Earlier this morning, Rose McGowan delivered the opening remarks, speaking publicly for the first time since news of the hideous allegations against Harvey Weinstein broke. Later this afternoon, she’ll speak at a panel about how sexual assault survivors can fight for their agency and their rights in the age of Betsy Devos.
I write this missive from the press room, a cavernous, windowless space with bad carpeting and a pleasant view of Canada—did you know you could see Canada from Detroit? I didn’t, until I saw a sign on the freeway that said THE BRIDGE TO CANADA in large letters. “Do you want to go to Canada,” our Uber driver joked. We laughed; he did not take us to Canada but he did drop us off at the Cobo Center, a giant space where everyone has been nothing but extra kind. The woman at the press check-in table walked me to the press room after I tried to find it myself and failed.
It’s a lively scene in here—a woman in a lime green blazer and a tiara and a sash is staring intently at her phone. Two men are explaining Dropbox to each other. It’s quiet in here, for which I am very grateful. I’m ready to greet the day, meet some women, and, per their slogan, reclaim my time.
While we’re here, we’ll bop into some panels, learn about reshaping how we organize as a movement (or, many movements), interview panelists and attendees, and take a stroll through Social Justice Village and the “Oxfam Refugee Road: a Unique and Interactive Event to Engage with the Powerful Themes of Choice, Loss, and Uncertainty.” Join us.
