Building on conversations about the disappearance of queer women’s spaces in Toronto, the LABORATORY OF FEMINIST MEMORY II: PLACE AND DISPLACEMENT aims to remember the vibrant and magical spaces we once had, and to rebuild new intersectional queer feminist spaces.This cabaret features an intergenerational, intersectional roster of films, speakers and performers including:

Leen Amarin is a poet, activist and researcher. Committed to equity and anti-oppression organizing and advocacy, she is the co-Founder of SWANA (Southwest Asian & North African) creative collective, Diaspora Express, and a researcher with Canadian Centre on Statelessness currently working on a project investigating the impacts of colonialism on statelessness within the Indigenous communities of Turtle Island. Leen will be performing her poetry tomorrow night at 7:00 PM at Glad Day Bookshop!

Karleen Pendleton Jimenez is a writer and professor at Trent University. Her two books Are You a Boy or a Girl? and How to Get a Girl Pregnant were both Lambda Literary finalists. The first is a children’s book chronicling the adventures and challenges of being of tomboy. The second is a memoir about trying to get pregnant as a Chicana, butch, dyke. She has published numerous short stories and personal essays about lesbian desire, Latina ethnicity, and transgressive gender experience. Her award-winning film Tomboy, has been screened around the world.

Jennifer Aja Fernandes is an accomplished writer. She is a VONA alum, and an attendee of Pink Door for female poets of colour! 

Sly Sarkisova, Toronto-based therapist, who will talk about about initiating liminal and inclusive community spaces through event organizing.

Other performers include:
Thirza Cuthand and their film “2 Spirit Dreamcatcher Dot Com“
Andrea Fatona and her 1994 video “Hogan’s Alley“
Lavender‘s Sica Sacconeand