Calling Up Justice and One Free Community produced another awesome Accessible Virtual Pride August 31 and Sept 1. We gathered to celebrate LGBTQAI2S+ and Disabled community in safe and accessible circumstances. We have been frustrated by the inability to attend Pride events in person due to a lack of masking in your communities so stone soup style we produced this program for us by us.
Accessible Virtual Pride uses our Stone Soup producing model, centering Crip Time and tech systems that support open-space design. This approach allows us to quickly produce work with minimal resources, responding rapidly to needs. The concept of “many hands make light work” is key—when we have enough people to share responsibilities, we build resilience. Everyone is invited to participate and contribute to the event’s content and structure. People contribute what they can, whether as donors or by offering their skills, and the events remain free for all to attend.
🌈 Accessible Virtual Pride Celebration: Uniting Covid Cautious LGBTQAI2S+ and Allies! This year our event included an art gallery, gathertown space, workshops, vendor booths, and a live stream event. Read below about
Click here to read the 2024 Schedule
Workshops Aug 31, 2024 from 10am – 4pm Pacific time
Livestream Sept 1, 2024 from 1pm – 2pm Pacific time with Dance Party after!
2024 Accessible Virtual Pride Live-Stream
On Sunday, our 2024 Accessible Virtual Pride event presented report outs from all our activities on Saturday and included original speeches and performances. Co-hosted by Claudia Alick and Jesenia DeLourdes, the event celebrated marginalized identities and emphasized the need for accessible Pride events, especially given the lack of COVID safety measures at many in-person gatherings. The event opened with reflections on the motivations behind Accessible Virtual Pride, introduced Calling Up Justice and One Free Community, followed by a decolonized greeting and a tour of the GatherTown space led by Maiamama.
The program featured a variety of impactful presentations and performances. Robin Wilson-Beattie discussed the intersection of disability and sex work through her presentation, “Pay to Play: Disability & Sex Work in the Past and Present.” Andra Vltavín, a queer, nonbinary climate activist, and Portland City Council candidate shared insights on the importance of resilient strategies and was followed by G.J. from Theories of Care, who presented a report on the Intergenerational Storytelling Circle. Saiara Barbaric showcased a visually stunning dance video titled “A Note to Zora,” exploring connections between ritual, sexuality, and joy through Black southern ritual. Jessica King emphasized the importance of accessibility in digital education. The Broom Circle shared highlights from our Open Mic session, and Beatrice Thomas delivered a multimedia performance honoring queer and Black history through dance.
The event also included community engagement reports and artistic showcases. Janie from Women’s Enabled International led a report that focused on cross-solidarity activism and gender justice, while La Vonn facilitated the BIPOC & Disability Circle, and Cameron from Coast pride held a space for Allies. Makeda Gebre shared about How Money Works Essentials: Take Back Your Money Story. THEM Youth Ensemble shared some great priginal music and we followed it with a share from our The Queer Fashion Show . We also invited all to continue exploring the Accessible Virtual Pride Gallery and Vendor Gallery.
The event concluded with a dynamic performance by Deej, the Drag Royal of Philadelphia, celebrating the beauty and power of Black, trans, nonbinary, and disabled performers. Claudia and Jesenia closed the event by expressing gratitude to the participants and encouraged ongoing involvement and feedback. Everyone then returned to the gathertown for a final dance party.
Special thanks to
Sponsors: Coast Pride, Ability First Ottawa, StimPunk,
List mods: Ezra, G.J., Sabrina, Teenuh, Janie, Somi
Organizers: One Free Community volunteers, Catherine, Luticha, Ry, Maiamama, NeuroVapor!
