Stage 2* of the Bi’s of Colour History Project is…

Stage 2* of the Bi’s of Colour History Project is underway. I aim to interview bisexual people of colour on their lives and on the common themes that arose in the Bi’s of Colour survey report. I also want to include photographs of the interviewees, alongside ephemera relating to bi/pan/fluid people of colour.
I am based in London, but I am able to travel to carry out interviews in the following places: Brighton, Manchester, Nottingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol, Cardiff, Dublin and Belfast. For interviewees outside of these cities, I can email a list of questions.
This is where your help is needed. I’ve set up a Go Fund Me page where you can donate for this campaign: http://www.gofundme.com/bochistory
Individuals: I know money is tight for all of us, but if you can donate even a small amount, it will help this campaign.
LGBTIQA organisations, you can help me to complete this work. If you’ve read the Bi’s of Colour Report, you will know how vital this is. Your assistance will be added to the Stage 3 exhibition/display. You’ll get publicity for supporting a very marginalised group of people.
Your donations will help to pay for travel, and to reimburse participants for their time. I need to pay for photography and printing. I cannot do this without your help. There is currently nothing like this out there. It doesn’t have to be like that.
If anyone wants to contact me to discuss how to get involved with this project, email me at bis.of.colour@gmail.com
*Stages
Stage 1: Bi’s of Colour survey and report
Stage 2: Oral history interviews
Stage 3: Travelling exhibition/display of Bi’s of Colour History
Stage 4: A published book of the project!
Bitterness as HealingThere’s a stereotype of an angry black…

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Bitterness as Healing
There’s a stereotype of an angry black person that I used to be embarrassed about. Nowadays I feel that if I’m angry, then it is for good reason. My daily life is marked by bigotry in many forms. I fight against it as much as I’m able, but the constant onslaught makes me feel hopeless sometimes (and yes, this can lead to suicidal and/or self-harm feelings too) So if I get angry at the world, so be it; I’d rather that, than being angry at myself. If bitterness is a healing for me – if it helps me face another day then that’s how it will be for now. Rage can keep my heart beating. And being alive as a visibly bisexual, black, disabled person is an act of resistance. I’m not going to wait until the world changes before I let myself live in it. I’ll be wary of folks until I get to know them. I’ll roll my eyes at white gay men who say they have an ‘inner black woman’ but then insult people like me. And when new LGBT initiatives start without a single black or bisexual person involved or targeted, I reserve the right to kiss my teeth, and put my energy elsewhere. Let me be bitter, if it means it’s the only way to live.
Like a dog for kicking
This black soul be thinking.
An essential way to living
Is with bitterness as healing
Expect me to keep on smiling.
Complain if I stop singing.
Black kids get a harsh upbringing.
With bitterness as healing.
Bruised skin from all your beatings.
Hard heart, but somehow still believing.
This is my own way of coping
With bitterness as healing.
Feel my anger sure start boiling.
Hatred all around, I can’t be hiding.
From Ferguson to Gaza, we all be living
With bitterness as healing.
Don’t ask me to keep on grinning
As I watch black trans folks dying.
All black lives are mattering
So I’ll keep on with this bitterness as healing.
It was a real treat for me to represent the B in LGBT at Diverse…

Ingo from Wotever World & Zizini Minott

MC Angel

Jacqui reads "Personal Ad Hell"

Thomas Glave & Andra Simons

Andra Simons moving poetry was a treat

Thomas Glave read some amazing prose
It was a real treat for me to represent the B in LGBT at Diverse Voices, an event for U.K Black History Month. She was joined by the talented Andra Simons, Thomas Glave and MC Angel. The night held spoken word delights including a tale of being lost in the Carribbean sea, dealing with street harrassers on the London streets, Bermudan superstitions, and how to navigate online dating ads. I also gave my bisexual anthem its first airing. I was surprised at how many people liked it! I’ll post it up soon.
Southwark Council funded the event, which was held at Woolfson and Tay bookshop.
