Women Manifesting Systems of Care
Women Manifesting Systems of Care is a free virtual event open to the general public that will take place on Sept 25, 2020.
In solidarity with our collective efforts to end racial injustices and police brutality, under our social distancing Covid19 reality, we will gather women-identified artists and thinkers, to explore how to nurture and strengthen our communities in these uncertain times.
Why Now?
We believe that art and conversation are essential components of social change, reflection, collective imagination, and revolution. We believe that now more than ever, we are given a chance as a society to collectively challenge past belief systems and hierarchies, and imagine new structures. Our September virtual event aims to create a virtual space where we can gather communities and efforts to inspire each other and better our future. Fostering and sharing systems of care in this delicate moment of our existence between artists, storytellers, and audiences, will impact our future and set our social intentions forward.
Virtual Event Plan
The event will open with Elements, a new interactive performance directed by Alona Weiss, in collaboration with performers: Kris Lee, Rachel Mellis, Mor Mendel, and Saretta Morgan. Elements will present a celestial online conference with a group of 5 performers who will perform a ritual, embodying the spirits of worldly elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether. Each spirit will log-in from her respective sphere of strength to share an offering for the collective ritual, summoning the spirits of divine futures to inspire us to care, move, change, heal, and listen.
Followed by a brief intermission, the second part of the event, Systems of Care, will include a panel discussion, planned and moderated by Cynthia Tobar, Artist/Oral Historian and Head of Archives at BCC. The conversation will include Maria Aponte, Author/Performance Artist; Bridget Bartolini, Oral Historian, and founder of Five Boro Story Project; Spirit Tawfiq, Antiracism Educator & Storyteller; and Alona Weiss, Visual Artist and the director of Elements.
Participating audiences who will RSVP to attend the live event will be sent a digital souvenir that will prompt audience members to take an active part in the performance.
How Can You Help?
We are very excited to bring this plan to life and we need your help in doing so! Donations go directly to support the performers with an honorarium for their time and efforts, as well as cover the costs of the production, including the Care Packages we will be sending to our RSVP audience members free of charge.
Your support and generosity are very much appreciated by our performers, panelists, and organizers.
Please RSVP HERE to join the event on September 25.
For more info visit our webpage:
https://systemsofcare.commons.gc.cuny.edu/
With deep gratitude,
Cynthia Tobar - event moderator and co-organizer
Alona Weiss - performance director and co-organizer