Call for Black Women/Femme Artists-Futurists-Designers-Scholars-Scientists + Leaders of Spaces of Deep Connection Who Are Raw, Wild, Free Movers: Participate in Raw Movement’s Pilot Collective for Space Design 2023-24 (Volunteer) 

 

An Opportunity to Gather, Retreat, Co-Learn, Co-Lead

 

Dear friends,

 

In November 2020, I left New York City because I felt disconnected, from myself, from my purpose, and from the people around me in this humongous city. I felt like an outsider, not only in the dance world, but in the city at large. After some tumultous years of self-reflection, of analyzing the systems of conditioning and disconnection (e.g., racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, capitalism, ableism, neurotypicalism, etc.) at play in my story and in the world, I, like many of us, knew for sure that many spaces we have experienced (including many dance spaces) were not designed to meet our needs, especially our need for deep connection.

 

Because of our experiences within these spaces, we have known very well what it is like to hide ourselves. I certainly was hiding myself before the pandemic. But many of us have used this time to no longer hide our selves, how we feel, or what we need. We have been choosing to ground our selves in our raw selves, our truest selves, our authentic selves. And we have learned that the practice of being our selves requires spaces of deep connection, of home, of family that holds us in our rawest of selves. I have returned to New York City to join with others who are also leading, developing, or dreaming of spaces of deep connection.  I have returned to initiate the building of a homebase centering deep connection, bringing together people and groups in ongoing community to experiment with how we co-create spaces of deep connection. And I have come back to do what I could not do before - be my raw self, with you. 

 

I am beyond excited to be (finally) sharing Raw Movement (my actual baby). I am fantastically giddy to move with, share with, and invite folks committed to creating spaces of deep connection to gather via Raw Movement. I am first gathering fellow scholar-artist-designers to pilot Raw Movement’s Collective for Space Design, and we are piloting our first year of activities, culminating in monthly gatheriings and our Spring Open House.  Raw Movement is being birthed. Yahoo!!

 

Justina

 

For full details, click here for the Call for Artists.