next day was a special one for me. Mary Luana Wiliams (we call her Lulu) has, as I said, been part of my family since she was 14. We met when she came to the Laurel Springs Children’s Performing Arts Camp near Santa Barbara that my 2nd husband, Tom Hayden and I, ran for 15 years. At the time, I could see Lulu’s great potential but knew that she needed to get away from her challenging circumstances in Oakland if she was to survive and thrive (Surthrive). For all those years, I had never met her birth mother. In recent years, Lulu has become a fine writer and has had several articles published in such magazines as “O” (“The Prodigal Daughter,”) and in “Believe.” She has been writing her memoirs for Penguin Books and, in the process, has traveled to Oakland to try and reconnect with her birth family. The ice having been broken and fences mended, the time had come for the 2 moms to finally meet.

Here is Lulu with her mother, Mary. Here are the 3 of us having lunch. Afterwards, we drove mother Mary home, saw some photos of her as a young member of the Black panther Party in her scrapbook and then Lulu dropped me at the airport for my flight home.

Whew! What an intense 3 days. I am revivified!!

PreviousPage 3 of 3
Share This Post
12 Comments
  1. Dear Jane,
    I read all your text and looked attentively at all the photos. I really was impressed with all you tell us. The play “Monologue of the Vagina” has been shown in Portugal for some time, now. Unfortunately I did not see it.
    I admire your work immensely and hope we can meet someday.
    Kind regards.
    Magdalena

  2. Wow! What an inspiring time. Thank you for sharing and posting such amazing photos.

    What a phenomenal group.

    Here’s to Woman Warriors.

    • I love your comment.

      “WOMEN WARRIORS.”

      Love you!

      That we are!

      Regards,
      DL

  3. Eve Ensler brought “The Vagina Monologues” to Lansing, Michigan, after a Michigan state lawmaker was banned from speaking on the House floor because she used the word “vagina” when arguing against an anti-abortion bill. She is one powerful woman. The City of Joy sounds absolutely wonderful, handing over the power to those who desperately need it. Thank you to all of you folks who bring awareness and action to such an important cause.

  4. Dear Ms. Fonda,

    I thought you were fantastic in your film, “Peace, Love and Misunderstanding.”

    Made me want to move to WOODSTOCK!

    Just a wonderful actress.

    So, natural!

    That said.

    People are not easy to forget because they have forgotten that once they were young and innocent, too!

    Peace, love and understanding,

    Regards,
    DL

  5. I am sick to death hearing about women being brutalized.

    Just sick to death of it!

    Sick to death of hearing about children being abused from the pedophile priests to the pedophile at Penn State.

    Just sick to death of it!

    It’s about time people in this world recognize you for your goodness!

    Regards for your work,
    DL

  6. Jane,

    Seen your story on OWN, interesting story, interesting journey. I seen in an earlier BLOG of yours you have a concern for the Earth sustaining all the people who live on this planet. I believe it can and it has, how can we believe that the world just in our life times has grown. I believe it always has been. I think nature balances us out. Jehovah said to Adam and Eve go forth and multiply, I am sure he meant that for ever. Just a little food for thought.
    I wish you the best on your journey, just keep an open mind and look beyond the prize. Your sister in Christ and in humanity……. CK

  7. Hi Jane,

    I stumbled onto your blog via the Vday Facebook, and I’m so glad I did. I’m very interested in supporting your efforts around One Billion Rising in Los Angeles. If you’re open to having receiving volunteer support, please let me know: [email protected]

    -Chelsea

  8. Jane – This blog was so helpful and informative to me. I saw the V monologues years ago and enjoyed it But even as a long time activist and gay man thought it had limited potential as a play. A lot of people I knew at the time, forward leaning people were somewhat cynical about the play. Especially my women friends, which struck me as being odd. To read about the money raised is a testament to how wrong I was. My life is nearing it’s end and because I was lucky in life (mogul grandfather) every important friend has been provided before. But because of this blog and because, in my life, my most important friends were women, I have decided to leave the rest of my money to this cause. I thank you for this light bulb moment. And the influence you had on my life, which, to me, was that you were never apologetic about having money and honest about how it makes life easier. And how this didn’t stop you from being an activist. Because just being rich is a version of being famous, minus the paparazzi, but including all the scrutiny. So along with your great work as an artist, I thank you for this.

  9. Thank you, Jane, for this wonderful, exciting blog post! I tried acting for the first time this year when my friends mounted a production of the Vagina Monologues. I have so much respect for Eve Ensler. I am blown away that this one woman has raised more money to protect women than the entire U.S. government. What a fact. One woman! Think what all of us women can do to together if we all join her. Here are my posts on our Istanbul production of the Vagina Monologues. The first post is at the bottom. THANK YOU JANE! http://empty-nest-expat.blogspot.com/search/label/VDay

  10. Just saw your performance on Newsroom….You Rock!!!!!!! America needs to see POWERFUL women !!!!!!!!!

Leave a Reply