How To Find A Financial Self-Care Routine
Financial expert and Bravely Go founder Kara Perez recently partnered with us to discuss what it looks like to set up an emergency fund and recover from a crisis.
The tumultuous nature of the last three years have impacted us all, from individuals to small business owners to large corporations.
We’ve all had big-picture questions around what the future holds and what it means for stability in our lives moving forward—like how to make smart financial decisions.
To help answer these questions, we teamed up with Kara Perez to host What The Hell Does Financial Self-Care Look Like Right Now? Perez took over our Instagram stories to break down all things money and how to build a flexible financial plan for yourself.
ABOUT KARA PEREZ
Kara Perez is a financial expert and the founder of Bravely, an Austin-based intersectional feminist financial education company. Kara discovered her love of finances courtesy of her quarter-life crisis. Broke, underemployed and saddled with student loan debt, she realized that her lack of financial education was crippling her adulthood. After becoming debt free in June 2015, Kara created Bravely to help other women take control of their financial lives.
Kara believes in the power of Oprah, loves the color green, and can most often be found with her curls up in a bun, drinking her 80 oz of water every day.
Kara speaks at events across the US, including FinCon and the Lola Retreat. You can find Bravely on Forbes, Glamour Magazine, US News and World Report, Austin CultureMap, Austin Woman Magazine, and Lifehacker.
Here are Kara’s top five tips for starting (and sustaining) a financial self-care routine:
1.) Get real about your budget.
When getting yourself together financially, the first thing Kara recommends is to look at the numbers. The best way to gain knowledge about your own financial life is to review your own spending. Look at your credit cards and bank statements. Don’t throw these out to avoid stress. Figure out what you’re spending, where your money is coming from and where you want it to go.
*You can use this budgeting guide from our 2019 Money Mindsets series to get started, too.
2.) Practice financial flexibility.
Whether you’re an independent creative, working a full-time job or managing a small business, one thing’s for certain—the last few years haven’t quite gone the way any of us anticipated. So, if you’re just now looking at your numbers, try not to assign shame or negative narratives to your spending or your income. It’s likely fluctuated a ton.
Figure out what your budget needs to look like now to make it through. Set some expectations and adapt if those expectations aren’t met or exceeded.
*Kara has more tips and resources around this topic on her website.
3.) MAKE AN “oh, shit” EMERGENCY FUND.
If you want to change your habits and be better prepared for financial crises in the future, Kara recommends making what she calls an “oh shit” budget.
You can figure out what an emergency fund may need to look like for you by identifying and reviewing your normal spending habits, then factoring in a 50% of your income.
Decide what you can sacrifice if you did end up experiencing a 50% loss, and think through other ways you can earn income. Once you know what you’d do in this scenario, you’ve got it—this is your “oh shit” budget plan!
4.) ASSEMBLE YOUR MONEY TOOL-KIT.
Once you know your budget and have established some goals (whether that’s spending less or saving more for an emergency fund), it’s time to sharpen up your financial literacy. If you’re ready to make financial awareness part of your routine, Kara recommends equipping yourself with the tools necessary to change that.
Struggle with spending? Then you need a budget.
Don’t have a clue about what an investment is? Then, get a book on investing.
From there, you can build your confidence and figure out what your next money moves are. Kara suggests the following tools to help increase your financial knowledge and better track of your spending habits:
Mint Budget Tracker and Planner
PocketGuard Money Management Tool
5.) RESIST THE ANXIETY SPIRAL—and repeat.
So many of us have negative relationships with money, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Take a deep breath, light a candle, and take a peek at your finances without judgment—get yourself to a place where you can look at your numbers and problem-solve. Like anything, your relationship to (and understanding of) money can change with a bit of practice.
Looking for more?
Be sure to follow Bravely to find out about events, tools and community resources at the intersection of finance and feminism, too
For more information on what we’re up to at Future Front and how to get involved, head here.
How To Care For Your Mental (And Creative) Health In A Crisis
“I want to say out loud, and normalize, that this is scary… Physical health and mental health go hand in hand and it’s important we preserve our mental health the best we can during this time.”
In mitigating the spread of coronavirus, our communities and country at-large have made rapid changes regarding the use of public spaces, social interactions and local businesses. We know these changes have left many of us grappling with financial fears, navigating abrupt interruptions to our lifestyles and work, while also disrupting access to the things we need.
So, today, we’re republishing a guide by former Future Front committee member and Licensed Professional Counselor Ilyse Kennedy. Written in 2020, she shares her thoughts on caring for our mental health while in a crisis.
As a mental health professional, my anxiety has been heightened as the COVID-19 pandemic escalates.
I keep hearing the phrase “this is a time of uncertainty,” and it’s easy to get swept away in the uncertainty and unknowns. Our nervous systems are in survival mode, jumping into action to protect us. Our senses are heightened, worried we—or a loved one—could get sick at any moment. Jobs are being lost, social connections cut off, and the sense of normalcy diminished.
I want to say out loud, and normalize, that this is scary.
I am scared and it’s okay if you are, too. It’s not my job to push my anxiety away or completely diminish my fears because my job requires me to be human, too. Instead, I’m staying a few steps ahead of the folks I serve so I can best support their own fears and anxieties during this time but also name, that yes, this is scary. This is a trauma the world is experiencing together. Physical health and mental health go hand in hand and it’s important we preserve our mental health the best we can during this time.
So, caring for your mental health is essential right now.
For those of us with past trauma, we might notice triggers being activated due to feeling “stuck” or “trapped” at home. Depression might become activated due to feelings of hopelessness and isolation. Your anxiety may also be heightened to the grim state of the world and sense of uncertainty.
The four things we need most during times of anxiety and trauma are:
Turning Inward
Social connection.
Mobilization/Movement
Consistency
Your first line of defense for your mental health is turning inward.
Become acquainted with your body and the sensations that show up for you. If this feels new, first notice the cues your body gives such as hunger, thirst or tiredness. Your body gives emotional cues, as well. When we turn toward our body sensations with curiosity, we begin to understand the messages our body is sending. This allows us to catch anxiety or depression before it overtakes. You can also learn to check in with body sensations by noticing your behaviors. I have been doing a lot of anxious scrolling through social media and news sources. When I catch myself mindlessly scrolling, I know my anxiety is heightened and respond by putting my phone away and taking some tech free time.
Your second line of defense is social connection.
While we need to physically isolate, it is essential we don’t emotionally isolate. As humans, we are primed to seek connection. From birth, the first thing we look for is the warmth and connection of a caregiver. This seeking of connection never stops. While we are each experiencing the pandemic differently, we are all in this together. Sharing those feelings out loud with others helps to normalize this. There may be some grief in thinking about not seeing friends and family in person for some time, that’s okay. We are lucky to live in a time of advanced technology where we can find creative ways to connect. We can watch TV shows with each other over FaceTime, play games online, have large Google Hangouts. In the past week, I’ve spent more time watching reality television with friends than I have ever before and it feels amazing to revisit LuAnn De Lesseps recording “Money Can’t Buy You Class” while laughing about that iconic moment with a friend. This is a time where we need to lean in to community.
Your third line of defense is mobilization and movement.
Feeling stuck or trapped is uncomfortable at the least and triggering at the extreme. Some of us may be leaning in to the slow down the pandemic is providing but it’s important not to become stationary. Your body needs to move so it doesn’t feel stuck. Movement doesn’t have to equal working out, though many classes are available virtually at the moment. Movement can look like going for a walk, having a virtual dance party with friends, stretching or going for a ride in your car. When you notice your body responding to feeling stuck, it’s time to move to remind your body you are able to mobilize.
Your fourth line of defense is consistency.
When everything is chaos, look for the things you can control and the things that stay the same. If you feel yourself getting swept up in the chaos, make a list of everything you can control. Create a daily schedule. Re-watch a familiar TV show or movie. Try new recipes with the ingredients you have available to you. Pick a consistent scent to have on hand to help ground you. Pick a small goal you can achieve each day.
Know that mental healthcare is available even through social distancing, too.
Most therapists have transitioned to tele-health so if you need extra support during this time, don’t hesitate to ask your therapist of choice if they are offering tele-health. Many therapists are also offering reduced rate sessions at this time. The following are sliding scale therapy options for those in need:
LOOKING FOR MORE?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Ilyse Kennedy: Ilyse (she/her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who is the owner and practices out of Moving Parts Psychotherapy in South Austin, TX. Following a stint in the music industry of Los Angeles, she recognized she wanted to help marginalized communities heal from trauma rather than getting coffee for cranky white men. She specializes in working with trauma, perinatal mental health, children, and adolescents. She began her therapy career working with girls and their incarcerated mothers at Girl Scouts Beyond Bars, where she began her interest in intergenerational trauma healing. She still loves music and especially enjoys supporting the Austin music community. When not therapizing, she can be found on adventures trailing behind two wild toddlers.
Everything You Need To Know About Future Front In Five Videos
Our team and the crew at Breakfast Studio made a 5-minute crash course on all things FFTX.
Whether you're a new or old friend of Future Front, you've probably wondered what exactly we’re all about—and where you fit in.
Maybe you got here via The Front Market or The Front Fest, maybe you got here through one of our conferences, maybe you applied for a grant, maybe you knew us as Boss Babes ATX—or maybe you're just now getting to know us.
So, last year, our team and the crew at Breakfast Studio made a 5-minute crash course on all things Future Front (shout out to our staff and friends for hopping in as talent—so sweet).
Here's everything you need to know about Future Front in five videos:
First, what is Future Front?
why does Future Front exist?
What can you expect if you become a member?
What are our values and guiding policies?
Our programs and events run year-round and are open to all. Give something a try.
The 2023 Impact Report: A Year of Homecoming
From opening The Future Front House to welcoming our largest number of visitors since 2019—we are so grateful for every (unexpected) moment of growth.
2023 was a milestone year for Future Front, y’all—and it’s time to get into it.
From opening The Future Front House to welcoming our largest number of visitors since 2019, we are so grateful for every (unexpected) moment of growth. Continue reading for some of our homegrown highlights of 2023.
✰ Our 3 big wins:
✰ Our TOP 10 growth moments:
No. 1 — We brought The Future Front House—a 2500 sq. ft. community space at 1900 12th St in historic Downtown East Austin—to life. Since we’ve opened our doors, The House has been home to 50 free creative community gatherings, like ceramics workshops and figure drawing clubs.
No. 2 — The Front Festival had a record-breaking year, with 1600 attendees supporting 33 women and LGBTQ+ artists across four days of independent music, film and art. (Including some of our biggest pool parties yet!)
No. 3 — Across The Front Market’s Spring and Fall Seasons, we exhibited 403 independent creatives, designers, makers, artists, small business owners and chefs from Texas.
No. 4 — 88 volunteers, board members, community curators and collaborators joined us throughout the year to contribute 850+ hours of support to the community.
No. 5 — We were recognized for our work by a number of community partners and grant-makers. We received the City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Division and Economic Development Department Creative Space Assistance and Elevate Grants for the first time and continued creative community design projects with Downtown Austin Alliance, The Contemporary Austin, OTHR Agency, The LINE Hotel Austin, Pease Park, Plan C and more.
No. 6 — We wrapped our strongest season of Community Clubs, which saw 11 different Future Front members curate and host free creative sessions for 300+ community members. Sweet!
No. 7 — We worked on community partnerships like Pride Picnic with Pease Park, Neon Rodeo with Neon Rainbows, Drag Storytime with The Little Gay Shop and Drag Sing-Alongs with Gothess Jasmine to increase opportunities for queer creatives and advocate for drag as valid and vital performance art in Texas.
No. 8 — Through the Creative Future of Texas Fund, we distributed $5,000 in micro-grants to independent creative community projects like ours, including Thee Gay Agenda, Abode Press, WATER Literature, Black Girls in Arts Spaces (Austin) and Pastiche House showcases.
No. 9 — We worked with 20 artists and community partners to present one last Texas Feminist Throwdown. Centering arts and activism, The Throwdown raised more than $14,000 in mutual aid for creative organizations dedicated to community health and civic rights.
No. 10 — All in all, across our 67 markets, festivals, shows and community gatherings in 2023, we welcomed 16,274 visitors, opening up 1,250+ opportunities and $115,000 in commissions and contracts for women and LGBTQ+ creatives in Texas.
Editor’s Note: You can read our quarterly impact reports and budgets in more detail here.
✰ your attention maDE THIS POSSIBLE!
We would like to thank our 2023 staff, board, friends and members for their support.
We are also grateful to our partners and friends—particularly Tito’s Handmade Vodka, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, The City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Division, The Line Austin, Pease Park, OTHR Agency and more—for their continued collaboration.
✹✹ Thank you for another year nurturing cultures of creativity, curiosity, community & intersectional design in Texas. ✹✹
Do you want to get involved in 2024?
Become a member or donate to our end-of-year fundraiser. You can also explore all of the other ways to join us here.
The Front Market's Fall 2023 Season: The Official Recap
In November, we took over Ani’s Day & Night in Austin, Texas for three weekends—exhibiting 175+ creatives and welcoming 4,000+ visitors.
In November, we took over Ani’s Day & Night in Austin, Texas for three weekends—exhibiting 175+ creatives and welcoming 4,000+ visitors. Keep reading for a full look at this season’s impact.
All photos by Yvonne Uwah, Kate Nuelle and Tess Cagle
this season’s five highlights:
✰ No. 1 — 175+ Vendors Exhibited
We exhibited more than 175 women and LGBTQ+ creatives and independent business owners across Texas.
✰ No. 2 — 4,000+ Visitors Welcomed
We welcomed 4,000+ visitors over five days!
✰ No. 3 — All Supplies Redistributed (+ 1 Dog Adopted!)
Thanks to support from our partners at Ani’s Day & Night, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Topo Chico and The City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Division, we were able to give away all of the market’s equipments to our vendor community, including 50 tents, 60 chairs and 50 folding tables. We also worked closely with vendors and friends to help a stray dog (a sweet husky mix we temporarily named Noodle) find a new home! She now lives with a family a few blocks away from Ani’s Day & Night.
✰ No. 4 — $10,000 In Commissions & Contracts
The market’s production and programming generated more than $10,000 in commissions and contracts for women- & queer-owned creative teams in Austin, too.
✰ No. 5 — 100% Community-Led
It took two full-time team members, 30 volunteers and curators, 250+ collaborators and six months of planning to open The Front Market’s Fall 2023 Season.
THIS SEASON’S VISUAL RECAP:
FOUR WAYS TO STAY INVOLVED:
✰ Head to thefrontmarket.com (click here) to tap into the Fall Season 2023 lineup at anytime.
✰ Shop this season’s gift guide (click here).
✰ Remember why spaces like The Front Market matter.
We dive deeper into what supporting women and LGBTQ+ vendors, as well as our local creative and small businesses communities, means at thefrontmarket.com/mindset.
✰ Explore all we do at Future Front—and find what’s for you—at futurefronttexas.org/programming.
Thank you to our sponsors, partners and friends.
✰
Thank you to our sponsors, partners and friends. ✰
We would not be able to use the market as a space to nurture the creative communities we care about without support from our sponsors, members, staff, volunteers, friends and you. Thank you.
Personal and Professional Resources For Anti-Racism Work
Our team has collected resources from friends, anti-racist organizations and activists below on starting and continuing anti-racism work in our personal and professional lives.
At bbatx, we serve a broad community of creatives, entrepreneurs and leaders. 50% of that community on any given day is white. In respect to the events of the last few weeks, we have felt a responsibility to both address that whiteness and hold space for our Black and Brown community members—and for ourselves.
For those of us who are white and non-Black, what we do in this moment matters, because moments like these happen within our daily realities, even if they are not always visible or viral. Multiple community groups across the country have been gathering to protest the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery at the hands of police and civilians—and in Austin organizations are also calling for the accountability for the death of Mike Ramos, whose life was taken a few weeks ago by APD and has yet to see accountability. Organizers are risking their lives to be heard here in Texas, as well as across the country in Minnesota and other states, because a response is urgent.
White supremacy leads to more than police brutality—it determines who and what we assign power to and how we make decisions. So, our attention, critical thinking skills and commitment to long-term change is necessary. Our team has collected resources from friends, anti-racist organizations and activists on starting and continuing anti-racism work in our personal and professional lives. Commit to listening and learning from people who do this work everyday.
For all of our team members, friends, family and extended community reading this who have been navigating the racism and mental health load of this, thank you for letting us share. It’s OK to rest, it’s OK to be angry, and it’s OK to be. Stay well and stay safe.
BEFORE YOU READ: THIS IS A LONG LIST, AND ANTI-RACISM WORK IS NOT DONE OVERNIGHT.
It can be tempting to look at this list and shut down. Start with one thing. Return the next day. Then, the day after that. We are all learning here. We will also be adding to this list as our board approves resources and recommendations shared with us. It will evolve and change, and you are welcome to bookmark this and revisit.
Personal and Professional Resources For Anti-Racism Work
First, watch Doing The Work: Anti-Racism As An Everyday Practice.
On August 15, bbatx hosted an action-oriented conversation with anti-racist educators and activists Briona Jenkins and Pamela Benson-Owens about implementing anti-racism practices in our personal and professional lives.
SECOND, READ THROUGH THESE PERSONAL RESOURCES FOR ANTI-RACISM WORK FOR WHITE AND NON-BLACK FOLKS.
ON TAKING ACTION & IMPLEMENTING ANTI-RACISM WORK IN YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE.
Pause before you act. This Twitter thread, 10 Steps to Non-Optical Allyship, helps.
Read Opinion: Will You Run? A Message For White Austin by Rosa Rebellion co-founder Virginia Cumberbatch.
Attend Stand Against Racism educational events for resources and continued learning.
Understand the difference between individual and systemic racism with these resources.
Be mindful of the sources, stories and thoughts you repost. Sharing trauma porn and supporting activists who perpetuate and profit from trauma porn (like Shaun King) can be detrimental to the communities experiencing racism.
Donate to community bail funds to assist those wrongfully arrested when protesting. Texas Civil Rights Project is organizing a fund specifically for Texas, and 400+1 has a bail fund specifically for Austin.
Move past shock at the violence that racism causes. Show up for anti-racist movements and speak out with your solidarity and support. See additional resources and movements to support below as you scroll.
Talk to your family members and immediate community members (beyond social media) about what this means. Address the racism in your own room. Here’s a great tool from a speaker within our programs, Megan Saxelby, on how to do just that: Dignity and Confronting Racism
Seek therapy if you feel extreme discomfort or find yourself emotionally agitated when attempting to dismantle your own racism or explore the topic. You’ve got work to do!
Complete these 20 Action Items From Black Lives Matter Austin.
Research the role of policing in our society and its racial impact and racist origins. 8 To Abolition has compiled a roadmap to a world without police—study it and imagine what this may look like in your immediate community.
Determine where you show up in building an anti-racist future. For us at bbatx, we are aligning ourselves with the demands of Austin Justice Coalition and requesting that the City of Austin defund APD, as well as divest from policing in our schools and community spaces. You can cast your vote on the City of Austin budget here.
Report incidents of police brutality in Austin, Texas to the Office of Police Oversight.
Remember the work is ongoing, and racism is systemic. Disparities are amplified in times of crisis. Consider what you can do now to mitigate racism during the pandemic.
Circulate your currency outside of non-Black communities! Here’s a guide on how to do it, and here’s a list of businesses in Austin to start with.
Explore your alternatives to calling the police in times of conflict. Read this compilation from Ethel’s Club.
Donate your money, learn from and and pay attention to organizations committed to anti-racist work. Please scroll below for additional resources.
NONPROFITS AND INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT WITH YOUR MONEY AND ATTENTION WHO COMBAT ANTI-BLACK RACISM
Black Lives Matter: A national nonprofit with subchapters across the US, organizing against racism
Communities of Color United — Coalition For Racial Justice: Advancing racial justice, building community and solidarity across communities of color, and supporting collective self-determination
NAACP: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Zinn Education Project: Free lessons and resources for teaching anti-racist history in classrooms
YWCA ATX: Eliminating racism in our communities
Black Visions Collective: Creative and social justice community amplifying Black voices in Minnesota
The Afiya Center: Reproductive justice organization centering Black women and Black communities
Measure Austin: Anti-racist Data Activism
Austin Justice Coalition: Anti-racist justice work and political organizing (please follow for Austin-local protest information)
Community Advocacy and Healing Project: Self-care resources for Black women and women of color
allgo QPOCTX: Cultural arts, wellness and social justice programming for queer people of color
Grassroots Leadership: works to abolish for-profit private prisons, jails, and detention centers.
House of Rebirth: a transformative housing initiative led by and for Black trans women in Dallas, Texas
400+1: Building community-led movements for Black liberation
Black Queer Lives Matter ATX: a grassroots movement to amplify Black queer lives in Austin, Texas
Black Mamas ATX: Combating the maternal mortality crisis and saving the lives of Black Mothers in Texas
Mama Sana Vibrant Woman ATX: connecting women of color and people of color to culturally humble birth support
Austin Black Pride: a 501 (c) 3 organization, was recreated in 2016 with queer people of color in mind
Click here for a list of organizations and movements led by Black trans women that you can support and amplify.
Donate to Austin Black Business Journal's Central Texas Black-Owned Business Relief Fund.
ON NAVIGATING RACISM WITHIN YOUR FAMILY
Commit to raising anti-racist kids.
Exploring Critical Family History: Unpacking Racist Lineages
Zinn Education Project: Free lessons and resources for teaching anti-racist history in classrooms
Read Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi.
ON DOING THE EDUCATIONAL WORK
Not sure where to start and how to build anti-racism work into your life? This Justice in June calendar can help you break it down into daily and weekly action steps and educational moments.
Read How To Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X Kendi.
Read This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany M. Jewell.
Read The 1619 Project and listen to the accompanying podcast.
Watch 13th and When They See Us by Ava Duvernay on Netflix.
Watch The Urgency of Intersectionality, a TED Talk by Kimberle Crenshaw (who coined the term intersectionality).
Get to some essential reading for anti-racism work: Part One, Part Two
Commit to understanding Systems Thinking and Race.
Read About The Weary Weaponizing of White Women Tears by Luvvie Ajayi.
Read Opinion: I Have Not Missed The Amy Coopers of The World by Ernest Owens for The New York Times.
Read recent key findings and stay up to date on the City of Austin’s Office of Police Oversight.
If you cannot physically protest, please read 26 Ways To Be In The Struggle Beyond The Streets.
Explore alternatives to policing. 8 To Abolition has compiled a roadmap to a world without police.
THIRD, take time to sit with how this applies to your professional life.
FOR ANY AND ALL WORKPLACES
FOR NONPROFITS AND LEADERS
The New Philanthropists: Organization working to create more equitable charity work and fundraising
Diverse City, LLC: Provide a solutions oriented approach to helping companies assess, and solve issues of growth and development in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
Community Resilience Trust Austin: Offering culturally competent resources and access to anti-racist leaders focused on systemic change
Impact DEI: We help brands embed diversity, equity, and inclusion.
FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
On Creating Inclusion Riders in the Music Industry
The live music industry is also plagued by institutional racism.
Racism in the Interfaces: Understanding racism in UX/UI design work
Ethical, anti-racist protest reporting practices for journalists
FOURTH, WE’VE COMPILED SOME MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR BLACK FOLKS AND POC WHO HAVE SHARED THIS LIST WITH SOMEONE.
ON NAVIGATING RACISM + TAKING CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Black Wellness Guide: Self-Care Resources For Healing and Overcoming Racial Trauma (National)
A Guided Meditation For Stressed Out Girls by Evelyn From The Internets and Black Girl In Om (National + Texas)
The Nap Ministry: Rest As Resistance (National)
Inclusive Therapists (National)
Directories for Therapists of Color from Davia Roberts (National)
YWCA Austin: The YWCA holds regular convenings and weekly discussions to explore the impact of racism and sexism within our society. Beyond that, they offer therapy options. (Texas)
Community Advocacy and Healing Project: Self-care resources for Black women and women of color (Texas)
allgo QPOCTX: Cultural arts, wellness and social justice programming for queer people of color (Texas)
Rosa Rebellion: Creative activism for Black women and women of color (National + Texas)
Conscious Coven: Meditation and healing circles centering Black women and Black voices (Texas)
BIPOC Central Texas Creative Network: Add your name to this list for gigs, creative work and other job-related things (Texas)
Deeds Not Words: Racial Justice Support and Education Guide (Texas)
In Bold Company podcast: a digital storytelling platform and community for women of color to explore, thrive, grow, and connect
FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BLACK PROFESSIONALS + LEADERS
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, PLEASE REMEMBER THEIR NAMES.
Racism and white supremacy needs to stop, because Black lives matter. We send our condolences to the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, as well as all other families, grieving lives lost to police brutality and racist civilian violence.
Breonna Taylor as illustrated by @broobs.psd
George Floyd as illustrated by @broobs.psd
Ahmaud Arbery as illustrated by @broobs.psd
Curious about us and what we do?
Learn more here.
Introducing 39 Latinx Makers, Artists & Creatives In Austin (And Beyond!)
Multidimensional, multicultural and multidisciplinary, we hope you support their (incredible!) work, as well as the deep impact Latinidad has on our community.
As we wrap up Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month, meet 39 Latinx artists, creatives and community collectives, living and working in Austin, San Antonio, Houston and beyond. Multidimensional, multicultural and multidisciplinary, we hope you support their (incredible) work, as well as the deep impact their Latinidad has on our community.
(This Fall, you can catch everyone you see here throughout The Front Market’s Fall 2023 Season, too!)
SCROLL TO MEET ALL 39 latinx CREATIVES.
Click on the hyperlinks to support their work.
Hot, Texas Renaissance: A Conversation On Storytelling With The Contemporary Austin
Read for words of encouragement on living and working in Texas from artists and creative organizers based right here in Austin: Miriam Conner, Simone Raquel-Alexander, Bobby Pudrido (Jay) and Liz Moskowitz.
This summer has been hot and heavy—especially in Texas.
With recent legislation and threats on femme and queer identities, record temps and rising costs of living, it’s no wonder we all feel literally and figuratively heated. And yet, this summer has also marked a season of renaissance (and we’re not just talking about Beyoncé’s world tour).
In Future Front’s tiny corner of the world, we’ve watched small businesses go from backyards to big markets to brick-and-mortars. We’ve watched tiny, creative ideas turn into galleries and collectives. We’ve watched one thought turn into an art show—and neighborhood block parties turn into an annual festival. (We’ve even broken some of our own records with The Front Festival and our annual pool parties.)
It’s been a season of both joy and mourning, rebirth and rebuilding, growing up and returning to self. Thank you for being here for it.
So, as we reflect on the season, we want to highlight a few themes that emerged around living and working in Texas—from a conversation held at The Front Festival 2023 in collaboration with The Contemporary Austin—featuring artists and creative organizers based right here in Austin: Miriam Conner, Simone Raquel-Alexander, Bobby Pudrido (Jay) and Liz Moskowitz.
Keep reading from some words of encouragement on nurturing your own creative renaissance right here in Texas.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS
Simone Raquel Alexander (she/her) is a freelance artist, arts administrator, and arts advocate working in the nonprofit field and theatre community. She serves as Producing Artistic Director and Founder of New Manifest Theatre Company, where she has brought together an ensemble of interdisciplinary artists. Simone serves as the Senior Manager of Engagement and Accessibility at The Contemporary Austin Museum and the Development Director of Ground Floor Theatre.
Jay (they/them) is a drag king from Laredo, Texas who has lived in Austin for over 15 years. Their drag name “Bobby Pudrido” is an ode to Bobby Pulido, a Tejano artists who was a staple of their childhood. They are a member of Austin’s only drag king and gender-diverse troupe—the Boyz of Austin—and have quickly established themself as a drag king, producer, and show host in Austin. They co-created and produce Brokeback Cantina, a monthly drag king revue showcasing Latine drag kings. Jay also discovered their love for drag at the tender age of 32. Drag has been a way for them to explore their gender identity as a trans non-binary person and their culture as a person who grew up on the US-Mexico border.
Liz Moskowitz (she/her) is a documentary photographer and filmmaker. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY she has lived in Austin, Texas for over fifteen years. Her work aims to honor the dignity and nuance of people, places, and issues. She approaches each individual and community that she photographs with intentionality and an open-mind. Her films have won the Judge’s Choice Winner at the SXSW Faces of Austin Film Premiere, been a Vimeo Staff Pick, broadcast on the PBS "Frame of Mind" series, and shown at Woodstock Film Festival, AFI Fest, Dallas International Film Festival, and Sedona International Film Festival.
Miriam Conner (she/her) has curated and organized art and experiences for over a decade. She has been in Austin for 31 years by way of New Orleans, Louisiana. She has also worked with SXSW, Art Outside, Forklift Danceworks, Six Square – Austin’s Black Cultural District, the City of Austin, and more. She is the founder of Creative Policy, a firm recognized for its community-focused strategy that bridges policy-making and cultural engagement to achieve meaningful systems change.
THREE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ARTISTS and CREATIVES IN THE TEXAS SOUTH
1.) Support your lived communities—and work toward futures where we all thrive.
For each panelist, community storytelling is a big part of their journey and creative practice. Whether it’s involving community input on art projects, putting fellow community members on the mic or designing for better outcomes in arts and culture as an industry, stay grounded by connecting your work to creative organizations and communities all around you. You’ll build community along the way, too!
2.) Our stories are Texan stories—and they deserve to be told.
Throughout the evening, Simone, Jay, Miriam and Liz each reflected on the beauty of storytelling, from designing theater programs (Simone) to creating drag shows (Jay) to documentary filmmaking (Liz) and community program curation (Miriam). Finding the courage to boldly tell our stories and claim space in the world is a feat in and of itself. Remember this when you’re navigating new opportunities or taking your work into new spaces.
3.) Your creative work is necessary and your survival is enough.
When you share your story, when you make space for yourself and others, when you world-build the kind of culture you want to live, you are literally shaping history, the present and the future. You belong.
Want to stay involved with Future Front?
Keep up with what we’re up to—from virtual events to membership—here.
The Front Festival 2023: The Official Recap
We took over The LINE Austin, The Contemporary Austin—Laguna Gloria and Cheer Up Charlies for four days of music and film. Featuring 36 women and LGBTQ+ artists, filmmakers, performers and independent creatives, The Front Festival 2023 welcomed 1,600+ guests.
In 2023, The Front Festival took over The LINE Austin, The Contemporary Austin—Laguna Gloria and Cheer Up Charlies for four days of music and film.
Featuring 36 women and LGBTQ+ artists, filmmakers, musicians, chefs, performers and independent creatives, we welcomed more than 1,600 guests. To learn more about The Front Festival, as well as our 2023 lineup, head to thefrontfest.com.
Keep reading for a full look at this year’s impact.
All photos by Jinni J and Manny Frayre
thE FRONT FESTIVAL 2023 highlights:
✰ No. 1 — 36 Artists Exhibited
Meet every musician, filmmaker and artist in The Front Festival’s 2023 Lineup here.
✰ No. 2 — 1,600+ Visitors Welcomed
We welcomed a record number of 1,600 visitors across all four days of the festival.
✰ No. 3 — $1,500+ Fundraised
Thanks to donations at the door and our Cocktails For Good Bar by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, we fundraised $1,500+ for our community programs.
✰ No. 4 — $10,000 In Commissions & Contracts
The festival’s production and programming generated more than $10,000 in commissions and contracts for women- & queer-owned creative teams in Austin, too.
✰ No. 5 — 100% Community-Led
It took two full-time team members, 25 volunteers and curators, 50+ collaborators and nine months of planning to open The Front Festival 2023.
THREE WAYS TO STAY INVOLVED:
✰ Head to thefrontfest.com to keep tabs on next year’s festival (Labor Day Weekend 2024).
✰ Remember why spaces like The Front Festival matter.
We believe in good shows, incredible talent and the power of creative storytelling.
We also believe that women and LGBTQ+ artists, musicians, filmmakers, producers, entertainers, cultural organizers and performers deserve space to see themselves to reflected. To discover new sources of inspiration, To support each other’s work. And to learn more about our industries.
✰ Explore all we do at Future Front—and find what’s for you—at futurefronttexas.org/programming.
Thank you to our sponsors, partners and friends.
✰
Thank you to our sponsors, partners and friends. ✰
We would not be able to nurture the creative communities we care about without support from our sponsors, members, staff, volunteers, friends and you. Thank you.
Introducing The Front Festival 2023 Lineup: 36 Independent Artists, Musicians, Filmmakers & Chefs in Texas
The Front Fest is an end-of-summer festival, featuring musical performances, films and creative experiences curated by Future Front. Hosted annually in Austin, we put Texas women and LGBTQ+ artists at the front of our lineups.
The Front Fest is an end-of-summer festival, featuring musical performances, films and creative experiences curated by Future Front. Hosted annually in Austin, we put Texas women and LGBTQ+ artists at the front of our lineups.
In 2023, we’re welcoming 36 artists, musicians, filmmakers and chefs from the Texas South across four days of music and film in Austin, Texas. Keep reading to meet them all and support their work.
• FEATURED FILMS •
From Megz Kelli, little trumpet follows Javon, a 9-year-old kid growing up in the 7th Ward of New Orleans, dreaming of playing the trumpet in the marching band like his older brother while moving through grief and navigating the precarious social terrain of his neighborhood.
From Tracy Droz Tragos, Plan C follows a controversial visionary and a grassroots network's fight to expand access to abortion pills across the United States keeping hope alive during a global pandemic and the fall of Roe v. Wade.
Caroline Rose's recently-released album, The Art of Forgetting, is their most dynamic and raw work yet. Via a series of time-warped loops, the album-turned-sonic-film weaves together a story of Caroline navigating through a transformative heartbreak. Today, the short—directed by Caroline Rose and Sam Bennett—has won Best Music Video at Hollywood Shortsfest, is a semi-finalist at Cannes Indie Shorts Awards and Venezia Shorts Italy, and has been selected for HollyShorts Film Festival and several others worldwide.
✹ @carolinerosemuzak
✹ @samuelaaronbennett
✹ carolinerosemusic.com
From Liz Moskowitz, Down Home follows a sleep-away camp in Elgin, Texas that gives adults with developmental disabilities the opportunity to escape societal barriers, while having a good ol' time dancing, loving and feeling free.
In Meghan Ross’ Here To Make Friends, an anxious, aging millennial, Arab-American Austin transplant goes on a mission to find the platonic love of her life. After realizing she’s never had one lasting female friend, she will have to figure out how to befriend herself first.
From Deborah Valcin, Catharsis follows Deborah as she goes against her Inner Voice and expresses her rage in a very dangerous way. The story follows her cathartic decision to release the one emotion Black women are constantly told to suppress.
While on an odyssey to find her favorite childhood chicken fingers, Karen grapples with loss in a world that refuses to stand still. From Zoe Dahmen, Chicken Fingers is whimsical and absurd, with a sneaky emotional punch, suggesting that although life is ephemeral, it is also sweet. Like ice cream on a hot day.
From Alisha Banks, Mannequins depicts a group of actors showing up to an audition, only to find out they've been hoodwinked into being extras on a big budget film.
From Julia Barbosa Landois, Shell Composite uses video, photos, animation, and intimate family moments to explore humans' relationship to non-human life, the built environment, and what’s left to future generations. “Shell composite” refers to sidewalks in the artist’s mid-20th-century neighborhood that incorporate oyster shells dredged from Galveston Bay, a common practice until banned in the 1970s due to environmental impacts. Water footage was captured at Armand Bayou, one of the last non-channelized bayous left in the region.
From Julia Barbosa Landois, Sidesteps (Purslane) contemplates a common native plant as a symbol of resilience in the face of environmental and familial trauma. This video poem honors the oft-overlooked just under our feet with cut paper animation, narration, and amateur piano.
While witnessing the economic and social changes ushered in by the pandemic, MILEZ depicts eight Early Era Collective dancers inspecting the systems by which we abide, and the sameness required of average people to operate within those systems. Directed by Stephanie Patrick, and featuring Austin-based hip-hop duet Magna Carda, our artists must decide whether to stay within the boxes that confine them or break free.
From Millie Heckler, Pink Booth Confessions grapples with the complexity of being sexual human beings. We bring voice to secrets of shame through our music, dance and communion. We think that if maybe we spent more energy giving voice to our secrets, the weight our secrets carry might turn into something else. Honoring the confusing nature of trauma, we are reminded that answers lie in the effort of continuation and in the practice of speaking up to ourselves and to each other, in any way we can.
From Alexis Hunter, Attack of the 300 lb Woman! is part of multidisciplinary artist Alexis Hunter's current series, HAVEN’T I GIVEN ENOUGH??!!. HAVEN’T I GIVEN ENOUGH??!! challenges the policing of women’s bodies under the patriarchy and the misogynistic history of the world. This series is informed by several factors, one of them being the artist's life-long insecurities about her body and how she sees that experience intersecting with social constructs like western beauty standards and fatphobia.
From Victoria, A dreamer's discourse is a short film laid out in three acts; falling in love, birth, and heartbreak. Like a star in a silent film, Victoria set out to film without a script, letting their body language and set design do the talking. The audio overlaid, is in fact, a 2.5 hour conversation (condensed to 5 minutes) of Vic and their dear friend, Sheila discussing love and its potential.
• MUSICIANS + DJS •
Grace Sorensen (she/her) is one of the fastest-rising independent R&B artists in the Austin. Dubbed "Austin's Wonderkid" by the media, in her young career she has already landed features on both projects by Empire Record's BLK ODYSSY, opened for Diana Ross and surpassed 500K streams on her single "Digits.”
Dorian Delafuente, a.k.a. Babiboi, is an Austin-based, San Antonio-raised rapper, artist, and Ballroom commentator for ballroom collective House of Lepore.
Whitney Screwston (she/her) is a Salvadorian American disc jockey who has broken into the NYC scene thanks to her musical taste and talent. This Texas bred Brooklyn-based southern shawty uses an open format style to effortlessly flow between dembow, dancehall, amapiano, ballroom, R&B and hip hop to get the audience moving. Her DJ sets prioritize women in music hoping to honor their legacies and their contributions by cultivating community at her events.
Sussie Ramirez (she/her) better known as Suxxy Puxxy is a promoter, manager and DJ from Monterrey, Nuevo León. Suxxy (like her friends call her) started working in the underground party scene in Monterrey. Helped produce events with local artist focused in bringing international talent in town. That's how she met Peligrosa the Austin multidisciplinary Latin collective. She started to work with them by planning a tour around California in summer 2018 and then working in a series of releases for Discos Peligrosa which lead her to leave her hometown and move to Texas. Peligrosa members took her hand to start a new journey of her life which was the beginning of her Djing.
Between a mix of her melancholy of missing home and her passion for reggaeton, she started to throw Perreo parties, but what really set her aside was her way of mixing. After the pandemic, she officially launched Perreo Club, an inclusive Latinx party based in Texas celebrating the culture of Reggaeton & Perreo.
Poniboy is a Perreo Club DJ and nightlife artist, living and working in Austin, Texas.
Brandix is a queer Mexican-American vocalist and musician raised along the Texas-Mexico border. She performs an extensive setlist of diverse genres ranging from Nu-Metal to Neo-Soul to Mariachi. She creates genre-bending experimental music centered around themes of healing, self-exploration, and planet Earth.
Austin-based DJ Dreamchild (she/her) was raised by funk, jazz, and soul music, listening nonstop to artists like Earth, Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder. While growing up in Los Angeles, she filled her library with hip-hop, rock, reggae, and electronic music, inspired by the city's skate, surf, and rave cultures. She blends these influences together in energetic, bass-heavy sets that make listeners feel good and groove.
Clancy Jones (she/her) is interested in the application of sound and movement to explore the poetics and cultural parallels of dance culture as a revolutionary act of joy. Her dj work is akin to the work of translation. Often focused on the communicative inputs and outputs between mechanical languages and our human hardwares. She was born in Cali, Colombia, raised in Queens, New York and is currently based in Austin, Texas. Her sound reflects the intersections of her placehood in these landscapes and her identity as an immigrant woman.
• special guests, artists + POP-UPS •
Nicole Cardoza (she/her) is a magician and a storyteller. She’s collaborated with brands including Google, Patreon, and Soho House. She’s toured the country and performed at universities, exclusive venues, for corporations and private events. She’s also the founder of Reclamation Ventures, a venture studio creating and incubating ideas for our collective wellbeing. It also manages the Reclamation Ventures Fund, which provides philanthropic and early-stage investments in individuals and organizations making wellness more accessible. Over the past two years, it has granted over $500,000 in direct support to marginalized wellness leaders. Nicole’s first published book, Mindful Moves, a mindfulness book for children, was published in Spring 2021.
✹ @blackgirlmagician on IG, TikTok and YouTube
✹ blackgirlmagician.com
HOT, TEXAS SUMMER is a testament to the multidisciplinary and multidimensional roots of Texas art. Curated by Future Front for The Front Festival 2023, this temporary collection features vibrant pieces by Chantal Lesley, Steph Granillo, Tumi Adeleye, Tanya Zal, Darcie Book, Calder Kamin and Ani Bradberry on The LINE Austin’s lobby and second floor.
✹ futurefronttexas.org/linehotel
January is a Salvadorian-American performing artist and classically trained dancer from Houston, Texas that has been performing in drag for over 8 years in NYC. Using drag, dance, and music to compel her audience through storytelling she provides electrifying and high-energy performances. Through her drag showcases in 2019, digital livestreams in 2020, and upcoming events in 2023, January continues her collaborative efforts in the arts. She aims to bring attention to social issues affecting marginalized communities, including advocating for HIV testing. Each showcase centers and honors the work of LGBTQIA and BIPOC local drag queens, designers and multidisciplinary artists.
Throughout the festival, enjoy a textured installation in The LINE Hotel Austin, as an exploration of maximalism and queer joy, thanks to our collaboration with Dallas-based artist Molly Sydnor.
Simone Raquel Alexander (she/her) is a freelance artist, arts administrator, and arts advocate working in the nonprofit field and theatre community. She serves as Producing Artistic Director and Founder of New Manifest Theatre Company, where she has brought together an ensemble of interdisciplinary artists. Simone serves as the Senior Manager of Engagement and Accessibility at The Contemporary Austin Museum and the Development Director of Ground Floor Theatre. Simone Alexander’s artistic vision is dedicated to sharing the art of the people of today through storytelling from a diversity of uniquely specific voices, styles, and perspectives. Simone’s practice centers harm reduction tools and collective agreements as a funnel to tackle challenging themes and hold space for creativity and collaboration to thrive.
Viva Vidalia is a Houston-based Drag performer of nearly 15 years. She began her career in Long Island, NY performing whenever and wherever she could and soon started performing regularly all throughout New York City. She is known for her high energy performances, her colorful costumes and wicked sense of humor whilst hosting. In 2018, Viva began a small costume design business that very quickly grew. Her costumes have been seen on TV shows such as RuPauls Drag Race, Dragula, Camp Wannakiki and Dragnificnet as well as Drag and Burlesque performers all over the world. Currently you can find Viva Vidalia performing and designing costume all through Houston TX as well as Austin, San Antonio and New York City.
Miriam Conner (she/her) has curated and organized art and experiences for over a decade. She has been in Austin for 31 years by way of New Orleans, Louisiana. After graduating from St. Stephens Episcopal High School, she received a Bachelor of Fine Art in Photography from the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. After college, Miriam came home to Austin and began managing the Pine Street Station (an Artist warehouse and gallery) for two years, and has since planned countless art shows, in addition to co-founding Topology Art Warehouse. She has also worked with SXSW, Art Outside, Forklift Danceworks, Six Square – Austin’s Black Cultural District, the City of Austin, and more. She is the founder of Creative Policy, a firm recognized for its community-focused strategy that bridges policy-making and cultural engagement to achieve meaningful systems change. Additionally, she holds positions on the boards of Preservation Austin, Big Medium, and Greater Austin Neighborhoods, and she has previously served as a commissioner on the City of Austin's African American Quality of Life Commission. She has been creating in the Austin Art community since 2008.
Liz Moskowitz (she/her) is a documentary photographer and filmmaker. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY she has lived in Austin, Texas for over fifteen years. Her work aims to honor the dignity and nuance of people, places, and issues. She approaches each individual and community that she photographs with intentionality and an open-mind. Her films have won the Judge’s Choice Winner at the SXSW Faces of Austin Film Premiere, been a Vimeo Staff Pick, broadcast on the PBS "Frame of Mind" series, and shown at Woodstock Film Festival, AFI Fest, Dallas International Film Festival, and Sedona International Film Festival.
Jay (they/them) is a drag king from Laredo, Texas who has lived in Austin for over 15 years. Their drag name “Bobby Pudrido” is an ode to Bobby Pulido, a Tejano artists who was a staple of their childhood. They are a member of Austin’s only drag king and gender diverse troupe, the Boyz of Austin. They have quickly established themself as a drag king and show host in Austin as the co-creator and producer of Brokeback Cantina, a monthly drag king revue showcasing Latine drag kings, as well as a monthly show, Drag Lab. Jay discovered their love for drag at the tender age of 32. Drag has been a way for them to explore their gender identity as a trans non-binary person and their culture as a person who grew up on the US-Mexico border. Their creative passion and favorite part of doing drag is creating spaces where queer Latine folks can feel seen and represented.
Sister Palm (she/her) Sister Palm offers traditional and astrological palm readings based on ten years of worldwide research.
By Chef Cibelli, LLC is a multifaceted, LGBTQ-owned culinary experience-driven company specializing in all kinds of fun stuff.
Women-owned, Calibrate Wellness offers gourmet, chef-crafted and legal cannabis products for your lifestyle.
The GoGo Yum Yum is a super cute, women-owned ice cream truck serving up classic ice cream novelties as well as vegan and dairy-free options.
Women-owned, Bakery Siena brings joy and smiles to people’s faces through cookies and Malaysian sweet cakes.