The Gulf South Climate Justice Artist and Cultural Organizer Convening
June 9-11
New Orleans / Bulbancha
Welcome!
We are looking forward to you all gathering in New Orleans / Bulbancha. You are artists, organizers, activists, scholars and culture workers from Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi – plus a few folks from other regions. We are gathering as companions on this journey of living in the Gulf South during an era of extraction and climate change. We are gathering to learn about, celebrate and support each other’s work; to think about our current moment through a tour of New Orleans’ climate justice struggles; to see performance that grapples with our interconnectedness with our bodies, the land and the ocean; to dream towards the future together.
Attendee list HERE.
Schedule
THURSDAY 6/8
Arrivals for Out of Town Attendees
FRIDAY 6/9
Location: André Cailloux Center for the Arts, 2541 Bayou Rd
9:30am
Arrivals, Coffee, Pastries, Protein
10am
Opening Ceremony: ritual and introductions. Featuring Denise Frazier, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, Monique Verdin, Aussetua Amor Amenkum, Lauren Turner and Sunni Patterson.
11am
Story Circles to ground us in our work
1pm
Lunch provided on site.
2:30pm
Mapping/Collective drawing to share out the work and the vision
4:45pm
Dinner on own (stay tuned for suggestions!)
7pm
Performance, The Defiance of Dandelions, part of the We Will Dream Festival produced by No Dream Deferred. The convening covers the cost of your ticket.
9:00pm
Option hang, MK Wegmann’s home @ 2017 Chartres St
SATURDAY 6/10
Location: Morning bus tour starts @ Congo Square, 701 N Rampart Street; Lunch and afternoon session @ Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp Street.
9:00am
Gather at Congo Square for start of the tour.
9:30am-1pm
Bus tour: Lines, Scars, Diversions, Flow
We will travel on a loop down the St. Claude Corridor, past the Gordon Plaza Superfund site, to the Caernarvan River Diversion, to the edge of Lincoln Beach. Along the way we will talk about the land, and battles for the land, and lines drawn to keep people from land and new growth / battles won. With art bursts along the way. Featuring Frederick “Hollywood” Delahoussaye, Jeffery Darensbourg, Shana griffin, Monique Verdin, Raymond “Mosse” Jackson, Sage Michael Pellet and Sha’Condria “iCon” Sibley.
1-2:15pm
Lunch provided at the Contemporary Arts Center
In the mid-1990’s, John O’Neal and Junebug Productions joined forces with national collaborators to curate and produce a performance festival to raise awareness around issues of environmental racism in the United States. This expansive festival featured the premiere of ten original artworks. Join us for an intergenerational panel of artists, producers and environmental justice leaders in conversation about the festival and the work it launched that continues today. Moderated by Nick Slie, with Kathy Randels, Carol Bebelle, Renee Miller, MK Wegmann and Cherise Nelson Harrison.
4:30pm
Break: Dinner on own
7:30pm
Performance of Ocean Filibuster by PearlDamour at the Contemporary Arts Center
SUNDAY 6/11
Location: Tulane River and Coastal Center, 1370 Port of New Orleans Place
9:30am
Gather, Light Snacks, bring your own coffee
10:00-2:30pm
Visioning, Closing Discussion & Closing Ceremony, lunch provided.
5:00pm
Option hang, tbd
MONDAY 6/12
Departures for out of town participants
