Living through this pandemic has made me evaluate the world we live in and spend a bit of time imagining a better future.
For me this involves giant laser cats destroying civilization so that we can go forward and build a glorious dayglow future on the ruins of the past.
Until that time though I will settle with releasing this print to raise money for Anaka Collective, a Belfast based women’s group.
Instead of me trying to write something about the work of Anaka Collective here are some words prepared earlier.
Anaka Women’s Collective is a group of women who use our collective skills to educate, support, advocate, and celebrate each other. Anaka is based in Belfast and is led, predominantly, by women with direct experience of the asylum system. We aim to empower each other and foster community in the face of an oppressive immigration system. Our activities are wide-ranging and rely heavily on the diverse skillset amongst us, currently we organise two community garden projects, 5 English classes per week, afro hair styling workshops, a yoga group, an education project that has been supporting non-English speaking mums with online schooling, training in food production, cooking classes, peer-led advice and support, and a campaign for childcare provision during asylum interviews.
The money made from the sale of these incredible prints will go towards our pottery project which is led by Eiman Haroon, an artist from Sudan and Anaka’s Welfare Coordinator. Whilst in Sudan, Eiman was an activist involved in movements for gender equality and freedom, she was also an active member of the Sudanese Artists Union and Communist Party and worked in areas affected by the conflict in Sudan giving art therapy sessions. In December 2020, Eiman started a pottery club with other members of Anaka and continued this on Zoom when we went into lockdown.
This money will enable us to continue and develop the pottery project project and will go towards facilitation costs, materials, and training.
To read more about Anaka Collective head over here:
https://www.instagram.com/anakacollective/
And head over here to buy a Fully Automated Luxury Space Cat to help make the world a better place.
https://www.leoboyd.com/product/fully-automated-luxury-space-cat-communism/
