AWI Our Stories Our Voices presents: The Colonization of Gender and Sexuality

The Our Stories, Our Voices festival celebrates queer mental health stories told by LGBTQ+ filmmakers and artists. Over three days, filmmakers, mental health professionals, and community leaders will lead insightful, interactive workshops focused on the unique experiences of queer people and their mental health.

The influx of “corporate Pride” shines a harsh light on how thinly-veiled appropriation passes for allyship in a white capitalist society. Combined with cultural and social expectations, it has made navigating the intersection of race, sexuality, gender and mental health an exhausting and confusing endeavor. Filmmakers Campbell X and Victoria Anderson-Gardner will lead this session in conversation with 1990’s Chris to address these topics, and to beg the question of how we decolonize queer love.

You can view the event recording here:

Featured National Resources:

Crisis Text Line
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Trans Lifeline
The Trevor Project
Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM)
Black Mental Health Alliance

Details

Day:Wednesday
Date:August 11, 2021
Time:4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Workshop Evaluation

Click here to download a summary of the post-workshop evaluations.
97% of participants said the festival enriched their understanding of LGBTQIA+ mental health experiences
61% of attendees left the festival more likely to seek support for their mental health needs
73% of participants said they are more likely to take action in support of the mental health of others
The films and the conversations were wonderful! "
-Session Attendee

Films Screened

Films screened and discussed at this workshop

Aug
2019
The Hurt That Binds Us
View Film Library

Partners

Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission The MHSOAC provides vision and leadership, in collaboration with clients, their family members, and underserved communities, to ensure Californians understand mental health is essential to overall health. MHSOAC holds public mental health systems accountable, provides oversight for eliminating disparities; promotes wellness, recovery and resiliency; and ensures positive outcomes for individuals living with serious mental illness and their families.