Podcast Summary

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Episode: 'VOICES: a sacred sisterscape,' An Audio Play Centering Black Women's Stories
Date: July 3, 2024
Host: Alison Stewart
Guests: V (formerly Eve Ensler, Founder of V Day) & Hollis Heath (Producer, Actor, Writer, Educator)

Overview: Main Theme and Purpose

This episode of All Of It spotlights "VOICES: A Sacred Sisterscape," a new audio play created through V Day—an organization dedicated to ending violence against women and girls. The work centers stories by and about Black women from around the world, using audio as a medium to foster deep listening, connection, and authentic representation. The conversation explores how the project came to be, its creative process, and its ambition to honor the vast interior experiences of Black women, moving beyond suffering to celebrate joy, complexity, and solidarity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Inspiration and Motivation

• V (Eve Ensler) explains that after George Floyd’s murder and the global reckoning with systemic racism, the V Day movement recognized a need to center new stories, specifically those of Black women (03:43):

  "It became very clear to me... it was time really for a new piece to be at the center of our movement... that really focused on the lives, the visions, the feelings, the heart, the stories of black women around the world."

• Collaboration began with poet Aja Monet and producer Hollis Heath, who called for women around the world to submit their stories, gathering around 900 submissions.

2. Creative Process

• Hollis Heath describes the process, including a "listening tour" on Instagram and a retreat to review submissions (06:17):

  "We had women on Instagram sharing their stories and artistic practice... we went away on a retreat and really combed through all of the selections."

• The project’s soundscape, crafted by composer Lafimbear, aims to connect and ground listeners emotionally throughout the audio play.

3. New Directions: From The Vagina Monologues to Sacred Sisterscape

• The hosts and guests discuss the evolution from The Vagina Monologues (1996) to this new work (08:11):

  "I think I want to create a soundscape so that people don’t get caught in the look of Black women and colorism and judging, but where they really... go in and listen, listen, listen to the stories..." (V, 08:32)

• Focus shifts to hearing rather than seeing, specifically to counteract visual stereotypes and marginalization.

4. Highlight: Ode to Stretch Marks

• An excerpt is played celebrating stretch marks as symbols of growth and self-acceptance (09:27–11:22).
• Notable quote (Voice Actor/Poet, 10:29):

  "If I could have only known then how I feel now. Gorgeous and free with each line that goes back down my thighs and curls back up to its place of leisure."

• Hollis Heath shares why this story was essential:

  "...all of our experiences with just our bodies changing and how that impacts us our entire lives." (10:58)

5. Casting and Representation

• The casting focused on finding dynamic voices able to embody the stories’ interiority, encouraging connection and community, not just visual identity (11:43).

6. Embracing Change in Body Positivity

• V reflects on whether our culture has shifted enough for women to embrace their stretch marks:

  "I fear we’re really being pushed backwards... But I think right now, I think we need the voices of all women, and that includes trans women and non binary people on the front lines..." (12:26–13:29)

7. Multilingual & Global Scope

• Stories are presented in Swahili, French, and English to reflect the diverse geographies and experiences of Black women (14:09):

  "We have such a... limited idea of who black women are in the world. And they speak many languages and they come from many countries and they occupy space in many regions." (V, 14:09)

8. The Power of Audio Storytelling

• Audio is positioned as an intimate, transformational medium, especially when experienced in groups with guided questions for reflection (15:12–16:44):

  "...you put on your headphones, you put in an eye mask, and you all go into this experience... It was physical, it was sensual, it was political, it was radical." (V, 15:27)

9. Sound Design & Musical Choices

• The recurring musical and thematic refrain "You Are the Sun" is praised for grounding the piece and linking its many moods (17:00).

10. Highlight: Sexual Agency & Pleasure

• Excerpt: A story about a woman taking charge of her pleasure, told through a "flight" analogy (18:07–18:50).
• Quote (Voice Actor, 18:35):

  "For the first time, I wasn’t just a passenger, you know, like, that's what was different. And now that I know how to fly, I don’t think I can ever settle for barely crawling, you know."

• Hollis Heath:

  "It’s so special to hear Black women in particular share what they desire and be bold about it in a society that regularly... tells us not to be." (18:59)

11. Nuance: Joy, Grief, Discomfort

• The piece intentionally includes moments of joy, grief, and discomfort. Hollis explains these are necessary to reflect the full spectrum of Black women’s lives (20:05–21:06).
• V:

  "The whole piece is like a Black woman’s mandala... a collective, which is really the truth of our existence." (21:06)

12. Art as Activism

• Storytelling is linked directly to activism (21:42):

  "...The more we bring the stories to the center, the more we empower those who are telling the stories... That’s how we change racism. That’s how we end, and that’s how we really begin to value each other in a way that changes the entire discourses." (V, 21:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• V (Eve Ensler), on the power of listening:

  "...not only listened to the stories of women, but honored the stories of women and acted on the basis of what women are saying..." (08:43)

• Hollis Heath, on solidarity:

  "...making space for everyone’s stories to be heard is really going to connect us and save us, quite honestly." (13:53)

• V, on the importance of communal listening:

  "...you listen in community because there’s something about that experience that is so strong..." (16:44)

• Hollis Heath, on feeling seen:

  "...to honor the fullness of our experiences... was important to acknowledge all those different waves..." (20:20)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:40 — Episode introduction and premise by Alison Stewart
• 03:43 — V on inspiration and need for Black women’s stories
• 05:14 — Hollis Heath on joining and project intentions
• 08:11 — Comparison to The Vagina Monologues
• 09:27 — "Ode to Stretch Marks" excerpt
• 10:58 — Discussion of importance and casting of this piece
• 12:26–13:29 — On culture change and inclusion
• 14:09 — Importance of different languages and global Black experience
• 15:12–16:44 — On the power of audio storytelling
• 17:00 — Sound design and music choices
• 18:07–18:50 — "First time feeling pleasure" airplane analogy excerpt
• 20:05–21:06 — Joy, sadness, and discomfort in the stories
• 21:42–21:45 — Storytelling as activism and empowerment

Final Takeaways

• "VOICES: a sacred sisterscape" represents a profound evolution in V Day’s work, intentionally refocusing the cultural conversation.
• Audio format is used both as an artistic and political tool to encourage empathy and deep connection.
• The piece honors Black women’s lives in their full multidimensionality—joy, pain, sexuality, transformation, and solidarity—offering new space for listening, understanding, and action.
• Listeners are encouraged not just to hear these stories passively but to gather, reflect, and engage collectively.

Available now on all streaming platforms.