Workshop Two: Native American Two-Spirit Style and Dance from Sheldon Raymore (Room 141)

Sheldon Raymore will speak about the concept of Two Spirit people and their places in today's contemporary Indigenous societies.  The term is intended to unite Indigenous Cis-gender & Transgender, gender fluid, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people under one spirit name.  Presentation will include historical and contemporary dress styles of Two-Spirit People as well as a mini display of clothing samples inspired from the Two-Spirit Nation.

This is a public forum salon-style event exploring survival, identity and the future co-organized and facilitated by What Would an HIV Doula Do? , including a founding member, Theodore (ted) Kerr.

Inspired by the urgency of the AIDS crisis informed 1994 ACT UP poster, HOW MANY OF US WILL BE ALIVE FOR STONEWALL 35?, the What Would an HIV Doula Do? collective invites you to a public forum on queer wellbeing for Stonewall 50 that asks: HOW MANY OF US WILL BE THRIVING FOR STONEWALL 100? 

On the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, we remember those that continue to put their bodies on the line to push back against marginalization and abuse. WWHIVDD drags forward previous and ongoing concerns, while making space to discuss overlooked and newly emerging issues for queer communities. We invite you to join this interactive discussion with community members, artists, well-informed peers and trained facilitators. Together, through conversation and performance, we will explore what is meant by wellbeing, and talk about what we need to survive, and thrive for the next 50 years both individually, and communally.

The forum will include issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, expression, disability, economics, spirituality, geography, and so much more. 

POLITICS & RIGHTS|HISTORY & LEARNING
2 Spirits & HIV Conference2 SPIRITS & HIV CONFERENCE
2 Spirits & HIV: a conference for Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Native Americans affected by HIV.

DATE: Saturday , June 29th, 2019 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
LOCATION: Abrons Arts Center
466 Grand St. NY, NY, 10022

Mistress of Ceremony: PrEPahHontoz aka Sheldon Raymore

Hosted by the Two Spirit Indigenous People’s Association in coordination with WorldPride and the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. With generous support from the American Indian Community House, NYC Pride, Gilead, Indian Health Service with funds from the Secretary's Minority AIDS Initiative Fund, and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board.

Were pleased to announce our 2nd annual Two-Spirits and HIV: a conference for Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Native Americans affected by HIV co-presented with the Abrons Arts Center on June 29th, 2019. The first annual was held in 1991. Were honored to have confirmed three of our speakers: Isadore Boni a member of the San Carlos Apache Nation is a 50+HIV Survivor, Educator and Advocate, Trevor Stratton of Ojibwe Heritage from the International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS, and Ron Rowell a member of the Choctaw Nation and Founder of National Native American AIDS Prevention Center. Our conference will feature workshops and breakout sessions that will inform and impact our communities through best practices and/or policy changes, while enhancing our communities social justice and holistic wellness toolbox, providing ways to care for ourselves and each other as part of an effective treatment and prevention plan.

Curtis Harris-Davia (San Carlos Apache), a TSIPA organizer and one of the founding members of New York City's "We'Wah and Bar-Chee-Ampe" - the second ever Two-Spirit organization in the United States, has been advocating for the Two-Spirit community since 1989. He continued to do so at the HOP town hall meeting on August 13th where he demanded that HOP include the "TS" in "TSLGBTQ" on all print media and communication for WorldPride 2019/Stonewall 50. This gesture would show respect for the First People of Turtle Island as well as honor Two-Spirit Indigenous People who are an integral part of the modern LGBTQ+ movement

"We are inviting Indigenous people from all over the world to march with us, and to come to our fire" says Harris-Davia.

“Not only is two-spirit representation crucial, but providing culturally appropriate safer spaces for our youth and elders to enjoy pride as Indigenous people is paramount,” Says TSIPA organizer Tony Enos (Cherokee), a strong two-spirit activist and singer/songwriter/Producer.

Enos continued, “Our community will have a chance to express our pride. With a volatile history of our Indigenous voices being minimized and silenced, we will not be the forgotten people any longer. That includes during WorldPride.”

This program is a proud recipient of a 2019 NYC Pride Gives Back Grant!

https://2019-worldpride-stonewall50.nycpride.org/events/2-spirits-and-hiv-conference/

Heritage of Pride "Community Hero" Sheldon Raymore will be on the lead float for the WorldPride|Stonewall 50 March.