Happy Holidays from {B/qKC}! What's next for us →
{B/qKC}'s semi-regular newsletter! | pub_6
> Hello_world!
It’s been a hot minute since the last newsletter; hope everyone is navigating the rest of this year okay.
This has been a really jam-packed year for us: from the launch of our first official gallery exhibition to the launch of our workshop series. That said, we’re going slooooooow the rest of this year and thinking intentionally about how we scale.
TABLE_OF_CONTENTS
Recap of Parkin’ Lot Pimpin’
{B/qKC} has a zine at Harvard!
Introducing our new intern, Eden Barnes!
What’s next for the archive ~
Snippet from the archive
Support our work!
Recapping Parkin’ Lot Pimpin’
{B/qKC} hosted Parkin’ Lot Pimpin’ this past September in collaboration with Tintoretta Tattoo Studio, and let me tell you: a time was HAD!
The Black queer block party was a celebration of Kansas City’s inaugural Black Gay Pride (founded in September 1994), as well as an homage to Soakie’s and its parking lot–which was so deeply treasured by Black queer elders in the community. Guests enjoyed dancing, vendors, food, drinks, and a special trunk exhibition of materials from the archive.
Check out some pictures from the party!
Thank you to everyone who came out in support of the archive, and thank you to our wonderful vendors and partners!
Look at even more photos and the full recap >
{B/qKC} has a featured zine at Harvard University!
{B/qKC} now has a zine featured in Harvard University’s Schlesinger Library collection! Back in 2024, a researcher from the library reached out to request a copy of {B/qKC}’s Volume 1 zine.
The zine was featured as a highlighted title on the library’s website for Fall 2024.
This work, being spread and reaching new people in new places, is truly touching, and we are so grateful for the opportunities to continue to educate people about Kansas City’s Black queer history!
Check out the title at Harvard’s online library >
Introducing our new intern, Eden Barnes!
Eden Barnes (they/she) is the new Fall 2025 Community Engagement intern here at {B/qKC}, from the Mellon Humanities Internship program at the University of Missouri Kansas City.
Eden is a current senior at the University of Missouri Kansas City, set to graduate in December 2025 with a BA in Sociology with an emphasis in Cultural Anthropology, and a minor in Race, Ethnic, and Gender Studies. Eden is very excited for the work they will be engaging with during their time here at the archive!
Eden’s favorite materials from the archive are from the starla_carr_collection. She is drawn to the beauty, joy, and pageantry evident from the photos in the collection–the beautiful garments, the clear sense of community, and the love of performance. It reminds them that there is always a good time to be had, and beautiful moments to be found in every little thing.
Learn more about UMKC’s Mellon Humanities Internship Program >
What’s next for us?
our website, a historical marker, and EOY funding campaign!
What a big year it’s been for us! We:
were recognized by the City of Kansas City through an official proclamation,
graduated two fellowships with The Opportunity Agenda and Gray Area,
had two large-scale exhibitions: a gallery show and a trunk show,
were awarded our first sustainability grant by the Rooted Power Fund, and
launched our first popular education series!
Now, we’re locking in and going slow for the rest of this year and early next year. Our focus right now is creating more permanence for Black queer history beyond the work we’ve done so far.
{B/qKC}’s official website
Part of this permanence is the creation of {B/qKC}’s official static site and database we’re hoping to launch very soon.
This site will be a way for users to view all materials currently within the archive; and interact more deeply with all of the materials’ associated metadata in decentralized format.
This database will be one of the first sites of its kind, where all materials will be loaded through the Interplanetary File System: a peer-to-peer protocol for storing and sharing files.
Rather than Google Drive, DropBox or a third-party storage system, IPFS’ files are distributed across nodes (i.e. machines, computers) within its network.
This makes {B/qKC}’s data more resilient, efficient, resistant to censorship and more secure (and free!).
A historical marker* for Soakie’s
Over the past few months, we’ve been engaging in conversations with Kansas City’s Historic Preservation Office and Cordish Companies in hopes of installing a permanent historical marker in remembrance of Soakie’s: Kansas City’s first and only Black gay bar.
We’re still making headway/negotiations on this front, but our hope is that sometime within the next year, folks will be able to visit a plaque commemorating this once great space!
Our EOY fundraising campaign
Similar to last year, we’ll be launching a fundraising campaign to support {B/qKC}’s endeavors in 2026. Most of these funds will be going toward yours truly, Nasir, in supporting their livelihood, as well as materials and supplies for continued exhibiting and {B/qKC}’s popular education workshops.
Last year, we raised $1,639.26 and had 37 donors.
This year, we’re hoping to raise $2,000 and reach 50 donors.
Reach out to me to inquire about how to support beyond donations >
Snippet from the archive
starlacoll013 || Tracy Carrington wins “Glamour’s Lifestyles of Lord and Ladies 2003” pageant
In a purple dress sewn together by Starla Carr, Tracy Carrington holds an award in celebration of her winning the “Lady” category at “Glamour’s Lifestyles of Lord and Ladies 2003” pageant.
Tracy Carrington, unfortunately, passed away in the 2000s due to gun violence.
May we all shine as bright as Tracy did!
Support this work!
In order to keep these sexy updates coming, the money needs to flow as well!
As mentioned, we’re launching a crowdfunding campaign for {B/qKC} soon and we’re hoping to raise $2,000!
If everyone subscribed to this newsletter gave $11, we’d reach this goal!
{B/qKC} is fiscally sponsored, which means all contributions are 100% tax-deductible and go directly to supporting the work I do as a Black queer artist and the sustainability of this project.
By supporting {B/qKC}, you’re investing in my work as an artist and memory worker and in the long-term preservation of Black queer Midwestern stories. Together, we can build a future where our histories are celebrated and never forgotten.
With love,
Nasir