Lateef McLeod is a new intern with Sins Invalid – and we love what he has to offer!  As a phenomenal black poet with cerebral palsy, he just published his first poetry book entitled A Declaration Of A Body Of Love this year. He is also in process of writing a novel tentatively called The Third Eye Is Crying. He was also a cast member of the 2007 Sins Invalid performance and the 2011 artist-in-residence Sins Invalid performance entitled “Resident Alien”. He works at United Cerebral Palsy of the Golden Gate as a grant writer and blogger at http://bit.ly/lateefsview.

Producing a documentary is a totally different ball game for Sins Invalid than producing theater.  In theater, you do not have the extra costs of film editing equipment and labor.  It is a difference Leroy Moore, Community Relations Director of Sins Invalid, notes clearly “What was difficult was we are not filmmakers.  This process was a whole new field with its own language, skills, order of doing things, and a really different process for creating a story that grabs people so they understand, feel, and care about sexuality, disability and performance that’s new, fresh and makes you think – it was overwhelming!”  Despite the daunting challenge of making the film, Sins Invalid forged ahead to take this new media platform by storm. The film covers read more scenes from the 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011 annual show and includes interviews from the performers and director.  Due to be released this year, this film will give the viewing audience a backstage look of how Sins Invalid performances came together in the last few years.  Sins is planning to premiere it in the San Francisco Bay Area and then enter it into different film festivals.  Sins would love to have the film be picked up by a cable TV but we’ll see how that goes.

Now we at Sins are encouraging everyone to donate to our Kickstarter Campaign to raise money to finish this 41-minute documentary.  The money from the Kickstarter Campaign will go to logistical production costs for the final edit of the film.  The campaign is forcing us as an organization to intensify our efforts in the use of social media, which increases our visibility as an organization.  As Leroy puts it, “Hopefully it will encourage more people to post, write, and fund our work, even beyond the film!”  We at Sins hope that the organization will gain a wider audience to spread the message of beauty when this documentary is released to the public.  As Leroy says, “This film will continue to celebrate our bodies and sexualities as people with disabilities, leaving the closet of taboos that society has tried to stuff us in.  We are coming out!”

Late last year, I received an e-mail from the Decibel Performing Arts Showcase (DPAS), an international arts festival. They invited me to be a delegate at the 2011 showcase, on September 12-16^th.

DPAS seeks to promote diverse practice in the performing arts sector.  This bi-annual event aims to more fully represent and reflect the different cultures and backgrounds that make the UK unique in the world.  For the past two years, it has included people with disabilities and the art that we produce.  My friends in London mentioned that the festival began as a Black arts festival, but has since transformed into the goal of diversity in the arts.  If you’re interested in more history of the DPAS, check out their site.

Back to the e-mail!  The invite from the DPAS explained that I was selected as one of eight recipients of a Visiting Arts International Connections bursary scheme — offering bursaries for producers, programmers, cultural critics, and artistic directors to attend the showcase with two main objectives (1) to allow them a unique opportunity to gain insight into diversity debates and policy in the UK, and (2) to enable them to act as advocates and promoters supporting diverse English artists by buying work, and introducing them to networks and cultural markets overseas.  The list of eight delegates was as follows:
• Sam Cook, Director of The Dreaming: International Indigenous Festival, Australia
• Sasha Dees, independent curator and producer, Holland
• Kath Duncan, multi-media producer and cultural commentator, Australia
• Anjum Katyal, Editor, Art and the City, India
• Monique Martin, Director of Family Programming, City Parks Foundation, USA
• Leroy Franklin Moore Jr., Co-Founder of Sins Invalid, USA
• Louise Tu’u, writer, director and producer, New Zealand
• WANG Chong, Program Director of Beijing International Fringe Festival, China
• Percy Yip Tong, Director of Kool Kreol, Mauritius

As a selected cultural critic, my participation began on the first day at two panels for the Creative Case Symposium led by the British Arts Council.  The British Arts Council, the BBC, art companies from all over the U.K., and art directors came together to talk about diversity in the arts.  For the rest of the festival, delegates attended shows, plays, talks, and live music performances.

This is the sixth international art festival that I’ve attended outside of the U.S., and it seems like the artists have to cut so much of their work to fit in the short times to present with very little tech provided.  It seemed to put a lot on the artists and directors to bring it another level.  Of course, my mind was swimming thinking about how Sins Invalid would do at an international arts festival where tech is low, time is tight, and there are many other performances occurring simultaneously.  How could an environment such as this support an artist with multiple disabilities like performers at Sins Invalid?  Something to think about!

I had a chance to meet some wonderful critics and artists, and to network outside the festival for Sins Invalid & Krip-Hop Nation.  At one point, some of us delegates did start to wonder if there would be more time for us to reflect on our experiences together, and to represent our work in an additional panel.  Although we asked for that opportunity to share our thoughts and artwork, it was turned down.  Beyond that sticky situation, I made connections that I hope will benefit Sins Invalid and Krip-Hop Nation down the road.  It felt good to meet so many artists with disabilities from all over the world.

As I walked out of San Francisco International Airport I realized that my passport will expire in a few months, and I thought to myself: I can’t let that happened with possible offers for future gigs across the pond with Sins Invalid and Krip-Hop Nation in the coming New Year!!

Happily back in the Bay,

Leroy Moore Jr.
Sins Invalid’s Community Relations Director

Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts: 2868 Mission St, San Francisco, CA (between 24th & 25th)

Cost: Free; Registration required

Click here for our Facebook event page

What does your body want to communicate?  Let your disabled body dance its story. What movement says you feel alive, what movement tells us you’re gonna cry? Explore new things and old, open up to the spirit and soul of dance. This class is for all levels and abilities.  If you are shy, this is the class for you.  If you are a professional, this class is for you.  If you think you can’t dance, this class is for you. Come explore and learn and move and let the movement move you – there will be you in every dance, and in dance there will be everything.

Movement Workshop Facilitator and Sins Performer, Antoine Hunter

Antoine Hunter is an Oakland-based dancer/choreographer, who started his career as a jazz dancer in High School, and expanded his repertoire to include ballet, jazz, tap, African, country-western, latin, and hip hop.   Antoine teaches students at numerous schools and performing arts centers, including Ross Dance Company, East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, ODC Dance Center, Youth in Arts, and more.  He is a proud member of both the African-American and Deaf/HOH communities.

Our workshops are open to anyone who is interested in exploring the intersection of sexuality and disability, regardless of prior experience in movement or performance.  If space becomes limited, we are prioritizing participants who identify as having a disability.  The space is wheelchair accessible.  Please refrain from using scented products, although we cannot guarantee a scent-free space.

To register, email your name, phone number and access needs to info@sinsinvalid.org.

[transcript below]

Hey there Sins friends and fam –

Well here we are, finally at the week we’ve been working toward – the Sins Invalid 2008 full show is streaming online this week 24 hours a day and we want you to watch it!!!  We know that many of you are as excited as we are here at Sins Central. We have gotten word of viewing parties happening in cities all over the continent such as Houston, Portland, New York City, Raleigh, Vancouver, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Berkeley, Chicago, Boston, and more!

You can personally access the show by going to dualpowerproductions.com/sins-invalid. There will be a PayPal button on the same page, with which you can donate anywhere from 0 to a million dollars. Don’t worry though, you do not need a PayPal account to do this, just a valid debit or credit card. And if you are not paying, you don’t need a card at all!

In order to stream, you are going to need Flash Player, so if you don’t have it on your computer make sure you have downloaded the program beforehand so that you don’t have any hang ups when you are ready to view.

We recommend that viewing party hosts load the video before your guests arrive, so that you don’t need to pause the video in the middle of viewing to wait for it to load!

There are also juicy and informative viewing packets available for download  and you can access them via the links in the post below.

The night of the video chat Q & A with Patty Berne and Leroy Moore is Thursday, August 11^th, 6 PM Pacific and 9 PM Eastern Standard Time. Tune in if you can, it’s gonna be great!

Happy ‘n Sexy Viewing,

Your friends at Sins

Video Transcript:

Hey, Beast Von Fancy here, and I am so excited to tell you that this is it, the week that we’ve been waiting for- Sins Invalid’s full 2008 show is online this week, 24 hours a day! You can access it by going to dualpowerproductions.com/sins-invalid. You’ll need a version of flash player in order to view the show, and we recommend that those of you hosting viewing load the show before having your folks come over. [Just so that you don’t have to pause it and have an awkward loading, waiting moment in the middle of your party].

We know that a lot of you are just as excited as we are here at Sins Central about this event, because we’ve gotten word of viewing parties happening all over the continent, in cities such as: Houston, Portland, NYC, Raleigh, Vancouver, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Berkeley, Chicago, Boston, and more! Also, if you’re in the New York City area, you should totally check out the event happening at Bluestockings Bookstore, located on 172 Allen St, in downtown Manhattan. Bluestockings is going to be having a fundraiser for Sins Invalid and Bluestockings’ Collective, at 7 PM to 9 PM on August 10^th, and you should definitely stop by. There’s going to be screening of the 2008 show, followed by a discussion and all of this is going to be ASL interpreted, YAY!

Also, don’t forget to tune in on August 11^th, Leroy Moore and Patty Berne are going to be online with a video chat Q & A.

Happy and Sexy Viewing ya’ll. I have to get back to the show, it’s at the part with the banana!

(transcript below)

Here is the viewing packet you have all been waiting for:

Webstream Viewing Guide

Sins Program 08

Sins Invalid brochure

And here all the details on how to watch the show:

• Aug. 6^th-12^th, 24 hours a day: You can view the 2008 annual performance on demand at  http://dualpowerproductions.com/sins-invalid/.
• Aug. 11th (Thursday), 6 p.m. PST: Participate in the live online Q&A with Patty Berne and Leroy Moore.
• Payment is on a sliding scale starting at $0, but we are asking for a minimum donation of $10 per person, payable via PayPal on the same page as the video.
• Our viewing packet will be downloadable from this page soon, and includes the 2008 show program, access suggestions for group viewing, and juicy discussion questions.
• A message board will be on the page with the video throughout the streaming, so you can share your thoughts with others even if you are viewing alone.
• Email us at info@sinsinvalid.org if you would like the full text of the show. (The show is not captioned. There is ASL interpretation, but it is cut off at times.)

We will be updating the Facebook event page and this page with info. Be sure to email info@sinsinvalid.org if you have any other questions.

Fierce Blessings and Happy Viewing!

Beast Von Fancy and Allegra Stout

Video Transcript:

Beast Von Fancy here, touching base about Sins Invalids’ webstreaming event that’s happening in co-sponsorship with Fierce Bodies and in partnership with Dual Power Productions. Dual Power Productions is going to be hosting the event on their website, and we will be sending you the link to that. We’re going to be publicizing it next week, which is a week before the event starts. It starts on August 6^th and continues through August 12^th. It will be available every day during that week, 24 hours a day, so you can watch any time you want.

There’s also going to be a message board online at the same place as the screening, so you can see people’s comments and interact with people, even if you’re viewing the show by yourself.

We also want to emphasize that this is a fundraiser. Even though we’ve been saying that no one will be turned away for lack of funds, which is true, we still would really like to recommend that you donate a minimum of $10. And no maximum. You can donate a million dollars; that would make me feel really great!

So, the next thing we really want you to know is that there is no closed captioning on this show. So, we can send you a full text of the show via email if you email us at info@sinsinvalid.org. The Q&A with Patty Berne and Leory Moore is going to be happening on August 11^th, during that week, at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

That’s 9 p.m. East Coast Time, and then there’s the times in between. If you need help figuring that out, it took me a minute, I’m happy, I’ll be there for you.

So, that’s all the info. It’s: money, money, money; happening 24 hours a day August 6^th-12^th; hosted by Dual Productions; we can send you the full text of the show; Patty Berne and Leroy Moore will be on call at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time; we will be publicizing the link and all information on the Facebook event page and on our website next week. So, me and [picks up footplate from wheelchair and waves it at shoulder level] my footplate would like to wish you a great day and happy viewing!

Date: Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

Time: 2-5pm

About the Workshop:

Did you know that you can make a video that captures the world’s attention with just a cellphone? Or that one click of a button can mean that your writing can be read by thousands — maybe millions — of people?

Often times when people hear the word “new media” or “social media” they think of facebook/twitter and brush it off as silliness. New media (blogs! video channels! Tumblr!) is any form of media that spreads information digitally. New media is completely shifting the way information and art is shared. We are seeing the ways that communities are using cellphones to hold police and politicians accountable. Entire schools of thought are emerging from conversations taking place in online spaces. We know that new media is playing a huge role in the visibility we have. We want to support each other in learning how to use online media platforms so that more of our voices can be heard.

Half teaching, half hands-on skillshare, this workshop will give artists and writers an introduction to free new media opportunities available to them. We will talk about the performance of an online identity, strategies for building an audience, and some of the best platforms out there for sharing one’s work.

Come join us!

This workshop is designed for those interested in expanding one’s audience and reach digitally. Some basic computer knowledge (e.g. how to turn on a computer, get on the internet, etc) is required. If you have a computer, please bring it. You don’t have to be a formal artist to come, this is open to anyone who has something to share with the world.

About the Facilitator:

Stacey “cripchick” Milbern is a blogger, disability justice activist and youth worker passionate about using new media technologies to build community in the face of ableism. She works with the National Youth Leadership Network, an organization run by and for disabled youth. Stacey writes at her own blog and at To The Other Side of Dreaming, an epistolary blog about building home with Mia Mingus, a fellow queer disabled Korean woman of color.

Registration:

This workshop is limited to 12 people! To register, please send your name, email address, phone number, and any access needs we need to prepare for to us at info@sinsinvalid.org. There is no registration or workshop fee.

Video transcript:

Allegra: Hey, Beast, did you hear about that awesome Sins Invalid event that’s coming up in the second week of August?

Beast: Yeah, I think I did! The pilot of Sins Invalid’s new web streaming series! Cosponsored by Fierce Bodies and in partnership with Dual Power Productions, Sins Invalid’s annual full shows are going to be streamed online.

Allegra: For the first time ever! All over the country (Beast laughs), all over the world. We’re starting with the year 2008 and working up. Plus on August 11th the show will be followed by live Q & A with Artistic Director Patty Berne and performer Leroy Moore.

Beast: That’s so sweet. All of us at Sins Central are really excited about this opportunity. As a mixed ability organization Sins Invalid recognizes that everyone has access needs, and sometimes getting to one of the annual performances is not physically, mentally, or financially possible. That’s why we’re bringing Sins directly to your living room, or pool, or basement, or…

Allegra: library, smart phone…

Beast: lakeside cabin, laundromat, hotel room…What we want is to bring together our beautiful communities and also to help raise money to continue Sins Invalid’s fabulous work. So what do we need?

Allegra: We need your support and your enthusiasm for organizing a viewing party wherever you want, with whomever you want- your lovers! Your support group! Your mom!

Beast: Your mom…your cat! Your comrades! Your Hitachi magic wand! Your book club!

Allegra: We’d really appreciate your donations via PayPal before the event, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Beast: So to recap, the Sins Invalid 2008 full show will be streaming online

Allegra: for the first time ever!

Beast: anywhere you want,

Allegra: August 6th-12th.

Beast: And if you want in on the hotness, or any additional information email Beast and Allegra at info@sinsinvalid.org.

Do you use attendant services or provide attendant/support services?

Do you want to learn more and support others to learn more about sexual rights and responsibilities in the context of attendant support services?

Are you comfortable facilitating group conversations about sexuality?

The Sexuality and Access Project in Canada is offering a free, two-day training (Sudbury, Kitchener/Waterloo, Toronto) intended to support community members, like yourself to create meaningful conversations about sexuality and disability with others in your community.

If you want to learn more about how to get those conversation started or facilitating workshops about sexual health, safety, and pleasure, then this training is for YOU!

• Learn about, and engage in, conversations about sexuality and disability.
• Discover how others have worked collaboratively to create opportunities for people to realize the range of sexual expression.
• Address issues of sexuality and sexual safety in a way that respects both workplace safety and reflects individual and social justice.

The Sexuality and Access Project is a project of Springtide Resources
Generously funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation

For more information on how to register for the training contact:

Cory Silverberg
Email: sexuality.access@gmail.com
Tel: 416-358-4090
Skype: sexuality-access-project

August 6th through 12th, we will stream the full length 2008 Performance — and depending on the success of this venture we will be streaming other performances in the near future. Please help make this pilot a success by watching! Why are we doing this?  Because each of us matters, and we recognize that for many people with disabilities, traveling to performances is difficult. The clips on the website, while lovely, are snippets, and Sins’ shows reflect a masterful connectivity and arc that is best seen straight (or queerly) through.  In addition to bringing Sins to you and building Sins’ community, we also need to raise money so that the work of this beautiful organization can continue. Of course, the system will be sliding scale — and, we want to strongly encourage those who would like to and can pay to see the webcast to do so.

Who can watch?  Anyone, anywhere, on your own or in a group, in your homes or at your friend’s house, in your car or at school – just as long as you have Internet access!

We will send you the technical details soon — but in the meanwhile, here’s an idea we want to propose to you…viewing parties! Gather your friends, coworkers, family, comrades and fellow community members together for a screening in your home, work, yard, library, get creative! This is a pilot and we are excited to see how this can work. The 2008 performance is a little over an hour, and we will be sending out viewing packets for subsequent discussion to those who want them. We are planning to get this event hosted on a site that allows for interactive live video as well, so that a Q & A with Performer Leroy Moore and Artistic Director Patty Berne will be possible following the screening!

If you’re excited to host a viewing party in your hometown, let us know! We are happy to offer whatever support we can.

Stay tuned…And to ask questions and stay in contact, email info@sinsinvalid.org.

Fierce Blessings,
Beast Von Fancy, Allegra Stout and Patty Berne