A Letter From Our Founder: What is a Brave Space?
For some of us, a brave space looked like home. It looked like trust and love and friends. For the organizers, it looked like the photoshoot. For me, it looked like a #bossbabesATX meet. We didn't really reach a consensus, because safety and comfortability are personal. We did agree that "brave spaces" are still dangerous and that safety was and hadn't been guaranteed, even in the spaces we feel safest. So, are we ever safe? If not, what is a brave space? And if if those spaces are personal, how do we make one for larger groups? And if they still could be dangerous, hell, why should we? Are we destined to be governed by fear?
Image via @slvtcult
Last weekend, I was invited to participate in a photo series in Chicago for #TheBanshees, an anti-harassment photography project created by artists Kate Warren and Maggie Famiglietti (each involved in SLVT CULT), through the creative group, Cliche Collective. Under the downpour of the Midwest rain, we took to the back alley of an art studio in our stilettos, mesh tops and bustiers, each dressed in items we typically wouldn't wear for fear of unsolicited attention.
At first, it was awkward—we were giggly, huddled under umbrellas, unfamiliar with each other. Shy, we staged a couple of group portraits and attempted to loosen up. We chatted about times we felt unsafe in public or around those we trusted. But those stories were laced with grief. I began to wonder if any of us could perform anger on cue, since it was apparent that we had each been subject to sexual assault and abuse in ways that had left us hurting and sensitive.
I didn't wonder long. While we were figuring out our next pose, an onlooker began photographing us through his apartment window. Watching the flashes of each shot from the street, we collectively howled. Ollie, one of the event's co-organizers, thrust her umbrella up at his window, and he quickly shut his blinds. Experiencing that moment as a group, the ice was somewhat broken. And the reality of what we were performing set in.
Cold and wet, we were each pulled away for single portraits. We stormed at Kate, fixating on her lens like we would on an attacker, funneling our frustration into her camera, middle fingers flying. We screamed. We kicked. We cursed. And as we cycled through our individual sessions, we talked about #metoo. We talked about what we do when we're actually angry. We talked about our own problematic issues with violence and abuse. Then, with the rain coming down a little harder and the mood softened and reflective, we headed upstairs to chat about the concept of "safe space" and each answer the question: What is a brave space?
For some of us, a brave space looked like home. It looked like trust and love and friends. For the organizers, it looked like the photoshoot. For me, it looked like a community meet-up. We didn't really reach a consensus, because safety and comfortability are personal. We did agree that "brave spaces" are still dangerous and that safety was and hadn't been guaranteed, even in the spaces we feel safest.
So, are we ever safe? If not, what is a brave space? And if if those spaces are personal, how do we make one for larger groups? And if they still could be dangerous, why should we? Are we destined to be governed by fear?
I've been thinking on that for the last few weeks. I do believe in the power of free will, in the power of trial and error and iterating until you learn how to be better. I do think it's OK to call people out and, in turn, accept when you've also made a mess of things. I think it's good to be loud, despite the consequences. Yet as I explore these things I believe, I am confronted by my own dissenting voices. Voices that tell me it is safer to stay inside, to stay home and to stay out of things that might get me into trouble, that might disrupt.
So, how do I advocate for safety, without also opening myself up to danger? How do I create spaces that allow for diversity of opinion, without policing opinion out? And, in a very real sense, if safety is on me to create, am I responsible for the behavior of my former abusers? Should I have been the one to enforce boundaries? Have I ever been safe at all?
As existential and counterintuitive as those questions can seem, they're the kinds of things that keep me up at night. Our concepts of safety are embedded into our built and social environments, these written/unspoken agreements that guide how things work. They're created by people—created by us—and governed by a set of rules. Our daily interactions are part of larger systems (regulatory systems, social systems, economic systems, etc.) and they're put in place for our safety.
We make coalitions, follows rules, participate in politics, etc. to ensure our own financial, physical and mental protection. And, of course, they're not perfect. It should come as no surprise that these systems have been largely formed by the most powerful. Thus, it can also be assumed that these systems likely leave out the consideration of other voices, like anything largely dominated by one group, there will always be a margin of error... oversight. And moreover, it can also be assumed that any abuses of power will be magnified once this system is in place at scale.
When we hear that violence against women, sexual assault, lack of inclusivity, transphobia, racism, etc. occurs within and through systems that have been created to keep us safe, we're shocked. "Society," "the industry," "the patriarchy" become targets, and we're pointing fingers. We oppose it. We create a distance. We claim we would never, have never and could never. Or we completely disengage from the topic in its entirety, feeling protected by our own social circles, our own little bubbles.
Yet we know this is how rape culture and violence survives. So, who is to blame, and how do we begin to repair?
After sitting on this for a while, I'm in the camp that thinks there's no right answer, but there are things to be done. These systems are our bubbles. They're actually our friends. It's me. It's my dad. It's my grandfather and my mother. It's my best friend from college. It's everyone we know, and it's everywhere we go, and it's on us to shape them into something better. That's not to say that everyone we know and love is evil. Or that victims and survivors are responsible for allowing abusers in. Or that some spaces are not safer than others. (I can definitively say that spaces governed by women, in my experience, have been more safe for women.)
Rather, I'm learning it's never binary or black and white—that safety is not a destination or a sticker or something we achieve by programming compassion and praying for goodness.
It's a gray area of daily bravery. It's a risk, and sometimes we suffer that risk. It's often doing something that actually combats the dominant narrative, speaking out of turn, standing up to those who are more powerful. It can be big, like exposing your abuser to the world, or it can be small, like reacting to anger with love. Which means that in the process of being brave, in the process of protecting ourselves and experiencing life, we might and do get burned.
'bell hooks says it better than I can:
“I’m pretty critical of the notion of safety in my work, and what I want is people to feel comfortable in the circumstance of risk because I think if we wait for safety, the bell hooks that wasn’t sure if she could get on the stage with Janet Mock would never have gotten on that stage. The bell hooks that was afraid of ‘what if I use the wrong words, what if I say the wrong thing’ would have stopped myself. And so to me, I’m very interested in what it means for us to cultivate together a community that allows for risk, the risk of knowing someone outside your own boundaries, the risk that is love—there is no love that does not involve risk. I’m a little wary because white people love to evoke the ‘safe spaces’ and I have a tendency to be critical of that, but I do believe that learning takes place in the harmonious space, the space that you and I are embodying tonight.” at 49:00-50:05, bell hooks “A Public Dialogue Between bell hooks and Laverne Cox
I'm with bell hooks. Safety from judgment from harassment, from racism, from abuse, is a privilege—and with privilege comes responsibility. It's not a given, but the lack of it shouldn't hold us back.
We cut ourselves away from really important things, like love and excitement and curiosity and boldness, when we refuse to operate unless we're guaranteed a level of certainty.
So, what is a brave space?
To me, it's recognizing our blind spots. Using privilege to expose abuses of power and protect those who have been abused by it. It's confronting the problematic nature of our own identities, cultures and faults. It's setting boundaries and enforcing them. It's accepting that our friends, our lovers and ourselves may be abusive, and that we have to hold all accountable. It's taking a risk and hoping to be understood, respected and cared for. It's education, empowerment and sharing information.
It's wildly loving others, without knowing you'll receive the same love in return.
That answer's not new. But I'm hoping that my understanding of brave space (and general uncertainty about being human) might encourage you to reach your own answer. Because as someone dealing with trauma from two abusive relationships, it's not an answer I'm particularly satisfied with. It's just the only answer I've got.
So, be brave. And to my fellow survivors, be as brave as you can.
— Jane Hervey
This Foundation is Creating an App to Help Domestic Violence Survivors
The Survive 2 Thrive Foundation addresses what comes after men and women leave an abuser, focusing on rebuilding a life for survivors — not just getting them out of immediate danger.
When women in Texas leave violent homes for domestic violence shelters, more than one in three are turned away due to a lack of resources, according to the Texas Council on Family Violence. After being turned away, those women must call the shelters daily to check if a spot has opened up. And only three percent of those same women will ever actually move far enough up the waitlist to enter the shelter.
Many become homeless and others return to their abusers. Others still don’t leave at all, unsure of where they’ll go next.
“It's one of the top reasons why [women] are not leaving,” says Courtney Santana, founder and CEO of the Survive 2 Thrive Foundation which aims to address the lack of resources for survivors. She says an uncertain housing situation is “a deterrent to actually ending violence in your life because you don't know where you're going to land and once you land, how are you financially going to take care of it, especially when there's children involved?”
The Survive 2 Thrive Foundation helps with both the landing and the follow through — what comes after leaving a violent domestic situation.
The local organization provides stipends to domestic violence survivors who have been turned away from shelters in Travis, Bell, Williamson and Milam counties. The $75 amount is enough to house a family of four for one night at any of the foundation’s partner hotels, each of which are thoroughly vetted to ensure the safety of survivors.
But that’s just step one: getting women and children who have experienced domestic violence out of harmful environments and placing them in safe ones.
Courtney Santana, founder and CEO of the Survive 2 Thrive Foundation.
“There's so many steps after [getting out of the home] that people need support with and it's the hardest part of it,” says Santana. “Any of those [steps] can cause someone to return to a violent home.”
The foundation addresses those next steps, focusing on rebuilding a life for domestic violence survivors — not just getting them out of immediate danger. Working with survivors, Santana and the foundation created a “survivor board” or a list of obstacles that might drive a woman back into an abusive home including lack of employment, transportation or permanent housing. Each survivor who contacts the foundation is assigned an advocate who helps them work through the obstacles, or steps.
The hope is that addressing those steps will ease the burden that shelters are facing. Because according to Santana, part of the crowding at domestic violence shelters stems from the spaces’ attempts to provide auxiliary resources to survivors rather than just housing. She compares the situation to an emergency room attempting to treat routine OBGYN appointments. The foundation’s work is meant to take care of those routine appointments so shelters can focus on triage and move women more quickly through their doors, hopefully mitigating the jammed line in the process.
This month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the foundation began beta-testing an app that will streamline that process further by allowing women to track their “survivor board” progress, to more easily contact their advocate, and to access resources, including legal information, through a mobile phone.
The foundation hopes to get feedback from survivors and shelters using the beta version of the Sanctuary app through the end of the year before launching the full-fledged version next spring. Eventually, Santana hopes to spread the app, and the foundation’s work, nationally.
In the meantime, you can aid the Survive 2 Thrive Foundation in a few ways:
Donate
As mentioned above, $75 helps house a family of four for one night. You can donate online at the foundation’s site here.
Follow the foundation
Follow the foundation on all social channels to keep up-to-date on the work they’re doing locally.
Attend or support an event
The foundation hosts several events throughout the year to raise money and awareness for its mission.
Next month, Survive 2 Thrive will launch its Purple Bowtie Movement focused on raising awareness for men affected by domestic violence, not just as victims, but as the loved ones of women survivors.
And in the spring of next year, the foundation will host both a golf tournament and a concert featuring local female artists. The Empower Her concert will be held in conjunction with the release of a CD featuring the show's performers.
Frida Fridays x #BBATX: The Arts and Alternative Economies
This Fall, we became the series sponsor of Frida Friday ATX, a monthly pop-up marketplace, organized by TK Tunchez, to showcase women makers of color.
#supportwomenartists.
It's our motto. It's our mission. And at #bbatx, we're after the answer to one question, in particular: How do we create cultures and creative communities that prioritize and advocate for the social and financial empowerment of women artists?
Over the years, we've found that question has many answers, most of which lie in coalition-building, advocacy, accountability and the development of new social and economic networks. That's why we do events, and that's why we focus on bringing women organizers, creatives and artists together. Resource-sharing is the sh*t, y'all.
As you may already know, we regularly donate portions of our operating budget to other organizations, specifically like-minded groups that speak to and uphold our five tenets (the arts, community infrastructure, activism, entrepreneurialism, personal and professional development) in different ways. This Fall, we became the series sponsor of Frida Friday ATX, a monthly pop-up marketplace, organized by TK Tunchez, to showcase women makers of color. Read on for a little more on the series:
Frida Friday ATX is the only monthly WOC-centered marketplace in Austin. As a market, FFATX aims to support and promote the work of WOC through the creation of an alternative economy and cultural space that honors and celebrate work by women of color. Each market attracts between 300 and 500 attendees per month and features a wide array of self-identified WOC artists and entrepreneurs, while simultaneously raising funds for local community organizations and projects.
As FFATX's fall sponsor, we've worked closely with Tunchez to develop a coalition that drives our communities forward. Over the last couple of months, Tunchez has spoken on two of our panels about community-driven entrepreneurship and market organizing, vended at craftHER Market Fall '17 under her artist name, Las Ofrendas, and participated in the production of Unity in Color: ATX. We're grateful to contribute to the growth of Frida Fridays, and we're excited to continue creating sustainable relationships of support and economic growth in the Austin community with women organizers, like TK. It takes a village!
You can attend the next Frida Fridays on Oct. 20 at Kebabalicious.
If you have any questions about this partnership, shoot an email to thebabes@bossbabes.org.
October Tarotscopes from Solaris the Hii Priestess
This post is part of our monthly tarotscope series with Solaris the Hii Priestess, one of our regular exhibiting artists and routine collaborators. Each month, Solaris will draw cards for each astrological sign, and we'll publish the results. Enjoy!
This post is part of our monthly tarotscope series with Solaris the Hii Priestess, one of our regular exhibiting artists and routine collaborators. Each month, Solaris will draw cards for each astrological sign, and we'll publish the results. Enjoy!
Capricorn - VII Of Wands
Self-belief is very crucial at this time, Capricorn. Although you have worked hard to reach a level of accomplishment, prepare for challenges. This could be something in your professional or personal life. You may feel like the odds are against you, because the universe will test you. Don't allow this test to take your peace; you have worked hard at picking yourself up. Use your creativity to be innovative and allow it to help you when dealing with conflict.
Aquarius - Temperance
This card suggests you should have patience and discipline in whatever you work toward. Temperance suggests using your higher self to find harmony and a middle ground when working with others or when facing opposition. When things seem chaotic, temperance is giving you peace and telling you to have a good self-care routine so that you can execute effectively.
Pisces - Justice
Before making a decision, weigh out the pros and cons, Pisces. This card represents divine judgment, letting you know that there are consequences to whatever path you choose. Whatever situation you are in, be ready to take accountability. Make sure your head is clear and you are balanced by intuition and logic. Make sure that you communicate effectively about what you want.
Aries - 7 of Swords
Self-awareness is when you are mindful of everything that you do, Aries. Before being blunt, consider the delivery of your message. I know that it isn't easy when dealing with difficult people, but consider their feelings around this particular situation. The 7 of Swords is asking you to be the bigger person. Allow self-awareness to give you power.
Taurus - 4 of Pentacles
It is time to be mindful of your finances , if you have been spending a little more than usual it is time to have some discipline. strength comes from knowing that you have the control of your actions.It is okay to invest in yourself but make sure that the money that you are spending matches what money is coming in. The universe is putting you in a position to attract money and do the right thing with for future plans. Think of the bigger picture !
Gemini - The World
The world symbolizes completion and that a goal has been reached. This cards carries the message of maturity, wisdom and a cycle ending. You understand yourself better and now is the time to appreciate your trials and journey. You can give back with the knowledge that you have attained. Celebrate your victory, Gemini, because you have accomplished a goal that you set out to conquer (and selflessness is good act of kindness).
Cancer - The Magician
Self-awareness is the key to fulfillment cancer make sure that your desires are in alignment with your vision. The magician is the creator and the alchemist of the deck ,he reminds you that You are the creator of your own life , and you are capable of getting what you want . It's time to get out into the world and make it happen for yourself. Have confidence in yourself and allow your light to shine through .
Leo - 9 of Swords
It's okay to be wrong, Leo. The 9 of Swords suggest that you are extremely disappointed by something/someone that you trusted. You had to experience this in order to become wiser, and you may have even felt anxiety or lost sleep over it. Once this has been viewed as a lesson, and not a loss, the sooner you will be able to take action and move forward.
Virgo - Queen of Pentacles
It's your time, Virgo! The Queen symbolizes a generous and nurturing woman who is secure and aware. She has gained wisdom and intuition but she is still exploring her motives. This card is telling you to do research, before you jump in head-first on a big project or commitment. Be resourceful and practical, Queen!
Libra - The Moon
When this card appears, this is a sign that important cycles are going to end and begin. We are all heavily influenced by the moon, just like the ocean's tides. Stay present during this time, as things could be revealed during this cycle. This card is not good or bad but just a confirmation to be mindful of what you are avoiding. Listen to your intuition and stop running away from your fear.
Scorpio - King of Wands
This card is telling you to be a leader. Perhaps you have not embraced this side of yourself but it is in you. The Wands deals with passion and creativity. You need to take charge of your creativity, Scorpio, and be proactive about your vision. Challenge yourself to take control of what you do with your time.
Sagittarius - Strength
This card represents power and self-discipline. Instead of resisting change or hardship, try to understand why this challenge has been thrown your way. This card is telling you to conquer the beast within, which includes negative thoughts, addictive behaviors and procrastination.
A note from Solaris: Allow me Solaris The Hii Priestess, to give you a spiritual forecast for this upcoming week. My goal is to give you insight and awareness from the cards that I pull. As a tarot reader, my job is to make you aware and present of your current energy and to explore what is in your subconscious. I want to help you find closure and put you at ease if you are facing a tough decision. I am not a psychic—I consider myself a holistic counselor.
Filigree Theatre Is Austin's Newest Women-Led Company
Filigree Theatre, Austin’s newest theater group, hopes to connect the local theater community with the greater national community in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, as well as foster the talent that exists here already.
Elizabeth V. Newman hails from New York — born and raised, with a detour in Los Angeles on the life path between there and here. Stephanie Moore is an Austin native whose roots go deep in the local scene. The pair likes to joke that they are two halves of the same brain.
The close collaborators are in fact the two halves of Austin’s newest theater group, Filigree Theatre, which hopes to connect the local theater community with the greater national community in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
The company takes its ethos and its mission from its name. “Filigree” is derived from Latin words meaning both thread (“filum”) and seed (“granum”).
Though Austin is known for its music and its independent film scene, Newman points out, the theater community here — talented as it may be — continues to fly under the national radar, due in part to shrinking performance space.
The “thread” is meant to be a corrective to that circumstance, while Newman and Moore hope the “seed” part of the equation germinates the creative energy and talent that exists here already. Filigree also hopes to weave theatric experiences by incorporating creatives from other fields, including film and choreography into its thread-connected company.
Community, of course, is important to any group creative effort, but in theater, the need for shared space is immediate; it’s the whole point.
“The ephemerality of it is that it's there. It has to take place in that site with live bodies on stage and live bodies in the audience. . . hearing the breath, feeling the blood of the people on stage and the people around you is a community experience,” says Newman.
Filigree Theater kicked off the first production of its inaugural season last Thursday with “Betrayal,” a play about the deception inherent in a love triangle, that runs through Sunday, October 8, at the Santa Cruz Theatre.
The season will continue with two more plays, both written by women: one to celebrate theatre’s present (A Delicate Ship by Anna Ziegler) and one to celebrate its future (Trio by Sheila Cowley).
Filigree Theatre will also co-produce Stage One, a workshop series that stages readings by professional actors of new works by rising screenwriters and playwrights — seeds, if you will.
The series is just another example of the company’s obviously passionate adherence to its purpose to “celebrate the rich history of theater but also give voice to new artists and emerging writers.”
To learn more about Filigree Theatre's 2017-2018 season, visit filigreetheatre.com.
Meet #bossbabesATX's Fall URL Resident Artist DJ Mahealani
The first mermaids were a strike of inspiration — the culmination of influences DJ Mahealani had waded through along her way in life. The artist discusses how the magical, musical creatures came to be.
The first mermaids were a strike of inspiration — the culmination of influences DJ Mahealani had waded through along her way in life including La Sirene, Voudou, musical artists and the pervasive water metaphors that entered her dreams while living in Maui.
The DJ started rendering her favorite musicians and artists as sirens in July and has now created more than 80 of the magical creatures she hopes will function as more diverse, more creatively inclined Disney princesses for young girls, like those she works with part time. Though mixing and layering music helps pay the bills, collage is a more personal form of expression for Mahealani who makes her art just because she “want[s] to look at it and feel something.”
Below, the artist discusses how the mermaids — the whole pod of them — came to be.
How do you know you’re an artist (besides the obvious)?
I was raised with a small town/old school country tradition of leatherwork (my dad) and sewing/ quilt making (my mom) — but out of necessity of saving money, not to make any money. If you wanted something [growing up], it was necessary to be creative and figure out how to make it yourself, but none of that was considered or called art in my house. Also, my older sister (by 9 years) was always really talented at drawing and my parents actually got her art supplies when they could, so she was called an artist in my family. I could never draw or paint like her, although I did try! Because of that I never called myself an artist until I was grown and out of my parents’ house, even though I stayed creative, sewing thrift store finds, making collages, making cassette mixes and jewelry — all kinds of things growing up. I was basically using what I had on hand to create my world because I didn’t feel like I fit into the world as it was in front of me. I never took art classes. I was an honors kid that dressed weird in middle and high school.
After college, my sister and I were super close. I moved in with her in Maui where she lives as a professional artist to help take care of her daughter, my niece. I was/am really into reading; Toni Morrison is one of my favorites and I really wanted my sister to read her because of parts of our family history. My sister shared with me that she never considered herself a book reader; she knew how to read just fine, but never really considered herself “smart.” That blew me away because I always thought of her as smart. And, at the same time, I shared with her that I never considered myself an artist. That blew her away. So that day, we gave ourselves permission to be both. That’s when I started thinking of myself as and calling myself an artist. (And she fell in love with Toni Morrison too.)
When did mermaids become a part of your imagery? What was the impetus?
When I started [creating the mermaid collages] this summer, I had no idea I’d make 100 of them in a span of a couple of months. The first one I made, I happened to come across that picture from the 1999 VMAs of Diana Ross and Lil' Kim (where Diana Ross is tapping Lil Kim’s boob) and it just hit me in some kind of way and I wanted to make it into digital art somehow for me to enjoy. In the picture, their legs were cut off behind the podium so I just decided to give them mermaid tails.
After I made that first one, every time an artist would float through my mind, I’d see them with a mermaid tail. Next thing you know, I made a Dolly Parton [mermaid], followed by Aaliyah and Selena [mermaids] and they just made me so happy to look at. After I'd made the first five or so, I was reflecting on the first two I'd made (Diana/Lil' Kim and Dolly) and it hit me that Diana was in black — a new moon elder — and Dolly was in silver and gold — a full moon elder. Both [were] older than Lil' Kim in the middle. Mahealani means the fullest blossoming of the moon and was given to me in a dream in Hawaii, so when moon ideas show up, I pay attention. So I got curious and realized I really appreciated the support between those two different aged women in that moment. And then I laughed because Lil' Kim has her boob out and Dolly — well, she is about those boobs! So there was this epiphany about women’s bodies and how women navigate their pride and womanness and all that without becoming prey. Both of those things were connecting to very personal things in my own life, so at this point these mermaids were getting deep for me. And I couldn’t stop making them — up to three or four a day sometimes.
I appreciated how each artist I chose dealt with their emotions differently in their art and music. And I reflected on how I wanted to appreciate that more within myself. I knew how so many times women are called overly sensitive, many times by men with their own anger and insecurity issues. I also knew I carried shame about feeling overly sensitive, but at the same time a good radar, antennae and many other things are very sensitive and that’s a good thing. So I needed to redefine that for myself. Seeing these mermaids I was creating was doing that for me. There was no shame or judgement from me when I’d feel the emotion of their art and they were helping me grow that for myself. It hit me that symbolically our mermaid tails are how and why we feel so much in the waters around us: a symbol of our sensitivity and also the muscle we need to swim through and navigate all of that emotion.
Why mermaids? What inspires you about that form?
Moving to Maui after college graduation deepened my mermaid connection in all kinds of ways beyond the obvious ocean. I found that my journal entries for those three years I lived there were all about feeling like I was underwater — metaphors about drowning/swimming/floating/sinking/ seeing things as if they were underwater all over the place. My collages at the time tended to have a fish in the sky somewhere or a mermaid, as if my whole world was the ocean itself. During and after college, I took Afro-Haitian dance, where I learned the ocean connection in Voudou and about La Sirene, a Lwa that lives under the sea and rules music. And somewhere between Maui and dancing in that class, this kind of mermaid metaphor was born that keeps swimming back around every few years with something for me to learn.
Why have you rendered musicians and artists in particular as mermaids? How do you choose who to feature?
I didn't set out with a specific idea of who I would make into mermaids. Frida Kahlo was my sixth [mermaid] I think, and soon after I made one of Octavia Butler and I wondered if I'd be compelled to make Toni Morrison, for example, but at this point I haven't [been]. All the rest have been people in music. And as I saw that, my deejay brain began making mind mixes of the musicians I chose and just kept thinking of women in music that have inspired me in some way over the years. So many — and so many total badasses I believe are overlooked and under appreciated compared to male counterparts many times.
Somewhere in all this, it hit me that I want to make a DJ divination deck out of them so that folks can consult the mermaids, pull from the deck and make a healing playlist. And then reflecting back on the Frida and Octavia mermaids, I suddenly saw them as representing quiet in the midst of all that sound — a break time for no music — which is really important to me too. Go look at art. Go read a book — that kind of silence helps the listening brain too in my opinion. So for right now, I am feeling they will be my only non-musicians. I was remembering La Sirene and the fact that I am a deejay and so making music mermaids felt like it was for her too — in her honor, being a ruler of music and all.
And I get to work and play with kids part time and so I see little brown girls of all shades with too many white princess backpacks and I was listening to mamas talk about how hard it is to find black and brown mermaids for their black and brown daughters and I began fantasizing about little girls seeing these mermaids instead. And how music helped me as a kid and how way before there was the Disney Little Mermaid, there was La Sirene and Yemoya and Oshun and Mami Wata and it all kind of began swirling together into this thing I dove into.
What does the collage medium give you that music/deejaying can’t and vice versa?
One of my favorite things is the alchemy of juxtaposition and collage and deejaying are both that. Whether it’s a mermaid tail on Bjork or a Grace Jones record mixed with Outkast wax, worlds are born and it’s fun to see what happens. That’s my jam! I think that’s why I figured out how to teach myself both.
So far the biggest difference for me is that compared to my visual art, with deejaying I have learned to hustle and pay bills from it. I see how the more I’ve been able to make money deejaying, the less room I may have to play as creatively and personally as I used to. I can’t get fully lost telling a story with my records on a Saturday night downtown when folks just want to dance. (To hear that find me at Mixcloud.com.) There are some songs I can get tired of playing, but when they make folks happy I just do it for the people anyways. Little choices like that are made all the time with my deejaying. I also have to have booking and money conversations that my sensitive artist heart has had to learn to distance from in a lot of ways.
My collage I only do because i want to look at it and feel something in particular. It’s way more personal and I don’t go out of my way to make money from it. It’s also super compulsive. It hits me, I honor it with the work of creation and it flows through. I very recently opened a Redbubble account so folks can buy some of my art on stickers and T-shirts online — but only after the suggestion of another artist after many folks kept telling me they wanted a poster or a shirt or whatever with my art. I don’t make much money from it, but I also don’t have to spend any money upfront either. It’s very manageable for me right now.
Will you give us five life recommendations?
Native plants and the birds, bees and butterflies that love them.
A frozen tank top or bra: Keep in a backpack to change into after riding a bike or loading in equipment in the summer.
All of the Missy Elliott music videos.
Mistakes. I never learned to stand up surf until I wasn’t afraid to fall. I never got better at deejaying until I wasn’t scared of sounding bad. The smartest women I know make mistakes and learn from them.
You can catch DJ Mahealani at our Oct. 24 meet, spinning vinyl and slinging a few of her Siren prints. The 11x17 prints are available for $25 and all proceeds benefit Hurricane Harvey and Puerto Rico relief efforts.
Market Preview: The 2017 craftHER Fall Gift Guide
A round-up of gift ideas, from us to you, to help you along your merry retail way as you get ready for craftHER this weekend. Join us this Sunday, October 1, where you can shop all of the vendors featured below.
It's October, y'all. Can you feel it in the air? You know what comes next: Halloween, Thanksgiving, the holiday season. Already, our fall craftHER market is here. And to pump you up for our biannual meeting of makers and local businesses, we've created a little preview / gift guide that'll give you a taste of the market and is sure to serve you (and the people in your life) well through the end of this year.
A round-up of gift ideas, from us to you, to help you along your merry retail way as you get ready for craftHER this weekend. Join us this Sunday, October 1, when you can shop all of the vendors featured below, plus 75 other incredible artists. View the full lineup here.
1.) Hauntwell
Hauntwell combines darkness and whimsy to create apparel blazoned with original, handprinted sigils ideal for the subtly witchy babe.
2.) FIBROUS
Earrings, necklaces, wall hangings, pillow covers, and more, FIBROUS offers a wide array of woven goods for the home and body.
3.) Fabulous Paws
For the furry friend, or furry friend-lover, Fabulous Paws makes one-of-a-kind pet accessories, including collars, bandanas, bowties, and even dog and cat beds.
4.) Daffina
Operated by a trio of sisters from Sierra Leone, Daffina uses ethical and fair-trade textiles imported from Africa to create handbags, luggage, backpacks and accessories that promote the rich culture and history of the continent.
5.) Abby Lou Pottery
Melding beauty with function, Abby Lou Pottery offers a gorgeous mug, cup, vase, bowl, votive and even salt shaker for whatever vessel needs you or your pals may dream up.
6.) wawawawick
Tell your girlfriend, mom sister, lover she's the tits with handmade cards and creations from wawawawick.
7.) Featherweight Studio
From design to execution, the arrow, cross and diamond motifs of Featherweight Studio's up-cycled fashions are made by hand by a local Austin artist.
8.) Hivelight
By gifting Hivelight hand-poured candles made with beeswax, you're helping to support sustainable bee farming while also giving the sweet scent of honey.
9.) Jennifer Lovena
Using bold colors and titillating prints, Jennifer Lovena's line of accessories was made for that one friend who is never not smiling.
10.) Enx Creative
Enx Creative's wide array of veladoras, prints, stickers, and apparel feature fun, vibrant designs that take inspiration from Dia De los Muertos, Frida Kahlo and Selena.
11.) Kaimera Leather
Quality leather pairs with quality craftsmanship to create long-lasting accessories, including journals and kink paraphernalia like whips and collars ;).
12.) Natural Magick Shop
Give the gift of magic via Natural Magick Shop, an all-purpose potion shop owned and operated by a practicing witch of 15 years.
13.) Senders Receive Tarot
Tarot reader and Reiki master Senders Receive will be offering special reading packages at craftHER that make for the perfect fated gift — for yourself or for others.
14.) ISKAY
ISKAY uses the bright, colorful textiles of Peru to create handmade tennis shoe. For each purchase, the brand donates to MAKALLAY, a Peruvian organization that provides health services and improves living conditions for Peru's poorest communities.
15.) Ponytail Mafia
Chances are you know more than one woman who needs a "Dog Lady" tee or a "God is a feminist" shirt or a "God bless Beyonce" tank. Ponytail Mafia is where you get them.
16.) White Deer Apothecary
White Deer Apothecary uses the healing energy of Texas plants in their line of salves, balms, tinctures, syrups, oils, bitters, honeys, and teas. Also available for custom orders.
17.) Radiance Artistry
Each Radiance Artistry painting is created with the radiance of a healing, meditative art practice. Gift an original, colorful piece of art or commission a custom work for someone who could use that energy.
18.) Rejuvenate Bath & Body
Rejuvenate Bath & Body products are the gift to give when you just want to make someone feel good. Feel-good feelings available in body butter, body wash, lip balm, and cuticle oil.
19.) Moore Soap
Plant-based and small batch, Moore Soap is available in a range of good-smelling, beautifully colorful bars that will make bathing a daily luxury.
20.) OH TIFF! Professional Lacquer
In addition to non-tox, 5-free nail polish in a line of playful colors, OH TIFF! also offers a custom gift box that pairs polish (of your choosing) with other goodies, including bath salts, oil, a foot scrub and a special note.
21.) Beewell Organics
Beewell Organics is an all natural line of skin care products (including beard balm!) that feeds your face with organic, quality ingredients.
22.) Dandelion Acupuncture
Each appointment with Dandelion Acupuncture is individualized to the client, making it the ideal way to tell yourself how much you really mean to yourself this season.
23.) knottymisty
Each handmade knottymisty macrame creation is unique and made locally with naturally sourced materials. The Austin-based maker is already taking custom orders for the holiday gift-giving season.
24.) Milk Moon
Milk Moon's simple but elegant jewelry, including signature bolo necklaces, is sure to land with whichever babe is lucky enough to receive it.
25.) Whipdizzy Handbag Co.
Just like Texas, each Whipdizzy Handbag Co. bag is unique and durable — made using automotive upholstery vinyl and retro fabrics and design, cut, and sewn locally in the Texas Hill Country.
26.) Billie Claire Handmade
Billie Claire Handmade's designs are gorgeous, yes, but they can also be hilariously irreverent. Need a delicately hand lettered "Let's get fucking weird" print? She's your girl.
27.) Kelsey Kilcrease Illustrations
Kelsey Kilcrease Illustrations combines color, cultural references, florals, cacti and tacos to create imagery that is whimsical and fun. Shop her prints or commission a custom piece for someone special.
28.) FOREST + INK
Prints, pins, cards, and stickers, FOREST + INK is a menagerie of creative imagery that your eye will return to again and again.
29.) Ferro & Fawn
Using gems and stones, Ferro & Fawn crafts delicate, staple necklaces and earrings that would fit well into any Austin wardrobe.
30.) The Mall
You'd be hard pressed to find anything like the bright, pop-y, cute and fun paraphernalia of this shop at anywhere over than The Mall. Fortunately for you, the mobile retailer (not an actual mall) will be rolling through craftHER.
31.) Dope Crochet
Dope Crochet is dope. Who's your coolest friend? This line of fiber accessories — including standout hoop earrings of different sizes and colors — is for her.
We Asked: How Do You Define Culture?
It's a quick shorthand to use culture as a channel for identity. At our August meet, we asked, how do you define one of the things that defines you?
Where we come from, the clothes we wear, the books we read, the people we spend time with — all of these things make up who we are by way of describing our values and beliefs.
It's a quick shorthand to use culture as a channel for identity.; it's an external illustration used to explain an internal sense of belonging.
So, how do you define a thing that defines you?
At our August meet, we asked and you answered. We've featured some responses below.
September Tarotscopes from Solaris the Hii Priestess
It's Virgo season, y'all. Solaris the Hii Priestess breaks down what vibes you can expect for the month of September.
Today, we're introducing our monthly tarotscope series with Solaris the Hii Priestess, one of our regular exhibiting artists and routine collaborators. Each month, Solaris will draw cards for each astrological sign, and we'll publish the results. Enjoy!
Capricorn - Wheel Of Fortune
Understand that things go in cycles; you must learn how to let go and adapt to changes. This card challenges you to not be stagnant but to be active in obtaining your goals. If you feel that things are on the downside, there are things you can you do to improve your situation, whether it's changing your perception or an actual act. Ups and downs are a natural part of life and maybe you feel like there are circumstances that out of your control being thrown at you. Don't be afraid to take a risk—the wheel can always turn in your favor!
Aquarius - Three Of Wands
It's time for you to see all of the possibilities that are in front of you. What do you need to commit yourself to, and how can expand your horizons? Upcoming challenges may come with the new changes, but I assure you it's for the better. Now is the time for you to get out of your comfort zone and allow yourself to grow. Have confidence that you will be successful with anything that you set out to do. This card can also lean toward travel, so be bold and fearless and go for it.
Pisces - 4 Of Pentacles
Don't beat yourself up about what you have done wrong with your finances. This card indicates that you are striving toward having financial peace and stability, but you're being too hard on yourself. Relax and know that you got this! With proper preparation, you can obtain the security and comfort that you want. Don't be afraid to invest in yourself; be it a passion project or allowing the space for a break. It is easy to let your fear get the best of you, but life is about experiences—don't sell yourself short.
Aries - Knight Of Wands
Apply recent new surges of energy to the areas that you want to see a change in. A knight has no fear—only courage—to win any battles against them. Use this mentality to fuel your confidence and your vision. On the flip side, don't allow impulsive urges to win over a preconceived plan. A man that fails to plan, plans to fail, and there are consequences for all of your actions. Don't lose sight of the vision that you have, while also balancing your current reality.
Taurus - The Moon
This card symbolizes mystery and changes. The moon rules the subconscious giving you the message through dreams, visions, Deja Vu, and imagination. Your relationships and situations may be shifting and evolving, so it's time for you to explore the nature of people around you. See what their true intentions are. Question if they are in your life for the greater good or to drain you. The moon is often portrayed as an illusion, so ask yourself, are things shining on their own or are they a reflection? (Keep in mind that the Moon only shines because its surface reflects light from the sun.)
Gemini - The Sun
The Sun card is a great representation for you, Gemini. It symbolizes fun, positive vibes and your inner child. What a great time to be optimistic, especially if you feel down or lack of clarity about some things in your life. It's okay to balance both reality and entertainment, responsibilities and fun, creativity and work. The sun is giving you strength to accomplish whatever you are trying to achieve. Learn from children. They don't hold on to sadness or anger for too long, and their main goal is to have fun and play with their friends and family. Express your creativity freely.
Cancer - Knight Of Swords
This represents the element of air which deals with the mind. You may feel the need to understand someone's point of view and maybe you're getting frustrated, but this is a sign that you need to take charge of protecting your energy. As a Cancer, you are a natural nurturer. Now it's time for you to nurture yourself back to feeling whole. The knight of swords is giving you the energy to overcome any obstacles that are standing in your way. It's OK to focus on yourself. Don't feel bad about saying no because, in the end, it will give you peace.
Leo - The Devil
The Devil card represents self-imprisonment caused by negative thoughtsm which challenge you to face your fear so that you are no longer held back. Negative habits and behaviors such as jealousy, greed, materialism are all things that keep you from experiencing spiritual freedom. Release yourself from personal bondage. It may seem like you're in a situation that you have no control of, but the chains around your neck are loose which shows that you may be distracted by some sort of illusion. Be aware of the people and situations that bring your vibrations down.
Virgo - Knight Of Cups
This is calling you to deal with matters of the heart. Use your emotions to guide you through your relationship or journey to finding love. This card is telling you to analyze your dreams because there may be a message for you. Be open-minded, Virgo, because someone or something new is coming in your life for your benefit. Use your magic to manifest exactly what you want to show up in your life. You may also feel inspired creatively to start a new passion project so let yourself fully feel and enjoy every moment of this flame. Don't hold back.
Libra - 9 Of Wands
This illustrates that you may be going through a real test of faith right now. Because of the conflict that you have been going through, you're always expecting the worst and you remain on your guard preparing to be defensive. Remain resilient, Libra, as you strive for peace and harmony. Things will balance very soon. Allow for the lesson to be learned and don't hold on to any grudges. Use this lesson as wisdom. The hardship is almost over and the light is near!
Scorpio - The Hanged Man
A symbol of release, preparing you for a spiritual shift with an opportunity to change your perspective about your trials. Although it may seem like you are powerless there is much enlightenment to gain. The release comes after a change is complete. Like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar, surrender to the process so that you can fly!
Sagittarius - 8 Of Cups
It's OK to be vulnerable and admit that you've been disappointed by some aspect of your love life. Sometimes the best thing to do is walk away no matter how much time and energy that you have invested. If the love was not reciprocated, letting go will save you pain in the long run. Your natural, happy, spontaneous nature will bring you back to life as something better awaits!
A note from Solaris: Allow me Solaris The Hii Priestess, to give you a spiritual forecast for this upcoming week. My goal is to give you insight and awareness from the cards that I pull. As a tarot reader, my job is to make you aware and present of your current energy and to explore what is in your subconscious. I want to help you find closure and put you at ease if you are facing a tough decision. I am not a psychic—I consider myself a holistic counselor.
Behind the Movement: Unity in Color's Austin Edition
This week, we released the photos for Austin's Unity in Color group portrait. Together, we commit to moving towards a collective future inclusive of women of color, transgender women & men, women with disabilities & women from all ages, religious faiths and backgrounds. Different cities worldwide have joined the #UnityInColor movement and we're proud to share the Austin edition!
Photo by Diana Ascarrunz for Unity in Color: Austin
This week, we released the photos for Austin's Unity in Color group portrait. This photo series serves as an actionable message of much more than solidarity—it's a commitment to unlearning eurocentrism and fighting for the intersectionality of feminism. Together, we stand in solidarity to show our support for Women's Rights. We acknowledge our past as we move towards a collective future inclusive of women of color, transgender women & men, women with disabilities & women from all ages, religious faiths and backgrounds. We wear yellow and gold as a nod to early feminist movements as well as ancient symbols of the divine feminine, while expressing our hope and desires for a more intersectional and inclusive movement today. Different cities worldwide have joined the #UnityInColor movement and we're proud to share the Austin edition!
Produced by Maureen Nicol of #bossbabesATX, with support from NaturallyCurly.com, in partnership with the YWCA ATX and Counter Balance: ATX (what a team!), Unity in Color was shot by Austin-based photographers Diana Ascarrunz and Jinni J, with videography by Illyana Bocanegra. You can view more photos from the shoot here.
Behind Unity in Color, as a series:
Before we get into the magic of this golden shoot, how it came together, what it meant/means and who was involved, let's delve into Unity in Color.
Unity in Color (unityincolor.org) is part of a worldwide photo series, created and curated by Jasmine S., a DJ and multimedia artist/producer based in Los Angeles. The series is city-based and calls for a large group portrait of women wearing all yellow, in recognition of the first feminist movement but also in protest of that movement's initial exclusivity, racism, classism and lack of intersectionality. Through the photo, viewers are invited to research and educate themselves on intersectional feminism.
Photo by Diana Ascarrunz for Unity in Color: Austin
Photo by Jinni J for Unity in Color: Austin
Photo of YWCA representatives by Diana Ascarrunz for Unity in Color: Austin
Behind Unity in Color — Austin:
As a creative project, this shoot exists to send a message of new feminist values, while cultivating long-term change and discussion between those involved. For that reason, Austin's photoshoot was a collaborative event between #bossbabesATX, the YWCA and Counter Balance: ATX. Due to logistical constraints around the number of people who could be photographed at once, each group invited a limited number of members from their organization, all of who are contributing directly to the fight for intersectionality in women's equality. After the photoshoot, we sat down to a picnic brunch and discussed our vision of the future, our collective wishes for intersectionality and respect within the feminist movement, recognizing the importance of dismantling White Feminism and renewing our commitment to coalition-building between all in attendance. Over the next year, #bossbabesATX will be supporting infrastructure and communication between all of the women who participated, shining a light on their goals, missions and values.
We hope this Unity in Color production will inspire you to build similar coalitions in your day-to-day lives—the movement does not start or end with this shoot, #bossbabesATX or the groups involved. If you're curious about the series, how to join the conversation and community-building we'll engage in over the next year, shoot an email to thebabes@bossbabes.org or contact Unity in Color.
*We'd like to thank Unity in Color, Jasmine S., NaturallyCurly.com, the YWCA and Counter Balance: ATX, as well as the photographers, volunteers and in-kind donors (Topo Chico, Baby Greens, Blenders and Bowls and Hubert's Lemonade) for making this shoot possible.
Photo by Jinni J. for Unity in Color: Austin
Photo by Jinni J. for Unity in Color: Austin