Waiting for the Wave - by Kate Raphael (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An intersectional chronicle, rich in detail, of decades of movement histories.

Waiting for the Wave taps the brains of Rebecca Gordon and Jan Adams for the secret to building grassroots resistance movements with the grit and traction to prevail against increasingly grim odds. The interviews delve into four decades of in-the-weeds activism, internationalism, and radical feminism. From what went wrong with the Nicaraguan revolution, to the possibilities for Palestine to the need to reach across divides and talk to people you think you can't stand, Rebecca and Jan cast a loving but unflinching lens on social movements they have been a part of.

The three writers and educators discuss the role of radical media in sustaining activism, acting as placeholders for nascent movements, and helping people find each other from remote places. Rebecca and Jan have not always won, but they've always learned and pushed each other to be bold, empathetic, and hold onto belief in their fellow humans. Their conversations are an unruly journey laced with energy and humor that will leave you feeling invigorated and inspired to keep moving forward.

About the Author

Kate Raphael is a Lambda-nominated novelist, journalist, anarchafeminist, and queer activist based in Seattle. Her published work includes the Palestine mystery series, Murder Under the Bridge and Murder Under the Fig Tree, and The Midwife's In Town, a story of underground abortion. She received a 2011 Hedgebrook residency and an MFA from Goddard College. Kate is a long-time producer and host on KPFA radio from Berkeley.

Rebecca Gordon and Jan Adams, a lesbian couple for over forty years, worked in Sandinista Nicaragua and in South Africa during the transition from apartheid to democracy. They have led dozens of campaigns in the streets and at the polls, through the years opposing wars and defending affirmative action, immigrant rights, labor, and queer liberation, always with a keen eye toward what is most effective in any given moment. As they like to say, "We're old, so we've done a lot of things." Rebecca is the author of Mainstreaming Torture and American Nuremberg. Jan is a prolific blogger and in her spare time, walked and took photos in all 596 electoral precincts in San Francisco. They live and continue to organize in San Francisco.