Workshop 9:

tearing shit apart:

Artists, Poets, and Organisers of the California Abolition Movement

Saturday 17 April 2021 ~ 3:50 - 5:05pm Pacific

The proposed presentation is a collective assemblage of poetry reading, visual art, and performance art from abolitionist artivists, poets, organisers, tinkers, and practitioners. The artists of the abolition movement are vital to the incendiary spread of radical abolitionist affinities. All of the members for this proposal are creators of thought-provoking art for the cross-pollination of consciousness-raising.

The intention of this proposal is to take up space with radical community-based artivists and poets. This group is going to be disruptive to all our conventional aesthetic norms and self policing codes, modes, and rhythms. We are not static; these abolitionist artivists and poets from the hood and barrios are dynamic and beautiful in all their distinct ways of being and identities living in futurities.

Ygslrhstfut is a Los angeles based trans black GNC punk band seeking to not get famous but be part of a revolution in a punk rock way for what the name means ask us Chella Coleman Vocals/Bass, Maya Sage Bass/Vocals, Mateas Drums. Find them @Ygslrhstfut

Mya Edwards-Peña is 18 years old and is from Los Angeles, CA. Edwards-Peña is a first year college student at Goucher College, studying Dance and Secondary Education. She is a member of the grassroots community organization, Students Deserve, that is making Black Lives Matter in Schools, and is working with Project Knucklehead in the Freedom Fellowship where she has been using poetry and body movement as a form of activism to liberate others during the Black Uprisings in Los Angeles. Mya is the author of her first published poetry chapbook titled "Embracing the Weeds", published by Project Knucklehead. Instagram @myaed.wards

Tauheedah Shakur is a Black Muslim scholar that got her Bachelor’s from CSULA in Pan-African Studies. She has been organizing since she was 13, she is now 25. She has written for “Teen Vogue” and other publications. As a child in the foster care system who has also been affected by mass incarceration, poetry was her way of making sense of the world. In her poetry book, she could imagine the world she wanted to be in. Her housing would change but my poetry book would always be there for me. She is a proud poet representing south-central LA. "Words give me an agency it has helped me fight systems that seek to oppress me." Tauheedah is also a firm believer that whatever skill or talent you have or are developing is needed for the movement there is enough work to go around. Her Favorite quotes are “don’t let the world happen to you you happen to the world “.” Saggitarius gang. “Coffe is the way the truth and the light.” you can follow her on Instagram @Tau__Creative

Vilma (she/her/hers) is from Echo Park, California. Her poetry honors her unique life experiences and adventures. Vilma is also an artist and she enjoys exploring different mediums and styles of art. Vilma is a firm believer that poetry can be a vehicle for growth and change for our personal lives and for greater global revolution. There is truth in poetry, and there is poetry in all of us.

My name is Jaylen Poole. I’m 22 years old and live in Compton, California. I am an Intern at Street Poets inc. a non profit focused on the healing power of poetry, music, and community. Artistry and expressionism are essential components of my life and I try to incorporate both of these into my life as much as I can. To liberate myself and as a direct result those around me is what I strive for in life.