What really makes us safe? Laboratory for Alternatives to Police & Prisons

  
Talking Community Accountability
with
U.S. author & activist
 
Launch Party
for the
“Was macht uns wirklich sicher?”
Toolkit & Website
 
Healing Archives Exhibition
-linocuts, audio installation, & screening of the film “yes”
 
Reading Lab
Transformative Justice Kollektiv Berlin’s zine translation
&
Mai’a Williams’ new anthology
 

Saturday, June 10th
7-10 pm
Aquarium, Skalitzer Str. 6, 10999 Berlin @ Kotti (wheelchair accessible)

 
…organized by the Transformative Justice Kollektiv Berlin
&
the “Was macht uns wirklich sicher?” Crew
https://www.facebook.com/events/1222689914508281/
 

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…Where we’ve been…

At last year’s “Was macht uns wirklich sicher? / What really makes us safe?” panel discussion, we explored the so-called ‘security’ the German state offers in response to gendered violence. But strategies like police, borders, and prisons actually create and perpetuate rather than end violence.

After the events around New Years Eve in Köln, white mainstream feminist and LGBT organizations called on the State for more ‘protection’. Yet we know that the State uses its claims to protect marginalized communities as an alibi to continue law enforcement violence against people of color and migrants. Politicians also co-opt and distort radical feminist and queer concerns to strengthen a racist politics of security.

To fight back, we built a toolkit for activists which examines the intersections of State violence and interpersonal violence (sexualized violence, violence against queer and trans folks, partner violence) in Germany.
 
…Where we’re going…

For many marginalized people, calling the police is not an option. So when violence occurs, what lies beyond the prison and the border? What could make all of us safe? In our sequel event, we turn towards community-based alternatives and draw inspiration from the transformative justice & community accountability models developed by women of color and trans and queer folks of color in the U.S.

…Put on your lab coat…

Our ‘laboratory’ mixes various modes – visual, aural, spoken, heard, read – to immerse ourselves sci-fi style in the land of utopian alternatives. Olivia Oyama, Andrea Marcos, and Zoya Honarmand will use art to explore their ‘healing archives.’ Activist and author Mai’a Williams will share 20 years of experience with community accountability processes. Therefore, the discussion will be in English with a strong focus on U.S.-German exchange. We’ll also celebrate the publication of the “What really makes us safe?” Toolkit (get yours free !) and inaugurate the accompanying website, made up of interviews with transformative justice activists. Transformative Justice Kollektiv Berlin will be handing out copies of their translation zine, “Das Risiko wagen. Strategien für selbstorganisierte und kollektive Verantwortungsübernahme bei sexualisierter Gewalt.