Art that exemplifies a positive counter-story to the lived reality of violence has the power to ignite conversations, connections, and visions of a liberated world without violence. This is especially powerful for communities who, due to historical and contemporary oppression, experience the highest rates of violence and are silenced or ignored in the mainstream movement to end violence. Join the Resonance Network and PreventConnect on this web conference to learn how Black organizers with the Wakanda Dream Lab have used popular culture like “Black Panther (2018),” and various expressions of art and storytelling to heal and activate for ending gender0based and racial violence. Presenters on this web conference will share highlights from the upcoming anthology “Black Freedom Beyond Borders: Re-imagining Gender in Wakanda.” The anthology is inspired by and honors the lives of Black, brown, and indigenous queer and trans women who have died and experienced violence.

OBJECTIVES:

• Identify the benefits of art and storytelling to prevent violence
• Describe shared oppression and identify actions to center violence prevention for trans women, queer women, and women of color in the movement to end gender-based violence
• Identify ways to practice world building through creative outlets to envision a world without violence
• Discuss opportunities for connection, sharing, and continuing conversations from “Black Freedom Beyond Borders: Re-imagining Gender in Wakanda”

HOST: David S. Lee, PreventConnect and CALCASA

FACILITATORS: Alexis Flanagan & Kassamira Carter-Howard, Resonance Network