Kind morning /Բարի լույս* to you, dear neighbors, artists, collaborators, community partners, co-conspirators, supporters of arts in Skid Row and of doodles without borders,
*the morning greeting in Armenian translates as “kind morning” (բարի լույս [baree looys])
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February is celebrated as Black History Month in u.s. empire, a time to especially underscore going beyond celebration of history alone, and finding ways to align with Black liberation, Pan-African liberation as part of collective liberation work globally!
Following and supporting the work of Black Alliance for Peace is one such starting point
HIGHLIGHTS in and near SKID ROW, February 2024
Some neighborhood events, celebrations, and parties to join
1) Friday, Feb 2, 7pm, MOVIE NIGHT “Boyd Street Fire” at Skid Row Museum (250 S Broadway)
2) Saturday, Feb 10, 1-5pm, ***9th Annual Bob Marley Day*** with Sir Oliver (at Skid Row Museum)
3)Thursday, Feb 15, 12-3pm – Marketplace at LACAN (838 E 6th St)
4) Friday, Feb 16, 7pm: MOVIE NIGHT at LA poverty department‘s Skid Row Museum
5) Tues, Feb 20, 10:30-12 Creative Writing @ Skid Row Museum
6) Fri, Feb 23, 10a-3p: ***24th Annual Skid Row’s Black History Celebration*** at San Julian Park, stay tuned for details via UCEPP
7) Friday, Feb 23, 5-7:30pm, Open Mic with Lorinda @ Skid Row Museum
To view or print the full monthly calendar, go to doodleswithoutborders.com/calendar
ONGOING
“Visions of Transcendence: Creating Space in East and West” at Wende Museum in Culver City, including a number of Skid Row neighborhood artists is up until April 7, 2024. Entrance is Free. Fri-Sun 10a-5p (10808 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90230)
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Early March 2024: Projected opening of the new exhibit at Skid Row Museum relating to life of unhoused people in hotels during early years of Covid.
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THOUGHTS ALOUD
OPEN MICS are among the places to come together, and plant seeds of collective struggle. We, the people living in “the belly of the beast” (u.s. empire) have become more and more aware not just about the many parts of the world where genoc/da/ violence is taking place–from Pa/est/ne to Congo to Sudan to Artsakh and beyond–but how much the funding of genoc/des globally is coming from u.s. empire, and always at the expense of social, racial, gender, and economic violence done onto us here.
As we recognize that a key part of the struggle for liberation is in joining with like-minded folks, I want to highlight local, community OPEN MICS anywhere and everywhere as one entry point to collectivity!
And as someone who used to run an Open Mic, I’m especially heartened to see that there are at least FOUR open mics currently in Skid Row neighborhood:
Weekly –
1) every Thursday, 7-9pm at Peace and Healing Center (116 E 5th St.)
Monthly –
2) every second Friday of the month, 5-7pm, at Studio526 (526 San Pedro St)
3) every third Thursday, 12-3pm as part of LACAN‘s Marketplace (838 E 6th St)
4) every last Friday of the month, 5-7:30pm with Lorinda at LA Poverty Dept‘s Skid Row Museum (250 S. Broadway)
dwb ONLINE:
1) Doodles without Borders (dwb) is now on Instagram / Facebook.
2) There is a monthly dwb Skid Row Community & Arts Calendar. If you do community strengthening work in Skid Row and know of an event/meeting that should be on there, please share.
3) Latest addition – dwb wishlist! You can find it here: bit.ly/dwbwishlist
Why support storage of Skid Row artist work?
Support Artwork Storage as a Human Right (and Collective Responsibility)
A shameless plug asking for your support of Community Arts Depot, a sister project addressing the vital need for artwork storage and access focused on Skid Row neighborhood members and residents.
Artwork Storage as a Human Right – a glimpse from the Community Arts Depot story.
UPDATE: We received a mini-grant from Skid Row Arts Alliance as well as a grant from CCI which will help to cover rent, insurance, and other expenses, many thanks to both groups!! And to all the individuals who have supported and continue to support us; we could not have gotten here without you!!! More details to come in the coming months, including possible additional resources we may be able to expand! We still continue to need support as this project’s sustainability is wholly dependent on grassroots support. To donate to the campaign click HERE!
Quote of the month
“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.”
― James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
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For previous newsletter(s), go to www.doodleswithoutborders.com homepage
Community Artivism 