Graham is a brown queer trans boi trying to create themselves into something that makes sense. They are currently working on their first chapbook.
Niv
Niv spent her childhood in the south (making friends with magic and later learning to drive in thunderstorms) and currently lives in NY, where she penguin-walks through the winters. She’s an animator and works on commercials and likes to write and make comics.
Dhinesha
Dhinesha is a writer, reader and storyteller on an adventure to be a full time father to his future kids. He tells the stories he wishes he could have seen growing up as a queer kid.
Goddess X
Goddess X (shey/heir // she/her) is a black trans witch. She makes a narrative that heir daughters can live in. Support her stories and poetry on Patreon and follow heir on Twitter to find out when her debut book, Blk Grl Sick: Tales from the Library Burned is released.
kamilah apong
kamilah apong is an artist learning how to channel her anxiety into her art.
Robbie
Robbie is a South Asian transguy who spent most of his life growing up in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Toronto. He writes and sings about his adventures in exploring what home, happiness, and healing means in context of diasporic identity. You can support and checkout his book he is working on at Patreon, or follow his blog.
Hana Shafi
Hana Shafi AKA Frizz Kid is an illustrator and National Magazine Award–nominated journalist based out of Toronto. Her artwork and writing frequently explores themes of feminism, bodily autonomy, mental wellness, and dismantling sexual violence. In Fall 2016, Hana was the Artist in Residence at Ryerson University, where she led a series of art healing workshops for survivors of sexual violence, and curated an Ontario Arts Council–funded art show with travelling pop-up art gallery Sexual Assault: The Roadshow.
Michael Perry
Michael Perry is a Canadian Pop/R&B singer-songwriter of Antiguan descent who loves spreading the Queer Gospel. He is currently working on his first full-length album, titled Michael Perry: Unlocked. His debut music video, “Vanessa,” will premiere on April 7, 2017, preceded by the song’s release on digital platforms on March 3.
Addison Finch
A queer mixed-race artist whose body of work deals with constructions of identity, visibility, and the body. He advocates the use of art as a tool of change, uses his art as a form of activism, and believes in giving individuals the tools to share and celebrate their experiences.
Mentorship Invitation 2016
As a professional artist for over thirteen years, I have benefited so much from the informal mentors in my life. That said, as a queer artist of colour, I have also struggled with the lack of role models or access to elders, which has often made for a lonely journey.
In an effort to create more intergenerational dialogue and supports, I am offering a six-month, arts-based, one-on-one mentorship program to artists of colour under the age of 25seeking support with a specific project.
The details of this mentorship are worked out between us and will largely depend on your project, but could look like the following:
Regular feedback on a manuscript, stories, poems, songs, performance, film, etc.
Advice relating to grant-writing, CV-writing, social media, promotion, organization, self-motivation, self-publishing, booking tours, touring, performing, music or film gear, etc.
Informal conversations about art, process, the intersection of art with gender, sexuality, race & religion.
The program is wide open and we can tailor it to your needs!
Please note that while I live in Toronto, this program is not limited to Torontonians. If you do live in Toronto, we will have the benefit of meeting in person (if you like); but if you don’t, we will find ways to work together via email, phone and/or Skype.
The selection process will largely be based on how well I feel I can support your work on your proposed project. Also, while this initiative is new and therefore a bit of a trial, my hope is that this program will continue and renew with a fresh mentorship opportunity every six months.
