Announcing A-Camp 2016 Special Guest: Bell’s Roar!
We are so so amped to welcome Bell’s Roar to camp!
Bell’s Roar is the solo project from Bronx native Sean Desiree. In June 2015 Bell’s Roar signed to Firebrand Records, the new activist label from Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. The tone of the project is best described by the source of its name feminist writer Bell Hooks. The music is inherently melodic; layers of dynamic instrumentation, soulful vocals, and post-rock guitar laden beat making create energetic and electronic compositions. They released their second EP, Second Chances Vol. 1 in November of 2015. They have opened for acts such as, MS MR, Mirah, K Flay, THEESatisfaction and Chrisette Michele. You can stream Bell’s Roar on Soundcloud.
Twitter: @bellsroarmusic | Instagram: @bellsroar
Tumblr: bellsroar.tumblr.com
There’s no denying that women writers are affected by systemic, institutionalised sexism in the media and publishing industries, but women who are queer, trans, of colour, disabled, sex workers, from low-income backgrounds and/or otherwise outside the mainstream are inevitably impacted more than most.
At first I wasn’t sure what I had said that made her go all quiet, or quieter than usual. I had been rambling about how genetic sequencing is crazy, and all the new things we’ve learned and diseases we could avoid. I talked about Orphan Black. I talked about Dolly the sheep. We talked about Dolly the Parton. I talked about how I read that one article about parents genetically curating their offspring. I talked about how, if I were ever to have a family, I think I’d avoid passing down my genetics entirely – that I’d make a phenomenal father-figure. That’s when her hands went still. She still wasn’t looking at me, but I knew I had her full attention.
I’d say about 90% of industrial/systems engineering work boils down to this super easy exercise: stop for a minute and think about what the main objective is. Now look at what you’re doing. Is that activity getting you closer to the goal? If yes, carry on; if no, pause. Why are you spending time on this activity if it’s not getting you closer to the goal? Is it really necessary? If what you’re doing isn’t adding any value, there’s probably something better you could be doing with your time.
You know what got me the most last week about gay TV? The overwhelming majority of queer women who were blaming themselves for believing that [whatever show] wasn’t going to let them down. Using these tropes to write about queer women doesn’t only make the world harder for us, systemically, and more painful for us, personally; it also causes us to hate ourselves for hoping in story. How fucked up is that?
