Who is The HummingbirdLion?

Jessie Elliott is an adoptee, adoptive and biological mother of four young adults, and the founder of The HummingbirdLion Adoption Hub. She is a doctoral researcher in Developmental Psychology whose work focuses on trauma, attachment, and adoption across the lifespan. Jessie blends lived experience, rigorous research, and public education to help agencies move beyond feel‑good adoption narratives toward adoptee‑centered, trauma‑competent practice.

Through her unique intersection—adoptee, transracial adoptive parent, biological parent, and researcher—Jessie names needs many organizations overlook and backs them with data and lived experience.

Why Adoption Reform Now

• Adoptees experience elevated rates of mental health challenges and suicidality compared to non‑adopted peers.
• Systems still minimize pre‑placement trauma, sexual trauma, racial harm in transracial adoption, and the impact of secrecy and DNA discoveries.
• Agencies are being asked to move from placement‑focused metrics to lifespan‑focused, adoptee‑centered outcomes.

The post Womens Magazine – Host of The Space Between Us, discusses and unpacks Adoption Reform with Jessie Elliot appeared first on KPFA.

Today on at 1-2pm on KPFA Radio’s “Women’s Magazine” I spend most of the hour talking about a new must see documentary “Second Nature” about the proliferation of homosexuality and/or gender changing/bending in all species in nature. For centuries the Church, science and now Republican lawmakers have invoked biological essentialism to justify pathologizing and attacking Queers and Transgenders. This attack is especially obvious now when transgender health care, school participation, bathroom access, and public visibility is being made illegal. Conservative activists routinely describe trans identity and homosexuality as a rejection of science itself. And homophobes often assert that heterosexuality and male dominance is part of natural law following centuries of darwinian bias and argue that homosexuality is an aberration in all of nature. Today I talk to Drew Denny, the director of the new documentary “Second Nature” which debunks this century’s old science based propaganda. And I also talk two scientists from the film about the science; the ground breaking evolutionary biologist Dr Joan Roughgarden, the author of the seminal science changing book “Evolution’s Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People” and renowned feminist darwinian primatologist Dr Amy Parish about the fallacy of this heterosexist science. This excellent and thoroughly convincing documentary is showing on September 17, at 7:00 PM as the opening night film of Critter Fest showing at the 4-Star Theater in San Francisco. You can find more info on their website secondnaturedoc.com And I want people to check out another important political documentary “Democracy Noir:A New Dawn” which is showing September 16th at 7:15 a the grand lake theater. “Democracy Noir: A New Dawn” is an informative account of how Viktor Orbán installed authoritarian rule in Hungary and of his stunning defeat by the unification of the people across parties. You can get more info about this film at clarity films.org. And I want to note the death of Gloria Steinem and Robin Morgan, two important feminists from the 70’s. Their passing and the continual loss of older feminist sadly marks the end of an era. I want to note that Steinem was lauded in the NY times obituary and my many feminist everywhere but was also attacked online for being a CIA spy and Neo liberal feminist. Steinem may not have been a radical anti imperialist feminist but she did work to create bonds and support with many African American feminists including bell hooks and Angela Davis among others. Like the Hungarians I hope we can realize we are in a state of emergency that may require we work together with those who may not be exact duplicates of ourselves. So rather than go into the both sides of that debate I am just gonna play a few short clips from Steinem.

The post “Second Nature” documentary on gender and sexuality in nature appeared first on KPFA.

This hour long radio program presents and discusses women’s lives and issues globally and locally from a radical, multiracial, feminist, mujerist, womanist perspective.

The post Womens Magazine – September 7, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

Women’s Magazine Collective members Jovelyn Richards and Margo Okazawa-Rey host today’s live, call-in show to continue the discussion from Part 1, What Black Feminisms for This Political Moment? How do we understand Black feminisms in these times? How can the various perspectives illuminate the steady marching of governments, political trends, and formations marching steadily toward the racist, misogynist, nationalist Right and fascism in the US and countries around the world? What are the limitations of those perspectives? What kinds of feminisms must we develop to ensure all life forms will thrive, not only survive? Come join our conversation.

The post What Black Feminisms for This Political Moment? Part 2 appeared first on KPFA.

To the extent that news about Palestine is even covered in the world’s mainstream media, the coverage is typically about violence and destruction, and when Palestinian people are humanized, grief and suffering. When, where, and how have you seen and heard about another side: children, youth, and young and older adults creating art together using naturally available materials? On today’s program, you will have the chance to learn from artists Haya Allabadi, Sara Hammoudeh, and Sera Maraka about the work of an art studio and their creations to archive and document the beauty of Palestine to build bridges of hope for generations to come.

The post Young Palestinian Women Artists “Preserving Memory through Beauty” appeared first on KPFA.

ENCORE SHOW – Lisa Dettmer  feature  two segments both focusing on Buddhism, healing and spirituality. First I talk to Kithi Nath and Lata Mani about their two new films showing at the Elmwood Rialto cinema on Wednesday August 19th at 6:15 PM as part of a special one time program called “Cinema as Prayer: A Night of Queer South Asian Films.” This film program features “PARAMITA” by Kirthi Nath and “Longing Suite” by Lata Mani and Nicolás Grandi—two poetic films that move through longing, belonging and spiritual transformation. PARAMITA bears witness to Prajna Choudhury’s 25-year journey of coming out to her traditional Bangladeshi mother. Told with intimacy and tenderness, the film invites us into a meditative experience as Prajna connects with Buddhist practice and nature as gateways for intergenerational healing. “Longing Suite” is a lyrical exploration of awakening to the feminine Divine. Building on a cycle of poems written by Mani in the 1990s, the film traces the arc of a heart-mind-body awakening to the sacred in all that exists. Together, these intimate, spiritual films invite us to experience cinema as prayer. The screening will be followed by a conversation and Q&A with the filmmakers, moderated by Madeleine Lim, Executive and Artistic Director of QWOCMAP (Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project). And then I talk with Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad, the author of “The Fire Inside: The Dharma of James Baldwin and Audre Lorde” — a book exploring the radical literary legacies of James Baldwin and Audre Lorde through a Dharmic lens. “The Fire Inside”reveals how two of America’s greatest literary voices reflect — and expand — Buddhism’s most timeless truths toward justice and liberation, showing that liberation depends not only on organizing and mass movements, but on the generative power of inner well-being, authenticity, art, and embodiment. It offers space for the kind of conversation our communities need: one that centers and celebrates Black, queer, radical thought, and doesn’t shy away from difficult truths. That’s 1-2pm on KPFA Radio at 94.1FM or online at kpfa.org where the show will be available afterwards to stream and download.

The post Cinema as Prayer showing and James Baldwin and Audre Lorde on Suffering and Joy appeared first on KPFA.

Today at 1pm on KPFA Radio’s Women’s Magazine I am featuring two segments both focusing on Buddhism, healing and spirituality. First I talk to Kithi Nath and Lata Mani about their two new films showing at the Elmwood Rialto cinema on Wednesday August 19th at 6:15 PM as part of a special one time program called “Cinema as Prayer: A Night of Queer South Asian Films.” This film program features “PARAMITA” by Kirthi Nath and “Longing Suite” by Lata Mani and Nicolás Grandi—two poetic films that move through longing, belonging and spiritual transformation. PARAMITA bears witness to Prajna Choudhury’s 25-year journey of coming out to her traditional Bangladeshi mother. Told with intimacy and tenderness, the film invites us into a meditative experience as Prajna connects with Buddhist practice and nature as gateways for intergenerational healing. “Longing Suite” is a lyrical exploration of awakening to the feminine Divine. Building on a cycle of poems written by Mani in the 1990s, the film traces the arc of a heart-mind-body awakening to the sacred in all that exists. Together, these intimate, spiritual films invite us to experience cinema as prayer. The screening will be followed by a conversation and Q&A with the filmmakers, moderated by Madeleine Lim, Executive and Artistic Director of QWOCMAP (Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project). And then I talk with Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad, the author of “The Fire Inside: The Dharma of James Baldwin and Audre Lorde” — a book exploring the radical literary legacies of James Baldwin and Audre Lorde through a Dharmic lens. “The Fire Inside”reveals how two of America’s greatest literary voices reflect — and expand — Buddhism’s most timeless truths toward justice and liberation, showing that liberation depends not only on organizing and mass movements, but on the generative power of inner well-being, authenticity, art, and embodiment. It offers space for the kind of conversation our communities need: one that centers and celebrates Black, queer, radical thought, and doesn’t shy away from difficult truths. That’s 1-2pm on KPFA Radio at 94.1FM or online at kpfa.org where the show will be available afterwards to stream and download.

The post Buddhism, Spirituality and healing from Racism, Sexism, Suffering appeared first on KPFA.

To the extent that news about Palestine is even covered in the world’s mainstream media, the coverage is typically about violence and destruction, and when Palestinian people are humanized, grief and suffering. When, where, and how have you seen and heard about another side: children, youth, and young and older adults creating art together using naturally available materials? On today’s program, you will have the chance to learn from artists Haya Allabadi, Sara Hammoudeh, and Sera Maraka about the work of an art studio and their creations to archive and document the beauty of Palestine to build bridges of hope for generations to come.

The post Palestinian Artists Building Bridges of Hope appeared first on KPFA.

Black feminism, theory, and practice have profoundly influenced contemporary feminist thought and practices in and outside the US. Women’s Magazine producers Margo Okazawa-Rey and Jovelyn Richards discuss their respective understandings of Black feminism and its relevance in these times of national and global “poly crises”. They will also pitch for support on this next to the last day of the KPFA Summer Fund Drive.

The post What Black Feminisms for This Political Moment? Conversation with Jovelyn Richards Women’s Magazine Producer Live appeared first on KPFA.

In her groundbreaking new film, Pomegranate, Iraqi American writer and director Weam Namou reveals the messy, humorous and heartbreaking reality of what happens when immigrants who fled the same country argue with each other over the American Dream. Widely recognized as the first Iraqi American feature film, Pomegranate has swept over 50 international film awards and caught the eye of Home Alone producer Scott Rosenfelt, who came on board as executive producer.

The post Jovelyn Richards of The Space Between, chats with Iraqi American writer & Director; Weam Namou appeared first on KPFA.

This Monday on KPFA’s Women’s Magazine Lisa Dettmer will talk to Wynd Kaufman and Valerie Sizemore  from the local grassroots group Stop AI about the existential threat that AI poses to our existence.  Stop AI is a very committed group of local activists who are willing to put their bodies on the line as they seek a world that values humanity over machines and community care over profit. They work to raise  public awareness, influence decision-makers and legislation, and engaging in non-violent direct action which 5 members of their group did recently right here in  SF, the capital of AI.

One of our guests Wynd Kaufman was part of the group of Stop AI members who blockaded the doors of  OpenAI, a leading company in the global race to develop “Artificial General Intelligence” (AGI) and “Artificial Superintelligence” (ASI), AI that would match or exceed human capabilities across the board.  Wynd Kaufman a former professor at City College  was recently convicted by the SF prosecutors of trespassing, interfering with a business, unlawful assembly, and refusal to disperse for her acts of Civil Disobedience.   This case marks the first time a court got  to hear some of the copious evidence that AI companies are gambling with our lives. You can find out more about StopAI at https://www.stopai.info/

Next, we talk to 3 women directors who are showing their documentaries at the Sf Jewish Film Festival, Leah Galant, Vivian Kleinman and Sai Gilman

Director Leah Galant’s Landscapes of Memory delves into the thorny issues of who Holocaust memorials are made for and the proliferation and mystification of memorial culture in Germany. Galant’s documentary is a profound meditation on the uses and abuses of memorial culture and the intersection of national trauma and collective memory

Berkeley resident Vivian Kleiman  will talk to us about her short film, A Grain of Truth, which journeys into wartime Denmark to uncover a cherished national myth—the Legend of the Yellow Star—through the lens of collective memory.

 

And Sari Gilman will be screening her Work-in-Progress short film, American Jew. About  her father and how his sense of belonging to Judaism has eroded because of Israel.

You can get more information about the festival at https://jfi.org/sfjff-2026

 

The post Lisa Dettmer talks to Stop AI members/ and to 3 directors of films at SF Jewish Film Festival appeared first on KPFA.