I STARTED

this blog along with its sister blog The F-Word Ladies as a tool for me to cope, heal and transition into and away from these last few years of my undergraduate education. And ultimately share the experience of being a part of an all female theater company.

First off, my name is Sonja Lynn Mata. I was named this because my own mother threw a fit and left the hospital leaving my father with a pen and blank piece of paper. Once she returned I had been named Sonja with a 'j'-- for Jesse (my fathers name) & also from the movie The Red Sonja (which I have yet to see!) and Lynn which was short for Linda (my mothers name).

Currently it is summer and I am working for the Ohio Valley Summer Theater here in Athens, Ohio which is a college town for Ohio University. Later this summer I plan to return back to my native Chicago-land home and continue theater with another community company. I am entering my junior year and I am planning to get a B.F.A in Theater Performance, a minor in English (Creative Writing) and a certificate in Women and Gender Studies.

I'm also 5'2.5 and I have one hell of a story to tell-- or at least I think so.

At the beginning of spring quarter I was hit and injured by a drunk driver. Now, this isn't what inspired me to join The F-Word Ladies, let alone start this blog, but you know how these things go-- I appreciate life more. So on and so on. Rather it was a situation I could hold and say "That's where it started." What started? I still don't know. I don't know if I actually care to know what that what was, but with that I joined an all female theater company.

The F-Word Ladies are rooted in Feminism & I declared myself a feminist on May 28th 2010. I took an intro level to WGS and I'm not done learning. I do not claim to know anything about feminism or feminist theory. I only know this company and what I believe it shares with this campus.

So this is my journey. You are welcome to come along.

-Sonja