Friday August 28th, 2020

1PM – 4PM

Our individual care acts also as a gesture for, and with our communities.
The more we practice showing up for ourselves, the better we can show up for each other.
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WHOLE EARTH  is a series of events organized by Renelyn Quinicot that began in 2017 to gather artists, and thinkers in circle to exchange knowledge in the form of storytelling, resources, art, life hacks, etc. It is inspired by an American catalog of the same title that circulated from 1960-the early 70’s by a “counterculture” of creatives that hoped to challenge the institutional, capitalist ways access to knowledge and skills is systematically limited. It believed it self-sufficiency, and D.I.Y (do-it-yourself) alternative forms of education to empower people to live more independently of corporations and institutional frameworks for learning.

WHOLE EARTH as a communal gathering, hopes to emphasize that in community, each individual becomes a bridge to sharing the uniqueness of the knowledge they’ve been privileged to have access to to empower the collective whole. Gatherings are themed differently each event. This edition of WHOLE EARTH is themed in CARE. On August 28th, folks are invited to take part in a virtual circle via ZOOM to exchange tools for care that have been serving them, which might resonate with someone else. We will share in circle what that word means to uniquely you – whether care is binge watching a specific comedy on Netflix, going for a walk through a specific trail in the city, a writing or drawing practice you go to, a recipe for comfort food you go to… What does the uniqueness of YOUR story, your body, your truth, need for care?

Following the collaborative exchange, Renelyn Quinicot will lead participants through breathwork meditations and a short sequence of stretches and mindful movement. These techniques will be broken down in a workshop, open-dialogue style to teach participants to use the same techniques for grounding in their own workshops and communities, or as resources for tools of personal care.

Resources and tools offered will be later compiled into an open document to be shared on the Xpace website along with a seperate recording of the breathwork tools and stretches.

Care is resiliency, care is continuity. *To ensure an intimate experience where all participants are able to take part in discussion and sharing, this event is limited to a capacity of 11 attendees. Though this gathering is open to all, it especially encourages existing workshop facilitators and activist-organization leaders to take part, and will prioritize LGBTQQIP2SAA and BIPOC folks.

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Please do not hesitate to reach out with any requests to ensure this event is accessible to your needs.

// This event is FREE, but encourages PWYC donations to: BLAC Black Legal Action Centre a not-for-profit legal aid service for low and no-income Black Ontarians. The concept of Self-Care originates from the civil rights movement by the Black Panthers as a means of reclaiming autonomy over Black folks’ own bodies and health against racist and systemically oppressive health systems. “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” – Audre Lorde. Please consider donating within your means if not at this time, then in the future. Donations are not mandatory to attend this event.

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Renelyn Quinicot is a queer Filipina artist, born and raised as a settler to Tkaronto. She graduated from OCAD University with a BFA in Criticism and Curatorial Practice. Her work centres in community, and vulnerability as a mediator for connection. Renelyn organizes a series of events titled WHOLE, WHOLEHEARTED, WHOLE EARTH that gather artists to share story, self-actualization exercises, and to exchange knowledge and resources to empower and mirror one another.

She integrates her studies in arts and curation in the ways she holds space as a meditation and mindful movement teacher. She is trained to offer Kundalini Yoga and breathwork, as well as Fusion styles that combine Pilates and dance. She is currently studying with New Leaf Foundation and GoodBodyFeel to inform her teaching with more of an anti-oppressive and trauma-informed lens.

LIMITED CAPACITY: 11 PEOPLE 

To apply as a workshop participant, please contact Renelyn at renelynq@gmail.com with the subject “WHOLE EARTH: Expression of Interest” before Monday Aug 24th. 

In your expression of interest, please share your name, pronouns, access needs* and why you would like to be a part of this workshop in 3-4 sentences. 

*Identities you occupy are up to you to disclose or not. Your information will not be shared with anyone outside of Xpace, and we will use your responses to best prioritize LGBTQQIP2SAA and BIPOC folks.