RATIONALE
In recent years, the proliferation of anti-LGBT legislation and violence in American democracies has disproportionately impacted Black LGBTQ communities. The United States and Brazil, in particular, have been at the forefront of enacting federal, state, and local anti-trans bills, as well as witnessing a rise in transfemicides that tragically claim Black lives. As Black LGBT communities continue to face over-policing and limited resources throughout the hemisphere, a powerful resistance movement has emerged. Black macha, man royal, masisi, mati, travesti, femme, jota activists and artists are mobilizing art, activism, and alliance-building to reject political scapegoating and demand expansive futures.
The Symposium on Black LGBTQ Art and Activism will serve as a crucial platform for Black LGBTQ activists, artists, and scholars to come together, share their experiences, and envision a future free from discrimination and violence. By centering the voices and experiences of Black LGBTQ communities, this symposium aims to inspire collective action, foster solidarity, and ultimately contribute to the dismantling of oppressive systems. Through art, activism, and alliance-building, participants will forge new connections and strategies that will empower and uplift Black LGBTQ communities throughout the Americas.
This symposium that aims to bring together Black LGBT activists, artists, and scholars from South America, the Caribbean, and the United States. By fostering conversations and collaborations, this symposium seeks to explore the intersections of Blackness, queerness, and resistance in the Americas, with a specific focus on antifascist organizing. Through engaging panels, workshops, and artistic presentations, participants will collectively foreground strategies for liberation and challenge the oppressive systems that seek to marginalize Black LGBTQ communities.
