Sister Spit facts for kids
Sister Spit was a cool group of artists and writers who performed spoken-word pieces and other art. They started in San Francisco in 1994. The group was known for their exciting live shows. They traveled all over the United States.
Two of the people who started Sister Spit were Michelle Tea and Sini Anderson. Other members included writers like Jane LeCroy and Eileen Myles. They were famous for their "Ramblin' Roadshow." They performed at many events, like the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. One newspaper called them "the coolest... line-up of talented... performance artists."
Sister Spit was described as a "literary celebration of outspoken and courageous feminists." They performed many times at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. They also went on tours across the United States. They often performed for diverse audiences. They played at big events like the Castro Street Fair and San Francisco Pride. They visited cities like Boston and Buffalo, New York.
In April 2007, Michelle Tea brought the tour back. She called it Sister Spit: The Next Generation. This new group included some original members like Eileen Myles and Ali Liebegott. It also featured newer writers such as Cristy Road and Nicole Georges.
Sister Spit: The Next Generation toured for about a month at a time. They traveled across the U.S., Canada, and sometimes Europe. They often performed at universities and art centers. The new group became even more inclusive. It welcomed performers of all gender identities and sexual orientations. Some performers included Nicole Georges, Cristy Road, Eileen Myles, Beth Lisick, and Justin Vivian Bond.
In 2017, Sister Spit celebrated its 20th Anniversary tour. This tour featured artists like Denise Benavides, Virgie Tovar, and Joshua Jennifer Espinoza.
Sister Spit and Publishing Books
In 2012, Sister Spit started working with City Lights Publishers. This was a big step for them. They wanted to help new writers get their books published. Their new publishing group was called City Lights/Sister Spit.
Their first book was an anthology called Sister Spit: Writing, Rants and Reminiscence from the Road. An anthology is a collection of writings by different authors. After that, they published books by Ali Liebegott and Beth Lisick. A magazine called Ms. said the anthology was a "great read." It honored the important role Sister Spit played in culture.
The goal of City Lights/Sister Spit is to publish writings from unique and different viewpoints. Editor Michelle Tea wants to help writers who might find it hard to get their work noticed.
Who Was in Sister Spit?
Sister Spit had many different members over the years. The group often changed. Here are some of the people who were part of many shows:
- Michelle Tea - a writer, and one of the people who started Sister Spit.
- Sini Anderson - a performance poet, and also a co-founder of Sister Spit.
- Ida Acton - an author.
- Kirk Read - a writer and performer.
- Marci Blackman - a novelist who won an award.
- Cooper Lee Bombardier - a writer and visual artist.
- Lynnee Breedlove - the lead singer of a band called Tribe 8 and a writer.
- Tara Jepsen - a performance artist, actor, and writer.
- Rocco Kayiatos - a poet and a beatboxer (someone who makes drum sounds with their mouth).
- Beth Lisick - a writer, filmmaker, and musician.
- Shar Rednour - an author, filmmaker, and podcast host.
- Miranda Mellis - a dancer, trapeze artist, and poet.
- Eileen Myles - an author.
- Sara Seinberg - a photographer.
- Anna Joy Springer - a professor.
- Samuael Topiary - a filmmaker and performer.
- Ali Liebegott - an author.
- Amos Mac - a photographer.
- MariNaomi - a cartoonist.
- Myriam Gurba - an author.
- Blake Nelson - an author.
- Nicole J. Georges - a cartoonist.
- Sash Sunday - a roadie (someone who helps with equipment on tour).
- Kat Yoas - an author.
Music and Recordings
Sister Spit also released some recordings of their performances:
- I Spit On Your Country: Words From The '97 Roadshow, released in 1998.
- Sister Spit's Ramblin' Road Show - Greatest Spits, released on May 29, 2001.
- Tribe Spit Deep, released in 2002.
