2016 changed me.
In 2016, L2L decided to have a Framily Reunion for the sisters that were missing Michfest.  It changed me.  I had never produced a music festival.  I didn’t know anything about the logistics involved in putting together a performance for people.  I didn’t know anything about food permits, health department, electrical requirements, clearing spaces, getting approval, or creating a space.
I didn’t understand all that it would entail and all that it would mean.
I didn’t know that a festival is more than just a festival.
I didn’t know that a women’s music festival that lasted for 40 years was more than just a week long party.
I didn’t know that it was more than just hanging out in the woods.
It was hanging out in the fucking woods with women that had created a magical, radical safe space in the woods for women to BE.
I didn’t know that it was a way of life.
I didn’t know that the women’s culture that was built alongside and inside Michfest was something that you can only experience if you are in it and live it.
I didn’t know that there were certain expectations to produce a women’s festival.
I didn’t know how hard it was to put together an inclusive community for women of all challenges including disabled and deaf women, women of color and white women, radical feminists and freaks. 
I didn’t know that the shoulders that I jumped on were carrying a huge responsibility to the community to uphold certain standards.
I didn’t realize that intention and impact can be very different.
I didn’t realize how hard creating a music festival and herding cats can be on a relationship.
2017 broke me
In 2017, we made the decision to expand to a 3 day weekend festival instead of a one day event.
It broke me.
I didn’t know the logistics involved in creating a space in the woods for women to live in would require such work and dedication for so long.
We created trails by cutting down trees.
If you cut down trees, you have to handle the wood.
We chipped wood.
We created more trails.  We chipped more wood.
We found and cleared the stage area.
We found and cleared the kitchens.
We developed the water source.
We ran electrical lines.
We built showers in the woods. 
We built friendships.  I broke friendships with my unmanaged stress and worry.
We brought together women that believed and put their sweat and muscle behind our vision.  We built a festival space.
It broke me.
It broke me physically. I was sore and bruised and exhausted and it took me almost a year to recover.
It broke my relationship.  Too many harsh words, too little tools to work through the stress and the anger and frustration of too much work and too little time created a pattern of hurt in myself and others.
It broke my bank.  It broke my spirit.
I took a year to study me and recover and heal.
I read. I prayed. I went to therapy.  I journalled. I asked questions of elders.
I learned that a women’s community is much more than a party in the woods. I learned about the expectations and radical honesty and radical listening.
I listened.
I didn’t become perfect.  I didn’t become always calm and always without stress and always without frustration.
I learned new tools.  I learned to listen and breathe and sit with something before I responded.  I did this all imperfectly in my most human way possible. 
I developed and grew as a woman and as a friend and as a leader.
2018 opened my eyes
We entered 2018 with hurt feelings from 2017.
How do I show that there is change until someone trusts to give it a chance?
It took courage and trust to believe that it’s okay to give it and us another chance.
Will the feelings be the same? Will the reactions be the same?
Not only were my eyes opened but others’ eyes were opened to what can happen if you take off the armor, trust that the words of change are a reflection of the action of change.
Taking a chance is scary.  Taking a chance and trusting is hard.
Taking a chance means vulnerability.
Vulnerability is not comfortable.
Opening my eyes and others’ eyes was hard but it happened.
With each time that someone took a chance, opened their eyes and their hearts, it was risky and scary and
It was beautiful.  The impact was more aligned with the intention.
The safe space was safer.
The joy was more joyful.
There was still frustration but it was handled better.
There was still stress but it was managed better.
My eyes were open; 2017 peeled off a layer and my eyes were opened to how it could be better. How I could be better: more loving, more kind, more calm, less stressed.
My eyes were opened to the possibilities of living a more joyful and loving life.
My eyes were opened to the value of each of us as we gather and the strength and love we need to continue to hold this space.
It is a huge responsibility and a huge work.
My eyes were opened to yes if yes is possible.
My eyes were opened to speak your truth clearly.
My eyes were opened to no is an acceptable response if there is clear communication without anger.
I chose to believe that people are doing their best.
I realized so many, many things about human nature, women’s community, and myself.
My life and my personal growth are thoroughly entwined with my work in the community with L2L and MFR.
The energy and the output of the community that I create is a huge reflection of  my inner workings. 
If there is a conflict in the work crews, I find the conflict in myself.
If there are hurt feelings reflected in our MFR work, I can find the hurt or  conflict in myself. 
MFR makes all of the flaws and imperfections of me glaringly obvious.
It makes it so I can stay stuck or I can work on myself.
It’s easy to hide flaws when you are not public.
It’s easy to find your flaws and areas that needs some work when you do everything publicly and on a grand scale.
I chose to open my eyes and see me in all of my hurt and glory.
I chose to see with open eyes myself.
I chose to acknowledge my part in plans gone askew so maybe the plans can go off smashingly next time.
I chose to see and feel and be human and be a work in progress regardless of the approval or the outcome.  I chose to let myself be an open book. I chose to let myself be a reflection of the not so public problems that can arise in a women’s community.
I chose to let myself be an ongoing project so I can improve and grow and be a better human.
 
And while I am not a perfect person with a perfect demonstration of love, patience, community, and trust; I am an imperfect person that continues to put myself out there and find the juicy in all aspects of this life journey so my pain and mistakes and triumphs can inspire and motivate others to continue growing too.
 
And it’s almost 2019.
I’m back.
MFR is coming back stronger, sweeter, and more savory than ever.
We have learned.  We will continue to learn.
We will continue to be radically honest as our foremothers have taught us to be.
We will continue to listen radically with open hearts so we can still be here.
Our inner struggles will continue to be public so others can learn and grow.
 
2019 and I’m back, juicier than ever.
 
 
 

Good MORNING Goddesses!!!
I am so very excited this morning. Last night's Women's Dance was so, so, so much #findingthejuicy
Do you know what #findingthejuicy means?
Some people assume that it is referencing sex, 
probably because I LOVE to make a good lesbian sex joke. 
That would be part of it. Making love is very much #findingthejuicy.
Joining together, loving, touching, kissing, and coming together in a sacred and sexual way is DEFINITELY #findinthejuicy
But it's more than that. It's finding the "juiciest" part of all of our daily experience.
It's finding the joy (or the positive) in our work and our play.
It's making the effort to see beyond the every day complaining.
There is one thing that can bring people together. For better or worse, we tend to rally and gather over conflict or complaints. 
People can bond when they have common complaints.
We all have something to complain about and the value of a good bitch session cannot be discounted or minimized.
But there is so very much more to life, just like biting into a juicy, sweet peach, it can be messy but oh so very juicy and delightful.
#findingthejuicy in all aspects of life can bring us together and when we honor and live in gratitude for all of the juicy things life brings us, we can spread juicy energy throughout our lives which can only be a good thing for our personal world and the broader world. 
Thank you for coming out to the Women's Dance last night.
It was incredible and powerful to gather together and dance and move and laugh and hug. 
Next month, we will be gathering for L2L's 5th Annual White Elephant Flannel Holiday Party so break out our re-gifts and your flannel and your best and juiciest dyke selves and join us in #lesbianslovelansing
5th Annual L2L White Elephant Flannel Holiday Party is
12/8/2018, 815pm, Sir Pizza Grand Cafe, 201 E. Cesar Chavez, Lansing, MI 48906.
CAn't wait to see all of you!

Celebrating the female body!  Celebrate our wonderful experience or our not so wonderful experience.  Is this a space (WBW) that is valuable to you? 
Do you value the experience of being in a space that is exclusively honoring, upholding, respecting, and celebrating your femaleness?  
If you do value women born women space, please come to Michigan Framily Reunion. 
We are one of the ONLY WBW festivals available to women.  
While many want to label this as an exclusive space, I frame this not as a negative space but as a space that LOVES and HONORS women.  We are not anti anything, we are pro-pussy, pro- vagina, pro-women.  We refuse to deny our body.  We refuse to be shamed for our bodies.  We refuse to allow you to call our vulva and vagina a front hole. 
​We value our experience. We honor our uniqueness.  We honor that each of us has a unique experience depending how we are born and raised and culturized.  
We have a right to gather.  We have a right to acknowledge our female experience.
What can you do to honor WBW space?  Come to MFR.  Come to this space.  If you cannot come because sometimes it's just not feasible to camp, there are hotels 20 minutes away.  
If you cannot come because of other reasons, then share this information, tell a friend, tell another women, tell a young woman!!
The world is changing and many young women do not understand the value of protecting and being in a WBW space.  They have been raised to be all inclusive and accepting because those are the rights we fought so hard.  But there is a difference in protecting and advocating for equal rights and equal treatment from the law and government agencies and going to a festival or workshop that is women-centric for female born women.  There are many niche groups and events honoring various things (breastfeeding, no circ, runners, vegans, vegetarians, gluten free).  All of these people have specific needs & issues that they want to be supported, just like WBW.  
Please support women born women spaces.  We will lose these spaces.  We are disappearing.  I refuse to become smaller so others can feel bigger and supported.  Claiming a woman born woman space is NOT HATE.  We do not hate! We do not want or advocate violence.  In fact, violent behavior will not be condoned at MFR.  Asshole comes in all genders and will not be tolerated at MFR.  We do promote love and respect and kindness.  We also focus on our experience.  It's not all about everyone.  It's about the women.  We will keep holding this space for you sisters.  We will keep our vision at the forefront.  We will protect and continue to value your WBW experience.  Thank you.  

Good morning, Sisters,
It was a beautiful time at Wayland Farms this past weekend.  We worked on several projects.  Monica, Jennifer, and Michelle worked on the showers.  They are almost done.  This week we get the gas and finish the electrical hook up and the outdoor, lovely showers will be up and functional.  (Another great reason to come to Warrior Work Weekends.
Carmen, Venice, and Colleen finished hauling the pine needles out of ARC.  They also raked the other kitchens: Danu, Mama Kuka, and Nut Kitchen are all raked.  ARC kitchen has been raked and has solar lights strung around the borders of the kitchen.
Venice, Colleen, and myself worked on stringing lights at the kitchens and at the entrances to the paths.  We went for a midnight stroll the other night to check our lights and they are incredibly beautiful; I am looking forward to walking the pines to sensory delight of seeing colored tents strewn through out the pines, smelling the pines, seeing the lights, and hearing the laughter of my sisters in the woods.
We also found an injured cat.  We applied first aid and hydration.  Wash will be attending to him this week until he is ready to be released to its natural habitat.  Wash informed us that it was one of the local stray barn cats.
Now onto the very important, most important business! 
If you have followed the clues of the updates to the website, you are already aware of part of the line up.
We have C.C. Carter coming to entertain and thrill us with her lusty words.
Kyla P., Summer Osborne, Mimi Gonzalez, Abigail Stauffer, Crys Matthews, Sista Otis, and Be Steadwell are some of the delightful performers that will be at MFR 2018.  There are more to come and the rest of the line up will be released this week!
Tickets! Tickets! Tickets! Get your tickets.  Prices for entry into Michigan framily Reunion will be going up very shortly (6/24/18 is the last day to get your tickets at reduced rate of $175).
Also, if you have purchased your tickets already (YAY! and thank you) they will be mailed out next week!
If you have sent an email to [email protected] indicating you are interested in arriving on 8/2/18 to help with the arrival of vendors and other sisters, you can now sign up for your shift here:
​https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0a4cafac2faaf58-sister

If you are around greater Lansing area, please feel free to join us at our monthly women's dance, 5/12/2018 (2nd Saturday of the month at Sir Pizza, Old Town, 201 E. César E. Chavez Ave., Lansing, MI 48906

Also, game night is the 3rd Thursday of the month, 5/17/18, at ​Sir Pizza, Old Town, 201 E. César E. Chavez Ave., Lansing, MI 48906

If you have any questions, please email [email protected]


​

​Good morning, sisters. I just wanted to let you all know that if you have questions or concerns regarding MFR 2017 or MFR 2018, I am available and open to listening and hearing. I have made many mistakes and hurt some feelings, for this I apologize. This has all been a learning curve for me and I appreciate the opportunity to continue to learn and grow. I am continuing to reach out to find the ways to make our festival and myself grow and improve. If you have bitches or concerns, I'm open to hearing. I made lots of mistakes and while I will probably continue to make mistakes because I am human, I hope that the mistakes will grow smaller and won't be the same ones. If you are available and open to talking with me, please email [email protected] or send an instant message. Thanks for all you are and all you doing. 

​Ok I have questions...
Can I pay at gate?
Yes, you can pay cash at the gate! 
I don't use credit cards and prefer cash... Yes, we prefer cash too, that will be a perfect fit. Thanks sister!
 
Can I camp in my Jeep?
Yes, you can camp in your jeep.  You will be required to park in specific “car camping” spaces for safety precautions.  When filling out your application, at the RV question, indicate you are camping in your vehicle and include your plate #.
 
Is there drinking water or do I bring my own?
There are 10 totes that hold 250 gallons each of potable (drinking) water.  There is LOTS Of fresh clean drinking water!
 
Showers? 
Sister, my sister, if you did not experience the exquisite HOT outdoor showers created by the genius Monica Murray and her Amazon crew, you are in for a TREAT!!!
 
 Food included or am I bringing groceries?
Food is not included in the price but there will be two food trucks providing delightful food: Getting Fresh & Crepes by the Lake.  Also, Bea’s Blends Coffees and Treats will be at MFR.
 
Dates?
August 3-6, 2018!
 
Thank you for answering my many questions 😀
You are welcome! Thanks for asking questions!
www.michiganframilyreunion.com