Decolonizing Dreams: For BIPOC Creatives

“Word-work is sublime, she thinks, because it is generative; it makes meaning that secures our difference, our human difference – the way in which we are like no other life. We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives.” ~ Toni Morrison

“I never want to regret not try something. Its better to try and fail.” ~Hayao Miyazaki

“We must recognize and nurture the creative parts of each other without always understanding what will be created.” ~Audre Lorde

UPDATED DREAMS: We, the creators of Decolonizing Dreams, took some time aside at the beginning of this new calendar year (technically the last season of the year in our books) this winter to reflect on where we want Decolonizing Dreams to go. We wished to find a rhythm and a schedule that is doable for us and in alignment with how we want to hold and create space for and with you all as a community.

We have chosen to host Decolonizing Dreams from now on once a season. So there's one upcoming now in March, then you'll have one this summer, we'll have one in the fall, and then there'll be one in the winter season, and that's a calendar year. So, spring to spring is our calendar year. This new schedule feels correct for us as we advance in terms of what we can give and all of the offerings we have going on individually and collectively in the world, working to offer Decolonizing Dreams Workshops in a sustainable and regenerative way.

The series is open to writers, authors, poets, playwrights, oral storytellers (podcastors, youtubers, tik tokers, etc.) and anyone with a passion for decolonizing and reclaiming our magic through word-work. llustrators and freelance artists are also welcome to attend the programs and showcase their commissioned or published pieces for prospective partners-in-collaboration.

Each season, we will host a handful of workshops (1 in the spring, 1-3 in the summer, and 1 in the fall/winter)to ensure folks have time to map out their work and wonderings through their creative goals. Sessions will follow three areas of intention:

1. Creative Career Activities
2. Breakout Rooms / Publishing Open Talk & Questions
3. Author Critique

**IMPORTANT NOTE: While we recognize that the term BIPOC can manifest in a multitude of forms across community spaces, for this BIPOC-curated series, participants must identify as:

• Indigenous to the Americas, Caribbean or Oceana
• Descendants of Africans trafficked through the Transatlantic Slave Trade
• People of African descent; this collective does not include Euro-Africans or European settlers residing on the continent
• Afro-Carribean and/or Afro-latine/a/o
• Transracial adoptees of African, Caribbean, Indigenous, or Aboriginal descent
• Afroindigenous and/or Black Native Americans
• Multiracial folks who identify as part of the Black/African Diaspora or an Indigenous/Aboriginal community

From the very first fragmented rough drafts and storyboards to final copies and publishing-ready pieces, BIPOC folks (folx) interested in exploring the creative process, navigating publishers and editors, bouncing research and rough drafts in group sessions, manifesting projects across different media, or simply nurturing decolonized dreams are welcome in this community garden!