by Andrea Penagos

As graduation looms near, I realize that for better or for worse, my college experience has been different than that of the average undergrad at USC. Every Friday night, instead of dolling up for a house party or catching a drink at a local bar, I head to South Los Angeles and meet with my favorite accomplices: the women of Women’s Creative Collective for Change (WCC).

Founded in 2006 by USC students Tani Ikeda and Marissa Sellers, WCC is an student-led organization dedicated to creating a safe, supportive space where women of all backgrounds, colors, and sexual preferences can share their stories through artistic expression. Coming together with the understanding that art represents a vital tool for the empowerment and healing of women and their communities, every Friday women are given the opportunity to become poets, visual artists, filmmakers, dancers, and actors, and are also encouraged to facilitate their own workshops based on their skills and interests.

Over the weekend, Women’s Creative Collective for Change found its inspiration in the desert as it held its first annual Skill Share Retreat in the Antelope Valley’s Saddleback Butte State Park. Setting up tents on a campsite amidst sand, Joshua Trees, and tumbleweeds, WCC regulars and newcomers explored the relationship between women, nature, spirituality, and personal story for three days and two nights. Participants enjoyed morning yoga sessions, meals provided by Food Not Bombs, and, most importantly, a wide variety of workshops facilitated under the sun and inside a colorful dome.

Workshops included an exploration of personal stories through letter writing facilitated by author Ching-In, a discussion on reworking the creation myth moderated by Noelle Miller, and a guided meditative walk through the desert led by Sierra J. Sullivan, founder and CEO of The Ray magazine. The group also delved into a tactile exploration of intimacy and a conversation on manipulating dreams. Each night, the group was reminded to ask their dreams a question before falling asleep and instructed to report back the next day.

On Saturday night, WCC member Chavonne Taylor emceed an acoustic performance set around a campfire, showcasing singer/songwriters Reina Fukuda and Wave Melen, poet Laila Ekboir, and Taylor herself, who read a poem under the moon’s glow.

Courtesy of Andrea Penagos

In a particularly memorable moment, performance artist Peggy Jo stumbled towards the campfire wearing a sequined bustier and silver lamé hot pants. The fire exposed a black eye and bruises on the side of her mouth. Slurring her speech, Jo asked to be fed, passed around a jar full of loose change, and sang a melancholy song, later shuffling off and leaving some people largely confused, myself included. Upon returning to the campsite, she explained the intention of her piece. “I’m interested in playing the woman that no one wants to be or be around. I’m interested in playing the prostitute, the homeless woman, the abused woman,” Jo said. With her chilling performance, Jo challenged her audience to explore its immediate reactions to her character and delve into the difficult questions brought up by her performance.

Much was accomplished in these three days, and some of the success of the Skillshare event can be attributed to the unique leadership style present in WCC.

Given that WCC functions as a non-hierarchical organization, planning the retreat was an exercise in synthesizing members’ different visions as to what the retreat should look like. Although at times the details were a challenge to work out and consensus was often hard to reach, all members involved felt equally invested in the success of the retreat and therefore threw themselves wholly into the process. From seeking workshop facilitators to reserving the campsite to cutting vegetables the day before the retreat, each individual contributed their different skills and interests to bring the event to fruition.

As the retreat came to a close, the women of WCC held hands around the trees and their web of art and stories, giving thanks for the opportunity to connect with nature, their inner selves, and most importantly, each other.