Mary Ann Clements

1. What do Red Tents mean to you
I think of them as little cells of women meeting in an authentic life giving way. And of all the cells being connected and fuelling together a new way of women connecting to each other which will support some of other kinds of change in the world that I long to see. To me they are cells of healing & resistance.

2. What do you do in Red Tent Directory
I’m a Co-Founder with Aisha and in the beginning I built the website myself (I taught myself how using google!).

Nowadays I don’t do any of the detail (which is better for me). I am Strategy Lead so I think about the bigger picture, new ideas and things we want to develop. I’m holding the vision basically and think of myself as supporting it to unfold.

3. How do Red Tents inform your wider work and life
Being involved with Red Tents & with the Directory brought home to me the true significance and importance of both communities of women and care of ourselves. This now informs the focus of my work in many different ways and has also influenced my personal practice which has shifted radically in the past ten years from constantly being on the go and approaching burnout, to a place of feeling I am becoming proficient in what it means to care for myself as part of how I live & work for change in the world.

4. If you had to describe yourself as a plant, mineral or animal what would it be and why?
Stardust. That was my truth response – I didn’t ‘think’ about it. I think I’m good at making connections on a variety of levels. From practical ones to theoretical ones. I’m also deeply committed to the long game and to holding space for what is to come. Stardust kinda imperfectly covers it! If I’d used my head I would have been a tree. But I don’t think that would have been so authentic.