5/31/2021 0 Comments An Announcement from Lindsay WhiteHello, Lady Brain Presents community-
I am writing you today with an announcement that makes me a little weepy. Effective Tuesday, June 1, 2021, I will be dissolving the Lady Brain Presents LLC and stepping away from leadership/organizing responsibilities. Many factors contributed to this decision, including a pandemic that wouldn't quit and a baby on the way. In short, there is not enough space or capacity in my body or brain to lead and grow this group the way I originally envisioned, and that’s not fun for me or fair to members. I've been pulled toward leadership my whole life, but now I feel my body and spirit telling me to explore some of the other ways I can be in service to community without sacrificing my physical and mental health or creative identity. Part of me can't help but feel like a failure as this project comes to a close, but that's just capitalism trying to make me feel bad about myself, so I shall resist those feelings with lasting memories and great friendships. I know we did a wonderful thing here. And I know that good thing will grow into some other good thing. I have high hopes that everyone in the collective will continue developing relationships, resource-sharing, using the platform for good, and showing up for each other in a myriad of ways. I hope that by leaving the "reins" open for any and all to grab, the group will become a truer collective with many leaders and more of a blank canvas for everyone, which is the intended vision anyway. I will be taking the name “Lady Brain” with me because it's a business/entity name that I invested much labor into and would love to keep it, along with its guiding principles, intact should I decide in the future to rework it back into the community (one-off festival, etc.). A new tentative name for the group is Creative Siblings Collective SD, so be on the lookout for potential member collaborations and showcases. To all our members who participated, performed, organized, podcasted, produced, presented, wrote, designed, and so much more for Lady Brain Presents and all its endeavors, you are all my heroes. Special thanks to Jules Stewart who was instrumental in so much of the branding and design work and Cathryn Beeks who hosted one hell of a podcast and produced one hell of a festival. I want to thank all of you in our community for showing up for our events, which means you showed up for our amazing members and the causes they care about. Your attendance not only demonstrated the value of supporting marginalized genders in the local creative community, it allowed our members to raise funds and awareness for organizations that most need our attention and support. I often think about the great waves of positive, loving, healing change that could come about so quickly in this world if only those with means lifted up marginalized artists with the resources they need to get their incredibly innovative and community-building ideas off the ground. I hope you all continue to find the artists who would flourish with that kind of support. In becoming an ongoing patron of their work, you will literally change the artist, the community, and the world for the better. Please be a part of that change. (Need an example? Check out member Miki Vale and SoulKiss Theater) I have no doubt this collective will grow into whatever it’s meant to become and I have so much faith that the folks who are meant to lead the way will do so with all the grace and creativity in the world. I hope we can count on your support through that transition. Thank you again for everything! Lindsay White www.lindsaywhitemusic.com PS - This site will be removed within the next week or two. To keep up with myself and other members, be sure to visit our Members page and click through each profile to follow your favs on social media!
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Welcome to Boss Ladies, the review column written by members for members! Today, Lindsay White shares her thoughts on Donna Larsen's latest release “Open the Door." Humans are a pretty silly lot, don’t you think? We’re always looking to a new year, or a new year’s resolution, or a new set of political leaders to be the easy way out of bad habits, negative experiences, and persisting social struggles. Don’t get me wrong, clean slates are refreshing, goals are great, and staying politically engaged is important, but sometimes in our search for peace and purpose, we forget to look in the simplest place: within. In her new single “Open the Door,” San Diego singer songwriter and guitarist Donna Larsen addresses this conundrum with some spiritually illuminating advice. Ethereal vocals and meditative tones set the scene as Larsen poses an opening question: “When will we awaken?” A triumphant first chorus follows with the words “Open the door!” repeated eight entrancing times. The listener has now entered a spellbinding audio landscape, which Larsen lushly paints with the help of Josquin Des Pres (production, bass), Scott Gorham (keys), Monette Moreno (Percussion), Randy Hodge and Victoria Belmonte (backup vocals), and Ian Sutton (mixing, mastering). In each verse, Larsen speaks to an anticipatory sense of inner and outer turbulence (“laws are changing, shifts felt and seen”) while also acknowledging the various factors blocking pathways to peace, like “outdated traditions” and “fear of change.” But ultimately, she encourages her audience to break those barriers by welcoming and trusting themselves and their source, singing “let the light into your being” and “[ask] to be open to receive.” In offering this warm and knowing invitation, Larsen promises listeners all the warm and fuzzy rewards like “love and kindness,” “discovery and realization,” and “soul communication.” Who doesn’t want to go to this place beyond the metaphorical door? *Hand-raise emoji* Count me in! The exultant “Open the Door” refrain circles back several times more, reminding us that sometimes, all it takes to arrive on the other side of life's internal and external obstacles is a willingness to approach them with openness, curiosity, and trust. Though Larsen’s words are sage and gentle, there is also a sense of urgency helping to command the listener beyond fear and toward enlightenment. As long as there are musicians like Larsen, you never have to open that door alone. The accompanying video to “Open the Door” is creatively curated by Dave Preston. It features imagery such as keys, locks, meditating figures, chakras, hypnotic colors, space, stars, and of course, doors. Together, these images speak to spirituality, energy, the cosmos, and a reciprocal flow from self to source. It is empowering, uplifting, and kinda trippy. (I’m not saying you should watch it while mellowing out with some CBD, THC, candles, incense, etc. But I’m not not saying that either.) When asked what was memorable about creating this project, Larsen said “This music is different from anything I have ever done. It feels expansive and true to my soul. I am so grateful to be able to have worked in concert with such wonderfully talented people who were so willing to help me with my vision for this song!” She hopes listeners step into that vision, too. “It would be so amazing to know that people who listen to this were able to begin, or be even more inspired on their spiritual path, and/or gain a new way of looking at life or healing.” For those just “Opening the Door” to Larsen’s music, stay tuned for a full album and don’t forget to check out past projects such as her children’s picture sing-along songbook/CD set called In My Own Backyard. You can also follow along on her website and Facebook! ![]() Image description: White background with black vertical text on left side that reads: "boss ladies." At center is the artwork for Donna Larsen's single (description above). Layered on top of graphic is a yellow circle with black text that reads: "artist Donna Larsen. song/video Open the Door. reviewed by Lindsay White." Thanks to all who attended our first meetup/check-in of the year! While we're keeping our programming chill in 2021 while we are still on pandemic/vaccine standby and doing our best to honor everyone's capacities, we feel it's important to create a recurring space for virtual check-ins and support. Here's a brief recap of what's going on with some of our members, as well as an update on our first ever Lady Brain Lift Up! Lady Brain Lift Up Winner: Congrats to Amy Day, who was chosen randomly (using this fun wheel) as the winner of our first ever Lady Brain Lift Up, which we implemented as a way to continue our mission of supporting members and the community during this time when we are unable to gather physically. Members can accept or direct this gift however they choose! Amy selected We All We Got SD mutual aid, which offers radical community care and food justice support (in solidarity, not charity) to neighbors across Kumeyaay land/San Diego. Click here to read more about this all-volunteer grassroots mutual aid and follow their Instagram to learn more about volunteering, donating, and other ways to get involved. If you'd like to be an ongoing part of the Lady Brain Lift Up, please consider becoming a Lady Brain Lover! Member Updates: Lizzie Wann recited a beautiful new poem and talked about the next episode of her talk show LifeBeat: Conversations with Purposeful Womxn on Twitch, which will focus on education and feature guests Poppy Fitch, Delia Arancibia, and Charlita Shelton. Tune in today at 6pm on www.twitch.tv/puna_press_live Ramona Ault is working with Lady Brain member Carissa Renner of The Bold Vocal on keeping her voice strong during the pandemic. Cathryn Beeks just became a homeowner (!) and continues to hold down the Listen Local Radio fort with weekly virtual song sharing circles, The Game, and her awesome radio show (as well as continuing her role as Lady Brain podcast host). Julia Sage has been working on some new music with bandmate Matthew Stratchota. Check out her new song “The Fog in My Brain.” Christina Bernard has also been working on new music with new collaborators. Can’t wait to hear it, and in the meantime you can check out past releases here. Miki Vale is coming back online after taking a rest and social media break. She shared news of her goal to complete 45 hikes by her 45th birthday. You can also check out Soul Kiss Theater, a space Miki created to uplift and support queer Black womxn through arts, culture, and storytelling. Mary Bee also put virtual performances on pause for a hot minute to focus on health and recording new music. She told us about this cool service called Musiversal where you can schedule virtual recording sessions with all kinds of instrumentalists and producers, etc. Check it out! Lindsay White has released a flurry of new singles that speak to issues like love in a pandemic, infertility issues, being hopeful in hopeless situations, and navigating stubborn relationships. She’s also excited to be working with visual creators like Chad Cavanaugh and Shy The Artist on single artwork. Unison Colthurst is revamping her Songwriter Book Club into a cool new podcast. The next Book Club will be on Sunday, February 28 at 1:30pm, and the book selection is On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. Feel free to message Unison if you’d like to participate! Amy Day is writing a whole-ass musical about the murder of an Irish Protestant landlord at the height of Ireland’s Great Famine. It’s called The Strokestown Musical and you can follow along here! If you're a local woman or gender-marginalized creative interested in learning about the Lady Brain Collective membership, please visit our About, FAQ and Join pages to read more! If you're interested in supporting and contributing to our community, please consider becoming a Lady Brain Lover! 1/14/2021 0 Comments Boss Ladies Single Reviews: Lindsay White - Everything But Loving You, Crickets, Nothing Worse
Welcome to Boss Ladies, the review column written by members for members! Below, read Lizzie Wann's take on the latest three singles from Lindsay White.
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Image description: Single artwork for "Nothing Worse" features a collage with light gray text that reads "Nothing Worse" overlaid on a grayish blue mountain landscape. In the center, a photo of Lindsay White in a green shirt, propping her chin up with her hand. Bunches of colorful flowers are placed over her face and near her shoulder. Artwork by ShyTheArtist, original photo by Sydney Prather.
We haven’t had any new produced music from Lindsay White since she released “The Funeral” in December 2019. Since then, well, you know, there’s been a pandemic, extreme ongoing social injustice, and an insurrection(!). For most of 2020 and continuing indefinitely, everyone is asked to stay home as much as possible, which makes creating and recording music extremely difficult, but not impossible. As we all made adjustments to how we manage our lives, White ran through the gamut of emotions, often daily, from anxiety and depression to gratitude and yes, happiness. She also made things happen (and if you know White, this is not surprising). She reached out for help from fellow musicians and her Patreon supporters to figure out how to record her own music at home. And through the immense benefit of technology, she was able to remotely collaborate with various musicians, producers, and engineers to fill in some of the blanks. Which leads us to December 2020, a full year since her last official single, when she debuted “Everything But Loving You,” the first in a string of three new singles. Of her production efforts, White says, “It's not perfect or polished, but what feels more important to me than being perfect is: making an effort within my capacity, being proud of any small progress in that effort, being compassionate about any setback in that effort, and letting go of any attachment to other people's perceptions of that effort. It's a good way to fight anxiety. It's also a good way to approach art. And life.” Shortly after this single, White also released “Crickets” (also with a video) and earlier this week, “Nothing Worse.”
“Everything But Loving You" (released 12/8/20)
Her first self-produced release (with mixing from Amelia Sarkisian and additional instrumentation from bandmates Jules Stewart, James Staton, and Steve Nichols), “Everything But Loving You" is a melancholy celebration of the depth of love. It also is a triumphant acknowledgement of feeling defeated. If those things sound incongruous, you haven’t been paying attention. In this tumultuous time of being alive, it’s a delicate balance of feeling like your life has purpose and meaning and feeling like you have any control over those ideas. White admits that this song was written “from a pretty scary place” as anxiety gripped her in the face of, personally and professionally, losing her musical livelihood and, as a human, the community issues of health and a society locked in a battle about which citizens actually matter. But what she was ultimately able to focus on and cling to is the deep and healing relationship she has with her wife, Audrie. In the first verse, White admits she doesn’t want to do any chores, but even beyond that, “i don't wanna be ambitious anymore / you're the only good news / walking in and out the door / so i'm thinking that i could use / a new plan moving forward.” Her new plan is to “quit everything but loving you” because she’s “so good at it.” But then White broadens even that. She sings, “cause i don’t have a fucking clue / how to save the world / but i can love my girl.” But what we know, and I expect White also knows, is that loving her girl is, in fact, how to save the world. This song reminds me of the quiet, beautiful tones of Corrine Bailey Ray, and it’s a well-done debut production effort for White.
“Crickets" (released 12/15/20)
Lindsay White is not afraid to write about subjects that many writers tend to avoid. In the case of “Crickets,” White brings the realities of infertility to the fore. She uses the metaphor of a cricket, which has been seen as a symbol of good luck, but also the silence of asking for something and getting no response. White and her wife have been trying to grow their family, and “Crickets” details their heartbreaking journey of not yet being successful. The video that she released at the same time is a dramatization of the cycles they endured: the medication, the hormone shots, the love, the waiting, the pregnancy tests, the rituals, the tearful realization when White reaches for a tampon; another failed effort. The song is mournful and spare with just her voice and electric guitar in the verses, then more instrumentation and harmonies arriving in the choruses, but it’s subtle and adds just the right amount of extra depth. In the first verse she recalls her mother’s death, and the second verse transitions to her and her wife’s personal journey as they repeatedly endure the negative outcomes of each attempt to conceive a baby. White sings, “mother nature's coming at me / speeding down a westbound track / hanging out a boxcar swinging / a slow motion baseball bat.” But what may be the most heart wrenching lines come in the third verse when White admits, “of course i should have seen this coming / i should have never picked your name.” The song (mixed by Amelia Sarkisian, mastered by Trevor Hamer) captures the intense feeling of loss for something that was never there, just the possibility of it and the inevitable thoughts of what could come after. The song, the performance, and the video are emotional without being melodramatic, and this balance is something at which White excels.
“Nothing Worse" (released 1/7/21)
For this tune penned in 2017, Lindsay White recorded vocals at home and called upon band Jules Stewart for drum tracking and longtime producer Alexander Dausch for additional instrumentation, production and post engineering. As White summarizes, the song is “about that dreaded sense of hope we still somehow manage to feel during incredibly hopeless and lonely times.” Well, if that’s not a song for these times, I’m not sure what is. White is at her lyrical best in this song with clever wordplay like “there's a pillow i keep punching /i always take you lying down,” “i'm fighting the finale, like a novice novelist / i'm pacing like Penelope, hope for my homecoming kiss,” and “i'm testing several theories hoping to prove the same thesis.” But what I like most about this song are White’s phrasings of the lines that are unexpected but extremely pleasant on the ear and the unusual structure of the song. There’s no real chorus per se, but the crux of the song is the line repeated at the ends of the 2nd and 4th verses and at the end of what could be considered the bridge (White is not a huge fan of bridges). The line, which also provides the song’s title, is “there's nothing worse than hoping at a lonesome time like this.” The tasty fills by Dausch after the first chorus lines are also especially lovely and imbue the song with the hope that White hopes still exists. (Spoiler alert: it does.)
These three releases from White are each unique in their subject matter and presentation. White has an impressive style that comes through each song with ease, from her expressive voice to her well-crafted lyrics and her burgeoning production ear, plus with help from talented colleagues, we can look forward to more great music from White in the coming months and years. Purchase and download all three songs, plus her full-length album and other music, writing, and merch directly from her website.
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Image description: White background with black vertical text on left side that reads: "boss ladies." At center is the artwork for Lindsay White's single Nothing Worse (see above for description). Layered on top of photograph is a yellow circle with black text that reads: "artist Lindsay White. singles Everything But Loving You, Crickets, Nothing Worse. reviewed by Lizzie Wann."
This month was all about exploring vulnerability. Starting with a virtual workshop led by Dr. Lorri Sulpizio, attendees were challenged with finding and posting a visual or creative representation of their current state (see below for some examples).
After the completion of the workshop, we challenged members to continue tapping into their own artistic vulnerability and asked them to share what came up creatively as a result. The idea was not to create a masterpiece, but rather a simple and honest reflection of the moment we are in. Some members utilized the above photos as inspiration, others started from scratch. Below is their beautiful and honest art. Thank you, collective members for sharing yourselves with our greater community.
Cathryn Beeks
Cathryn Beeks is a musician, producer, and mixed media artist (not to mention founder of Listen Local Radio as well as host of the Lady Brain Podcast). She says, “It's amazing how perspective changes everything, how everything changes, including preconceived notions. What was once so distasteful has now become a comfort zone, a place to settle down and live a life full of simple pleasures."
Lizzie Wann
Lizzie Wann is a published poet and spoken word artist. The piece she submitted is called “Life's Work" - it combines inspiration from two of our initial visual prompts: the Danielle Coke quote as well as the Baskoro Lanjar Prasetyo work. She says, “Recognizing where I am personally in the midst of inequality and racial injustice, among other things, has been difficult yet ultimately motivating. Understanding the ebb and flow of energy needed to combat these struggles remains a constant lesson."
Life’s Work
morning fog matches my brain grasping for clarity as my eyes adjust sun struggles to break through revelations about the past explode my here and now disassemble awareness work begins to unlearn I gather blue smoke to synthesize renewed insight every day is a choice to act that is, to take action, not to pretend for colorless accolades it becomes a daily election to cast a vote toward justice to righteously fight for freedom this grim fog hovers but clear skies are beyond in joy, in celebration, in resistance Marie Haddad
Marie Haddad is a musician and mixed media artist. Below is her untitled photograph submission.
Astra Kelly
Astra Kelly is a musician, producer, artist, and spiritual practitioner. Her spoken word piece is called “The Right to Mourn."
The Right to Mourn
I feel robbed of my right to mourn. You’re talking about rights? to bear arms, to harm your brother, your father, your grandmother? My grandmother passed alone the day before my mother’s birthday who is battling cancer during a pandemic....navigating a whole other systemic blunder. How many lives lost on the side while dis-ease rages far and wide and those we love left vulnerable to die? How can you not see as you run naked through the streets with your fuck you flying, screaming I don’t care From there, we’ve fallen I feel robbed of my right to mourn. There have been no moments of honoring lives lost, our test of endurance or our resilience in bearing the cost of this madness. I want a voice that glides on fire as we stand ready to fight. Who shouts “we will rise up strong and give everything to the cause.” One who rallies our hearts to unite as an army of love. I long for one who speaks and the wind blows stronger as the spirits whisper of empowerment and materialize into our frame as we prepare to play the game risking everything for the ones we love and simply cannot lose. I feel robbed of my right to mourn. My chest tight with holding back, fear in my throat, afraid of the breakdown, feeling the weight of this reality and the impending rebirth of the humanity we’ve lost. I want to be close to you. I miss you. I want to grieve with you together as one so we can rebuild when the moment comes and the danger has passed Forgive those who cannot embrace the truth and who dwell upon the murky depths of illusion For now, we wait. Lindsay White
Lindsay White is a writer, musician, and organizer of Lady Brain Presents. She says, “I'm increasingly concerned, anxious, and depressed about what is happening in my own mind and heart, as well as what is happening in this country. We have always been terrible as a country and as a society at acknowledging the harm we do to ourselves and each other; instead we seek out distraction, we stoke division, we fuel fear. We'd rather have a spectacle than have a look in the mirror. I'm taking off social media for the next few months to tend to my wellbeing and try to do good in the world without feeling the pressure or guilt or shame or fear or anger that my online experiences seem to exacerbate. The below is one of the final pieces of prose I shared on my Facebook account. Hopefully if and when I do return, we'll be vaccinated and Trump-free."
The Worst of Us
He told us who he was back in 2016 and since 2016. We can’t seriously be clutching our pearls about the taxes. We can’t seriously be surprised about the bullying and lack of decorum. We can’t seriously be flabbergasted by the misogyny, the manipulative appeal to Christians, and the fanning of fear flames. We can’t seriously be shocked about the latest in a series of white supremacist dog whistles. What is this theatre we are sucked into, where he does what we know he will do, then we point at it hysterically and say “see!?” to all the other people who not only also knew he’d do it, but LOVE (overtly or covertly) that he did it? There’s got to be some other way. I hope voting this vile creature out of the highest office in the land looks like a sunrise, sounds like thunder, feels like trash day, smells like spring, and tastes like freedom. And I hope we remember that we should have all taken the responsibility to flick him off the national stage like a picnic ant back in 2016 when we had the chance to casually do it without hundreds of thousands of casualties. When we had a chance to empower a qualified womxn over an incompetent manchild. So the next time someone comes along who is a threat to all things that are good and safe and kind and just, we don’t make sport of letting them prove to us for four years what we already knew. Please, for the love of democracy and the safety of this country and its people, do not cast your ballot for Trump. He is the worst of us. He is the worst for us. He is the worst.
Thanks to all those members who attended our vulnerability workshop and who shared their creations! And thanks to YOU for attending this virtual exhibit on vulnerability! We will be taking the remainder of the year to focus on private member meetups and workshops, and will keep the community posted on future public community gatherings as soon as we get the green light to organize in-person events! In the meantime, please be sure to visit our Member profiles to see how you can support them during this hard time, and don't forget to check out our LB For Hire page if you'd like to employ a local creative womxn for your next project! Prospective members, find out more about joining the Lady Brain Collective here.
Next up in our Queer Voices series, we'll be featuring the founder of Lady Brain Presents, Lindsay White, who proudly identifies as a queer womxn. Tell us a little bit about your coming out experience(s). How has life changed for you since being “out”? LW: I came out several times to several people about a decade ago. It was gruesome and lonely and liberating all at the same time, and still is to an extent. At the time, I was married to a man I'd been with since I was 18. I'd been with womxn before, but only in circumstances that left me feeling ashamed because of my Christian upbringing (and my blood alcohol content, let's be real). I never considered for a second that I was gay until l found myself accidentally, undeniably in love with a friend who wasn't even sure she wanted to be with me. (Who could blame her, I was a hot mess). I had to decide if that realization alone, without the promise of a romantic relationship with that person, was worth the risk of blowing up my comfortable life and most important relationships, namely with my ex-husband and now-deceased mother. I still struggle a bit with unreconciled guilt, pain, and anger, but the reality is: there is no healthy, safe, or happy alternative to living authentically. Now, I wake up every day with my soul mate and feel so unbelievably grateful that we both made our way to each other. LBP: How do other aspects of your identity intersect (or perhaps clash) with your sexuality? LW: I personally (not speaking for others) found it impossible to be queer and Christian after I came out. When I think about how so many Christians utilize hate, fear, and ignorance to effectively keep folks from loving themselves and each other, it makes me want to scream into a pillow. When I think about how religion prevented me from having a relationship with my mother and continues to prevent me from having a relationship with my wife's family, it makes me want to not live in this world. I could never endorse a religion that would endorse that kind of pain. I look at the hate and fear in the eyes of folks protesting at Pride parades, screaming outside abortion clinics, throwing fits in Trader Joe's, pointing guns at Black people, and I can't help but wonder if they picked up that poison in a sermon somewhere as a kid. And I know, not all Christians are monolithically traumatizing children in the name of god. But that knowledge doesn't really save the traumatized kids. I love and respect many folks from many faiths, but Christianity is no longer my jam. It hurt to initially feel like I wasn't entitled to religion because all of these toxic people essentially peed around the concept of it for me. But over time, I've learned to develop a new framework and vocabulary around my spiritual practice: creativity is god, community is church, love is heaven. Still, it's pretty much impossible to escape Christian/hetero “norms." My wife and I are seeing firsthand how they permeate our healthcare system. As queer womxn, there's a double whammy there with reproductive and fertility rights. We're jumping through more hoops and spending more money all because folks in the government and healthcare industry think they should determine what a person can do with their body and what constitutes a family. It's extremely frustrating. ![]() Image description: Square graphic with yellow background and large white quotation mark at the top. At bottom of square, large black text reads: "queer voices." In the middle, in black text, is a quote from Lindsay's interview. (The second sentence of her response to question 3). Under the quote, in bold black text reads: "~Lindsay White. Pronouns: She/Her" LBP: Pride is a celebration of liberation but also an acknowledgement of struggle, resistance, and revolution. Where do you see yourself in that celebration? Where do you see yourself in that struggle? LW: Inside my house and my marriage, it's a Pride party every day! I know that our joyful existence is in and of itself an act of resistance, and I celebrate everyone and anything that made that kind of love attainable. Outside my house, I will say that experiencing sexism and homophobia, particularly under the guise of Christianity, has helped me understand the roots of oppression and better empathize with folks who are harmed or made vulnerable by oppressive systems. As for where I fit into that struggle, I watch local queer activists, particularly queer womxn of color, who are leading the charge not just for gay rights but for human rights, and I try to apply what I learn from them however and wherever I can. Their off-the-charts organizing skills and commitment to solidarity are likely the direct result of navigating complicated identity intersections, figuring out how to quickly create safe spaces (not only out of a desire for acceptance, but out of a need to survive), and having a deep love for and a sense of responsibility to their communities. I'm not trying to romanticize their struggle or fight because it's depleting and dangerous work, but if you're looking for lessons in leadership, all you have to do is pay close attention. When I'm tempted to retreat into my privilege, I think of them, and it motivates me to keep using whatever tools, talent, and privilege I have to do more and do better. LBP: As an artist, how does your “queerness" or sexual orientation show up in your creative work? LW: I've been writing about being queer since I before I realized I was queer! Songs about feeling trapped, coming out, getting divorced, hating myself, being in love, getting my heart broken, religious hypocrites, getting married, feeling rejected, you name it. Add to that layers of grief from my mother's untimely death, and all I'm saying is you should probably take a box of tissue with you to my Spotify channel or Youtube page. LBP: What queer-centered artists, shows, films, podcasts, authors, etc. are you into right now? LW: I love how the queer and trans characters in The Chi have robust storylines- they're not just there to gawk at, and the audience has to get on board or get left behind. I also am so enamored by David's character in Schitt's Creek. The other characters poke fun at his many quirks, but never throw cheap shots at his sexuality. We wouldn't have authentic storytelling like this without queer folks like Lena Waithe and Daniel Levy at the helm. Representation matters! As for queer musicians, I love The Harmaleighs, Julianna Zachariou, Miki Vale, Tori Roze, The Banduvloons, Rhythm Turner, Jules Stewart, Veronica May, Becca Jay, and the list goes on and on. For visuals, check out Sydney Prather, Alyssa Douglas of City6 Studios), Sharisse Coulter, and Eboni Harvey aka EB OF COURSE. LBP: What are some of your favorite LGBTQ+ organizations or businesses you'd recommend our readers look into, buy from, donate to, volunteer for, etc.? LW: Grassroots mutual aid is where it's at. No bureaucracy, no BS, no brownie points; just an immediate redistribution of resources from folks who have a little extra to folks who don't have enough. Two examples of this with queer community organizers leading the charge are We All We Got SD and Black Womxn Deserve. LBP: Is there anything else you'd like to mention in closing? LW: I would encourage anyone living in the US who can say with a straight face that the personal is not political for them, to think about how insulated they are in their privilege. I believe this pandemic has ushered in an opportunity for us to decide what kind of people we want to be and what kind of communities we want to live in. We have to start taking care of each other, we have to stay engaged, and we have to stop waiting for someone else to do the work. To find out more about Lindsay White, visit https://www.lindsaywhitemusic.com. Stay tuned throughout the month of July for more Queer Voices interviews!
Thanks to all who participated in June's Creative Process collaborative journal series - if you missed any of the entries, please click on the pictures below to read the work of members who contributed their writing, poems, music, etc. Don't forget to join us in July for Queer Voices, an interview series featuring some of Lady Brain Collective's LGBTQ+ members. Image description: Two rows of three photos each. Top row, left to right: Lisa Brackmann, Susan Lipson, Lizzie Wann. Bottom row, left to right: Lindsay White, Tori Roze, and Mary Hamer. Click on individual image to see full blog and full image description.
In today's edition of “Creative Process" we feature a statement from Lindsay White, founder of Lady Brain Presents, written with the help and input of several friends, mentors, and Lady Brain Collective members and sent to local government officials leading into this week's City Council meeting and vote on city funding. image description: colorful writing pens overlaid on photo of Lindsay White, who is standing in the street and holding her hand over her eyes to block the sun. original photo credit: Sydney Prather Official Statement to Local Officials from Lady Brain Presents and Members of the Lady Brain Collective
Last Edit: June 8, 2020; 1:36 pm My name is Lindsay White, and I am the founder and managing member of Lady Brain Presents, a collective of womxn-identifying creatives based in San Diego. Since our inception in late 2018, we have been committed to carving out a place for womxn creatives in our city, creating opportunities where they don’t already exist, exposing the community to our members’ work, and offering assistance/resistance to health and social justice matters affecting our membership and communities. We have until now avoided issuing monolithic social and political statements because our membership consists of so many diverse voices and forms of expression, and we typically prefer to lift up these voices artistically via our monthly, member-led community gatherings. Our very existence is a social and political statement, and our work speaks for itself. However, current events that directly violate the safety of our members and threaten our values and mission compel many of us to speak out publicly. As a womxn-identified group we have a vested interest in racial justice because racial justice is a feminist issue. Structural racism is built into the fabric of society, and is therefore impossible to separate from the intersecting forms of oppression womxn face. Fighting to dismantle one form must involve fighting to dismantle all of them. Racial injustice threatens our collective because our members, especially our black members, need to feel safe and supported in their communities in order to thrive. We are a family, and we refuse to silently comply as our BIPoC siblings are forced to process the impossible amounts of trauma, fear, rage, and exhaustion that come with systemic racism and oppression. Many of our members find themselves struggling to create and survive this year due to the mental, physical, and economic ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic; we can not allow their creativity and well-being to be further stifled by locally-sanctioned violence. The safety of our black members at this pivotal moment in history is imperative and urgent. Defunding/demilitarizing/divesting from the police and abolishing ICE are essential to that safety. We have seen over the last weeks unprovoked escalation of peaceful gatherings by police, continued inhumane detainment and deportation of folks seeking asylum, and mistreatment of people of color and undocumented neighbors, friends, and relatives. In the face of budget shortfalls, our Mayor has proposed $27 million increased funding for police with no oversight or accountability for past and current wrongdoing. As long as our city continues to prioritize law enforcement over the well-being, survival, and flourishing of marginalized communities, it’s impossible to trust that safety for communities of color matters to our local leaders. As varying opinions circulate around the concept of defunding law enforcement, we ultimately trust and defer to the leadership of Black Lives Matter San Diego, March 4 Black Womxn San Diego, and other grassroots racial justice organizations to define, implement, and oversee what their communities need. We also call for increased funding for arts and education, healthcare and housing, and other social programs because we know healthy and thriving communities do far more to protect and serve San Diegans than enormous police budgets ever could. We know ours is a voice that matters and we are committed to lifting up our members because, as the UN reports, “In the long term, societies and economies can only thrive if they make full use of women’s skills and capacities.” We will be watching, voting, and focusing much of our art and action toward racial justice until the demands of Black Lives Matter: San Diego and March 4 Black Womxn San Diego are met. And we will always fight for the interests of all womxn-identifying creatives in this community, which will in turn lift up the communities of which they are a part and the health and social justice issues they care about. Supporting the safety, health, and well-being of womxn sends a positive ripple effect into our community, the world, and future generations. It’s time to dismantle the institutionalized racism that has interrupted that ripple for far too long. In solidarity, Lindsay White Founder of Lady Brain Presents & Member of Lady Brain Collective Marie Haddad Lady Brain Collective Member Barbara Rutherford Lady Brain Collective Member Lisa Brackmann Lady Brain Collective Member Noelle Pederson Lady Brain Collective Member Cathryn Beeks Lady Brain Collective Member Stacy Antonel Lady Brain Collective Member Jules Stewart Lady Brain Collective Member Amy Day Lady Brain Collective Member Lizzie Wann Lady Brain Collective Member Marlo Smith Lady Brain Collective Member Mayzie Smith-Moors Lady Brain Collective Member Ramona Ault Lady Brain Collective Member Kinnie Dye Lady Brain Collective Member Lauren Leigh Martin Lady Brain Collective Member Astra Kelly Lady Brain Collective Member Karen Lindenberg Lady Brain Collective Member Julia Sage Lady Brain Collective Member Marcia Claire Lady Brain Collective Member Ren Daversa Lady Brain Collective Member Rebekkah Baronkay Lady Brain Collective Member Mary Hamer Lady Brain Collective Member Sharisse Coulter Lady Brain Collective Member Rachel Riba Lady Brain Collective Member Sandi King Lady Brain Collective Member Emily Bartell Lady Brain Collective Member Tori Roze Lady Brain Collective Member Susan Lipson Lady Brain Collective Member Thanks so much to everyone who tuned in to our Mother's Day brunch on Instagram Live yesterday! It was our first time live streaming from that platform, and we had a great time celebrating mothers/motherhood. Special thanks to our performers Thea! The Band, Mary Bee, Karina Frost, Gretchen DeVault and Lindsay White for putting on a great show!
Don't forget to circle back to the blog next month for our June virtual community gathering called Creative Process. This collaborative journaling project will showcase the written work on several Lady Brain Members, serving as a time capsule of sorts to mark this moment and movement in time. We love a good takeover! Cross-collaborating with our friends in the creative community is where it's at. On Sunday, April 19 from 1:30-4pm, Lady Brain Collective will be featured (along with book club members) at the San Diego Songwriter's Book Club series, which is organized and hosted by collective member Unison Colthurst. What is a songwriter's book club, you might ask? Well, it's like a regular book club, only members take inspiration from the pages of each selected book (or titles, or cover, or pictures, or whatever they feel like) and create brand new songs. Then everyone comes together to discuss the book and share their songs. It's quite magical.
This series has been running for several years, but recently, gracious host and fearless leader Unison has opened up these showcases for our non-songwriting friends and music/book-lovers to attend for a small donation of $5-10. Optional potluck too! The selected title for this event is The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls by Mona Eltahawy. Featured Lady Brain Collective performers will be Danielle Angeloni, Unison Colthurst, Rebekkah Darling, Michele Palmer, Amy Day, Lindsay White and more! If you would like to perform and/or attend, please stay RSVP to Unison for address/info. |
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