Announcing Our Fully Funded Pilot!
A few days ago, I shared five things artists can do to become independent. I wrote about the steps, the hustle, and the vision required to build a sustainable creative life. Today, I’m overwhelmed with joy to share a significant milestone in my own journey of artistic and economic freedom: the Labor Pains project is taking a giant leap forward.
I am absolutely thrilled to announce that our pilot series of workshops in Albany, NY, this summer has been fully funded by a generous grant from the Advance Albany County Alliance Art and Culture Advisory Committee!
This support is a game-changer. It not only legitimizes the work but affirms its relevance and necessity. With this funding, we can provide high-quality, impactful workshops that truly serve Black women in Albany County. It also allows me to complete essential research at the Schuyler Mansion and Crailo State Historic Site, deepening the historical roots of this project.
Perhaps most thrilling of all, this grant provides the seed for something I’ve dreamed of: the creation of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This new entity, operating in both New York and California, will be the vessel for Labor Pains and future creative works. It will be a home for exploring the creative processes and social practices that promote communal healing.
For me, this is the culmination of the principles I wrote about. This is my path to independence. The freedom to be my own nonprofit, to steer my own ship, grants a level of autonomy over my time and talent that I have never enjoyed before.
This autonomy is freedom.
This idea of what it means to be free has been at the forefront of my mind lately, especially because our freedoms are being systematically challenged from all angles. The fight for autonomy is not an abstract concept; it is a daily, urgent reality.
We see it in new legislation like the “Big Beautiful Bill” recently passed in the House of Representatives. On the surface, it speaks of work benefits, but it includes a requirement for a household to prove 80 hours of work per month to maintain them. With the exorbitant cost of childcare in this country, we know that this responsibility will inequitably fall on women, forcing an impossible choice between economic stability and caring for their families. This isn’t a pathway to prosperity; it’s a barrier designed to penalize caregivers.
The erosion of freedom extends to our most personal decisions. In a growing number of states, a woman’s control over her own body is no longer guaranteed. The state can now intervene and override our advance medical directives if we are pregnant and incapacitated, negating our expressed wishes about our own life and care. The ability to express, explore, and embody freedom is vital for each of us, especially now as a tide of verbal, emotional, and overt violence against Black women increases daily. Our very existence is politicized and threatened.
It is within this reality that the work of communal healing becomes an act of resistance. It’s a central question I hope to explore within the workshops. My deepest desire is for the Black women who participate to leave feeling empowered to carve their own unique paths toward what freedom feels like embodied in them.
The work continues, and I am so excited to share it with you. If you are in the Albany area, I would love to see you at these upcoming performances:
- June 14th: I will be performing at the Underground Railroad Education Center‘s Juneteenth festival. The celebration begins at 1 PM at 194 Livingston Ave, Albany. Come out and support this incredible community event.
- July 13th: I’ll be performing a scene from SIDES, the powerful 2022 political thriller by Creative Action Unlimited, as part of their 10-year anniversary celebration. Join us at the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy, NY, at 1 PM.This journey is proof that when you pour your labor into your vision, the support will come. Thank you for being a part of this community.
Our Call to Action:
Your support means the world. Please help us spread the word by sharing this post and following our journey on all social media platforms at @laborpainsproject. Subscribe to our channels and stay tuned for what’s next!
Let’s build this future together.
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