Free Day: Juneteenth

Honor the legacy of queer futures, histories, leadership, and stories with art-making, film screenings, impactful conversation, rest and art! The Gardner will honor Juneteenth, the oldest nationally recognized commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, with a free day of performances, conversations, and activities that celebrate community and freedom with Boston-based Black artists and leaders. Programs this year honor intersections with queer liberation and queer futures, co-curated by the Gardner’s Community Partner, The Theater Offensive.

Bring your family and dive deep into the many ways you can show up for your communities as you engage in the many different activities led by educators, organizers, and cultural leaders dedicated to building a better future for all. We welcome you to learn more about these stories through activities with The Theater Offensive, art-making with Queer Republic's program manager Des Bennett, encouraged rest with artists Dzidzor & Crystal Bi, and film screening of BLACK. Narratives in Boston’s Black Queer and Trans History with conversation moderated by The Theatre Offensive’s executive director Giselle Byrd in conversation with film’s executive producer Amanda Shea & director Amir Dixon.

Resting Space

Jordan Garden | 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

All are welcome! Join artists & storyteller Dzidzor and Crystal Bi artists in Resting Space, an interactive low-sensory experience outside in nature to aid your rest, refuge, reflection, and stillness, learning together on how to create pathways in building a better community for all. You are invited to listen to a soundscape created by Dzidzor as you find a blanket or pillow outside to rest with. 

BLACK. Narratives in Boston Black Queer and Trans History: Film Screening

Calderwood Hall

Doors open at 1:00 PM | Remarks begin 1:30 PM, Film begins | 2 PM 

Conversation with Q&A | 3 PM

Join us for a very special screening of BLACK. Narratives in Boston Black Queer and Trans History, a film that explores how for far too long, there has been an absence of space for documenting and amplifying the stories, perspectives, and struggles of Bostonians of Color who continue to reside, build, and thrive here. Following the screening, stay to learn more about the film’s themes of ballroom, gender identity, freedom, history, and community, in a talkback with film’s director Amir Dixon and executive producer Amanda Shea along with invited guest panelists. This conversation will be moderated by the Theatre Offensive’s Executive Director Giselle Byrd. 

Stiching Queer Futures with Des Bennett

Bertucci Education Studio | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM 

In honor of the AID’s Quilt, we’ll hold a community quilt-making event and co-create a Queer Futures quilt, celebrating the radical and transformative resilience of the queer community, and imagine into existence our liberated future. Folks will be invited to create their own unique quilt block using fabric markers to be part of the Radical Queer Futures community quilt. Materials will be provided.

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