Marina
Eskander, UC Riverside Alum, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and
Science,
Olivia
Johnson, Harbor College
There
is a disparity between those of African American, African and Black descent.
While we are clumped together by western ideology, it is important to celebrate
our differences. We intend to break down the differences and find what unites
us all at BlaqOUT. Strong when alone, a Force when united.
Dismantling
Barriers Within the Black Community
Janetta
Osborne UCLA,
Jasmin
Williams UCLA
The
aim of this workshop is to successfully create a safe space for queer students
of color to discuss the ways in which they have been isolated within the black
community as a whole. This Workshop and facilitation will allow its
participants to create a dialogue around black solidarity.
The Effects of HIV/AIDS in the Black Gay Community.
Christopher Jackson, MS., AIDS Project Los Angeles,
This
presentation will discuss the effects of HIV/AIDS in the African American LGBT
Community, primarily black men that have sex with men. This includes a
discussion around HIV/AIDS as a whole, linking HIV positive individuals into
healthcare, intersectionality, and prevention. Lastly we will discuss HIV related
stigma with in the black community and college students' response to HIV
education and prevention.
"Elements" *Life, Vogue, and Ballroom
Greg
Wilson, REACH LA,
Ryku
Revlon
Enyce
Chanel
Father Jamari
Blahnik
Elements
will be a workshop where we will have thriving experts from the ballroom
community share with you some of the Elements of their lives. They will share
How Ballroom helped them cope with some of their life experiences. We will
Educate about the ballroom Culture, and do a presentation of what the elements
of vogue entails. The presenters will then teach members of the audience how to
vogue before ending the Elements Experience.
FemmePhobia
and Male Representation in the African American Gay Community
Franklin
Ellis/ Ctar Spencer, CS Northridge,
A
presentation giving insight of how historical racial issues have affected the
African American Queer community regarding sexual position and gender
expression due to skin complexion.
Finding
Joy in Crazy
Tamara
Austin, UC Irvine,
Belonging
to any historically oppressed group can cause a permanent chip on one's
shoulder. This program looks at
positives and negatives of belonging to more that one historically oppressed
group. We will engage in discussion of how to move into a more positive space.
Gender
Expression in the Black Queer Community
Johan
M., UC Irvine,
Kala
L., UC Irvine
This
program is dedicated to a conversation surrounding the implications of gender
expression within communities at large, (Black) queer spaces, and more. What does
Black queer gender expression look like in pop culture and mass media? Why? And
how does these presentations function? Together, we will discuss our
experiences, what shapes them, and why they matter.
How
to Date Yourself
Percival
W. Pandy Jr. , Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center,
I
would like to present on dating yourself as in order to better love yourself
and others. I will use activities and handouts in combination with self sexual
stimulation techniques to explore self satisfaction. I believe you can only
love someone else if you completely know how to love yourself.
Internal
Affairs: Self care for Queer BlaQ folks
Andre
M., AIDS Project Los Angeles Health & Wellness,
Verise
J., Gender Justice Nevada
As
a Blaq Queer activist being burned out is dangerous! Our workshop will
introduce participants to the concept of self care from a Blaq consciousness
& thought. We will explore the interconnectedness of social justice work
as a black activist and how self care
can be accomplished in a healthy way.
The
Intersection Electric: An Interactive Tour of Black Bi Histories and Culture
(with games!)
Faith
Cheltenham, BiNet USA President,
This
wide ranging workshop will feature interactive games alongside the profound
realities of non binary lives. We'll discuss black bi famous folks, monosexual
privilege, the 1990 Bisexual Manifesto, Huey Newton and find out what a black
bi person called themselves 500 years ago. We'll cover top bi community issues,
Audre and June, why the word pansexual is really important and what % of black
folks identity as bi (and why). No matter your sexual orientation, gender
identity or gender expression, you'll leave this workshop empowered by the
electricity of your own intersections.
Left for Queer: Exploring Multiple Identities Through Altar Making
Taijhet
Nyobi, Oakland CA,
Participants
will engage in an altar making activity. They will choose objects, images and
words that relate to their migration and identity stories. The activity will
lend itself to further dialogue around the effects of being a person who has
been many times displaced.
“LGBTQ
organizing at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Organizing ‘Us’ in
Majority Black environments”
Marcus
Lee, Morehouse College, (U.C. Berkeley Exchange Student),
Samantha
Master, Morgan State University, (HRC HBCU coordinator)
HBCUs
have often been painted as oases in which intolerance and homophobia fester and
grow. However, in recent years especially, LGBTQ activism on HBCU campuses has
been vibrant and has gained much attention. Since gender/sexuality issues on
HBCU campuses result in broader implications for the entire Black community,
this presentation will be an opportunity to discuss what organizing looks like
amongst just us for just us in order to sharpen ideas about how an
intersectional praxis which specifies Blackness as core to its center looks in practice.
Overcoming Fear and Insecurities
Megan McGlover, President of A.T.M.,
“An unknown author once said, “Fear is a habit; so is self pity,
defeat, anxiety, despair, hopelessness and resignation. You can eliminate all
of these negative habits with two simple resolves: I can!! and I will!!” -Unknown
The workshop “Overcoming fear and insecurity
is focused on providing our LGBTQ youth and adults with the tools to rid
themselves of fear and insecurities. This workshop offers simple tools (some
from the universal and spiritual realm) and practices that are easy to apply
and integrate into your daily life to bring positive and sustainable change in
your emotions. Discover how to develop inner qualities that override insecurity
by taking on the mind of purpose, persistence and power.
Radical
Self Care: A workshop on Queering
Wellness and Cultivating Balance
Deejay
Brown, University of California Irvine,
What
does survival mean to you? Are you interested in creating a space in your life
for self expression, balance and tools for cultivating wellness? Let’s create a space together to write,
create, share our truths and explore ourselves so that we can explore who we
are, what we need and how we will care for ourselves.
Queers
Just Want to Have Fun!
Nathan
Thompson, UC Santa Cruz, 1st Year,
Computer Engineer Student,
Students
who are new to the campus queer community can find it difficult to become
acquainted with it and access resources available to them. There is a need for
more interest based organizations on college campuses created specifically for
the Queer community and our allies. These groups are low pressure and inviting;
placing more focus on the shared interest of a common activity, i.e. games,
food, hiking, etc.
Transformative
Erotica: Reclaiming and Decolonizing our Sexual Narratives
Alexandria
Collins, UC Berkeley,
Eniola
Abioye, UC Berkeley
In
this workshop, we will be exploring the concept of the erotic and how it
manifests within our individual realities as queer people of color. The aim of
this workshop is to redefine conventional interpretations of black sexuality
through creative writing activities that seek to reclaim and decolonize our
sexual narratives. By promoting sex positive dialogue, this workshop seeks to
give voice to the complexity of experiences that shape queer black identity and
thus create a healing space centered on the acknowledgment of intersectional
identities.
TRANSGENDER
DISCOVERY
Don
C. Morton, Author/Actor/Song Writer and Vocalist,
This
is an extremely condensed version of a presentation/training I developed for
professionals and non professionals who are interested in learning more to help
break the bindings of stigma, that separates us not only by race and gender
expression, but also by our humanity.
Transcending
Inclusivity: Evolving LGBQTrans* POC
Consciousness Into Self Sufficiency
Jaye
Johnson, Conscious Unfoldment Coach | Content Manager, Buck Angel Entertainment,
Transcending
Inclusivity: Evolving LGBQTrans* POC Consciousness Into Self Sufficiency will
address our human desire to be included and harmonize with others both
politically and personally, and ask the participants to consider transcending
this need. Incorporating examples of lived experience and creative, academic,
spiritual and other precedents set, the presentation will encourage attendees
to consider how a full individuation can help us harmonize better with our
LGBQTrans* POC friends, family, peers, and all complementary allies/other
individuals we encounter. Removing our individual/collective focus from
vetting, "othering", bullying/victimizing ourselves and others frees
us to do more, feel more and be more, collectively. The presentation will
explore proactive alternatives to transcend, heal and better contextualize the
idea of "inclusion."