Don't Let It Break You

Event Details

The workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to:

• Explore Ancestral Identification: Learn how ancestral identification can deepen our understanding of ourselves and our place within our ancestral lineage.
• Engage with the Dagara Perspective: Gain insights into the Dagara people's view of homosexuality as a form of gatekeeping.
• Cultivate Empathy and Understanding: Foster a more inclusive and empathetic outlook on gender and sexual orientations and identities.

Dr. Butterfly (we/us) uses art and performance to support community members to develop an African-centered ancestral mindset. Dr. Butterfly’s work highlights how we gain strength when we realize we are extensions of our ancestors rather than isolated victims of social constructions invented by others. In this interactive and experiential workshop, Dr. Butterfly will introduce community members to an indigenous mode of ancestral identification, lead a community discussion on ancestral healing, and facilitate an experience of "gatekeeping" drawn from the Dagara people's conceptualization of homosexuality.

This event will be recorded. Recorded clips may be archived on our website or used for marketing purposes. All guests will be required to agree to our Photographic Use Policy upon registration.

About our Facilitator

Anthony “Butterfly” Williams, MFA, PhD (we/us) is the Executive Director of Iruke Institute International. Dr. Butterfly is a cultural alchemist whose work manifests in performance art, community organizing, and transformative education. We are an expert on the decolonization of culture through the arts. Creativity, compassion and collaboration inspire the transformation of self and society that we call “the work.” Dr. Butterfly is a community builder who has designed and produced arts-based community events on men’s healing, African-centered psychology, creative leadership, police brutality, affordable housing and gay literature.

About our Don't Let It Break You Program

Don't Let It Break You is an arts and education program with open mic workshops and performances focused on mental health awareness. Through this program, we partner with local artists, community centers, and schools to provide support and resources.