Conversation with Bonnie Fortune and Justine Lee, Chicago, 2003

In their conversation, Bonnie Fortune and Justine Lee discuss how their formative years as teenage friends in Nashville's conservative Bible Belt were shaped by the riot grrrl movement, connecting the empowerment of women in rock music to feminism. Lee further adds, "My mom was friends with a lot of really active feminist lesbians in Nashville, which was pretty radical at the time, especially in the late '70s."

Fortune talks about one of her first video projects at art school and the importance of collaborative practices among women: “I made a video tape of Justin about her abortion… so I guess we've always collaborated. In relation to feminism… having a strong female friend who I can work with, it really feels like fumbling through the theoretical and academic definitions of the word. I’d say my definition of feminism, as it applies to my life, is more of a holistic, unified theory of recognizing that everything is interconnected, and that you can't compartmentalize the various facets of your life.”
Lee’s film project, First Girl, explores the lineage of female creativity. “It was shot on 16-millimeter film, and it’s about a shirt that my grandmother made, which my mother wore, and I also wore… growing up in the South and being surrounded by women who were quilters and seamstresses, but also artists—whether or not they considered themselves artists.”

Fortune and Lee articulate the significance of mentorship and community, emphasizing how these relationships validate their voices within the art world: "It's so easy to just give up and feel like a lone voice in a sea of noise. I think it's hard to be taken seriously, especially when you call yourself a feminist these days, because it has such a stigma."

Their discussion addresses the historical underrepresentation of women in film and a cultural bias that “tends to push women away from the more technical aspects of filmmaking.” They emphasize women’s significant roles in editing and scriptwriting—traditionally feminized areas often overshadowed by male directors and cinematographers.

Fortune shares her involvement in the Artist Emergency Response group, formed after 9/11 to counter anti-Arab sentiments. This project evolved into the Video Petition Project, an initiative that gathers diverse voices opposing the Israeli occupation of Palestine. “I think one of my most favorite parts of being part of the group was we edited an all-female edit of the tape.”