These are projects or events that have ended, are in hibernation, or for which I've passed on the baton.
There's lots here and weebly doesn't make it easy to move sections around, so I've given up on chronology and theme. It's a list of fond or not-so-fond memories
There's lots here and weebly doesn't make it easy to move sections around, so I've given up on chronology and theme. It's a list of fond or not-so-fond memories
Reedy River
Acting, dancing and singing, with even a line or two solo!
Reedy River is a musical written in the 1950s, set in rural Queensland of the 1890s. Through Australian folk songs of the time, it examines the aftermath of the shearers' strike of 1891, when the country had been on the brink of civil war and the fledgling union movement was ruthlessly put down by the government. I think it compellingly addresses the question of how to face failure, as well as portraying an important time in history that few learn about and being an equally important artifact from the start of folk music and culture movements around the world.
The Opera Noire production of three shows at the Henry Lawson Festival of July 2017 was my first foray into acting. I played Rose as well as being Production Manager.
In July 2018 I reprised Rose in the expanded production by the Forest Area Musical Society.
Reedy River is a musical written in the 1950s, set in rural Queensland of the 1890s. Through Australian folk songs of the time, it examines the aftermath of the shearers' strike of 1891, when the country had been on the brink of civil war and the fledgling union movement was ruthlessly put down by the government. I think it compellingly addresses the question of how to face failure, as well as portraying an important time in history that few learn about and being an equally important artifact from the start of folk music and culture movements around the world.
The Opera Noire production of three shows at the Henry Lawson Festival of July 2017 was my first foray into acting. I played Rose as well as being Production Manager.
In July 2018 I reprised Rose in the expanded production by the Forest Area Musical Society.
The Atheists' Society, Macquarie Uni
Macatheists was the first uni-based atheist society I know of in Australia, started in O-week 2000. There had previously been some kind of humanist-secular-rationalist club or something, but all records appear to be lost. It mostly died when I left the country in 2004. Some time later Macquarie Atheist League started, but that is a separate organisation.
Australian Queer Student Network (AQSN)
I was the 2014 AQSN Treasurer. In this role I opened the bank account, which shockingly took all year. Beyond that, I worked on many projects that I have continued with beyond my term - the website; a new constitution; archives; handover/oversight procedures for QC and Querelle; the project to abolish permanent exemptions to the antidiscrimination act.
In 2015 the new Treasurer disappeared, and I kept maintaining the account. I was re-installed midyear and for 2016. The 2017 Treasurer also disappeared, but as I'm leaving uni, I figure I'll stay signatory for a while yet. I only hope AQSN will remember that the original signatories are still here, because I really don't to have to keep reminding them that they have a functioning bank account, and that it just might be improved by them giving actual current officebearers access to it! Yes dears, next time you panic that your account is inaccessible and you should start a new one, maybe you should mention it to me. If you've forgotten I ever existed, there's this handy form on the contact page where you can introduce yourself.
Website: aqsn.weebly.com
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/AQSNWorkgroup
Exemption campaign group: facebook.com/groups/exemptioncampaign
Facebook page: facebook.com/AQSNetwork
In 2015 the new Treasurer disappeared, and I kept maintaining the account. I was re-installed midyear and for 2016. The 2017 Treasurer also disappeared, but as I'm leaving uni, I figure I'll stay signatory for a while yet. I only hope AQSN will remember that the original signatories are still here, because I really don't to have to keep reminding them that they have a functioning bank account, and that it just might be improved by them giving actual current officebearers access to it! Yes dears, next time you panic that your account is inaccessible and you should start a new one, maybe you should mention it to me. If you've forgotten I ever existed, there's this handy form on the contact page where you can introduce yourself.
Website: aqsn.weebly.com
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/AQSNWorkgroup
Exemption campaign group: facebook.com/groups/exemptioncampaign
Facebook page: facebook.com/AQSNetwork
CAPA Queer Department
I was involved in CAPA from I think 2012, before I managed to affiliate UTS to them, to 2017 when the undergrads at UTS had well and truly pushed me out.
I was the 2015 Queer Officer for the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA).
I established a collective, worked on a charter for unis to sign on queer rights and a survey of queer postgrads and got a record number of postgrads to QC.
Secret facebook group: facebook.com/groups/1513543108932782/
I also participated in CAPA's Equity Committee and sat in on exec meetings. I ran an equity conference: "What might Postgraduate collective action look like?"
In 2017 I held no position but made a last ditch attempt to get several things functioning, be it through my own work or prodding others. I wanted to see clear policy and kits on supporting independent postgraduate unions and on how non-officebearers can be involved in CAPA, make sure the Eastern Region flourished for the first time in at least three years, make sure the Equity conference became regular and built on the one I ran, amongst other things. The conference, at least, seems to be continuing, with the third year looking promising, after the second attempt was downgraded to an equity dinner.
I was the 2015 Queer Officer for the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA).
I established a collective, worked on a charter for unis to sign on queer rights and a survey of queer postgrads and got a record number of postgrads to QC.
Secret facebook group: facebook.com/groups/1513543108932782/
I also participated in CAPA's Equity Committee and sat in on exec meetings. I ran an equity conference: "What might Postgraduate collective action look like?"
In 2017 I held no position but made a last ditch attempt to get several things functioning, be it through my own work or prodding others. I wanted to see clear policy and kits on supporting independent postgraduate unions and on how non-officebearers can be involved in CAPA, make sure the Eastern Region flourished for the first time in at least three years, make sure the Equity conference became regular and built on the one I ran, amongst other things. The conference, at least, seems to be continuing, with the third year looking promising, after the second attempt was downgraded to an equity dinner.
Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH)
I was involved in what I believe was the third incarnation of CAAH. We ran a protest along the route of the original mardi gras, I believe, and tried to do something about a group that was promoting gay conversion at the time. Now the organisation has gone so much further and I have been only tangentially involved.
Council Cleanups - Sydney Suburbs
This is a facebook group for interested people to find out where good council cleanups are happening, inspired by a thriving group in Melbourne. It's taken a while, but it has started doing its job. I've handed over the moderation to others. Unfortunately I can't even advertise my own cleanups there anymore, as my council has privatised them and wants them all to last less than 24hrs, with less than a week's notice.
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/503340009778158/
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/503340009778158/
Grassroots
Grassroots is the non-labor left faction that I was part of starting. It established campus, state and national level groupings. We won an election and had power at UTS for one year, and a variety of positions at a small selection of other unis. It's now largely defunct at UTS and as a national organisation. Every so often someone revives part of it, but it's now up to others to build the next incarnation of the student left.
Secret UTS page: facebook.com/groups/579443278774668
NSW Facebook page: facebook.com/GrassrootsLeftNSW
National facebook group: facebook.com/groups/455972697849651
Old facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Broad-left/13882621951994
Secret UTS page: facebook.com/groups/579443278774668
NSW Facebook page: facebook.com/GrassrootsLeftNSW
National facebook group: facebook.com/groups/455972697849651
Old facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Broad-left/13882621951994
Kuringgai Munchbar
I made sure the Kuringgai office of UTS Students' Association was open every single tuesday of term time in 2014. Two of us ended up bringing food for a Munchbar to feed students and get them to talk to us. It continued the next year, which was the last year Kuringgai was a UTS campus.
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/kuringgai
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/kuringgai
Newtown Queer Space (NewQ)
NewQ ran for three years at 22 Enmore Rd, Newtown
It was a quiet, non-commercial, mostly dry, non-uni-based queer space which made many projects possible including Sydney Atheists, an Icarus Project group, board games nights, Stitch and Bitch, a queer reading group, chess nights, life drawing and many others.
NewQ was taken over by TUTU and eventually shut down.
It was a quiet, non-commercial, mostly dry, non-uni-based queer space which made many projects possible including Sydney Atheists, an Icarus Project group, board games nights, Stitch and Bitch, a queer reading group, chess nights, life drawing and many others.
NewQ was taken over by TUTU and eventually shut down.
NOWSA
I was part of the organising collective for a women students' conference in something like 2003 at Macquarie Uni. Nowsa stands for Network of Women Students Australia.
NSW & ACT Queer Students' Network (QSN)
I was co-convenor of QSN in 2012 or so. I went into it because there was no non-male-identifying officebearer and I could support the one person who was keen on doing things, instead of going into it because I was particularly keen myself. It was still getting on its feet and not a huge amount happened that year, but I stayed somewhat involved and saw it do more in the following years. In 2015-16 I contributed again, taking the small role of treasurer.
NSW Cross Campus Education Action Network (CCEAN)
I was NUS NSW Education Officer in 2013. I think I got to speak at a rally once that year, but the most significant thing I was able to do with this completely unfunded and unsupported position was start a network which has thrived beyond me, based on those that existed in the early years of my activist life.
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/198338006976375/
Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/NSW-Education-Action-Network/494277897280352
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/198338006976375/
Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/NSW-Education-Action-Network/494277897280352
Queer Action Rangers
The Queer Action Rangers was to be a more political, more gender diverse collective at UTS, to counter the fact that the queer collective is often mostly social and mostly cisboy-focused. It never got off the ground, but maybe it will one day.
Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Queer-Action-Rangers/572075676155798
Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Queer-Action-Rangers/572075676155798
Queer Asexuality
This is a facebook community I started out of a QC workshop, to support the growth of the ace community, specifically the side of things that particularly considers itself queer. I keep an eye on it, but I'm not the only moderator. I occasionally flick them interesting articles I happen upon. The page sees some use, but the community is growing and developing at every subsequent QC, while a presence is also forming in academic literature. By the time of my final QC, ace community and awareness had far, far outgrown this little group - even the specifically queer element, which is providing a vocal push forward to the gay pushback that seeks to exclude ace from queer.
Queer Collaborations (QC)
QC is an annual queer student conference, held at a different university each year since maybe 1993 or so. It is up to a week of workshops, events including (usually) the launch of Querelle magazine for the year and (usually) a protest. Some years get it together better than others!
I have attended maybe eight of the things between 2002 and 2017, and run many workshops such as asexuality, queeredge, queer atheism, knitting, tango, aqsn agm, postgrad catchup and probably plenty more.
QC 2013 was a Sydney-wide cross campus effort. I was heavily involved in the early stages, before I had to go overseas, and also in the conference itself, shortly after I returned.
The next year I supported organising for the Canberra conference, focusing on adjusting the introductory session and the standing orders in order to improve behaviour at the events and the operations of the grievance committee. This resulted in an extraordinarily calm and harmonious week, however the next few years didn't take on the adjustments and returned to divisiveness, secretiveness, persecution and bad practice. Good luck to the next brave attempt to look after people in this heightened environment and encourage good politics.
I have attended maybe eight of the things between 2002 and 2017, and run many workshops such as asexuality, queeredge, queer atheism, knitting, tango, aqsn agm, postgrad catchup and probably plenty more.
QC 2013 was a Sydney-wide cross campus effort. I was heavily involved in the early stages, before I had to go overseas, and also in the conference itself, shortly after I returned.
The next year I supported organising for the Canberra conference, focusing on adjusting the introductory session and the standing orders in order to improve behaviour at the events and the operations of the grievance committee. This resulted in an extraordinarily calm and harmonious week, however the next few years didn't take on the adjustments and returned to divisiveness, secretiveness, persecution and bad practice. Good luck to the next brave attempt to look after people in this heightened environment and encourage good politics.
Queer Knitting
A facebook community that has come from several years of stitch & bitches at QC conferences.
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/367823316620111/
I may as well list my own sewing blog here too: cottonforcrimplene.wordpress.com
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/367823316620111/
I may as well list my own sewing blog here too: cottonforcrimplene.wordpress.com
Queer Theory Reading Group (QTRG)
QTRG ran for several years, since we lost the fight to save Queer Theory at Macquarie Uni. It prompted some great discussions. I was the support person.
Queeruption
Queeruption is a radical queer squatting festival. I attended Queeruption Amsterdam in mid 2004, then came home and joined the organising collective for Queeruption Sydney, 2005.
There were a few more afterwards, but the last couple faltered and they stopped happening, which is a pity because they're amazing events and quite an experience. If people want another queeruption to happen, we should talk about making one.
There were a few more afterwards, but the last couple faltered and they stopped happening, which is a pity because they're amazing events and quite an experience. If people want another queeruption to happen, we should talk about making one.
Resurgence
I was one of five people who organised the Resurgence festival in 2007. We did it because queer community had been fairly dead since Queeruption, two years earlier. We ran nine workshops and a party at STUCCO and a film night at the Nunnery. I co-ran the rubber and latex workshop with my ex, which was interesting. The workshop on permanent queer space birthed NewQ.
Resurgence 2 was organised some time later by people who became associated with TUTU. I advised and supported as best I could, considering their first question to me was not 'what should we be aware of' or 'how can we do even better' but 'what went wrong?'
Resurgence 2 was organised some time later by people who became associated with TUTU. I advised and supported as best I could, considering their first question to me was not 'what should we be aware of' or 'how can we do even better' but 'what went wrong?'
Sewing Machine Mechanics
A little facebook group for people interested in the mechanics of sewing machines - and now for people who are sewing machine mechanics, as well! It's a bit of a crowdsourcing network to help me and others fix and learn about our machines. It's still puttering along, I've gotten other people to administer it.
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/1450983188462825/
My own blog on the topic, but I don't think I put much up: sewingmachinemechanics.wordpress.com
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/1450983188462825/
My own blog on the topic, but I don't think I put much up: sewingmachinemechanics.wordpress.com
Students with Disabilities Network Australia (SDNA)
- I established SDNA when NUS cut their Disabilities Officer stipend. I immediately did an interview for New Matilda. I encouraged others to front SDNA, with limited success, as my own commitment was necessarily limited to starting the group and making sure the opportunity was not missed.
Facebook page: facebook.com/studentswithdisabilities
Secret Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/studentswithdisabilities
Facebook page: facebook.com/studentswithdisabilities
Secret Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/studentswithdisabilities
Sydney Atheist Action Group (SAAG)
SAAG started out of a discussion of the necessity of atheist activism, at a meeting of the Sydney Atheist Meetup. The Meetup was explicitly non-activist so we started a new group, meeting at NewQ in 2008. SAAG became Sydney Atheists Inc, and through five years of tension, kicked out all the activists and absorbed the Meetup. Last I saw, all that was left was a larger, rebranded, incorporated meetup group running lectures and social events. However, if different people get involved, they may yet be able to do something with it.
UTS Atheists' Society (Asoc)
- Asoc is a small, uni-based group for atheists and all other nonbelievers. Our events vary every semester according to interest and involvement. I established the group in 2011 and I finally gave away not only the name of President, but also the work, in early 2016. Two years later, the club continues under a third President!
Website: utsatheists.org
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/utsatheists/
Website: utsatheists.org
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/utsatheists/
UTS Childcare Board
I was the UTS Students' Association representative on the UTS Childcare board 2014-18, up until I graduated. In that time we oversaw the running of two industry-leading centres and built a new one. I got the Students' Association bylaws changed to facilitate our reps taking the board more seriously, served a term as secretary and attended every meeting.
UTS Postgraduate Representative Union (PRU)
I was the 2014 UTSSA Postgraduate Officer and then the PRU Convenor, 2014-2017.
Having been sabotaged by the undergrad-based association and refused all standard channels of advertising and recruitment, we are no longer running. I will at some stage compile our story and material against the hope that one day postgrads will try again and be more successful for the groundwork we have laid.
Email: [email protected]
Website: utspru.org, or when I let the domain lapse, utspru.weebly.com
Facebook page: facebook.com/utspru
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/postgraduts
Council closed group: facebook.com/groups/utsprucouncil
Having been sabotaged by the undergrad-based association and refused all standard channels of advertising and recruitment, we are no longer running. I will at some stage compile our story and material against the hope that one day postgrads will try again and be more successful for the groundwork we have laid.
Email: [email protected]
Website: utspru.org, or when I let the domain lapse, utspru.weebly.com
Facebook page: facebook.com/utspru
Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/postgraduts
Council closed group: facebook.com/groups/utsprucouncil
The Wedding of Kate and Bea
Yes, I married my car. It was a beautiful ceremony.
Website: kateandbea.weebly.com
Website: kateandbea.weebly.com
Zanzibar Aid Trust
Zanzibar Aid Trust is an organisation I was building with someone who hosted me when I visited Zanzibar in 2013. She sent photos, but that's all she's done. She wanted me to send money, but that's not happening without some kind of verification. Hopefully the project will revive somehow, but for the moment it's pretty much dead. I agreed to make a logo and a website, investigate places I could advertise in Sydney for volunteers for the Women's Sober House and mention it to One World One Life. I have done those four things. I never agreed to fundraise. If anyone else is keen to, it's still a good cause. Fadhila had a group of women who were doing well, who helped a group of subsistence farming women to grow vegetables for the local resorts, who source all the rest of their supplies from outside the island and don't contribute to the poor society. She was doing a couple of other good things too, and would be great to fund if there was some kind of adequate structure.
Website: zanzibaraid.weebly.com
Website: zanzibaraid.weebly.com