2017's Impact Report: To Bloom Is To Resist

You cannot threaten me
by forcing me into the ground.
Pack the soil solid.
Rub my face into the dirt.
I will take root in this earth,
like my mother and her mother did.
In a few weeks, I will sprout quietly.
My leaves waxy
my stem thick
my petals soft.
How?
How did she continue to exist?
Darling, this is how flowers grow.
To bloom is to resist.

— Jane Hervey, #bbatx Executive Director and Founder
written in response to 2017

Thank you for blooming with us this year. Read on for a bite-sized synopsis of #bbat'x 2017 Impact Report.

(BUMP CO-FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER LESLIE LOZANO'S BEST OF '17 PLAYLIST WHILE READING.)

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In 2017, #bossbabesATX hosted 47 events, with more than 15,000 attendees.

By the numbers, we hosted:

• 15 showcases featuring work by emerging women-identifying, filmmakers, artists, artisans
• 12 community dialogues discussing professional development, civic engagement and gender equality
• 10 community meet-ups for artists, creatives, thought leaders and entrepreneurs
• 6 professional and personal development trainings
• 4 cultural exchange events, facilitating relationships between our Austin community and abroad

Through these events, our consulting services for institutions and businesses interested in inclusivity and diversity, as well as our digital programs, we accomplished the following:

• Connected 300+ women-identifying and nonbinary makers, artisans, independent entrepreneurs and artists directly to new customers, clientele and financial opportunities
• Provided pro-bono promotional tools to 500+ women-owned businesses and women-led nonprofits
• Showcased more than 900+ women-identifying and nonbinary artists, creatives, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders and business owners through our programs
• Fostered individual professional development for 16 emerging Texan artists
• Fundraised $7,000+ for nonprofits that provide services we do not offer that support the financial and social empowerment of women and girls in our culture, communities and government
• Facilitated the distribution of information and formation of coalitions between 25+ local nonprofits and businesses invested in inclusivity and diversity
• Provided a platform for nonpartisan political dialogue to more than 1500+ community members

In 2017, we TRANSFORMED:

• BABES FEST from a one-day event into a 3-day comedy, music and film festival.
  • Our second-annual BABES FEST was held in July of 2017, showcasing 50+ interdisciplinary acts and hosting 1500+ attendees. Get the recap here.
• craftHER Market into a biannual Spring and Fall pop-up community space. 
  • From our 2016 craftHER meet-up series, we produced craftHER Market, a one-day shopping, resources and educational event in Fair Market. The market had its first run in October 2016, and in 2017 we doubled its impact. This year, we provided more than 200 vendors a space to share and sell their work with 7,000+ community members..
• Meet Her Hands into two-week exhibitions.
  • Last year marked the start of our summer salon series with the Elisabet Ney Museum, a three-part showcase highlighting three individual artists and their work. This year, each showcase was coupled with a two-week exhibition.
• SHE TALKS into a more impactful, educational series.
  • This year, we reprogrammed our dialogue series to spur attendees into action. Every panel was accompanied with detailed guides, recaps and action items to provide a more practical and applicable understanding of entrepreneurialism and forward-thinking personal and professional development.
• Our language.
  • We've been little for quite a while, and 2017 marks the year we officially became more than a community organization. We're a nonprofit with year-round programming and services, and we've got a little staff of two! Thanks to the gift of language, you can now better understand our services, productions and impact.

In 2017, we INTRODUCED:

• ISB(abe)N
  • We introduced an online and offline feminist book club, featuring works by women-identifying authors, with more than 200+ active readers.
• State of the Uterus
  • We introduced our annual party for progress, raising more than $6,500 for community health and women's rights. (Come out for the 2nd-annual event on Jan. 26!)
• Community Caucus
  • Based on submissions from our community, we hosted a nonpartisan civic engagement conference, providing a platform to nonprofits and thought leaders to introduce their new ideas and understandings surrounding sensitive political issues, like reproductive rights, immigration, appropriation and more. (Come out for the 2nd-annual event on Feb. 15!)
• BEYOND: ATX and BEYOND: DC, which gave way for #WORK.
  • We hosted personal and professional development conferences in Austin and DC with Cee Smith Media and General Assembly titled BEYOND: ATX and BEYOND: DC. In 2017, we'll be consolidating this conference into #WORK, a pop-up concept exploring approaches to life as an entrepreneur or creative.
• Our programming committee
  • Internally, we created a volunteer programming committee to oversee our mission as a nonprofit and better shape our productions as a 501C3 serving the community.

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IN 2018, we're saying hello to:

A whole lot.

With the programs we established this year and a host of new partners, we could not be more ready for 2018. We are looking forward to providing an even larger platform of visibility, outreach and financial opportunity Texas-based women artists, women-owned businesses and nonprofits (and BEYOND) in the new year. We are not blinded by struggle or success, and we will stop at nothing to create and sustain community networks that financially and socially empower women and girls.

PS: It might not seem like much, but a little goes a long way. Whether your shop local, advocate for women's rights at work, stand up against racism, fundraise for nonprofits you care about or simply resist through joy, you have agency. Everything we have accomplished has been through the power of collective action, thanks to the combined efforts of more than 15,000 individuals. Please remember that you are not your yesterday. You are a learning, breathing, evolving, wonderful living thing. You are the Beyoncé of your own life.

And we are 110% here for it.

Thank you for believing in us, too. We're ready for 2018. #supportwomenartists #supportwomeninbusiness

Let's go,
Jane Hervey (Executive Director and Founder) and the #bbatx team

PS: If you feel like gettin' a little nostalgic, we 10/10 recommend going through our 2017 Top Nine Moments at #BBATX.

Photo by Jinni J for Unity in Color: Austin

Our Top Nine: The Best Moments At #BBATX This Year

We’re almost to the other side — past the first year of T****’s presidency, past an exhausting year to be online, and past the year when so many women made their secret pain public as part of a necessary, but too long awaited revolution. So many momentous things happened in 2017 — nationally, and in our own community.

As a young organization, we know as well as anyone doing the work, that creating real change requires small, consistent steps. We hope to continue taking those steps so that we can do more, and be more to more women, in 2018. In no particular order, these were our top nine biggest hits of 2017.

(BUMP CO-FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER LESLIE LOZANO'S BEST OF '17 PLAYLIST WHILE READING.)

1.) Inaugural State of the Uterus

We started the year off strong, and mad as hell. After joining our sisters to march the streets of Austin on the day of T****’s inauguration, we hosted the resistance at Cheer Up Charlie’s for our inaugural State of the Uterus — and raised $6,500 for local women’s organizations in the process. The night was nothing short of magical with hundreds of broken hearts finding cathartic comfort in dancing the night away.

Our second State of the Uterus (*uterus not required) takes place in the new year, on January 26, at Cheer Up Charlie’s. Join us!

2.) Spring and Fall craftHER Markets

As ever, we spent the year supporting women makers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. In both the spring and fall, we hosted our biannual craftHER market featuring more than 200 vendors and  panels and resources relevant to the maker community. Since its creation two years ago, the market has welcomed more than 7,500 attendees, and we’re getting ready to show up and show out in 2018.

3.) EMPRESS at SXSW

In 2017, we made ourselves known at SXSW with an all-night dance party and music showcase featuring an all-woman line-up of artists including Anna Wise, Madame Gandhi, Keeper, Micahtron, and more, and of vendors including Peach Fuzz magazine, Cliche Collective, Homoground, and Selva Beat zine. We hope to be back next year!

4.) Austin Women’s Hall of Fame Induction

Our fierce founder Jane Claire Hervey was honored earlier this year by being inducted into Austin Women’s Hall of Fame. The City of Austin Commission for Women recognized Jane, and inductees Robbie Ausley, Colette Pierce Burnette, Ann Howard, Patsy Woods Martin and Jill Ramirez, for the contributions they’ve made to break barriers for women in Austin and to better the lives of women and girls in the area. By recognizing Jane, the city also recognizes the efforts of our organization, and we couldn’t be more proud.

5.) Turning Two Years Old

This year, we turned another year older and gained another year of wisdom. With every new event we host and program we produce, we learn new ways of organizing, reach more people, and spread our mission further. To celebrate our second birthday this May, we held a blow-out fundraising bash at Space 24 Twenty. The event marked a celebration of the 75+ events held and 15,000+ people reached thus far in our organization’s journey. Here’s to another year of bad-ass babe-ry!

6.) Formation of the #bbatx Committee

We grew by leaps and bounds and women this year! We started the year with just a handful of team members, working hard to put on our full calendar of events and workshops. As we close out the year, we now have more than 15 new babes to call our own. We’re incredibly grateful for the women who have volunteered to give their time and talent to our cause, and we can’t wait to see what they do, and how Boss Babes transforms, with their addition.

7.) Unity in Color: Austin

This year, we were so proud to help produce the Austin installment of Unity in Color, a worldwide photo series of large group portraits of women wearing yellow. Created by artist, producer, and DJ Jasmine Solano, the series both recognizes the first feminist movement, which used yellow as a symbol, and protests that movement’s exclusivity, racism, and classism. Unity in Color’s mission reflects our own commitment to intersectionality and, following the shoot by Austin-based photographers Jinni J and Diana Ascarrunz, we shared snacks with all involved and discussed how to include that intersectionality in feminism’s future. Participating in the series was absolutely a highlight of the year for our team. 

8.) Return of BABES FEST

BABES FEST was back and better than ever in 2017, with three whole days of women-led and women-created music, comedy, and film. Over three locations in Austin, we hosted more than 50 artists across various medium to help right the severely male-skewed ratios of most music, film, and comedy festivals. And for the first year, we had help from the Line Hotel, who sponsored the festival, helping us to make a bigger splash than we might have otherwise.

9.) The #BBATX Rebrand

New look, new us. This year, we got an update — one that meant a lot to us and reflected the future we envision for our organization. Gone are the pink backgrounds and green fronds. Instead, we welcomed oranges, blues, Texas, a new font, and a new mood. Check out the look here and read about our process in finding and defining it.

Thanks for sharing all of these incredible memories and moments with us! For a full look at this year by the numbers, take a peek at 2017's Impact Report. Then, share with us what you've got planned for 2018 in the comments below.

December Tarotscopes

This post continues our monthly tarotscope series with Solaris the Hii Priestess, one of our regular exhibiting artists and routine collaborators. Each month, Solaris draws cards for each astrological sign and interprets your forecast.

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Capricorn - Page of Wands 

You have been gifted by the universe a new creative vision or idea! The page is giving you the spirit of adventure and the enthusiasm to try something new. This is a time for you to freely express yourself in a new way (art, travel, work) without worrying. Challenge yourself to think outside of the box and let the divine universe use you as a vessel. 

Aquarius - The Star  

Aquarius, you are associated with Star card in tarot; what a lucky time! This month will be about rebirth and rejuvenation. The universe is giving you hope to believe again after a hard time. The Star is associated with the number 8, which is related to the completion of cycles and strength. You have completed a new cycle in your life; it’s time to bring in the new. What perfect timing for a new year to begin. It’s your time to shine.

Pisces - Death  

Cycles begin and cycles end. This is a time for radical transformation Pisces. It’s not going to be an easy transition and there will be some resistance when you feel uncertain, but trust the process and convince yourself that surrendering will be better for you in the long run. Forgive yourself for past mistakes and move forward. It was an experience. Embrace a new beginning and grow. 

Aries - The Moon  

Our instincts are buried in our subconscious; are you paying attention to your shadow self Aries ? The Moon card comes up to challenge your judgement and intuition. Are you being honest with yourself? Are you checking your intentions and everyone that you have around? 

Taurus - 10 of Swords 

Sometimes we have no control over our circumstances, but how do you plan on dealing with it when it affects you negatively Taurus? Do you act as a victim or do you understand that the spirit realm gives you challenges to help you advance in the long run? This month look at challenges as a test that you can pass. 

Gemini - Queen of Pentacles 

This is a time of putting your talents to use Gemini, for it could bring you new opportunities to expand your coins! Queens love to live in luxury with the comfort of what money can bring. Create the vision of the life you want to live. It’s time to clean house and prioritize what is important to nurture and grow .

Cancer - Page of Cups 

A wonderful surprise could be in store for you Cancer! Perhaps there is something you have been contemplating or trying to reconnect with that will show up. Your energy is a powerful thing and the universe always says yes to the vibrations that you put out. Make sure that you are expressing gratitude for what’s to come! 

Leo - 9 of Pentacles 

The number 9 deals with choice and fate. Your choices now will affect your fate. Pentacles deals with the element of Earth and money. All of your hard work and sacrifices are paying off. Ease up on yourself a little; it’s okay to congratulate yourself on your progress no matter how small or big it is Leo. Stay disciplined and your needs will always be met. 

Virgo - King of Swords  

Naturally, Virgo, you are a quick thinker with sharp intellect. Swords deals with the mind and a King deals with fire and passion, calling you to be the ruler of your mind. Cut through any deception by using your logic. Kings have the responsibility of running their kingdom and making rational decisions. Your happiness depends on you inspecting your life and cutting off what no longer serves you. 

Libra - 6 of Swords  

The number 6 is giving you an opportunity to learn something new and to improve your imperfections. Swords is dealing with your mind, indicating that there is a journey that is ahead of you caused by sorrow from past actions. Take this time move to forward and heal Libra. 

Scorpio- The Emperor  

The Emperor is associated with the number 4 which deals with balance and symmetry. This is a father-like energy that exudes authority. Look for wisdom from within or from an elder in your life. Your focus should be on building structure and stability. Remove distractions to achieve a solid foundation. 

Sagittarius- 3 of Wands 

Wands deals with the element of fire  and creativity; the number 3 in tarot deals with complexity or cooperation. You have a lot of different ideas which could lead you to be scatterbrained. You can pursue all things but focus on one at time. Create a checklist and set goals; don’t allow your fire to fizzle out from being overwhelmed. Lean on supportive people who will help you stick with completing your task .

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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. 

Meet URL Resident Artist Marianna Pasaret

“I want to share the way I view the world with other people.”

Below, artist Marianna Pasaret talks about her process, compares digital sketching to traditional drawing, and discusses her latest project, THE HEART. Look out for her work at our December 13 meet. 

How do you know you’re an artist (besides the obvious)?

As cheesy as this may sound, every moment is a movie for me. I sometimes doze off and stare into my surrounding environment envisioning people duplicating as they walk past me or their shadows turning colors and then forming a path behind them. I’m always making something in my head and I know that I want to share the way I view the world with other people. I know that I’m an artist because I find the way to translate these thoughts to something physical that others can see and touch. 

Tell us about your process, from conception to execution.

I have a small notebook I carry with me almost everywhere I go where I like to write down random thoughts and dreams. Usually when I’m out, I try and appreciate little things and write them down. I tend to draw most late at night so when I feel inspired, I go through my notebook and try and focus on a certain moment or feeling. Once I’ve found the idea that I want to focus on, I pick a song or an artist and I pretty much just listen to them on replay until I feel that a work is finished. 

What about the digital sketch format inspires you? What does this medium allow you to do that traditional sketching doesn’t? Vice versa?

Digital sketching allows me to go anywhere and use any medium I want. It allows me to try different looks to a piece; I can change colors/objects in it without any consequences. It’s also very quick to use, so when I don’t have a lot of time it’s rewarding to be able to create something in one hour or so. However, traditional sketching gives you a certain randomness that a computer can’t. Digital sketching can sometimes feel staged or static. 

With the digital sketches, you use a lot of layering of images and then of your sketch. Where are you sourcing those images? Do they have meaning to the work besides aesthetics? 

The layering in my digital sketches comes after I draw. After I finish my sketch, I go back on some of my favorite artist’s work and either try and replicate their brush work or use a part of their actual work in my drawing. Each of them have different meaning for the drawings. In my female portraits, I would study works from other artists and would try to pair them with the woman I was drawing or simply how I felt when I was working on her portrait. The meaning is more personal and describes either how I view the individual I drew or who I was when I drew them. 

What was the impetus for THE HEART? Most of your work is done in a digital sketch format; why the leap in medium?

The Heart has been a project I have wanted to make for over a year now but I never had the space or time to actually execute it. Sketching has always been my comfort zone; it’s fairly easy and enjoyable for me. However during the summer I began to question what I wanted to do as an artist in the future and I had identified the heart to be present in many of my works. I wanted to test myself as an artist and see if I could create a project of that size by myself. It was a challenge for me. 

Has creating THE HEART affected your use of the heart symbol, or the anatomical heart, in your work?

Absolutely, since the project was going to be focused on just a heart I needed to really dive in and understand what it stood for so by knowing more about it I could apply it in more ways. After working on it for several months, it's almost become a symbol of my growth too. 

How has your work evolved since you first began to the present? How do you foresee it evolving in the next few years? Are there any constant themes?

When I first began to draw I would refuse to work with anything but black and white. All my pieces were in ink. My first drawings were not realistic at all but it was because I didn’t think I was capable of making portraits. I’ve always wanted to challenge myself since I get bored pretty fast, so portraits became my first challenge. From ink i went to graphite, then to gouache, digital (still in black and white; it wasn’t until recently that I started adding color) and finally, sculpture in silicone. No matter how many times I switch the media, the woman has always been present in my works. I’ve always asked myself why; I used to go to Catholic school when I first started drawing and I enjoyed getting a reaction out of people when they saw my art so the naked female body would do that. Afterwards it became more of an appreciation of it and as I grew it was a form of empowerment for me as a woman. 

We Asked: What Is Your Resistance?

At our last meet, we asked 'What is your resistance?' You answered by telling of both who and what you resist and of how you practice resistance in daily life, referencing both politics and personal demons. We've collected a select few of your answers below. 

Be sure to check for our Topic Question booth at our next meet, happening December 13 at Empire Control Room. 

EAST Roundup: Studios & Events You Don't Want to Miss

The East Austin Studio Tour returns this weekend, and with it, the art of Austin's talented pool of women creators, including former Boss Babes ATX collaborators like Dawn Okoro. We'll be out and about this weekend and next soaking up the artistic expression of our painting, sculpting, and creating peers. Below, we've listed a few favorites that we'll be hitting up so that you won't miss them.

You can find the full catalog of participating artists here. 

Artists

Women's Empowerment ART Show, #275

Women in Transition: Chery Henderson, #47

In the morning, I am all I ever wanted to be, copper and acrylic on wood panel, 24x36 inches, Dawn Okoro

Deconstructed Vixens: Dawn Okoro, #343

Ella Nilsson, #35

Kristin Moore Nathan, #331

Virginia Brown, #77

Katy David, #53

The Liberation of Five Carnival Ponies on the Wings of Patsy Cline, Judith Smith

Los Nichos: Judith Smith, #58

Claire Bresette, #64

Jennifer Balkan, #76

Heidi Pitre, #6

Nikki Alexander Atkinson

Nikki Alexander Atkinson, #75

Events

Keep Austin Creating
November 19, 12 - 4 p.m.
Austin School of Film, 2200 Tillery Street

Entre Seres
November 11, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Nepantla, 1209 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Doc's List Austin Austin Dance Project
November 18, 11 a.m. - November 19, 6 p.m.
Soma Vida, 2324 E. Cesar Chavez Street

17th Melanated Market Place
November 11, 11 a.m.
Tony's Jamaican Food, 1200 E. 11th Street

The Moon Collective Presents: EAST 2017 (A Ceramics Show)
November 11 + 12, November 18 + 19
705 Gunter St.

EAST Community Breakfast
November 11, 9 - 11:30 a.m.
1300 E. 5th Street

Studio East at Friends & Neighbors
November 11 - 12, November 18 - 19, 11 a.m.
Friends & Neighbors, 2614 E. Cesar Chavez Street

Artist's Reception: EAST SciArtist Pop-Up
November 10, 6 - 9 p.m.
Art.Science.Gallery., 916 Springdale Road, Building 2, #102

A Letter From Our Founder: What is a Brave Space?

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

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

#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!

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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. 

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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.