Workshops for Students in 6th-12th

Workshop: Zines are an incredible and accessible tool for self-expression and education. You'll find zines a great outlet to communicate with others about your own identities, as well as about pressing issues in our community. Zines are what you make them, so this can be a low-key crafting experience, or a chance to make an impact with words/images/art.

Bio: Mac Maclean is a queer graphic designer, illustrator, and cartoonist with a graduate degree from The Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, VT. They make comics about grief, identity, and family, and love playing D&D. They also currently work as the Library Media Technician at the Teacher Resource Center at CRLS.

Workshop: Speak Out will be a writer's workshop with a share back performance following the writing period. If you choose this workshop, you will commit to it for BOTH workshop blocks, to have time to write and build trust together.

Bio: DiDi Delgado is a Radical Visionary and Philanthropist, Award-Winning Author and Poet, Experienced Anti-Racism Educator, Engaging Public Speaker, and a Passionate Advocate and Activist for Black women, non-men and MaGes (Marginalized Genders). 

DiDi is on a mission to dismantle systems of oppression (including white supremacy) while uplifting the voices of Black MaGes (Marginalized Genders), Black women and Black non-men. 

DiDi is consistently on the front lines blazing pathways, fostering connections, and redistributing resources by providing direct cash assistance in support of the most marginalized.

Workshop: Trace the lineage of LGBTQIA+ identities relevant to contemporary western society. I'll condense nearly two hundred years of history into a digestible narrative that will spark your curiosity to dig in further. I'll also highlight multiple perspectives on how to do Queer/Trans History and address the major question: have queer and trans people always existed throughout all time?

Bio: Matisse DuPont is an educator, consultant, and artist with expertise and scholarship in the areas of gender, sexuality, and identity. A voraciously curious and creative person, Matisse hopes to engender playful artistry and shared knowledge into every person and project they encounter.

Workshop: Learn about the history of the pride flag and make pride flag based art with a queer and trans art facilitator.

Workshop: In this workshop we will explore the many ways social media can be used as a tool that benefits us instead of one that hurts us. We’ll also discuss the ways the dominant culture shows up in the information/media we consume each day, and how we can break free of it all. We will learn skills to decolonize the ways we use social media for visibility and discuss effective wellness practices all while creating a go-to Zine that can be used daily. We will move through the creative process as a collective. 

Participants will be gifted a wellness baggie that includes: lavender, rose petals, clear quartz, rose quartz, and green sage. 

Bios: Described as spiritual and moving, Genie Santiago is a Boston based musician, poet, visual artist, event producer, and bruja. Her art draws from her experience growing up in poverty, overcoming trauma, and as a Queer Indigenous Puerto Rican. Genie is unafraid to empower others to overcome trauma, decolonize the mind, and stray from the ideals of self-hatred that society places upon us. Her work as Co-Owner and Director of Performing Arts at Creatives of Color Boston allows her to create events and opportunities for MA based BIPOC artists. She can be found blessing many stages performing original poetry and songs from her newest album “Inner Space.”

Tammi Fedestin is a Boston-born arts administrator and artist with over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector. Tammi is a queer Haitian woman with a fascination for all things nerdy and creepily cute. She currently holds a BA in Arts Management from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA. Tammi has worked in a variety of settings, which allowed her to grow her skills as an administrator, graphic designer, and, sometimes, emergency seamstress. Her favorite thing in the world is to see someone being their most authentic selves. Seeing people embracing all aspects of themselves brings Tammi immense joy. Currently, she helps run an art collective called Creatives of Color Boston and offers administrative support to the dance company, Jean Appolon Expressions. She also runs a virtual art gallery on her website, Cosmic Zo.

Workshop: As an LGBTQ+ person, what do you need to consider when applying to colleges? What might your transition to college be like? We'll discuss college life as a queer person, from the perspective of CRLS graduates from 2022.

Bios: 

Workshop: Get moving outside, play games, and make new friends in this active workshop!

Bios: Ms. Case teaches PE at Amigos School, and advises their elementary Rainbow Club.

Workshop: Experiment with makeup, glitter, and clothes! Try out new gender expressions, and pose for a Polaroid! Bring a couple of items of clothing to swap, and take a couple home! (You do not need to bring clothes in order to attend this workshop.)

Bios: C Hancock is a non-binary queer artist and self-identified fashionista. They currently work for Boomerangs Thrift- Boomerangs is an award-winning family of thrift stores owned and operated by AIDS Action, New England’s leading provider of HIV prevention and wellness services.

Workshop: Discuss your favorite queer books, TV, and music -- and the ones that don't quite measure up. Which shows are queer-baiting and which are the real deal? Make everyone watch that YouTube clip you love! Contribute to a crowd-sourced collection of recs.

Bios: Ms. Rickert is a CRLS librarian and queer media afficionado. Penelope is a freshman and avid reader of queer books, and is developing a database of queer media.