The Tucson community and University of Arizona are having a joint Take Back the Night event on Tuesday, April 10, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Two marches start at the MLK Student Center (for campus students/staff/faculty) and from Time Market (community members) to converge upon Geronimo Plaza (southeast corner of Euclid/University Blvd.) for speakers, a resource fair, as well as dance and performance artists, singers, and the opportunity for survivors to share their stories.

This year’s event features keynote speaker UA adjunct faculty member Dr. Frank Galarte, and performances by Boys R Us, Esperanza Dance Project, UA Pride Alliance.

The Take Back the Night movement “unifies community by educating and inspiring them to speak out against sexual violence”. More info: 520-626-1829, 520-327-1171, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TBTN.Tucson

More in the press release published here at Tucsoncitizen.com earlier in March (click here). Info on sponsor SACASA, Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, www.sacasa.org.

Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, a member of Arizona’s Children Association family of agencies, is a non-profit organization that offers a full range of services to victims of sexual assault in Pima County and throughout Southern Arizona. It is SACASA’s mission to reduce the trauma and incidence of sexual assault by providing treatment and promoting prevention of sexual abuse, incest, molestation and rape. We provide a safe place for survivors to gain strength, learn coping skills, and develop trusting, caring relationships.

Stop rape. Speak out against sexual violence. Support survivors.

I attended the first year anniversary celebration of Fluxx Studio & Gallery last night, at 414 E. 9th St. (just east of 4th Avenue), and was entertained by lively & talented performances by Boys R Us and Salsa Saucedo. Fluxx advertises themselves as Tucson’s “first and only queer art space.”

Fluxx Studio & Gallery is a non-profit community art space working to provide thoughtful, engaging and socially uplifting events. Fluxx is a multi-function space designed to host exhibitions, performance art, movie screenings, workshops and special events.

It is important to encourage open dialogue and communication about queer culture in order to bridge gaps of understanding, acceptance and change.

Heralding themselves as a “gender performance troupe” Boys R Us is a sparklingly unique gem of Tucson arts and culture. Not only do they blur the lines between traditionally accepted gender roles, but also they whimsically blend genres and media to produce a show that literally explodes off the stage with originality and edgy social consciousness.

Fluxx also offers rental space for classes in yoga, salsa dancing, hip hop dancing, and hosts LGBT films, and Odyssey Storytelling, produced by fellow blogger Penelope Starr “Telling Stories”, who was present at last evening’s anniversary celebration.

Website: www.fluxxproductions.com, email fluxxgallery [at] yahoo.com
fluxxproductions [at] yahoo.com, tucsondragkings [at] yahoo.com, phone 520.882.0242.

Their talented, hardworking staff of volunteers:
Executive Director – Dante Celeiro
Media Director – Rachel Castillo
Administrative Assistant – Matthew Shreve
Gallery Curator – Kianna Davis
PR Consultant – Darrell Wilmore
Development Director – Natalie Rose Apar

Congratulations Fluxx on your one year anniversary, and hopefully many more.