Leadership and Civic Engagement
Organizing in the Queer South
by Sarah Nichols on Jul 27, 2018
Last week, as a part of our #FacebookLiveFridays series, we sat down with Mahkia Greene to discuss organizing in the queer south.
You might recognize Mahkia from our Seen and Heard project: she was the talented filmmaker who created the Seen and Heard documentary for us. She is also an educator at Indie Grits Labs, where she teaches TakeBreakMake, an afterschool program dedicated to teaching media production to queer youth in the southeast.
We had some technical difficulties at the beginning of our broadcast, but you can watch the video here:
You might know Mahkia Greene from her recent work on the Seen and Heard project, or as an educator with Nickelodeon Theatre and Indie Grits Labs. She's talking to us LIVE now about organizing in the queer south. Comment with your questions, or a 🌈 if you're watching!Megan's pronouns: she/her/hersMahkia's pronouns: she/they#SCWREN #FacebookLiveFridays
Posted by Women's Rights and Empowerment Network- WREN on Friday, July 20, 2018
Here are a few important takeaways that Mahkia talked to us about:
- Her students get so excited to see queer characters on the screen, but it is disappointing when these characters are reduced to tropes. There is so much more to the queer community than just one stereotype or personality.
- The bodies of queer people of color are sexualized, and the bodies of trans folk are often shown through a clinical lens. There needs to be more diversity here.
- Safe space vs. brave space? After the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, many queer organization started using the term “brave space” instead of “safe space,” so they can encourage queer folks to be themselves in a place that welcomes them.
Tips for creating inclusive and brave spaces?
- Including youth, the queer community and queer youth are key to creating these brave spaces. Listen to them, let them guide you, and involve them in your cultural planning.
- Trans in the South is an excellent resource. So is SC Pride, SC Black Pride, Girls Rock Columbia, and many more.
Is there anything else you’d like to contribute to this conversation? Talk to us on social media. We’re on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.