Booking

This workshop dares us to understand and adore our whole selves. Being Disabled, Sick, Chronically Ill, Deaf, and/or being Brilliant/Crazy are often understood as flaws. Also as a Queer and a Person of Color, you ultimately survive struggle heightened by ableism. The truth is, we face all struggles simultaneously! Paying homage to audre lorde: “I do not believe in single-issue politics, because we do not live single-issue lives,” Participants will discuss avenues of critical intersections as brown, poor, trans, immigrant, disabled, other. How do competition and respectability politics impose ableism on our actions, our lives? How do we embrace a politic that doesn’t isolate or accommodate, but engages everyday movements to show up for everyone? How can we come to a place of honoring ourselves fully? You are invited to embrace our sexy, complicated, sacred, powerful, and amazing lineage as an SDQ (Sick & Disabled Queer). Everyone is encouraged to participate, but priority will be offered to those who live with SDQ (Sick & Disabled Queer/Transgender Indigenous or People of Color) experiences. Participants are asked to please bring their journals and/or writing materials.

Max Participants: up to 45 participants
Timeframe: 2-3 hours. Can be attended in 3 sessions.

Poet and playwright Sharon Bridgforth says of her work, “like most things that I do, it started inside of my own bone marrow and blood memories.” In what ways do we write our memories as People of Color and Queer people? How do we survive in literary traditions and forms beyond those, like the literary canon, embedded in straight, white, and abled limitations? More over, how to we embody out words responsibly and with the highest impact possible? This session will explore how we disrupt and transform narratives of “normal” in our performance to include stories, performance, and experiences of disability, race, gender, and/or class.

Max Participants: 100
Timeframe: 1.5-2 hours.

Kay Ulanday Barrett will delve into topics of self-testimony in this interdisciplinary workshop of performance, writing, and story telling from perspectives that center QTPOC as living archive and cultural resistance. Participants will share narratives they’ve been told of truth and transformation. How do we move collectively to reclaim and invent empowering stories for stronger visions and action? How do we channel stories that impact us as surviving and communities in struggle? What does artistic prep and aftercare feel like when telling resistance stories? What does spiritual support and aftercare look like when committed to political art? Self-care is only the beginning when systemic oppression gets you hella down. Resources on self-care, Art by Queer and Transgender Black, Indigenous, and People of Color will be highlighted and explored. Cultural work is visceral work. Workshop participants are asked to dress in comfortable clothing, and to bring their journals and/or writing materials.

max participants: 30
timeframe: 1.5 hours

Max Participants: 30
Timeframe: 1.5 hours.

Learn how your voice & body can control situations that are threatening or dangerous. unfortunately the of color &/or queer community are constantly facing violence– whether in our homes or streets. We will review basic strikes, blocks, kicks, and verbal techniques to help us engage our spirits towards confidence. Uplift yourself & come dressed in comfortable clothing.

Kay Barrett is a 2nd degree blackbelt in tae kwon do & has trained for over 12 years. As a former instructor & coach, Kay now concentrates on primarily of color, LGBTQQ, & youth community-based social justice self-defense/martial arts.

max participants: 30
timeframe: 2-2.5 hours