"Feminism is not a dirty word to me. It is like a freedom song."
"For me, its utterance means liberation. I am thankful to have worked on revitalizing the BMC Women's Center because it has helped me find amazing women who are not afraid to shout the 'F-word' -- feminism -- out loud. As a feminist rapper at Bryn Mawr, I could build collaborative relationships with other women artists that are so crucial when challenging the misogyny and homophobia in popular music."
Shayna Israel '08
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Major: Sociology
Note: In 2007, Shayna Israel '08 founded the feminist rap collective 3XLADYCREW with Bryn Mawr students Menda Franchise François '09 and Nikki López '10. Active as both an artist and a social activist, she played a major role in reviving a dormant Bryn Mawr Women's Center, served as editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Kaleidoscope, taught poetry to high-school students, and helped found Bryn Mawr's Social Justice Pilot Program, which encourages Bryn Mawr students with different backgrounds and life experiences to come together to explore what issues of diversity mean to them and how those issues affect their lives.
