Nordette Adams has already written two wonderful posts about SuperLove and V to the 10th, Practicing Presence at V-Day and Is New Orleans the Vagina of America? And whereas I enjoyed Nordette's writing before, her ability to step back in the midst of a very emotional and activity-jammed weekend and bring that sensibility alive has kicked her up more than a few notches in my book.

Now me, I've struggled in the six days I've been home to put my own feelings and observations into words. This is with the exception of the moment when I looked over on the dance floor and there was Jane Fonda, throwing her hands in the air to "I'm Every Woman." That I can tell you about in deep, embarrassing detail. However, a good BlogHer knows that this weekend was not about being starstruck (should have seen her perform her monologue! No index cards for Jane, no way! Ahem.)

But no. This weekend was about getting on a plane and going to New Orleans during the busiest week of my year, where my mother and my sister would meet me the next day to check this V-Day experience out. My sister wrote her senior thesis on Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues, the collection of vignettes whose milestone anniversary was the reason for V to the Tenth, and she performed in the play in college. She has since moved on to a graduate program in Women's Studies, and last Christmas became the proud owner of one of few publisher's copies of the book that exist. (It's cool to have a fiance who isn't afraid to speak the words and track it down, from California to New York and back again.)

What is important to the people in my life is with very few exceptions -like golf, sorry, Daddy - important to me. And V to the 10th was important to my sister. Now, I'll take any chance to go to New Orleans. I love it, I felt it in my bones as soon as I got off the plane the first time, and what about an event that celebrates the survival and renewal of the Gulf South - specifically its women - while taking a stand against violence against women all over the world can I not get behind?

Nothing. i was there, every cell I have was paying attention. And I'm really glad I was, because I have to say that this was the most impressive collective experience that I have ever witnessed in my life. From the minute I wandered up the ramp to the SuperDome for SuperLove on Saturday to the last time I spotted a person wandering the city with the V-Day logo on a t-shirt or a pin, I felt like a small part of something really powerful and really necessary.

The Medical/Healing Lounge was packed. Women could get HIV tests on the spot, pick up condoms, get information about nutrition, pre-natal health, sexual assault services, diabetes, lead poisoning (a burgeoning issue in a city where everywhere you look a structure is being knocked down or left to disintegrate), community health care - you name the health concern and there was a table in that room that could likely address it.

I stopped in the Activist Lounge, and was again impressed with the scope of the organizations who showed up to support the cause and to spread their own word. SaferCampus had a strong presence, and Nora wrote about her V to the Tenth experience on the Safer Blog.

What to say about New Orleans and V to the 10th? It was a crazy,
sleepless, awe-inspiring, deeply moving two days—I am so, so glad we
went. I spent Friday and Saturday mostly in the Activist Lounge at the
Superdome, talking to students about what they are doing on their
campus and what challenges they face. I heard good news and bad
news—the administrations at Wichita State, University of Puget Sound,
and Bowdoin College got high praise from their students, but I also
heard several horror stories from students at other schools. I was
blown away by the activist campaigns a lot of students have already
started, and hopefully in the next few weeks I’ll be posting interviews
with and links to the student groups at schools like Shippensburg
University, Grand Valley State University, Connecticut College,
Valdosta State University, Marquette University and others.

For me, talking to students was the best part of the weekend, and
that’s really high praise, considering all the other fantastic things I
did and saw. I spent some time on the floor of the Superdome listening
to some of the Superlove performances and speakers. One that really
stood out for me was the interview with Dr. Denis Mukwege, a doctor
from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who does reconstructive
surgery on women whose vaginas were damaged by rape. To date he has
helped thousands of women, and his commitment and compassion is one of
the biggest assets the DRC currently has.

Linda Malazzo wrote about her experience planting gardens in the Ninth Ward with other members of Code Pink the day before SuperLove began. (Nordette's posts were linked on the Code Pink V-Day page.)

Coastal Women Coming Home was a project of Moving Forward Gulf Coast, that brought 1,200 women home to New Orleans for V to the 10th.

Over these two days, the heroines of Katrina and Rita will: celebrate sisterhood by connecting women with loved ones and friends to share stories and be a collective support. receive the pampering they have long deserved in a space of wellness and healing. learn about the real on-going inter-connected justice struggles including housing, jobs, education and health - that continue to block the healing of our communities at the special Coastal Women’s Gathering.be inspired to take action and reclaim their rights and power. walk together in a New Orleans-style second line parade to celebrate their resilience and courage. speak out at a national event in front of the Superdome which will be transformed into SuperLove. enjoy art, musical and theatrical performances, including a special Gulf Coast edition of the acclaimed play The Vagina Monologues.

And I cannot forget the Katrina Warriors, who are working together to support the well-being and health of women and girls in the Gulf South. Stay informed about their activities by signing up for their online social networking list.

V-Day posted their official photo gallery this week.

Empowerment4Women posted a list of people blogging about the weekend. Included were people like Meg Bell guest-blogging for Feministing, and Debbie Marmino, who went to SuperLove to share her early breast cancer detection kit. Debbie wrote about her perspective on the V-Day message as a Christian.

We spoke about Hurricane Katrina and its still devastating effects on New Orleans
and the gulf coast residents. The camaraderie of the women from all
parts of the world, all races, sizes and beliefs all meeting together
in one place was amazing to say the least. The word “vagina” was
everywhere (hence “V-day!”)and some were very comfortable with that
while others were a bit shy.

As Christian women, our team of Plexus Pink agents fell somewhere in
the middle of that comfort zone. All of us definitely have one, but our
thoughts and ideas usually are on the BREAST, not the VAGINA or “down
there” as it was called by MANY!! It took a little getting used to
hearing about it OUT LOUD so much!

On Saturday, we had more time to mingle and get to meet more women,
but Saturday’s speakers had more emphasis on more political topics,
sexual preference, and topics that as a Christian, were a little more
uncomfortable and divisive. The emphasis wasn’t exactly on love, peace
and uniting people. (Just my take on the subject!)

This wasn’t quite as comfortable for us, but we still remembered our
mission of saving lives through early detection and stuck it out even
through the entire “Vagina Monologues” (held at the New Orleans arena)
to close the weekend out.

Best of all, Empowerment4Women's page linked to a site called Work In Progress that led me to the full remarks of Stephen Lewis from AIDS Free World, who spoke on Saturday and stopped me in my tracks. Lewis called upon the Secretary General of the United Nations to take action against the dreadful conditions for women in the Congo, the place that V-Day will focus its efforts this year.

The Secretary-General has a tremendous challenge. He has the
opportunity, and the wherewithal, and the influence, and the majesty to
save thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of women’s lives …
physically and psychologically. And once the process begins in earnest
in the Congo, it would spread to all dimensions of violence against
women everywhere.

To whom else is such an opportunity given? The Secretary-General of the
United Nations has said that violence against women is one of the
gravest issues of our time. Well if that’s the case, surely he can
understand that speeches aren’t enough. And if he truly believes what
he says, then let him stake his tenure on it. I believe that the
struggle for gender equality is the most important struggle on the
planet: Ban Ki-Moon should say to the 192 countries that make up the
United Nations: “Either you give me evidence that we’re going to
prevail in this struggle or you find yourself another
Secretary-General.”

“Ah,” people will say, “Lewis has finally lost it.” I don’t think so.
We’re talking about more than fifty per cent of the world’s population,
amongst whom are the most uprooted, disinherited and impoverished of
the earth. If you can’t stand up for the women of the world, then you
shouldn’t be Secretary-General.

And no, Oprah wasn't there, and neither was Salma Hayek nor Glenn Close - all slated to appear. But I dind't care, because Liz Mikel, who stood in for Oprah in the "Miss Pat" monologue, was brilliant. You can see the tears in my sister's eyes in the picture I took of Liz and her.

Jennifer Beals rocked the house with her monologue about "finding your own moan." Check out the video of her performance (with some help from a few friends) and another promo video from the event by Gigi Nicholas on Didi Elekker's L Word Fan Blog. She says there's more to come. (They got the clip of Beals's performance from YouTube user kmgaubave.) Angela Jimenez at OurChart.com also blogs about the cast of The L Word and their work in the story tent on the SuperDome floor.

Dolphin949 was a Web intern for V-day.:

I'm sitting in the talent lounge right now, a couch away from Eve
Ensler. I got here to the Superdome around 8AM. The V-Day webmistress,
Amy, and I ran over and joined the line of volunteers, greeting the
amazing women who were returning to New orleans for the first time
since the storms. We cheered and clapped as they walked through the
tunnel that we had made, and it was the most amazing experience. They
were so excited to be back. They danced, they cheered, they raised
their hands right back, giving us high-fives and hugs. The feeling and
energy that it evoked was incredible, and brought tears to so many eyes
of the volunteers.

I haven't spent too much time by the stage
area myself. After running around fixing signs, I was stationed at the
registration area, giving out wristbands to women of the Gulf South so
that they could pamper themselves a bit today after months of carrying
the weight of New Orleans on their shoulders. I met women who were
exhausted. I met women who were so thrilled at the idea of a free
massage or a free makeover that they hugged us. Others wrote down PO
box addresses for us, because they had moved around so many times since
the storm that they no longer had a permanent address. Others had
dressed up for the occasion, one with a bra on over her dress, fabric
vaginas on the cups. Many others wore banners across their chests, with
the slogan "I Miss America" on them. Afterwards, I wandered around the
Superdome, taking it all in.

I wandered over to the Activist
lounge, where tons of amazing organizations were providing information
to those who had gathered. I signed petitions for Planned Parenthood. I
met some volunteers for Safer, Inc., a beneficiary of my school's
(MIT's) production of TVM last year. I wandered down to the floor of
the Superdome, and walked along the edge, looking at the memoribilia
wall covered with t-shirts and posters and programs from V-Day
performances around the world. I found some space and tacked up my
shirts from MIT from the past 2 years. It was so awesome to see them
among all the others, many posters in different languages. I then
wandered out to the marketplace that was set up with local artisans.
There were some musicians playing and women dancing, having a fantastic
time.

Eventually, I was summoned to the GreenRoom, where the
talent is hanging out. I've sat across from some amazing and talented
individuals. Jane Fonda just walked in, and Kerry Washington is
chilling nearby, eating pretzels. I've been watching the live feed from
the stage, and its been pretty awesome. The talent room just burst into
applause as We watched the panel "ORDINARY PEOPLE DOING EXTRAORDINARY
THINGS" and listened to Sunni Patterson speak. Her words were so powerful...

I
was just joined by Rosario Dawson. She looked over my blog post, and
wanted me to include a message from her: "Hey whats up! I'm having an
incredible time, and if this is reaching you, your experience is just
as perfect as any of ours. I'm inspired and [V10] will have
ramifications larger than these 2 days. Let it touch you and spread the
vagina love!"

Debra Haffner wrote some reflections on her experience on her blog, "Sexuality and Religion: What's the Connection?"

I walked into the Superdome
replaying the horrifying images of Katrina in my mind. It's impossible
to use the restroom without REMEMBERING.

But, today women took the SuperDome back, filling it with feminist energy and love.

Calpernia Addams blogged her experience as a performer in the play and posted a video clip of her performance.

There are so many more blogs, and so many people who were affected by the challenge of this weekend - to keep working, to keep the message going that violence against women is not acceptable on any level, to, as the V-Day Website challenges, "Celebrate. Activate. Change the story of women."

Before Ensler screamed "WELCOME TO THE WETLANDS" at the Saturday night performance, she welcomed everyone to SuperLove.

You are here all of you because you know that what happened here in the superdome is a metaphor for what is happening everywhere on this planet. The sacrifice of the earth for profit, the abadonment and explotiation of the poor so those that have everything can keep it, the desecration of womens bodies and beings as the mechanism which keeps the powerful in place, the conscious and reckless abandonment and shattering and dividing of the needy so they end up destroying themselves.

I believe you came here because you know that our destiny will not be determined by politicians or pollsters or a corporate owned media, our destiny will be determined by us, by our coming together, by our telling the truth, sharing our stories, our hurt, our distrust and our desires. Our destiny will be determined by our willingess to move past being victims or victimizers. Everyone is invited to this table. There are no more fringes . Everyone in the house.

This weekend is one huge offering each person who speaks, or sings or slams or dances or gives their hands or heart their story is making an offering. Take what you like, leave the rest. But know that each person came here on their own dime from a place of kindness. Each person equally vulnerable and open in their offering. This v to the 10 is an experiment. Every single one of us is part of its creation. Every single one of us crucial
To its success

So i ask you, do here what didn’t happen during the flood.

Make each person in this room matter

See the person next to you, hear them, let them in. Make new orleans the place care didn’t forget

Respect the place, keep it as green as you can.
Treat this superlove as if it were the new world v world
Where the violence already ended.
Lets see if we can tolerate, even for a weekend what that much love would feel like.

What that much love felt like to me was standing with my mother and my sister, knowing what we knew, feeling what we felt and moving forward anyway. It meant standing with thousands of women, acknowledging hurt and pain and years of work and struggle. It meant tears for a forgotten side of New Orleans that isn't seen in brochures or in walks through the Quarter and the Garden District, for the streets and shells of houses I saw abandoned and filthy on the "disaster tour" I took an hour after I got off the plane.

There was love in acknowledging a collective experience bigger than the Congo and more powerful than a surge against an ignored levee. The roars and cheers and laughter in that room were all real - and in many ways it was something that I know a great many of us had never felt before. For my family, I believe that being there together was transformative. Sharing the words and the images took us beyond the experiences that landed us in that arena, and reminded us that when it came down to it, someone - our mother, our sister, our friend - standing beside us, sharing the load, lifting us up, was the opposite of violence.

Laurie White blogs at LaurieWrites.