• Fri 06 – Sun 08 10 2023 •
(BE)LONGING AND QUEER HOME A workshop-weekend for young queer people of the diaspora

With YVAN HERVÉ BUTERA, ANDREA MIJARES, and ALEXIS RODRÍGUEZ SUÁREZ

Led by Yvan Hervé Butera (he/they) and Alexis Rodríguez Suárez (he/him), a creative research and empowerment workshop will take place from 6th to 8th of October 2023 on creating a home, belonging to a community, and exploring sources of strength, joy, and care.

The workshop will individually and collectively explore ideas about what home is and can be for queer people in the diaspora. To this end, we will work with theatrical methods, storytelling, and archiving. We will take a moment to explore the history of queer communities and their legacies. We will recognize the value of our experiences and stories, and together create new archives that document our voices to imagine a queer future. The workshop will consist of different blocks of activities, there will be group and individual work, artistic activities, a self-defense workshop, but also space for queer joy and creating new bonds of care. It is aimed at youth and young adults who identify on the queer spectrum, LGBTIPANQ+ in the context of migration, asylum and postmigration. If you are not sure if the workshop is for you, you can write to us, and we will be happy to discuss it with you.

The workshop is part of the research and creation process of a play in cooperation with baraka - a place for international queers (rubicon e.V.), which Artist-in-Residence Yvan Hervé Butera will perform in November as a result of his residency as part of ADKDW's Participatory Residency Program.

Part of the weekend is a two-part WenDo workshop by Andrea Diaz-Mijares (Mädchentreff-bielefeld) with a focus on self-assertion and self-defense.

The three hours offer a taster course for the participants, focusing on boundary awareness, self-care and empowerment. Both in the private space and in the public space, there are situations where it is difficult to say "no", where boundaries (physical and psychological) are violated. (Hetero) sexism, racism, homo- and transphobia, rejectionism and other forms of discrimination are unfortunately an everyday problem.

The workshop, based on the feminist concept WenDo, offers both a safe and free space to perceive / set one's own boundaries (and those of others), as well as a space to exchange about different possibilities of action and self-assertion and self-defense techniques.

Voluntariness, respectful interaction and discretion (respect for the shared stories and experiences) are the most important agreements for this workshop.

Registration is open until 29 09, participation is free and includes accommodation, travel and meals.
The workshop will be held in German and English.
The workshop is aimed at young adults (20-30 years).
Registration by mail: residency@adkdw.org
October 6 – 8 2023, full-day with overnight stay
Freizeitwerk Welper e.V.
Hattingen, Germany

Yvan Hervé Butera, BuTeRa (he/they), born in Rwanda, founded the Kaze Film Festival, the first queer film festival in his home country. In 2022, BuTeRa also co-organized the first Kigali Pride celebration. As part of the Participatory Residency Program, BuTeRa will work with participatory art forms and develop an interactive program for the local scenes and communities in Cologne. A theater piece will address in particular multiple-marginalized individuals and groups who are excluded from majority-society discourses, for example, because of their origin, religion, class, and/or sexual orientation. The goal of the program is to strengthen the social participation of LGBTQIA+ BIPOC groups and to support the actors in expressing the reality of their lives through artistic means.

Andrea Mijares positions herself as lesbian, cis, of colour and with migration history. She studied Psychology (Bachelor) and Gender Studies (Master). She is a martial artist, self-assertion trainer and active in feminist/lesbian-queer girls* work.

Alexis Rodríguez Suárez (he/him) is a cis queer man of color with a migrant heritage. He works with different organizations in the development of community, queer-feminist, film and art projects, as well as cultural and political education.