Description: "Olivia on the Record tells the story of the founding and development of Olivia Records, a woman-run organization devoted to creating a cultural, social, and economic space for women. Founded by members of the radical feminist Furies collective, Olivia Records was a collectively run organization that promoted and distributed women's music--featuring artists such as Meg Christianson, Linda Tillery, and Cris Williamson. The author is one of the founders of Olivia Records, and the story she tells is about an organization that represents some of the political zeitgeist of the 1970s. The story begins with an account of the work of the Furies, and moves into the founding of Olivia. The history related here speaks to issues of class, race, sexuality, and gender identity that continue to be profoundly contentious. Efforts to have a diverse collective along lines of class and race, and to produce diverse women's music were part of that"--
Brief description: Ginny Z Berson is a longtime political activist driven by a longing for justice. She was a member of The Furies--a radical lesbian feminist separatist collective in Washington, DC. They produced a mostly monthly newspaper, The Furies, that was distributed nationally and had a significant impact on women's groups all over the US. After The Furies broke up, Ginny pulled together a group of women in DC to begin visioning and planning what would become Olivia Records, the national women's record company. She and her partner, the musician Meg Christian, were the initial driving force getting Olivia off the ground. After leaving Olivia in 1980, Ginny worked for many years in community radio--at KPFA-FM, Pacifica Radio, and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. She now works as Director of Outreach for World Trust Educational Services, an anti- racist educational organization. She also does racial equity work in her neighborhood as part of Neighbors for Racial Justice.