Cruisin Jams

Theo Hilton interviews artists Abdi Farah, Akasha Rabut, Ashely Teamer and Dapper Bruce Lafitte, along with printers and show organizers Cora Lautze and Julian Wellisz. Through the lens of high school football, acrylic nails, black-hair trends, and marching bands, respectively, these four New Orleans artists examine and portray identity as personal, political, communal and distinctly New Orleanian. Cora Lautze and Julian Wellisz comprise What Editions - a New Orleans based print-production studio specializing in intaglio, relief and screen, that collaborates with artists to produce limited edition print series and curates these works for galleries. On view: February 4 - March 8 Opening Reception: FRIDAY, February 7th 6:00-10:00 Daily hours: Tuesday through Sunday 12-5

Cashauna Hill is the executive director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center. Their Fit For A King summit takes place Thursday, January 16, 2020 from 9AM-3PM at the New Orleans Jazz Market. https://fitforaking.org/lafhac-2 https://lafairhousing.org https://www.facebook.com/fitforakingband/

From the website: Nia Weeks is the Founder and Executive Director of Citizen SHE United, and advocacy group in Louisiana that is building an aligned base of Black Women who inform, advocate for and enact a collective policy agenda to address the needs of Black Women across the state. She is the former director of Policy and Advocacy at Women With A Vision located in New Orleans Louisiana. Nia is a native of New Orleans, and has spent years fighting for the rights of women, children, and families. Nia received her bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Women’s studies at Indiana State University, where her advocacy training began. After completing her undergraduate education, she worked in public relations before beginning law school. She then graduated with a law degree from the Loyola School of Law in New Orleans in 2009. Her post Law School career has been immersed in work that focuses on addressing a variety of systemic issues that marginalized community members have asked to be examined. The year immediately following law school, she clerked for a City Court Judge.

FROM THE N2A WEBSITE OUR VISION: We envision a world in which families and communities are not divided by systems of incarceration and in which we all work collectively to fight mass incarceration, and other interconnected systems of oppression, to create a just world for everyone. OUR MISSION: Nola to Angola organizes an annual bicycle ride to Angola Prison to support and fund the Cornerstone Builders Bus Project, which connects families to their incarcerated loved ones. We also organize a shorter social justice ride around New Orleans to highlight the work of community partners fighting mass incarceration. We educate people about the ways in which mass incarceration works in tandem with other systems of oppression, such as poverty and white supremacy, to disproportionately harm members of our communities. We do this through collective organizing, as well as leading training rides and educational events. We prioritize partnering with organizations led by formerly-incarcerated people and people of color, and work to support their leadership on prison justice issues.

Interviews with Stand With Dignity organizer Alfred Marshall and 350 New Orleans organizer Renate Heurich about current campaigns and major events this week.

Interview with Wiggy, Toni, and Alaina from the Real Name Campaign. The Real Name Campaign is a grassroots effort to make legal name and gender marker changes more accessible in Orleans Parish. They are hosting a fundraiser dinner Thursday, September 12 at 125 N. Carrollton. Info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1634856293314347/ Petition here: https://saymyname.typeform.com/to/YsFj5E

Interview with Alliance for Affordable Energy director Logan Burke about their upcoming Renewable Portfolio Symposium https://www.facebook.com/events/2133373293620782/ From All4Energy Website: "Want a Renewable-Powered New Orleans? In response to community voices like yours asking for a clean and affordable energy future, a process is underway to develop the first Renewable Portfolio Standard in the region. A coalition of local and national advocates are working together on a plan that ensures equitable outcomes & prioritizes resilience. Come to the symposium on June 15th, learn more, and tell us what you want to see for New Orleans' energy future." The song is "Electricity, Electricity" recorded by the band Goodness for the School House Rock Rocks compilation

From website: "Founded in 2004 by New Orleans artists and activists, PATOIS has premiered hundreds of powerful social justice-oriented films from around the world while highlighting brilliant local filmmakers and vital grassroots organizations. PATOIS is dedicated to nurturing the New Orleans' human rights community, supporting the work of organizers and organizations involved in these struggles, and providing a forum for artistic expression of local and international issues." https://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/3943304

Holodeck Heart is a Seattle and Portland based Indie-Queer-Star-Trek-Fan-Fiction Band led by the Queer/Trans dou Angeline (Fear Kittens, Vegan Seagull) and Korel Ponti-Foss (The Waltz Invention, Lesbian Lover Duo aka BiSexual Boyfriend). Formed officially in 2014, HH started out of a friendship and mutual love of watching Star Trek to get through the deep anxiety and depression of the Bush era. Though HH writes love songs based in the Star Trek Universe, the songs are accessible to the Trek lover and non-Trekkie alike (though some have been known to start watching after a show!), Holodeck Heart believes that Star Trek offers a unique venue to explore queer love and politics in a nostalgic and comedic way.

Holodeck Heart is a Seattle and Portland based Indie-Queer-Star-Trek-Fan-Fiction Band led by the Queer/Trans dou Angeline (Fear Kittens, Vegan Seagull) and Korel Ponti-Foss (The Waltz Invention, Lesbian Lover Duo aka BiSexual Boyfriend). Formed officially in 2014, HH started out of a friendship and mutual love of watching Star Trek to get through the deep anxiety and depression of the Bush era. Though HH writes love songs based in the Star Trek Universe, the songs are accessible to the Trek lover and non-Trekkie alike (though some have been known to start watching after a show!), Holodeck Heart believes that Star Trek offers a unique venue to explore queer love and politics in a nostalgic and comedic way.