Casa Atabex Aché - House of Womyn's Power

(Source: femmesandfamily)

gaywrites:

On May 17 of every year, the International Day Against Homophobia serves to unite people under the common causes of fighting homophobia and embracing acceptance and love for all people.

The theme of this year’s campaign is “Sexual diversity in the workplace: it pays off!” The idea is that LGBT people live and work all over the world and deserve the same rights and respect as their heterosexual coworkers. 

The site linked above includes all kinds of background information about the day itself, the group in charge and resources you can turn to. Today’s a big day - make it count! 

quelola:

dreaminghome:

Turning Towards Each Other is an accessible, free space for queer people of color to concretely build and practice skills for generative, supportive and loving relationships and community. Many of us know the kind of relationships we want to have with each other, but we don’t know how to make them happen.  We often have good intentions and analysis about communication, but lack actual skills.  Many of us are continually frustrated each time we don’t hold conflict well, don’t listen well, don’t know how to share or stay connected to the very people we love.

This will be a series of sessions to practice communication skills with each other.  Together, we will learn and practice different communication activities, techniques and tools.  We will start with the basics (listening and sharing) and practice, practice, practice.  We will discuss why communication is important and create concrete tools for our relationships.  This is not a space for therapy; it is a practice space.

We invite people to come with someone in their life with whom they would like to practice better communication with.  We would like folks to be able to use the skills/tools we practice in real time, with real people in their lives.  Communication is an ever-evolving process and skill set.  We encourage folks to attend with someone who is committed to growing that process and skill set together.  Folks will practice with the person they came with as often as possible. 

This is a space for friends, coworkers, chosen family, platonic life partners, political partnerships, romantic friendships, mentors and mentees, housemates, comrades and more who identify as queer people of color.  We expect people to register in pairs and ask that people not partner with folks they are “coupled” with or in sexual romantic relationships with. (We would like to prioritize non-sexual relationships, given the dominance of sexual and sexually romantic relationships in our communities.) Couples are welcome to attend, but we ask that you each attend with someone in your life whom you are in a non-sexual relationship with and whom you would like to work on communication with.

We will meet at least once a month, at most bi-monthly, beginning in June.  You do not have to come to every session.  All sessions are open to any queer people of color who would like to attend.   

Our first session will be June 30th from 1pm – 4pm at 6206 Baker St., Oakland.

Please RSVP to totheothersideofdreaming@gmail.com, so we can provide enough food and seating space. RSVPs are encouraged, but not required. 

All sessions are free and there will be food.  If you’re down to help with food and/or logistics, please email totheothersideofdreaming@gmail.com.  This is a community-run and supported series; all resources are donated.

This space is wheelchair accessible and there is ample street parking.  There are 6 steps up to the front of the house and a ramp to the back door.  Please refrain from wearing scented products (lotions, perfume/cologne, hair products, laundry detergent).  If you have any access needs or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out and we can figure it out together!

Turning Towards Each Other: Communication Skills for Queer People of Color is organized by To the Other Side of Dreaming.

sweatbtwn:

An award winning photographer who has devoted her working life to documenting the lives of black lesbians has had five years worth of her work stolen.

 Zanele Muholi, described by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa as “one of the country’s foremost artists”, had more than 20 external hard drives stolen from her flat in Vredehoek, Cape Town on April 20.

The hard drives contain stills and video footage, including photos from the funerals of victims of homophobic hate crimes. It is thought that the burglars were targeting Muholi’s work, as little else was taken from her flat, and back up hard drives were also taken.

Muholi’s partner Liesl Theron, with whom she shares the flat, said that her possessions were left untouched, except for a laptop which was stolen, further fuelling belief that Muholi was the intended target of the crime.

The work taken had been captured across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Malawi, according to the Cape Times. Also stolen was work due to be shown at an exhibition in July, which Muholi believes she will now have to cancel.

Despite the volume of work stolen and the imminence of the planned exhibition, Muholi’s plight has been largely ignored by the media. It is believed that the lack of publicity is due to the nature of her work, which shows a different side to the black lesbian community than that usually represented in the mainstream media.

“I’m not myself. I can’t even sleep at night since I’ve heard about the burglary,” the devastated Muholi told DIVA. She has appealed for anyone who knows the whereabouts of the hard drives to return them.

Queer photographer Del LaGrace Volcano said of the theft; “Zanele’s work is, in my not so humble opinion, some of the most important work being produced, not just in Africa, but anywhere. I consider her a dear friend and mourn the loss of her archive as if it were my own.”

Zanele’s supporters are fundraising to help her replace the stolen equipment. Donations can be made online at IndieGoGo.

The investigation into the burglary is ongoing, according to a police spokesperson.

(Source: navigatethestream)