WELCOME TO THE FUTURE IS… NQAF 2021! LETTER FROM E.D. For this year’s National Queer Arts Festival (NQAF), we ask artists to imagine the future as they envision it. Their perspectives and artistry conceptualize a future that is “Liberated,” “Borderless,” and more. These manifestations evoke how “The Future is Black Sassy Womyn,” “The Future is Spiritual,” “The Future is Stunning,” “The Future is Radical Revolutionary Love,” etc. We celebrate and honor our artists for creating work in times of ongoing racial injustice, a global pandemic, and uncertainty. They encourage us to be brave and bold. Their work gives voice to our times’ deepest struggles, stands against oppression, and embraces reclamation and healing. To practice community care and wellness, this will be our very first all-virtual festival. In doing so, every artist has pivoted from stage to screen. We are excited to be with you virtually as you sit back and welcome NQAF into your home. The Future is... allows for a collective embodiment of a future through the eyes of Queer, Trans, Gender Nonconforming, Intersex, Two-spirit, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color artists. Together, we give voice to the truth we already know—the future is here, and the future is us. — Natalia Vigil Executive Director, QCC BOARD OF DIRECTORS: StormMiguel Florez, Jacqueline Francis (president), Jeff Jones, Juba Kalamka, Viet Lê, Pamela S. Peniston, TT Takemoto ADVISORY MEMBERS: Dr. Marcy Adelman, Darius Bost, Cheryl Dunye, Mia Nakano 2021 NQAF TEAM: Natalia Vigil – executive director Ramona Webb - associate artistic director Kim Johnson – production manager Sofia Barahona-Mena – social media Krista Smith – development consultant Gwen Park – virtual production Sarah Guerra – program/house manager Laura Smoot – bookkeeper ARC and TYPE (den) – graphic designHOW TO USE THE QCC DIGITAL PROGRAM This is an interactive guide. What does that mean? Well, you can click on links to get to websites or social posts. Or, click on and get ticket information. It’s that simple! For the complete event schedules and artists’ bios, please visit: queerculturalcenter.org/national-queer-arts-festival-2021 = Comedy = Dance = Film/Video = Discussion/Salon = Lit/Reading/ Spoken Word = March/Rally = Multidisciplinary = Music = Performance/Theater = Visual Art = Workshop WHAT DO THESE SYMBOLS MEAN? THE KEY: CREATING QUEER COMMUNITY are programs commissioned by Qcc with the generous support of the San Francisco Arts Commission, The San Francisco Foundation, Grants for the Arts, & The California Arts Council. Each artist main discipline or catagory. PLEASE NOTE: ALL SHOWTIMES ARE PST (PACIFIC STANDARD TIME).Queer Ancestors Project WRites 4th Anniversary CELESTE CHAN Join us virtually for a reading to celebrate the 4th year of Queer Ancestors Project Writes! This virtual reading celebrates the wrap-up of our free, 10-week long writing program for queer and transgender people 18-26. queerancestorsproject . org MAY 22 7pm OVERLOOKED GIANTS: A Parable of Queer Women of Color in The Arts Overlooked Giants: A Parable of Queer Women of Color in The Arts is a musical film exploring stories of race, queerness, and gender expectations. Inspired by the experiences of various artists, AhSa-Ti Nu brings her passions for music, film, and storytelling together. o verlookedgiants . com JUNE 5 6pm The Art of Healing CORI PILLOWS You are invited to join Cori Pillows on a journey of spiritual evolution, healing, and self-love as she documents her inspirations and creative process through a variety of mediums including movement, paint, sculpture, poetry and the healing arts. All are welcome. thecorecreations . com JUNE 7 5pm STILL HERE invites you to an intimate virtual evening with Vero Majano. Join us for a very special Pride event as we take a deeper look into Vero’s creative life, Mission-love, and more, in conversation with Still Here’s Artistic Director, Natalia Vigil. @StillHereSF JUNE 5-6 @ 7pm Queer Afro Latin Dance Festival IN LAK’ECH LATIN DANCE ACADEMY We come together for two full days of dance workshops where you get to train with top queer and ally instructors, sit back and enjoy the show with spectacular professional performances displaying amazing artistry, and dance it up to our DJ sets! queerlatindancefestival . com JUNE 8 @ 7pm Peacock Rebellion + LAFEMMEBEAR What Remains: Strong AF TWOC “Peacock Rebellion presents a night of world- bending, future-shaping music, poetry, visual art, and more. Born out of resistance to pandemic bullshit and the constant erasure of trans people, What Remains reclaims trans women of color’s agency over our own stories. peacockrebellion . org , lafemmebear . com JUNE 7 @ 6:30pm Still Here Presents MISSION PRIDE: AN EVENING VERO MAJANO Fluid: Flirting with Life Outside the Matrix NIKIA POCHE See My Heart EMMA NORMAN emmanorman . photography Shaping & Remembering: The Dwayne Calizo Emerging Artist Showcase”. This year’s showcase is an epic journey of transformation and creative vision. This journey includes poetry, music, a photographic journey & two tributes into an evening you don’t want to miss. JUNE 9 6pm Tribute to Lawrence “Leo” Lyons & Dwayne Calizo Altar Tribute.YANGA GODDESS YVONNE ONAKEME ETAGHENE Nigerian Dyke Feminism, through the experience of YANGA GODDESS, Yvonne Onakeme Etaghene uses dance, poetry and monologue to create space for mourning, self- definition, and breath for African Queer women and non- binary people to be themselves on their own terms. myloveisaverb . com JUNE 9 7:30pmNext >