Presented by Mel Vee X (she/her) and Jacquie Gallos Aquines (they/them), Community Wise. When the Rainbow is Enuf explores the realities of racialized people, defined as Black, Indigenous and People of Colour including white passing and mixed race people, in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We will explore the unique intersections of race and sexual orientation, including impacts on mental health, lateral violence, how we are impacted by white supremacy and how white LGBTQIA+ folx can be accomplices in our continued struggle for rights and justice.
Mel Vee is a queer Black (out)spoken word artist, burlesque performer and photographer who was born and raised in Mohkinstsis, colonially known as Calgary. The prairies are her great love, but the prairies ain't never loved her. From this muck, the lotus of her unapologetic dedication to speaking truth to power and looking damn good while doing it emerged. Mel Vee is dedicated to empowering marginalized people tell our own stories from our own perspectives. She is a co-founding member of Uproot YYC, Calgary’s premier grassroots collective for Artists of Colour.
Jaqs Gallos Aquines was born to Filipino parents on traditional unceded Mohawk territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation, in Tiohtiá:ke colonially known as Montreal. They are committed to anti-oppressive work, especially in videography, photography, and organizational structure. They are currently on the Advisory Group of the Anti-Racism Organizational Change project with CommunityWise, and a board member of Truck Gallery, chair of the Equity & Safer Spaces committee. Jaqs is also co-founder of Bahaghari, a growing grassroots group of FilipinX community members advocating for inclusion of LGBTQ2IA+. Jaqs has their first edited book coming out this month called Home is in the Body: LGBTQ2IA+ PilipinX Femme, North of the 49th Parallel, funded by CADA and a crowdfund, published by ANAK Worker Publishing Cooperative in Winnipeg. It features an anthology of visual art, poetry, prose, articles, photograhy and interviews. They are also co-host of The Unlearning Channel with poetess, Mel Vee, funded by the Calgary Foundation, through CommunityWise. The latest episode on Bystander Intervention with Thulasy Lettner is now available.
