Glenna Stearman Park
Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was the featured poet on MSNBC one recent morning. During the time we lived in San Antonio, Angelou came to San Antonio often to support my friend Sterling Houston, a wonderful member of the JumpStart Performance Art Company. She attended his own theatrical work where he was the writer/performer and often the singer. We had small company parties whenever she came to town and were able to enjoy her. Amazing 
!
I still remember the impact of reading I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. Her writing and discussions were powerful and provided an early guiding path for my own sense of direction as a feminist. What she survived as a victim of sexual abuse, racism and chauvinism was life saving. So many creative women were finding solace in suicide in those days. (At left, Maya Angelou)
Considering suicide was certainly something I entertained, but decided murder was more appropriate for my spirit. Fortunately, Joel was not my enemy, but men and women who could not make the change in that era were hard to take! Having three sons made me realize that hate had no place in my path, but teaching my male AND female peers became important.
In San Antonio I evolved into the “Go To” feminist when the video and
printed press needed a quote. I also did my own performance art and art work on topic, accepted an invitation to be the art teacher at a private girls’ boarding and day school, and taught a course at Trinity University on feminist art. At that time I worked with three artists-as-curator for the first feminist art exhibition in São Paulo, Brazil. And the list goes on! (Right, Glenna in the bathroom which she decorated for a charity housewalk and scandalized the local media.
Maya Angelou was our teacher and the guide to women’s survival. We all needed Maya in our lives. She was a guardian angel during a very disruptive change of status for women
Editor’s Note: Glenna’s stories on this website document the feminist perspective in her artwork. Here is a sampling.
“Marriage as a Primary Combat Training Unit“
“Thesis – The Domestic Influence on Art”
“Art as a Factor in Social Change“
(Left, The Camo Bride)
Love Glenna’s item about Maya Angelou and so impressed by Glenna’s work as an artist and feminist. I think we who graduated in 1960 were perfectly positioned to experience the feminist movement–and its uneven results.