Using the language of culture- art, story, ritual, celebration- QC Family Tree cultivates folks’ sense of belonging, connection, and interdependence. This is long term, rooted, work that involves strategy. Though integral to our work, we are not focused solely on creating opportunities for individuals to express themselves and learn. Collective aims- mutuality, community, shared, cooperative- are our focus.
QC Family Tree’s Cultural organizing efforts, such Rhizome Fellowship, Culture Bearer Residency, West Side Collectives, and Liturgical Direct Actions, promote community pride, cohesiveness, and collective efficacy. They empower the community to build long-term capacity and impact social change at small and large scale.
It is important to draw on local resources: stories, voices, perspectives, and art forms of our community. The process of creating together builds relationships. It also helps us to learn more about our community and individuals so that we can better organize and collaborate with one another. New leaders and collective goals emerge from collaborative artistic actions. Our capacity to create change increases as we build relationships and participate in culture bearing together. Community members participate in art projects, zines, and storytelling events as a way to create collaborative environments of abundance, justice, imagination, and mutual care for all.
