Building Space
substack #40
Hi, I’m Bianca — Artist, Professor, & Creative Strategist in Los Angeles. In case you are new here or if a reminder could help, this newsletter began as an exploration of figuring things out, one day at a time. Upgrade to a paid subscription to make sure you never miss out on the really good stuff.
Hi All,
First, I want to say THANK YOU! Since Ashley and I shared our offering less than a week ago we’ve received over 3,000 RSVP’s. We are looking forward to being with you all tomorrow.
I’m excited to also share that in addition to our teach in, our guests for tomorrow’s discussion include: Ahmad Abuznaid, Executive Director of US Campaign for Palestinian Rights and co-founder of Dream Defenders, Stefanie Fox, Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace, and Nasreen Abd Elal, researcher and graphic designer and member of the Palestinian Youth Movement.
A note that Ashley and I put this teach in together as two friends and individual artists who have spent time building with social justice organizers. We don’t have structural support or resources beyond the donated zoom room and our partners sharing their time.
We are figuring out how to hold content, facilitation, tech, and security while offering this space as a work in progress. We want to thank you in advance for being patient with us as we respond to needs and learn with ya’ll in real time.
See ya’ll tomorrow.
with love and care,
Bianca
The Robinson SPACE, Rest, and Abolition
Last week I led a guided meditation and sound bath at the Robinson SPACE (school for public awareness and community engagement). I was so happy to see folks from all over LA bring their friends, parents, and partners.
I used our time together to directly talk about the immediate and long term impacts of the violence and dehumanization we are experiencing and how resting when we are able to is a privilege and necessary for life long liberation work. I asked folks to imagine a place they might invite fragments of themselves to be whole and cared for, a place where the people they organize for are loved and protected.
These imagined places are important for us to return to as places for revitalization, especially now as we are educating, activating, and mobilizing people. I noted that these places are real, and at that moment we were held in a place working towards a better future.
At the Robinson SPACE you can find things like free narcan, fentanyl testing strips, plan b, sanitary supplies, podcast equipment, and people invested in building experiments for abolition.
Someone came up to me afterwards and said thank you for making such an overtly political healing space. I have loved creating these moments of rest, community connection, and care with you all.
I’m looking forward to creating more spaces like this one with you all in the new year.