Audre Lorde
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Audre Lorde
(Caribbean-American)
Our #matriarchmonday spotlight is the self-described - black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet - Audre Lorde. Audre celebrated all parts of her identity and valued them all equally. She translated her experiences within these realms into poetry, prose, and theory that confronted racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, and ableism.
Audre grew up in Harlem, NY with parents from Barbados and Grenada, which shaped her involvement with social justice movements in the country and globally. Audre personified the magic that lives within our bodies and argued that greater connection with one’s sexual truth can strengthen the fight against oppression. In her lifetime Audre led the fight for lesbianism, called out the racism that exists with the feminist movement, and used her fight with cancer to elevate emotional healing.