Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Speaking at Audre Lorde Project on April 2, 2009

“Can we be safe & visible?” Community Dialogue on Caribbean Sexuality and Homophobia

When: Thursday, April 2, 2009 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Where: Audre Lorde Project (Brooklyn, NY)

Join us as we talk about the myriad voices and issues for Caribbean people at home and abroad who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non-Conforming (LGBTSTGNC). What is it like to be LGBTSTGNC and Caribbean? How are LGBTSTGNC communities in the region imagined within and outside Caribbean borders? Are sexual minority communities in the Caribbean more vulnerable to violence? What are these communities and others doing to create change? What are the experiences of Caribbean migrants and first & second generation Caribbeans in the United States who identity as LGBTSTGNC? What are some of the politics of language, identification, and visibility?

* We will view part of the documentary in progress, Taboo Yardies, by Selena Blake that explores the intolerance and violence against sexual minorities in Jamaica.
* We will discuss these issues with a panel of scholars who do research on Caribbean sexuality, along with contributors to the new anthology Our Caribbean: A Gathering of Gay and Lesbian writing from the Antilles, and LGBTQ activists and community organizers.
* Panelists include Anton Nimblett, Rosamond King, Carlos Ulises Decena, Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes, and Sebastian Colon, along with Angelique V. Nixon, who will moderate our conversation and open discussion.

This event is done in partnership between The Audre Lorde Project and MayNovProductions LLC.

Metrocards and Food will be provided. For more information, contact
Collette at 718.596.0342 x.17 or ccarter@alp.org

http://www.alp.org/node/333

Monday, March 16, 2009

Queer People of Color Community Summit This Saturday, March 21

You are invited to attend the University of Michigan Queer People of Color Community Summit on Saturday, March 21st 2009 from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM at the Trotter Multicultural Center, 1443 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI.

We will have a series of challenging and empowering workshops on the QPOC community on campus, including Art and Activism, Images in the Media, Internalized Oppressions, QPOCs in the Academy and Sexual Racism. Our event will culminate with a performance by queer, mixed-Cuban, performance artist and comedian Maceo Cabrera-Estevez! Free breakfast and lunch will be served.

Our mission:

The concept of the Queer People of Color Community Summit arose from the needs to increase the visibility of our community at the University of Michigan and to address issues that affect our diverse experiences of being queer people of color (QPOC). While there are QPOC groups and individuals on campus, these are segmented and are neither large nor visible enough to address these needs. This Summit aims to create a sense of community amongst queer people of color and similarly-identified people at the University, provide a safe space to discuss issues and politics that affect our community, and make recommendations on improving the climate for QPOC on campus - all while having fun. To this end, we have incorporated into the Summit a variety of discussion panels, workshops, and caucus groups that center around specific issues and identities within our communities, as well as a closing social event highlighting QPOC performing artists. We invite you to join us to be part of this groundbreaking event organized by and for QPOC, and begin to affect the change we need on our campus.

Registration for the QPOC Community Summit is now open. You can register at
the following link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=oWZF99sl2MI110wOuoPjKw_3d_3d


For more information, please check out our blog at
http://www.qpocsummit.org

Thank you!

Queer People of Color Community Summit Committee
The Spectrum Center
Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs

For more info contact Mark Villacorta: mvillaco at umich.edu