Presented by HMD's The Bridge Project.
Moderated by acclaimed San Francisco-based vogue dancer, choreographer and MC Jocquese Whitfield, aka Sir JoQ, this event features three voguers from Chicago who joined last summer's historic demonstrations for racial justice. Their conversation will take place live via Zoom.
Amya Jackson, Dhee Lacy and Karma Munez received massive attention for their participation in last year's BLM demonstration in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. Wearing thigh-high black boots, they vogued in protest by fearlessly dipping, spinning and strutting in front of rows of moving police cars. Their action was captured on video and widely disseminated on social media.
"The movement for Black Lives Matter sometimes excludes queer people, and we wanted to stand out and be visible," said Lacy. "We wanted the world to see that our lives matter, too. Black Trans Lives Matter."
"I didn't think of myself as an activist before last year's protests, but I do now," said Munez. "I am not afraid to speak up for those who are disrespected."
Among the topics to be addressed are the social roots of vogueing and ball culture, vogueing as a form of resistance and collective joy, the history of communal dance in liberation movements, the ongoing challenges facing the movement for Black Trans Lives Matter, and what it feels like to dance on the front lines.