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Laurie and Bobbie met in 1982 while serving as Chaplains assistants in the U.S.
Army. After leaving the Army, Laurie worked a variety of blue & pink collar jobs
while Bobbie earned her Bachelors degree in criminal justice from Arizona State
University. However, because of being extremely dyslexic, Laurie did not know
how to read. Though it took years, Laurie finally allowed Bobbie to help her
learn to read. Laurie read her first book when she was 27 years old. After
another eight years of helping Laurie bringing her reading and writing skill up,
Bobbie told Laurie it was time for her to begin college. So, at 35 years old,
Laurie started at the local community college, and within four years she had
earned her Bachelors in history with a women's studies minor from Northern
Arizona University. And, as Laurie was earning her B.S., Bobbie was earning
her Masters in Liberal Studies, with a focus in LGBT studies. They graduated
together in 2000.
When Laurie was offered a fellowship in the Ph.D. program of American Stuides
at the University of Maryland, College Park, Bobbie left her career at the Arizona
State Department of Corrections. After relocating to Baltimore in 2001, Bobbie
became a substitute teacher in the Baltimore County School System. During
her first week on the job she came home and said, "I know what I want to be
when I grow up. I want to be a third grade teacher." So, at 55 years old, Bobbie
returned to college to earn her early childhood teaching certificate from Towson
University. Today, she is happily teaching third grade in a Baltimore City
elementary school.
However, it took Laurie a few more years to achieve her goal. In 2006, she
earned her Ph.D. in American Studies with a Ph.D. Certificate in Women's
Studies. During her graduate career, she taught American Studies courses at
University of Maryland, College Park, LGBT Studies at Towson University, and
Women's Studies at UMBC. Her specializations include the structures of race,
class, gender, sexuality, and religion in American culture, ethnography, and
media studies and popular culture.
For several years now, Bobbie and Laurie have dreamed of having a place
where womyn can develop their own intellectual, imaginative, and spiritual
energies. They are committed to empowering womyn who live in a patriarchal
world, and have decided to put their passion and their educations to work by
creating The Spiral Dance Womyn's Center and Bookstore. Bobbie and Laurie
learned to spell womyn with a "y" while Laurie was conducting her dissertation
research at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. Since 2001, they have
attended the Festival every year. Currently, they are the coordinators for the
Womyn of Color Patio, a space for white women to do anti-racist work. In this
space, they conduct workshops on "white privilege" and the "tools of
oppression." This spelling of "womyn" is intended to signify the ways that
women are redefining themselves outside of boundaries of male dominated
cultures. Bobbie and Laurie envision The Spiral Dance Womyn's Center &
Bookstore as more than a bookstore. Their vision is that it will become a
nucleus for many women's groups, and a place where womyn share their
hopes, dreams, successes, and disappointments in a safe environment filled
with womyn's voices and creations. They hope you will join them in creating
this "Womyn's Space ~ Magickal Place."
Army. After leaving the Army, Laurie worked a variety of blue & pink collar jobs
while Bobbie earned her Bachelors degree in criminal justice from Arizona State
University. However, because of being extremely dyslexic, Laurie did not know
how to read. Though it took years, Laurie finally allowed Bobbie to help her
learn to read. Laurie read her first book when she was 27 years old. After
another eight years of helping Laurie bringing her reading and writing skill up,
Bobbie told Laurie it was time for her to begin college. So, at 35 years old,
Laurie started at the local community college, and within four years she had
earned her Bachelors in history with a women's studies minor from Northern
Arizona University. And, as Laurie was earning her B.S., Bobbie was earning
her Masters in Liberal Studies, with a focus in LGBT studies. They graduated
together in 2000.
When Laurie was offered a fellowship in the Ph.D. program of American Stuides
at the University of Maryland, College Park, Bobbie left her career at the Arizona
State Department of Corrections. After relocating to Baltimore in 2001, Bobbie
became a substitute teacher in the Baltimore County School System. During
her first week on the job she came home and said, "I know what I want to be
when I grow up. I want to be a third grade teacher." So, at 55 years old, Bobbie
returned to college to earn her early childhood teaching certificate from Towson
University. Today, she is happily teaching third grade in a Baltimore City
elementary school.
However, it took Laurie a few more years to achieve her goal. In 2006, she
earned her Ph.D. in American Studies with a Ph.D. Certificate in Women's
Studies. During her graduate career, she taught American Studies courses at
University of Maryland, College Park, LGBT Studies at Towson University, and
Women's Studies at UMBC. Her specializations include the structures of race,
class, gender, sexuality, and religion in American culture, ethnography, and
media studies and popular culture.
For several years now, Bobbie and Laurie have dreamed of having a place
where womyn can develop their own intellectual, imaginative, and spiritual
energies. They are committed to empowering womyn who live in a patriarchal
world, and have decided to put their passion and their educations to work by
creating The Spiral Dance Womyn's Center and Bookstore. Bobbie and Laurie
learned to spell womyn with a "y" while Laurie was conducting her dissertation
research at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. Since 2001, they have
attended the Festival every year. Currently, they are the coordinators for the
Womyn of Color Patio, a space for white women to do anti-racist work. In this
space, they conduct workshops on "white privilege" and the "tools of
oppression." This spelling of "womyn" is intended to signify the ways that
women are redefining themselves outside of boundaries of male dominated
cultures. Bobbie and Laurie envision The Spiral Dance Womyn's Center &
Bookstore as more than a bookstore. Their vision is that it will become a
nucleus for many women's groups, and a place where womyn share their
hopes, dreams, successes, and disappointments in a safe environment filled
with womyn's voices and creations. They hope you will join them in creating
this "Womyn's Space ~ Magickal Place."
| Womyn's Center & Bookstore |
| 2505 E. Oliver St. Baltimore, MD 21213 443-854-3494 email: thespiraldancebookstore@yahoo.com |
| Laurie was honored with the Live Your Life On Purpose 2008 Woman of Purpose Award. |