Unpacking Workshops

Erykah told me my bags were too heavy how did she know? i never told her but the cap fit too well so i started to unpack to unburden my shoulders so i could stand upright i wanted to turn the clock back or to do the next best thing i wanted to remember what it was like wanted to know what it felt like to be travelling light...
 

TRAVELLING LIGHT - UNPACKING pt 1 & 2

The unpacking experience reveals much about Womanhood and empowerment  in the 21st century and how it manifests in our own lives. Over 2 sessions, of  exciting discussion and debate, journal writing,  photography, drawing and scrap-boarding, we will creatively unpack the  baggage around the gender of Woman that we carry around consciously and subconsciously since we were girl toddlers asking  "how much does your gender hold you back? Or does It?"

Session 1 - UNPACKING

Using performance poetry, creative writing exercises, discussion and

sharing we will explore some of the inflammatory and moving issues 

around some of the pressures women endure in this time, eg.:

• media hype around body matters
• dreams and aspiration being met whilst bearing the brunt of economic crisis
• culture, ethnicity and empowerment in womanhood
• sexuality and empowerment
• relationships - intimate and family
• violence and abuse 

And then...

INCUBATION - We cannot underestimate the time needed to absorb and encourage freshly planted seeds or those that lay dormant within you. Time is needed to let thoughts that arise out of some of our debate settle, to see how they affect you in your daily life.

REFLECTION - During the time between sessions, you are encouraged to micro-journal thoughts that reflect and nurture incubation seeds to a place of **celebration  and making transformative art.**

Session 2 - PACKING ONLY WHAT YOU NEED

Be prepared for an abundance of creativity, sharing the resolve to 
celebrate your life as a woman with tools and memories from 
the Travelling Light Sessions.

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MAINSTREAM PACKING - Who's defining me how?  

A 2hr session developed from huge debates on Facebook about Beyonce's Girls Run the World Video, Mainstream packing workshops delve into all mediums of communication which  through images of women send overt and subliminal messages about how a woman should look, behave, change, correct, alter,  herself to considered acceptable. "In whose eyes?", "Who says?" and "What for?" are the questions asked in these session revolving around discussion, spoken word and performance.

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BEYONCE - A CRITICAL DEBATE

 Beyonce? Am i bovvered? Seriously?

As the most strong-minded and beautiful business woman and Artist of 
colour in mainstream media (after Oprah),who makes highly consumable 
music and is rockinga blond weave, why should we care? Breaking down 
the Girls Run the World vid,we'll examine why the love/hate debate rages on.

HOSTED BY THE OCTAVIA FOUNDATION

http://www.octaviafoundation.org.uk/ 

Zena Edwards, a renown spoken word artist, singer, playwright and actress invites you to take part in a critical discussion surrounding Beyonce's 'Run the World' video. This session will take a deep look at the themes, issues and controversy that has been surrounding Beyonce's video since its release.

Topics/issues covered in this session will include:
*Beyonce - a voice for strong women? 

*How do women of all ages connect with Sis B?
*Images of the men in the video
*Sexuality and empowerment
*Popular culture and role models
*Mainstream media representations vs the individuals reality
*and much more......