On Freedom, Sanctuary, And The Sacred Storm of Women’s Resistance

To the editor: NEW Moon Fest - Nantucket Empowering Women blossomed on Memorial Day weekend - not by chance, but with intention. The fest was a gathering of nearly 400 witnesses, where honoring those who fight for freedoms through the creative process met the radiant, nurturing pulse of women reclaiming their own. Honoring freedom means remembering whose fight made freedoms possible and how that fight is still very much alive today.

On Memorial Day, as the world paused in reverence, I found myself wrapped in a gentle sanctuary: a friend’s backyard, where my daughter bathed beneath the privacy of open skies, chomping on freshly picked chives, and feeling unified with the marching, unearthed rollie pollies. My dear friend toasted to the wrap of NEW Moon, and I sipped orange wine for the first time, to the grace of Nantucket — the place where, as a mother and creator, I breathe free.

But even in that sanctuary, my heart carried the weight of those who do not yet know safety, whose freedoms remain under threat — not only far away, but here, in our own backyard. In this country, and even on this island, liberty, dignity, and safety are fragile gifts, violently contested in a shifting political landscape that challenges bodily autonomy, LGBTQ+ rights, educational equity, and the very right to pursue happiness. Friends, neighbors, children who go to school with our own — their loved ones face extraction by immigration enforcement, fracturing families and communities we hold close to our hearts.

This year’s NEW Moon Fest rode in on the frothy waves of a vision rooted in that very fight — for women to remember all we do in the name of freedom. The mission of the festival, to illuminate the works of women storytellers, contributes to a fundamental truth: a woman’s need to feel safe is holy. And more often than not, we create not in safety but in the aching absence of it. We create in the depths of ourselves — in communion with our own Huracán, the sacred storm within — to devise plans to escape injustices, to keep our children out of harm’s way, to build armor that protects us from the next assault on our bodies, our minds, our spiritual and human liberties, and to stand in unity with community — where our neighbors intuitively sense another in need of a helping hand even when it is unspoken.

NEW Moon Fest is more than a celebration. This year, it became a declaration. It is a place where women’s voices rise not in reaction but in reclamation. And for those of us with the privilege of peace, even fleetingly, our gratitude must be matched by a commitment to protect and uplift those still fighting for theirs. As the signature fundraiser of Nantucket Community Television (NCTV), NEW Moon complements the work and programming of our island’s only multimedia arts center, which is steadfast in its mission to empower Nantucket voices. Together, we hold space for women’s voices, for youth to speak their truth, for elders to pass on their wisdom, and for stories that might otherwise go unheard.

On May 24th, the air was thick with intention and warmth. Soul food by Lemon Press and maternal drinks by Oui’d - crafted like ancient potions by women artists and visionaries — offered nourishment that went beyond the body. Music by Liz and Cynthea Kelley wove through the space, carrying the spirit of sisterhood. A black and white multimedia campaign, Show Us What You Got, premiered, featuring women leaders of Nantucket as they remember and express moments in which they have felt most powerful. Singing bowls from MAST, delicate and profound, called us to witness a collective frequency led by Dr. Laura Sangeeta Biagi, who guided the feminine energy that reverberated through the 125-year-old lattice work in the room into the anatomical lattice structure of our DNA. Together, we lifted our voices, vibrations, and hearts, not as individuals but as one, reaching toward something greater. Then, eight films — each a testament to the power and perspective of women storytellers from across the globe — opened like hands, inviting us into their worlds. Within this glowing womb surrounded by water, these stories met our gaze, folding us into a shared experience that echoed the sacred storm of Huracán: a force that disrupts, transforms, and binds us together in fierce and tender community.

As we memorialize the second annual NEW Moon Fest, I invite you now to carry this spirit forward — to nurture community through your own acts of creation, big and small, so we may build a future that is safe, free, and creatively alive. If you believe in the power of community-led storytelling, if you have ever felt moved by a voice that made you see differently, you are already participating in the process of empowerment. Respond with your reflections, your interpretations, your stories. Share what moved you, challenged you, or awakened something within. Through our individual perspectives, we weave a richer collective understanding — one that honors the sacred storm within us all and the power we hold together.

The cost of silence is too high. We must remain vigilant stewards for the freedoms we claim to hold dear — not only in memory, but in action.

Stephanie Serra