Artist Panel: Queerness in Art and the Midwest
Join us at Elizabeth's Bookshop & Writing Centre for an engaging panel discussion featuring Rachel Cargle, Jesse Factor, and LuSter Singleton. This event will explore the intersection of queerness in art and its expression in the Midwest.
Thursday, August 22 | 7:00 p.m
Register for $5 and receive a $5 gift voucher to use at Elizabeth's the night of the event.
The artists will speak about their own art and inspirations and answer questions from panelist/moderator Rachel Cargle. An audience Q&A will follow.
Leading up to Akron's Pride festival, this event is perfect for artists and art lovers interested in the perspectives of these acclaimed panelists.
Artist Bios:
RACHEL CARGLE is an Akron, Ohio born writer, entrepreneur and philanthropic innovation. Her book A Renaissance of Our Own (Penguin Random House), centers the reimagining of womanhood, solidarity and self and how we are in relationship with ourselves and one another. In 2018 she founded The Loveland Foundation, Inc., a non-profit offering free therapy to Black women and girls. Her umbrella company, The Loveland Group houses a collection of Rachel’s social ventures including The Great Unlearn, a self-paced, donation-based learning community, and Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Centre an innovative literacy space designed to amplify, celebrate and honor the work of writers who are often excluded from traditional cultural, social and academic canons. Rachel is a regular contributor to Cultured magazine, Atmos magazine and The Cut, and has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar and The New Yorker.
JESSE FACTOR (Pittsburgh, PA) trained at the Martha Graham School and danced with Graham II and the Martha Graham Dance Company. Born in Sharon PA, Jesse grew up in Quito, Ecuador and Bangkok, Thailand before earning a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Factor’s work has been presented at the Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival, OUTsider Festival (Austin), Milton Art Bank, RADfest (Kalamazoo), St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery (NYC), Fresh Fruit Festival (NYC), Queer Spectra (Salt Lake City) and House of Yes, (NYC). Factor holds an MFA from the University of Iowa and completed additional studies at the American Dance Festival and 92 St Y's Dance Education Lab (DEL). Jesse currently serves in the Modern Dance unit at Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts.
LUSTER P. SINGLETON is a queer proud black Appalachian who is a parent, writer, commentator, creative energy, trailblazer and Freedom Fighter. LuSter is a native of Zanesville, Ohio and is proud to be from ‘Y-bridge river country.’ LuSter is a graduate of The Ohio State University and holds a Master’s and Bachelors of Arts degree in Women’s Studies. He is a graduate of the National Coalition Building Institute and is a former coordinator of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services, as well as, a former director of Ethnic Student Services at OSU. For 14 years, he was the veteran coordinator for the Pride Family and Teen Area forColumbus Stonewall's yearly Pride Festival. LuSter has a 35-year reputation as an accomplished gender performer, show producer and event planner. In the performance world they are best known for their gender bending portrayals of the sassy Lustivious Dela Virgion and the savvy Luster Dela V. He is the co-founder and visionary of 1990’s Fast Friday Productions’, the nationally and internationally acclaimed drag king troupe, H.I.S. KINGS and IDKE (The International Drag King Extravaganza) LuSter is featured in several publications, documentary films, and has toured with a number of 'queer productions.’