Activist Gloria Steinem a highlight at Milford Readers & Writers Fest

By Anya Tikka
MILFORD — On the last day of the Milford Readers & Writers Festival, one of the main speakers and panelists of the event — social activist, lecturer and journalist Gloria Steinem — took time to attend the Women (Are) Always Write event and panel at Waterwheel Cafe, Bakery & Bar. The Women are Always Write panel consisted of moderator/author Nina Burleigh and authors Alexia LaFortune, Amy Ferris, Barbara De Vries and Sharon Mesmer.
Steinem sat quietly among friends while panel members read their stories to the audience, mostly women. When she left, thanking everyone, she said she was going to do some more campaigning.
Known as one of the early movers and shakers from the late-1960s and early-1970s feminist and women’s movement, Steinem started the famed “Ms. Magazine” and has written and lectured extensively about social issues, mostly focusing on women’s rights and issues, although sometimes bucking the trend, expressing her own, unique take on situations.
With Betty Friedan and other prominent feminists, she helped found the National Women’s Political Caucus; she also became the first woman to speak at the National Press Club in 1972.
Steinem stopped outside the Waterwheel Cafe on the blustery, gray Sunday afternoon to comment she had enjoyed being at the festival and that she liked Milford. She added it was not her first time in Milford.
Among other festival events on the last day were the continuing Grand Pop-Up Bookstore, with book readings and signings, many with local authors.
On Saturday, Milford Theatre hosted one of the main events, where Steinem spoke, as well as John Berendt, the author of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," and MK Asante, who wrote "Buck: a Memoir," followed by a panel.
At the Pike County Democratic Campaign Headquarters, volunteer Reggie Cheeng-Leen, speaking on the phone, said Steinem had come to talk to the about 30 volunteers for about 30 minutes on Saturday, followed by a photo-op.
“She was giving us encouragement, all positive and uplifting,” he said. Volunteer Beth Billyard added via email, “Gloria Steinem, American feminist icon, writer and lecturer visited the Pike County Democratic Committee’s headquarters in Milford on Saturday to support Hillary Clinton as the next President of the United States. A crowd of supporters showed up to hear Ms. Steinem’s speech, which inspired volunteer staff and helped increase community awareness of local campaign activities.”
Cheeng-Leen explained the campaign did mostly phone calls and door-to-door campaigning to get people out to vote.
Commenting on the current less-than-congenial campaign season, he added that someone had broken into the headquarters and stolen a box of bumper stickers, and that sometimes people hung up on them, and, “Sometimes people refuse to talk to us.”