Hey White Girl at Joe’s Movement Emporium, May 8, In Person

On Stage at Joe’s presents
Hey White Girl
Saturday May 8, 2021, at 7 pm

Location: Joe’s Movement Emporium.

In the original form, our answer to “What do we want to achieve?” remains: An honest, vulnerable dialogue based on our collective willingness to listen across racial divides based on the shared experience of witnessing the performance.

As such, how we frame the conversation in performance can and should be rooted in the most relevant conversation for the community – which will impact the title. The current title, “Hey White Girl” came about organically as a subversive use of the phrase – my original collaborator, Greer Reed, uses the term affectionately with me; and she taught me the emergent strategy of “calling in” vs. “calling out”. It evolved with the version with Tuyet and I; and, I am excited to follow the work where it leads now. As such the description from our application may still be sound – with tweaks to the title as we decide on topic:

A duet between Americans dancing across the racial divide. They have come to the table, but now what? Featuring poetry and movement by Tuyet Pham and Kelly King. Hey White Girl is part of “Awkward Conversations” – A series of artistic interventions to help groups and individuals practice having difficult conversations. The audience is invited to participate in an Awkward Conversation following the performance.

An aside, I have lived in DC since 1998 (now in Brookland). I have seen the waves of gentrification – and have been tossed about the city as I was priced out of housing. We are all in the midst of the greatest trauma of a century with the pandemic. We are also in the greatest science experiment none of us signed up for with how zoom and other video technologies will impact our brains/bodies/and development. There are many, many topics we could (and should) explore. As a parent of three children, the inequalities in education right now (online access + curriculum) is staggering. Not to mention food and housing insecurity for the DMV. I say this to open us to the possibilities of topic. However, I think listening across racial divides is paramount to this work – as that is root genesis of the entire project. And, going deeper into my personal philosophy: I am here for love. My work is rooted in love-based activism: I set the table with love – it is what is served, shared, and generated by my work. I am rooted in the writings of adrienne marie brown, rev angel kyodo williams, and bell hooks for context on liberatory, love based activism.

Masks are required for this in-person event.

Tickets $20 General Admission; $10 Seniors, Veterans, Under 16. Click here.