Violence-Free Begins With Me

Last month, before heading out to instruct GirlVentures' Transitions course, I was a guest speaker at Violence-Free Begins With Me, an API Youth Forum held by the Center for the Pacific Asian Family.

I spoke about my experience growing up queer and Khmer American, what it was like coming into my identities, and talked about becoming an outdoor educator and explaining the work to refugee parents.

To stand in front of a group of Southeast Asian youth who were from the same places I'm from and tell my story to them was an incredible opportunity.

Wanna learn to keep chickens? // Earth Day South LA April 14

I blogged about the 2nd Annual Earth Day South LA in 2010 with great excitement (because I love this earth, it is so good to me), but this is my first year actually volunteering and attending the event.

Earth Day South LA
Saturday, April 14, 2012
11am to 4pm 

Normandie Avenue Elementary School
4505 S. Raymond Ave, LA, CA 90037
At the corner of Normandie and Vernon 

This event is FREE! Suggested Donation $5+
*No one turned away for lack of funds

Last weekend, I joined CSU with other volunteers to pound pavement to spread the word to the community surrounding Normandie Elementary where the festival will take place. This meant knocking on doors, talking to business owners, approaching anyone we saw on the street, and handing out the beautiful Earth Day flyers. I learned to invite people to the event in Spanish (very rudimentarily), which was great. It reminded me that I told myself to take a Spanish class a couple of years ago and never did.

Make it the People's Friday // Mercado del Pueblo

Image by Favianna Rodriguez

Description:

Support your local community! Don't Support the 1%!

Inspired by the mass movements that are challenging capitalism here in LA, nationally, and globally! The Youth Justice Coalition is promoting the investment in our local community rather than corporations on this huge day of shopping. Lots of grass-root and organic creations to be sold!

$2 at the door
Ages 12 and under FREE


Vendors. Music. Food. Art. Community Resources. Raffles.

There is a FREE Public Parking lot across the street of our space.

Tekpa Arte

Buko Bomba

Vulva Creations

Luna Sangre

Hyde Park- Miriam Matthews Branch Library

Solidarity Ink

51/50 Apparel

Watts Village Theatre

Critical Mass Dance Company

Revolutionary Autonomous Communities

Food Not Bombs

Luna Sangre

Ticicalli Yahualli Collective

Cucci

Freedom Tree Press

Southern California Library

And others will have essential oils, soaps, shoes, jewelry, clothes, holiday crafts,  cultural and organic foods, hair braiding,political posters, books, natural wombyn and moon time products, stencil art, sex positive gear, aroma therapy pillows And MORE!

Where:

Chuco's Justice Center,

1137 E. Redondo Blvd.

Inglewood, CA 90302

(Near the intersections: Florence & Crenshaw)10:00am - 3:00pm

Pearl Girl at OUTspoken Sessions // Allison Santos

I remember when I first heard about Equal Action and OUTspoken Sessions at Tuesday Night Cafe back in 2009. Skim (who will be at J-Town Summer Sessions) was the inaugural featured performer. I attended for the first time in November of that year, when traci was the featured performer. Until this year, the queer youth open mic was held at the Solidarity Hall on Washington Blvd. It was a cosy, intimate space.

The next OUTspoken Sessions on Friday, July 22 will be at KIWA on 8th Street and is featuring visual artist and Pearl Girls Productions That's What She Said co-conspirator Allison Santos:

She plays "Rae" on TWSS and is one of the most recognizable cast members. Maybe it's the hair. Or her boyish charm. Or her magnetic dance moves. 

For clarification: OUTspoken Sessions' intention is to provide space for queer youth age 19 and under, but older folks are encouraged to show up and support! Inter-generational solidarity, yes, please.

Tonight: OUTspoken Sessions Queer Youth Open Mic tonight!

 The Equal Action folks are an amazing group of organizers dedicated to empowering queer youth of color to fight for social justice.  I hope they don't mind my plagiarizing their post:

Equal Action proudly presents

OUTspoken Sessions

an open mic and safe space for queer and ally youth 19 and under

Friday | 03.25.11 | 6:30-9:00

with two extremely creative women 

during this Women's History Month

singer and song writer Caresse Fernandez

Caresse is 4'11 and that seems tiny,

Although this is true, her voice is kinda mighty.

Ready to go with her guitar,

Equipped with a piano, she could go far.

She likes to sing and she likes to dance,

She just loves music, so give her a chance!

End.

&

spoken word poet and hip hop artist Sumiko Braun

 

Sumiko Braun is:

a radical queer feminist. 

a single mother of color. 

a libertarian socialist. 

a spoken word poet. 

a womyn warrior.

Check out our new location!

KIWA's Cultural Education Center

3471 W. 8th Street

Los Angeles, CA 90005

street parking

near busline 66, Wilshire/Western Metro Station

for more info: info@equalaction.org

check out our facebook page

Are you a youth who wants to help organize OUTspoken Sessions? Get more info about joining theOUTspoken Youth Organizing Committee by contacting Stephanie at svan@equalaction.org.

Equal Action is honored to hold the 2011 OUTspoken Sessions season at KIWA's Cultural Education Center, home to a variety of invaluable events and programs for the community. Learn about KIWA and other events happening at their Cultural Education Center.