The LGBTQ+ social community Qunify along with Asian Arts Initiative will host the LGBTQ+ Mental Wellness Summit on Saturday, March 19. Centering queer and trans people of color, the summit offers workshops led by speakers, educators, healers and activists who will cover various topics on self-care and collective-care. The all-day event will be in person at Asian Arts Initiative, with virtual attendance options.
Workshops include BDSM and Healing: the Altar to the Self, facilitated by Vee (aka Electr0papi); New Attitude: Developing Yourself through a New Drag Persona, facilitated by Icon Ebony Fierce; Death and Grief, facilitated by Alexander Nicolas; Evoking the Wisdom of the Body, led by Raylá Meshawn; Practicing Body Gratitude, led by Sonalee Rashatwar; and Resourcing: The Intersections of Neurodivergence and Mental Health Care, led by Ashley Lagrange. A resource fair will bring the event to a close.
The idea behind the summit stems from a QTBIPOC mental wellness event that Qunify organized pre-pandemic, in which its members had transparent conversations about the barriers to accessing care, and how participants felt about wanting mental healthcare for the community. The Qunify team organizes events that cultivate connection, group community and city partnership to facilitate safe, visible spaces and opportunities for LGBTQ people.
Tickets can be purchased at https://qunifyphl.ticketleap.com/. Those attending in person can choose between two simultaneous workshops for each of three sessions, while virtual attendees will have access only to the workshops BDSM and Healing; Death and Grief and Practicing Body Gratitude.
The summit will take place from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at Asian Arts Initiative in Chinatown, a multidisciplinary arts center that explores the diversity of all communities, including Asian Americans, through art. The event is supported by Delaware Valley Legacy Fund’s Emerging Needs Grant.