Success!

Hi everyone,

IDKcE was a great success. Childcare was fun, safe and well integrated into the larger conference.

My experience at this conference's childcare was so inspiring. When the children ran beyond the confines of our couch fort, set up camp under dinner tables and danced in the middle of the floor, conference goers were delighted, helpful and respectful.

For some reason, my pessimistic self worried about childcare being in the main room, and not set apart. I worried that people might make anti-kid remarks or hate the noise or look at us weird. But it was just the opposite. There were no weird looks, or snide remarks (that I heard at least -- there's my pessimism again).

When one of the kids wanted to play on the stage right before a speaker was to go on, another conference goer (Debra Kate you rock!) helped me to convince her that getting off the stage would be just as fun. When that same kid decided right before dinner was to be served to tuck her stuffed animals in for a nap under the tables, the conference goers were delighted and encouraging. The kids were incorporated in these ways as any other person at the conference was.

Kids listened to Kate Bornstein's workshop, danced, played dress up (some of the best drag queens ever!), drew crayon mustaches on their faces, drank incredible amounts of juice, watched Talbolt do some amazing puppet characters and more.

Simply put, I had fun.

For me this was childcare done right. Oh, and best of all, the local organizing committee (gender justice collective -- Xander, especially) thanked us for our hard work. Being thanked seems small. But to be thanked for our hard work, appreciated for making the conference more accessible, was wonderful and perhaps we don't hear it enough, because I was so surprised and appreciative for those two simple words.

So I will say these lovely words too:
Thank you, IDKcE and the Gender Justice Collective!

Thank you, amazing volunteers (Alina, Aimee, Talbolt, Laura, Michael, Daniel, Sergio, Ciara, Annie, Anna, and Bonnie!).

Thank you, children who we had so much fun with (Farren, Lotus, Sunny, Mirah, and Willow).

Thank you, fellow collective members (Yay for Sara SK, China and Sine!).

yours for the on-going inter-generational revolution,

Harriet

SUPER KIDz!!! Gender Justice at IDKcE Baltimore!

Hi everyone,

The International Drag King (gender performance) Community Extravaganza Conference is only two weeks away.

There is a conference with workshops, and shows every night. Go to their website for more info -- http://www.idkexii.com/about/main.html

It's from Oct 20-24!

And of course, because we're involved, there will be childcare!!!! (We would advertise a conference that didn't!)

We're calling it Super Kidz and we're very excited to announce workshops and a safe, fun space for children 12 and under. We will also have a sleep over night for parents wanting to attend and perform in Showcase. (For parents and caretakers performing/attending other nights, please contact us.)

What we still need:

VOLUNTEERSSSSSS!!!! (please contact Harriet to volunteer - moonharriet@gmail.com)
STUFFFFF!!!! (we need supplies, food, drinks, crafty things, etc. please contact Sarah SK - whitney.sk@gmail.com)
WORKSHOPPERRRSSS!!! (as always we want to offer children some great workshops, especially those that incorporate performance, justice, and resistance to oppression. please contact Sine - me.sine@gmail.com)
PARREEENTTTS / CARETAKERRRSS!!! (if you want to chat with our parent liaison please contact China - radkidcare@gmail.com)


We hope to hear from you all soon!

eternally yours for the inter-generational revolution,

KIDz CITY!
p.s. If you're on Facebook so is IDKcE and KIDz CITY. Search for IDKE on the search bar and do the same for KIDz CITY. We want to be your virtual (and actual) friends. :)