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Beyond the Binary: A Pride Month Community Chat
Thursday, June 16
6-7:15 PM ET
online |open to the public
When we think of Pride Month, rainbows, parades, and progress may be what first comes to mind. As we celebrate the histories, contributions, and stories of LGBTQIA+ artists, activists, and communities, it is key that we also honor the legacy of Pride and its origin as a riot. We must also acknowledge that there’s still plenty to protest-–in 2022 alone there have been over 300 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills introduced across the country.
Hosted by the LGBTQIA+ Subcommittee of the Diversity Committee, this community chat will offer attendees an opportunity to reflect on the significance of Pride, review key terminology related to LGBTQIA+ populations, and discuss ways we can be advocates, allies, and accomplices for our LGBTQIA+ community members.
Meet the Teaching Artists
Sheena Daree Miller
Sheena Daree Miller (she/they) is a writer based between Brooklyn and South Florida. Her writing has been published, or is forthcoming, in Ms. Magazine, The Rumpus, Zone 3 Press, Split Lip Magazine, Autostraddle, Taco Bell Quarterly and elsewhere. Their writing has graciously been supported by The Seventh Wave, Aspen Words, Columbia Journalism School, and St. Nell’s Humor Writing Residency for Ladies. Sheena was a 2021 Margolis Award finalist and the recipient of the Dave Family Humor Studies Award. In her faculty development role at The New School, she facilitates workshops and develops resources to support both new and returning instructors in teaching for equity and inclusion. She is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisor for Girls Write Now.
Kelsey LePage
Kelsey LePage comes to Girls Write Now with great experience from administration and fundraising to developing curriculum and teaching youth. She has worked in creative, educational, and humanitarian settings serving local communities — at YMCA, Playworks, and most recently in sales and event management at NY Kids Club. Originally from New Hampshire, Kelsey enjoys hiking, kayaking and would be perfectly happy getting lost in a museum or library for a day. She is excited to be starting a new life in a new city and to be sharing her passions with the Girls Write Now team.
Jessica Jagtiani
Jesse Jagtiani is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and researcher of Indian-German heritage residing in New York City. Jesse earned her Doctor of Education in Art & Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, complemented by an MFA in Studio Art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, and a degree in Visual Communications from the University of Arts, Berlin. Her research centers on the formative dimensions of intuition, bridging indigenous wisdom with contemporary scientific perspectives to foster a balance of the intuitive and the rational mind within Western educational paradigms. Jesse’s artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and her scholarly contributions extend to various publications, including chapter three of the book Developing Informed Intuition for Decision Making. Jesse has taught in (and outside of) higher education for numerous years and is passionate about supporting emerging artists, writers, and leaders on their creative, academic, and career pathways.
This event is open to:
all mentees, all mentors, program alum and the public