Dear Sophia, It is great to hear that FEAST has been such a support to you. In turn you have been a wonderful voice at our conferences and on our listserv. I am so glad you did not leave philosophy and look forward to your continuing as a mainstay member of FEAST. Alison ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Sophia Wong <[log in to unmask]> Date: Mon, Jun 13, 2011 at 9:53 AM Subject: to FEAST in gratitude and appreciation To: [log in to unmask] Dear Fabulous FEAST members, During my sabbatical leave I have had time to reflect on the process of getting tenure and am very grateful to this organization and this listserve for sustaining a sense of community, shared values, and intellectual dialogue. Thank you, FEASTies, for welcoming me to your group even though I did not think of myself as a feminist for many years. When I first presented my work at a FEAST conference (2006 I think), I was pleasantly surprised to discover that colleagues asked me questions to get me to think more deeply, to help me improve my writing, and because they truly wanted to understand the details and implications of my philosophical views. Unlike previous experiences I had endured elsewhere, they were not trying to trick me into admitting that I hadn't mastered a certain must-read text, pointing out flaws to embarrass me, flaunting their specialized knowledge of topics I hadn't discussed, or intimidating me with aggressive rhetoric intended to damage my ability to think clearly. Like the members of NYSWIP (the New York Society for Women in Philosophy), FEAST members showed me that philosophers could offer insightful and helpful criticisms while treating each other with respect. These experiences were crucial in convincing me to stay in academia, during the many times I was tempted to quit and pursue other career options. The discussions on this FEAST listserv over the years have helped me enormously. I am grateful for the generosity of FEAST members who responded to my various requests for help with research questions and career advice. During the long two years between FEAST conferences, this listserv has kept me connected with feminist philosophers doing exciting research on gender and developing innovative teaching strategies using feminist pedagogies. The members of both NYSWIP and FEAST have been invaluable in my difficult fifteen-year journey from first year Ph.D. student to tenured associate professor. Thank you, everyone! In gratitude and appreciation, Sophia Sophia Wong Associate Professor of Philosophy Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus http://sophiawong.info http://silenceproject.org -- Alison M. Jaggar College Professor of Distinction University of Colorado at Boulder Philosophy and Women and Gender Studies Research Coordinator University of Oslo Center for the Study of Mind in Nature, Boulder, CO 80309-0232 303-492-8997 (direct line) 303-492-6132 (dept. office) 303-492-8386 (fax)