On Sunday September 9th 2018, a bold, brave, yet overdue event will take place in Hackney.
Hackney has hosted a Caribbean-style carnival for the past 23 years – melding the Caribbean/Latin American carnival traditions of masquerade and steel bands with more modern sound-system culture. Hackney Carnival is billed as a ‘celebration of Hackney’s thriving cultures and outstanding creativity’. In 2017, 23 resident/community groups contributed to the event . . . in 2018 there will be another, Hackney’s Black LGBTQI communities.
The idea to create Hackney Carnival’s first queer-led space came from a group of Queer, Trans, Intersex and Non-binary People of Colour that were invited by Hackney 365 to think about diversity and inclusivity within Hackney. This group then branched out to create Hackney 365’s QTIPOC community group. A community group that is open to those from Hackney’s QTIPOC communities to work with the council’s Pride campaigns.
BlackoutUK are proud supporters of this work and will be there in support – and to shake a foot! If you’d like to help us make the event even more special we’re open to ideas – do get in touch
In their own words:
Faggamuffin Bloc Party’s mission is to increase the visibility of QTIPOC Pride at Carnival. This space is about staking our claim to Carnival, affirming our identities and showing pride in our visibility as Queer People of Colour in Hackney.
It’s something that hasn’t been done before, and we have an opportunity to be out in the open and at the centre of a borough-wide celebration of Caribbean tradition. Many of our closeted friends will appreciate that openness. Many of us who cannot ‘pass’ will also appreciate the permission it gives to be themselves.
This is an opportunity to stake a claim to a space too long denied. Being unapologetic about our presence will stop us being erased as we have been in the past. As Audre Lorde reminds us ‘your silence will not protect you‘. Faggamuffin Bloc Party is humorous, creative and visibly queer. There might be some controversy about getting noticed; some parents may have to have a conversation with their kids about our presence. Good. Some gay and lesbian parents will be affirmed. Great.
Faggamuffin Bloc Party will take place on Bohemia Place, across from Hackney Central Station. With the support of some local businesses we’ve managed to create a spectacular event that is family friendly, open and free to the public. We hope that this starts a long overdue conversation about queer visibility at Carnival in Hackney and beyond.
Follow the event on Facebook to keep up to date with the latest
DJ Line-up:
Mi TrYb (Totem Bass)
Tayylor Made (Vibrate)
Nadine Artois (Pxssy Palace)
Mark-Ashley Dupé (MiSFiTS London)
K2RAH (So-Future)
JORDSS (GCDJ)
Performances by:
Bad Lay-Dee
Zayn Phallic
KARNAGE
Rhys’ Pieces
+More TBA
Event Artwork by
Ijeoma Uzoukwu (dysectlondon) check their instagram @sasoraye
Details:
Bohemia Place E8 1DU
12pm-6pm
FREE ENTRY ALL DAY
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