2024 FRESH WORKS! Artists

This FRESH WORKS! Commission is part of our FRESH CONVERSATIONS series: a conversation between Cecilia Chung & Nicky “Tita Aida” Calma, hosted by Anand Kalra! This is a very special and rare opportunity to hear about the lives and trailblazing work of longtime community heroes Cecilia and Tita Aida — moderated by Anand (Executive Director, Queer Cultural Center).

Cecilia Chung, Senior Advisor at Transgender Law Center, is an internationally recognized leader who advocates for HIV/AIDS awareness and access to care, LGBT equality and equity, and human rights. Cecilia has been a vocal advocate for transgender women and people living with HIV. Currently, Cecilia is a member of the PCB NGO delegation at UNAIDS, and chair of the Finance and Planning committee of San Francisco Health Commission. Cecilia is also a member of the Advisory Council of Women Living with HIV of WHO. Cecilia has served many roles in the HIV movement including, the Board of the Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center, being a founding producer of Trans March, she organized one of the world’s largest annual transgender events which has since been replicated in cities across the U.S. and s member of Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. In 2015, Cecilia launched Positively Trans, a national, constituents-led project that focus on policy advocacy and leadership development of transgender people living with HIV, especially transgender women of color. Her story was featured in ABC’s docudrama, “When We Rise”. Currently, Cecilia is on the NGO delegation of UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board on which she and her colleagues successfully championing more trans-incluse language in the HIV response.

Nicky “Tita Aida” Calma is a familiar name to the Bay Area communities for the past thirty years. Her grassroots activism started in the 90’s. Since then, she became a tireless and proud transgender community leader in the Asian & Pacific islander LGBTQI community and in the greater LGBTQI of the Bay Area. She is currently a Managing Director for the San Francisco Community Health Center (formerly API Wellness) overseeing prevention programs for vulnerable communities. She is also one of the co- chairs of Trans March, the largest trans event that happens during the last Friday of June at Dolores Park.

Anand Jay Kalra (he/they) is the Executive Director at Queer Cultural Center, which promotes social justice through arts and culture. He brings a passion for community arts and more than twenty years’ experience in organized peace and justice work. Anand is also the founding Artistic & Managing Director of Uncaged Library Arts & Information. Since 2016, Uncaged Library’s flagship program has been Octavia of Earth, a collaborative docu-musical inspired by the lived experience of author Octavia E. Butler. Anand earned a master’s degree in Library & Information Science from the University of Michigan 2010 and is proud to be a transgender man.

Accessible Futures is an invitation to RSVP for THEE drag experience of Tomorrow. Our collective is a cast of fierce disabled, chronically ill, and/or neurodivergent QTIBIPOC artists tapping into crip magic to showcase drag excellence with access features for the performers and audience alike. Our art alchemizes ableist violence into infectious, radical joy on stage and highlights diverse talent often missing from nightlife lineups. If you think collective access is science fiction then do we have news for you. The future is now, baby – don’t get stuck in the past! Party with Accessible Futures…today <3

Deaf since birth, Chicago born, Christopher Smith began his education at Whitney Young High School, where he began to study dance. Since then, Christopher has pursued a career, as a dancer, choreographer, and actor. As a dancer, he began dancing with the Sixth Sense performers in Chicago. Mr. Smith largely credits its director, Charlotte Akinsonon, and its choreographer, the late, Roscoe Gillenwater, as integral to his training As an actor, Christopher has worked with The National Theatre of the Deaf, the Sunshine Too Theatre Company, Deaf West Theatre (in Los Angeles), Centerlight Theatre (in Chicago), Chicago Dramatists’ Workshop, the Intiman Theater (in Seattle), Film work includes “The Compensation” starring Michele A. Bank and directed by Zeinabu Irene Davis.

Photo credit: courtesy of artist

Dane Figueroa Edidi: Dubbed the Ancient Jazz Priestess of Mother Africa, Lady Dane is a Black Nigerian, Cuban, Indigenous, American Performance Artist, Author, Poet, Educator, Advocate, producer, a Helen Hayes Award winning Playwright (Klytmnestra: An Epic Slam Poem), a 2021 Helen Merrill Award Winner, Film Maker, Advocate, Dramaturg, a 3x Helen Hayes Award nominated choreographer (2016, 2018, 2023), and a Princess Grace Honoria Award winner. She is the co-editor/co-founder/ Co-director of the Black Trans Prayer Book. She is the curator and associate producer of Longwharf Theatre’s Black Trans Women At The Center: An Evening of Short Plays and is an artistic ensemble member of the company as well.

Photo credit: courtesy of artist

Meet LBXX (@lunchboxx___), a dynamic force in our local community! As a Black queer hip hop performer, DJ, and activist, LBXX co-founded the @__Makeroom DJ collective and pioneered Project Save the Gworls—a fundraising initiative offering rapid response support to BIPOC LGBTQIA+ and TGNC individuals during crises. Renowned for high-energy performances, and uplifting DJ sets, LBXX embodies the spirit of creativity and positive change.

Photo credit: courtesy of artist

Mark Travis Rivera is a Puerto Rican queer femme disabled creative entrepreneur, choreographer, coach, speaker, writer, and the CEO of The Professional Storyteller. He founded marked dance project (2009-2019) becoming the youngest person and person of color to found and artistically direct an integrated dance company for disabled and non-disabled dancers. He was born in Miami, raised in New Jersey, and now calls Atlanta, GA home.