Our Years In Chaos

Hello world of Broad Vocabulary, it's been a while. Do you remember me? I'm Katie. I live in Milwaukee and have been on the board for the last two years or so. We've had some ups and downs. There was 'Girls to the Front Fest' last summer. That was pretty rad. Then there was the flood in the summer of '09. That hurt.

My point is, each summer we pick ourselves up, dust off our frilly summer dress, and hang out at as many of the summer street festivals as possible. This summer we were lucky enough to help plan Milwaukee's Slutwalk, and even managed to increase our family with two new board members. We're so proud. As the season comes to a close we morn the passing of the summer wind, and are buckling down for this year's winter.

After many a failed attempt at starting a grown up website, we've decided that we really shouldn't have abandoned blogspot the way we did. So we begged to be taken back, and lucky for us, they did. So get your can openers and tutu's ready. We've got plans to finish 2011 out with a bang.

Carrie Mae will hopefully fill our monthly movie nights with fun feminist features.

We've cleaned out the storage unit and we're putting on a digital rummage sale! Stay tuned for details.

Holiday gift fairs are almost here, so look for more opportunities to give all the people you love the book they've always wanted.

And, just in case you were wondering:

2012 will be here before you know it, and we're so glad you've stuck with us. Know that we are working hard and putting your love and energy to good use.

-Katie Jesse
ABVC Board Member

ABVC's 1st Ever Annual Meeting!

Sunday, April 26, 2009
11:00 am-1:00 pm
Outpost Community Room
2826 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee

Light food provided by the Outpost


Agenda items to include: ratification of bylaws, election of board of directors, and reports of what's been happening since the co-op was established... and what we still need to do to bring Broad Vocabulary back, better than ever!

All members are invited and encouraged to come and help give direction to the co-op as we grow.

Brunch fundraiser on April 12th

A Broader Vocabulary Cooperative would like to invite you to our latest fundraiser:

Spring Sunday Brunch
at the Cream City Collective in Riverwest
732 E Clarke St, Milwaukee

April 12th, 10 am - 2 pm
$10 adults, $5 for kids 12 and under

Come enjoy a vegetarian, Passover, and vegan-friendly brunch with
family and friends! Benefiting A Broader Vocabulary Cooperative.

Menu: French toast, potato pancakes, pancakes,
fruit salad, juice, coffee, and tea

Thanks to Coop member Carolyn Weber for organizing this event!

Join us tomorrow!

Join A Broader Vocabulary Coop tomorrow at the 7th Annual St. Pat & St. Brigid Day All-City Gathering of Activists, Artists & Cultural Creators!

Come to hear "2-minute soapbox" presentations & performances by dozens of groups, artists, and activists working toward peace, justice, and beauty in Milwaukee, plus music by Embedded Reporter and The Merry Band. Come celebrate and learn more about the amazing things going on around us!

Tuesday, Mar. 17th

5-10 pm

Club Timbuktu, 520 E Center St.

Upcoming events & new press!

Join us for these upcoming events! At any of our events we welcome you to join the coop officially as a member or drop off any used books you'd like to donate to the coop.

Feb. 28th at 8 pm: Benefit Show @ Frank's Power Plant, 2800 S. Kinnickinnick
Co-op members are throwing a Broad Vocabulary Benefit Bash! Come for performance by local bands Plexi 3, International Date Lines, Pigs On Ice, and Exotic Matter. Come also for yummy potluck food and a raffle of some great items from local businesses! Cover is $8.

Mar. 1st, 2-4 pm: “The Power and Virtue of Resilience: What science tells us about developing our incredible power to survive and thrive in adversity” w/Dr. Julie Helmrich.
Plymouth Church, 2717 E. Hampshire Ave. Dr. Julie Helmrich is a psychologist who teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in counseling, psychotherapy, psychology, and leadership at Marquette University, UW-Milwaukee, Cardinal Stritch University, Mt. Mary College, and Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology and teaches Interpersonal Growth classes at the Interpersonal Institute. Suggested donation of $10 or what you can give.

Mar. 8th, 7-9 pm. "Living Activism Night" at The Coffee House featuring Regina Gallero
A Broader Vocabulary is the host organization for March’s “Living Activism Night.” Chilean singer-songwriter Regina Gallero will weaves stories, images, and music as she explores The Experience of Oppression and the Quest for Freedom at a political, social and personal/spiritual level. The music, with its beautiful melodies and powerful lyrics, was born during the Latin American folk music revival of the 60s and is seldom heard in the U.S. The stories include translations of the lyrics. The images relate to each song, and many are paintings by contemporary Latin American artists. The Coffee House is located at 631 N 19th St; suggested donation of $10 or what you can give. Food pantry donation of one non-perishable food item greatly appreciated.

Check our these new articles featuring A Broader Vocabulary and our events:

http://milwaukee.decider.com/articles/save-our-feminist-bookstore,24061/ http://fan-belt.com/2009/02/26/tgit-our-weekend-picks-27/ http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-5647-feb-26--mar-4.html

Exciting news & upcoming events!

Hello, Broad Vocabulary!

Happy first week into a new era! Last week was an exciting one for many reasons, though you may not have realized how the stars were aligning specially for Milwaukee feminists. Last Thursday was a pretty cool day: it was not only the anniversary of the Supreme Court affirming women’s right to choose (and yours truly’s birthday), but then we finally received news that the Coop’s offer to purchase the inventory of Broad Vocabulary had been accepted! Hooray!! We are happy to report that we are now one very important step closer to reestablishing a feminist, independent bookstore and community space for Milwaukee!

A special thanks to all those of you who have become coop members since our last update. You are all (literally!) part owners of this endeavor and are helping us to get there. To celebrate our steps toward the new bookstore, don’t forget that we are having our first “Champagne & Chocolate” Member Appreciation Party at the home of one of our members this Sunday (Feb. 1) from 4-7 pm. Anyone is welcome to join at the door. Bring friends/classmates/roommates! Connect with other broad-vocabularied minds, raise a toast to feminist perseverance through tough times, and share your input for our next steps forward! Email us for the address. RSVPs appreciated!

Not a member yet? Words for you can be found at the bottom!**

Of course we still need to raise more money before we will be in a position to open the new store—but the good news is no one ever said fundraising couldn’t be fun! Mark your calendars for these great upcoming Broader Vocabulary Coop events!

Feb. 21st, 7:00 pm @ The Tool Shed, 2724 N Murray Ave: Yes Means Yes! Author Event w/Jaclyn Friedman
Jaclyn is coming to Milwaukee to talk with us about the fabulous new anthology Yes Means Yes! Visions of Female Sexual Power & A World Without Rape, which she put together with feministing.com writer Jessica Valenti. We hear that Jaclyn is a very exciting speaker, and this is a very exciting new book! Come hear what she has to say about deconstructing the rape culture, get your copy and have it signed, and explore The Tool Shed’s great new space. $10 suggested donation.

“Yes Means Yes reminds me of why I came to call myself a feminist. It’s unapologetic, politically astute, and affirming of women and our sexualities. These gutsy writers analyze with passion their experiences of incest, racial stereotypes, and sex work, and they dare us to imagine a world where we’re safe and empowered.”- Daisy Hernandez, coeditor Colonize This! Women of Color on Today’s Feminism
“By challenging blanket claims, like that all males are sexual aggressors,… Yes Means Yes says the conscious decisions we make about sex in its many forms are the best medicine for the illness that is rape culture.”- Bust magazine

There’s more, as well as further discussion about the road to a safer world for empowered female sexuality at the blog inspired by the book: yesmeansyesblog.wordpress.com

Feb. 28th, 8:00 pm @ Frank’s Power Plant, 2800 S Kinnickinnick: Benefit Concert for Broad Vocabulary featuring local bands Plexi 3, International Date Lines, Uh Oh, Pigs On Ice, and Exotic Matter.
There will also be a yummy potluck and raffle. Cover is $8. Thanks to Brian Whitney & Kate Scanlan for organizing this event!

Mar. 8th, 7:00 pm. Broad Vocabulary is down as the host group for March’s “Living Activism Night” at The Coffee House, 631 N 19th St. Watch for more info to come! http://the-coffee-house.com/livingactivism.htm

**Stay tuned: we are in the process of confirming a community brainstorming meeting to field your ideas and input for both the use and location of Broad Vocabulary’s next space. Tentative timing is Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 7 pm; confirmation and location announcement coming soon!**

Wish list / Things we need / Ways to help!­ Email us if you can help with any of the following:

-Truck help: We need help transporting a few large bookcases we got for free BY THIS SATURDAY (Jan. 31st) or we will lose them! Is there a fine feminist (or two) out there with (or with access to) a truck or large van? We need you!

-T-shirt designs – We would love to print some new BV Coop tshirts and are accepting design submissions. Flex your creative talent—your design could end up on our new shirt!

-Organizers – Be the next Kate & Brian and plan a fundraiser for Broad Vocabulary! The possibilities are truly endless and up to your imagination, interests, and talents. Large or small. The reality is that the Board has a lot on our plate, and we will raise money faster if you can jump in and take charge of some organizing! We’re happy to talk ideas with you and to pair you with help!

-Street Team – We need a few good feminists to volunteer to hang posters and flyers to promote upcoming events. Claim your side of town or campus to help us spread the word as far and wide as possible!

-Used books – we are amassing a collection of quality used books to use for fundraising and to jump-start our inventory. Email us to coordinate drop-off.

-Poster/graphic designers: Help us create posters and flyers for upcoming events!

-Does anyone have or have access to a button maker?

-Web designer – are you that cool techy person we’ve been daydreaming about who will help us create the new website? Sweet!

-Video skills – Portland’s feminist bookstore In Other Words raised a lot of money fast to save their store via a short video that was posted to YouTube and feministing.com. So...got video-making skills? Want to show the world why Milwaukee needs Broad Vocabulary? Tell us!

That looks like plenty for now—thank you for all of your continued support and we look forward to seeing you this Sunday or later in February! Contact us anytime with your questions, ideas, daydreamings, or ways you can help that we haven’t imagined!

With much enthusiasm, your board,

Annie, Hannah, Stephanie, Barbara, Patty, & Janine


** Did you know that Co-op members are each part-owners of the cooperative? That means that the new Broad Vocabulary will be as strong and vibrant and intriguing and clever as its members! This store will be shaped by *you*--we need and want your ideas, your talents, and your buy-in! Memberships are $25/year (though we will happily accept whatever more you can give!) Become an inaugural Broader Vocabulary Cooperative member by a) sending a check made out to A Broader Vocabulary Cooperative to PO Box 070612, Milwaukee, WI 53207 [make sure to include your name, address, email, and phone number], b) joining online via the Paypal link at abroadervocabulary.blogspot.com or c) in person at one of the above events!

Update! Are you a member yet?

Hello, A Broader Vocabulary Cooperative supporters!

We hope you've all been staying warm and well during this chilly season! We the Co-op board wanted to give you an update and let you know that efforts are still going strong to make an independent, feminist bookstore a reality again in Milwaukee.

Thanks to money raised at our "Phoenix Rising" fundraiser the weekend the store closed its doors, we have been able to make an offer and counter-offer on the inventory of Broad Vocabulary. We are still waiting on final word from the bank, but hope to have good news to report soon! In order to open a new store, we need to amass 2-3 months of operating expenses in the bank--$10,000-$15,000--so we need to keep fundraising! We are blessed to have an email list of literally hundreds of supporters, which is wonderful, thank you! But only about 40 of you have officially joined as members of the new cooperative so far. The coop's membership is vital to the future of Broad Vocabulary. With community ownership, the store will be more sustainable as we draw on the time, talents, and creativity of our community. With the input of the coop's members, the store will reflect your needs and vision for this unique feminist community space.

If you haven't become a member yet, please consider joining us now in this most important of ways. Membership is $25/year (or any additional amount you can give); you can send a check to A Broader Vocabulary, PO Box 070612, Milwaukee, WI 53207 or contribute via the Paypal link here on this page. Please include your name, email, address, and phone number.

While Broad Vocabulary may not have a physical store space for the time being, it exists as the community of its members, and we will be kicking off the first of monthly member events with a "Champagne & Chocolate" member appreciation evening on February 1st from 4-7 pm. The address has been sent to members only for the privacy of our gracious host, but new members are welcome to join at the door, so if you plan to join between now or the day of, please email us to be sent the location! (abroadervocabulary@gmail.com)

Also, mark your calendars for a Broad Vocabulary benefit concert with local bands, potluck, and raffle to be held at Franks Power Plant, 2800 S Kinnickinnick, on Feb. 28th at 8 pm, organized by Kate Scanlan and Brian Whitney. Let us know if you can contribute a potluck dish or help with publicity!

Finally, we are collecting quality used books that may be used for fundraising as well as to kick-start our inventory. Have any lying around you'd like to donate? Contact us to arrange drop off!

Stay warm and we hope to see you soon!

~The ladies of the A Broader Vocabulary Cooperative Board