Tag Archives: Art After Trump

WE WERE THERE: Weird Sister at Art After Trump

Art After Trump Weird Sister

Last Thursday night, December 15th, Weird Sister joined Hyperallergic, Well-Read Black Girl, The Creative Independent, Lenny, VIDA, and many other arts organizations for ART AFTER TRUMP at Housing Works Bookstore. The night featured over 150 artists of all disciplines responding to the questions posed by the event organizers: “As an artist, how are you reacting to this uncertain future? What do you want to say or do?” Performances ranged from poems and essay excerpts to letters, speeches, and songs—you can listen to full audio from the event over on The Creative Independent. Below are the pieces that Weird Sister’s five performers—Merve Kayan, Christopher Soto/Loma, Naomi Extra, Cathy de la Cruz, and myself—shared that night:

***

“In 1961, Fannie Lou Hamer went to the hospital to have a cyst removed and left with a hysterectomy. Forced hysterectomies on black and brown women were a common practice in Mississippi. One of many victims of gendered racial violence, Hamer’s body, as both woman and black was under siege by the state. Still, she fought. In 1963, Hamer and a fierce set of lesser known black women—June Johnson, Anelle Ponder, Dorothy Height—used their voices to fight against voter suppression and more broadly, the Trumps  of their time.

I refuse to think of Trump as a threat located in a single body. I resist this as a mode of organizing and as a political stance. As a black woman in America, I reject anti Trumpness as a galvanizing energy in fighting oppression. It is contrary to my lived experience. It is contrary to the political work of black women radicals like Fannie Lou Hamer, Ida B. Wells, and Ella Baker who fought against multiple forms of oppression. Who fought for women’s rights, labor rights, and civil rights. As a black feminist, I locate myself as part of a long history of fighting against the Trump-like terrors that have plagued poor people, women, the LGBTQ community, and people of color for centuries. Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Events, We Were There

Art After Trump

Housing Works Art After Trump

Weird Sister is honored to be co-hosting the Housing Works event Art After Trump.

Thursday, December 15, 5:00pm
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby Street, New York

Including Weird Sister performers Marisa Crawford, Cathy de la Cruz, Naomi Extra, Merve Kayan, and Christopher Soto (aka Loma)

Please save the date for a gathering and marathon-style reading of responses by and for artists and arts organizers. Line-up to be announced. Artists of all disciplines will read their short responses – of any form – to the results of election 2016 and the imminent administration.

Partner organizations will provide information and resources in addition to Housing Works’ bookstore and advocacy and healthcare departments.

Produced by:
Molly Rose Quinn, Director of Public programming, Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
Brandon Stosuy, Editor-in-Chief, The Creative Independent
Glory Edim, founder, Well-Read Black Girl
Jillian Steinhauer, Senior Editor, Hyperallergic
Ben Sisto, Ace Hotel New York Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Events