A collective of womxn* dedicated to addressing the intertwined challenges of displacement, racial justice, and climate justice gathers for the second time, on the Island of Portland. This 3-day gathering is organised during b-side Festival, connecting to the Festival programme and b-side team and network.
Our Gathering is a continuation of our shared journey with a group of womxn practitioners that began in November 2023 — one built on connections around collaboration, creativity, and radical care. Together, we will continue to shape this space, allowing our practices to speak of our own and each other’s work. It is curated in collaboration with socially engaged artist Dana Olărescu.
Our approach for this Gathering can be grounded in Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown, which emphasises that profound change begins with small, intentional actions. We will embrace this philosophy as we engage in intimate, radical conversations that plant the seeds of transformation. These dialogues—full of insight, discomfort, and revelation—hold the power to shape movements that confront and dismantle systems of oppression.
Our work here is contextual, deeply tied to the immediate tensions surrounding us, such as the hostile environment and immigration policies symbolised by the Bibby Stockholm barge and the larger global conflicts like the ongoing genocide in Palestine, conflicts and emergencies in Sudan, DRC, Yemen, Bangladesh, as well as countries embroiled within the continuities of colonial legacies and histories. These events are inextricably linked to our explorations of settler colonialism and environmental justice. Our partnerships with the b-side team and Dhaqan Collective, and through their project House of Weaving Songs, enrich our understanding of cultural memory and resilience, particularly within the communities on the Isle of Portland and Somali communities in Bristol and elsewhere.
A key question we will explore is how we continue to work together and also how to document these radical conversations—capturing their transformative potential in a way that resonates with broader audiences and allies. Our aim is not just to record but to craft narratives that carry forward the energy and intent of our collective work.
Throughout our time together, we invite you to fully engage, rest when needed, and bring as much of yourselves into this space as you can. Through walks, meals, discussions, and reflection, let us co-create a space where our practices can be supported and where we can envision new paths forward.
As adrienne maree brown reminds us, “small is all.” Every action, every conversation is an opportunity to shape the future we want—a future where justice, care, and freedom for all are central to our movements.
*We use this term to include transgender women and nonbinary people.
Our Programme:
Joining:
Our growing network includes the following practitioners who were part of the November 2023 gathering:
Abigail Reynolds, Artist
Annie Hall, Counterpoints Operations Manager
Carmel King, Photographer
Dalia Al-Dujaili, Writer, Editor, Producer
Deborah Yewande Bankole, Creative producer, Strategist, Researcher
Farah Ahmed, Climate Justice Organiser, Facilitator, Creative Producer and Curator
Georgia Beeston, Co-Founder of Bosla Arts, Senior Digital Officer at PEN International
Henna Asikainen, Artist
Lara Deffense, Refugee Week UK Coordinator
Kaajal Modi, Multidisciplinary Artist and Researcher
Mariana Pinto Leitão Pereira, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Heritage for Global Challenges Research Centre, University of York
Naima Khan, Counterpoints’ Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Director of feminist, Muslim organisation the Inclusive Mosque Initiative
Sandy Leong, artist
zoë laureen palmer, Artist, Writer and Human Ecologist
Thank you to our network, and to our friends at b-side Festival for their support.
Image credit: Carmel King. Gathering Part 1, at Hawkwood College, November 2023
