Queering Violence: Conversations & Strategies
Leading up to National Trans Day of Remembrance on November 20th, this Further Reflection online series is built from the national award-winning Queering Violence training series. This course explores advocacy techniques, support, and healing strategies for individual lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and HIV+ survivors.
Participants will examine the complex ways intimate partner violence,
sexual violence, and trauma affects LGBTQ & HIV+ survivors and communities. (Course is not limited to LGBTQ+ community and slots are saved for trans people of color to participate.)
This 3-part Zoom class will focus on a variety of topics, including:
1. Overview on the History & Tensions of Mainstream Women’s Equality & Anti-Violence Movements
2. Introduction to Complimentary Advocacy Frameworks & Approaches to Care, including Racial Justice, Anti-Oppression, Trauma Informed Care, Positive Youth Development, Harm Reduction & Transformative Justice
3. Case-Scenarios from Real Life LGBTQ & HIV+ Survivor Stories
4. Current Federal Guidelines & Requirements (Title IX, VAWA, etc.)
5. Group Work & Application
6. Resiliency-Based Healing
7. Suggested Guide for Next Steps & Personal Growth
$135 per person for series, with opportunity to donate more to
support others. If you need payment assistance, please email [email protected].
Registration: https://form.jotform.com/212210351096039
Merrique Jenson (she/her) is a queer and trans, multiracial
anti-violence advocate and artist of color. For the past 17 years, she has worked closely with street-based youth, communities of color, and LGBTQ people in the fields of youth programming, anti-violence advocacy and community empowerment.
She is the Director of SocialScope Productions, a consulting and coaching company focused on LGBTQ multimedia projects, community storytelling, and building innovative, equity program design models and professional development trainings, which most recently headlined Seattle Pride the past two years in 2017 & 2018. She is also the Founder & current Executive Director of Transformations, a transgender and nonbinary Midwest regional
organization, affirming trans girls of color and trans and nonbinary young people in survival.
In 2015, Merrique was appointed as the lead advocate to help loved ones and their communities cope and heal from 3 LGBTQ homicides in Kansas City and working with the FBI on hate crime investigations. In response to this communal trauma in Kansas City, she helped build resiliency based programs, including the 2015 KC Real Talk: LGBTQ Conversations for Change video and town hall series and the 2016 KC TGNC Summit: building a leadership fountain for TGNC youth and TGNC people of color.
She previously worked as the Manager of Youth Services for the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project, providing multi-state advocacy directly to LGBTQ youth affected by trauma and violence, as well as the LGBTQ Youth Advocate at Safe Connections in St. Louis, helping build the first regional LGBTQ youth anti-violence program.
Merrique was recently recognized by Mayor Quinton Lucas, the City Council of Kansas City, MO and the LGBTQ City Commission in the first city Proclamation for Trans Day of Visibility for her work as a seasoned activist and leader in her community. She is a published writer and her intersectional projects have received national awards, specifically with her leadership and work with young people and homeless and vulnerable youth, racial justice advocacy, addressing the juvenile legal system and media’s impact on queer lives. She has keynoted Yale University’s Pride Month series in 2016, Sexual Assault Awareness Month for the University of Iowa in 2015, as well as Take Back the Night at Southern Oregon University in 2015, and featured on The Oprah Show in 2006.
