Third Woman Press facts for kids

Third Woman Press (TWP) is a special publishing group. It focuses on sharing stories and ideas from women of color. These stories often explore different ways of thinking about gender and culture. Norma Alarcón started the press in 1979 in Bloomington, Indiana. She wanted to create a new way to talk about race and gender. Alarcón said that Third Woman was a place for people to define themselves. It was about creating new ideas, not just making small changes. The name Third Woman refers to the experiences women of color have lived through.

The press closed in 2004 because it ran out of money and energy. But it reopened in 2011! Alarcón brought it back with help from Christina L. Gutiérrez and Sara A. Ramírez. TWP was restarted to honor and continue the work of women of color in publishing. It has published important books by famous women of color. These include Living Chicana Theory (1998) by Gloria Anzaldúa. Another is Chicana Lesbians: The Girls Our Mothers Warned Us About (1991) by Carla Trujillo. Also, Writing Self, Writing Nation: A Collection of Essays on Dictee by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (1994) by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha.

TWP believes that language, art, and media can create big social changes. These tools help more people access the work of activists and artists. These people work for freedom from old unfair systems like colonialism. TWP also wants readers to work with them. They want to imagine a world for women of color everywhere. This includes women who have moved to new places or are from different native groups.

How Third Woman Press Started

In 1979, Norma Alarcón was a student at Indiana University. She went to a workshop for Latina writers. Other Latina writers like Sandra Cisneros and Ana Castillo were there. The ten women talked about how few books by Latina authors were being published. Alarcón said this discussion was the start of Third Woman Press.

Alarcón received some money from Indiana University. But she also got funding from other parts of the university. This helped the press stay independent. Because it was a new, small group, Alarcón even learned how to typeset. She did most of the typesetting for the first issue herself.

Reopening the Press

Third Woman Press closed in 2004. This was due to a lack of money and Alarcón's health. However, in 2011, Sara A. Ramirez and Christina L. Gutíerrez reopened it. Ramirez said that Alarcón's generation was the first to give a voice to women of color. Ramirez felt it was her duty to continue their work. She decided to restart the press as a tribute to these women.

Ramirez and Alarcón started emailing in March 2011. After some encouragement, Ramirez asked Alarcón about restarting the press. Alarcón replied, "You may adopt my child." She also said, "You could be my 'grandchild' and 'heir' to an interrupted project." She agreed to help guide Ramirez.

Soon, other women of color joined Ramirez. They helped set up social media pages. They also sold books at conferences. A year after reopening, they organized fundraisers across the United States.

This Bridge Called My Back

This Bridge Called my Back is one of TWP's most famous books. It was first published in 1981. TWP republished its third edition in 2002. No one working on this book was a full-time employee of TWP. They were all volunteers or interns.

Important Ideas in the Book

This Bridge Called My Back was groundbreaking. It helped bring the idea of "intersectionality" into feminist discussions. Intersectionality means understanding how different parts of a person's identity, like race and gender, connect. The book is praised for showing differences among women. It also shows how these differences can lead to personal and social change.

Using Art in the Book

The TWP website says the third edition includes visual art. Seventeen well-known women of color artists contributed images. These images are mostly from the same time the book was first published. Celia Herrera Rodriguez chose the pictures. Rodriguez wrote that these images are often missing from academic talks about art. She said that when they are recognized, it's often through a Eurocentric view.

Chicana Lesbians: The Girls Our Mothers Warned Us About

TWP published Chicana Lesbians: The Girls Our Mothers Warned Us About in 1991. This book is a collection of writings. It was put together by writer Carla Trujillo.

Themes in the Book

One main theme in the book is food. The way Chicano food is explored in the book helps validate the feelings and desires of the women. It connects their experiences to their cultural background.

See also

• Chicana feminism
• Black feminism
• Third-world feminism
• List of Mexican American writers
• List of women writers