Thursday, August 18, 2022

BLAQOUT! 2022: Call for Proposals!

 


BLAQOUT! 2022: Call for Proposals!

The BLAQOUT! Conference is seeking community members, activists, artists, and students to conduct workshops for our 2022 gathering, “Blaq in Action”! BLAQOUT! 2022 will be taking place at UC Berkeley from October 14-16, 2022.


SUBMIT APPLICATION PROPOSALS HERE: https://tinyurl.com/BLAQOUTPROPOSALS22


TIMELINE:

Priority Deadline: August 26th, 2022 at 11:59PM

Final Deadline: September 7th, 2022 at 11:59PM  

Selected workshop presenters will be notified the week of September 26th


ABOUT BLAQOUT!:

The BLAQOUT! 2022 Conference, “Blaq in Action” is a declaration of the power and agency Black Queer folks possess in society. In the places we occupy -- work, school, home, and wherever else we find ourselves -- we have the right to exist freely. Freedom of self-determination and self-expression transforms how we navigate all spaces and define a future of inclusivity and community strength. When we allow ourselves the space to be free, our assertion of freedom disrupts and transcends the oppressive limits around us. When we assert our presence, we center not only our bodies, but our intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and cultural contributions.


Through a series of innovative workshops, a panel discussion, and speakers, we will explore how we as Black queer people can declare our right to the space we need to thrive. We invite self-identified Black queer people of all ages, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, immigration statuses, gender presentations, sexual orientations, nationalities, religions, and cultural backgrounds to join us. BLAQOUT! is a place specifically built by us and for us. 


WORKSHOP THEMES:

For our first round of submissions, we are seeking workshop topics that engage the following themes:


*(LOVE) On Cultivating Collective Power and Movement Building: Strategies and case examples on cultivating collective power by, for, and with Black Queer people; Creativity as Community; Inter/Intrapersonal Relationships and Relationsthip Formations; Politics and Policymaking grounded in Black queer Politics; Cooperative economics and self-sustainable futures


*(HEALTH) On Spiritual or Mental Wellness: Actualizing freedom from the inside and within ourselves; cultivating self-determination


*(WEALTH) On Space Creation & Black Queer Futures: Insights and skill-building opportunities related to the creation of our own spaces or lanes in the worlds of art & creative expression, health & wellness, business, and politics. 


*(STEALTH) On Presence & Reclaiming Space: The transformation of spaces typically entrenched with societal and institutional discriminatory & oppressive forces (workplace, academia, community work, homes); navigating and thriving in spaces not designed for Black Queer People 


These are some starting points, however, feel completely free to submit a workshop topic of your own choosing that aligns with this year's theme.


WORKSHOP FORMATS:

Workshops will be offered predominantly in-person, but we may offer a limited option to host virtual workshops. Please indicate your preference for workshop format in response to the questions below.


CONTACT & REGISTRATION:

Please reach out to blaqoutconference@gmail.com for any additional questions and comments. And if you have not already done so, make sure to register for the conference at:  tinyurl.com/BLAQOUT2022


We are also on social media, yay!


Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Have a wonderful day!


The fab humans of the 2022 BLAQOUT! Planning Committee

Thursday, July 7, 2022

BLAQOUT! 2022: Save the Date! October 14-16, 2022


We are excited to announce the 7th annual BLAQOUT! Conference that will take place in person at the University of California, Berkeley from October 14th-16th, 2022! This three-day conference has a rich history in the UC system as a time for affinity, solidarity, and celebration of African Diaspora and 2STLGBQ+ (Two-Spirit, Transgender, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer) communities! While we recognize that a single acronym cannot capture the entire expanse of our communities’ experiences with sexuality and gender, we have chosen 2STLGBQ+ to name and center Two-Spirit and Transgender identities to uplift the experiences of Afro-Indigenous, Transgender and Nonbinary people within the Black community. 


BLAQOUT! is a structured conference featuring workshops from undergraduate and graduate scholars, staff, community members, and activists who are part of the BlaQueer Diaspora. It is also designed to create space for networking, empowerment, and critical community building among Black QTs (Queer and Trans people) across the state of California. The theme of this year’s conference will be BlaQ in Action. More information about our theme and the call for proposals will be coming soon!


Please feel free to circulate the Save the Date flyer, which is also posted on our social media accounts linked below!


Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to blaqoutconference@gmail.com.


Register for the conference at: tinyurl.com/BLAQOUT2022



We hope to see you there!


The fab humans of the 2022 BLAQOUT! Planning Committee