Fat Positive Summer Festival in Berkeley // June 22-July 2

I'm so excited to announce that I'm working with the Berkeley Public Library to curate a 100% free Fat Positive Summer Festival this June and July!

Fat Positive Summer Festival in Berkeley, CA - June 22 - July 3 

Lose Hate Not Weight: A Critical Examination of Diet Culture
Claremont Branch, 2940 Benvenue Ave.
Wednesday June 22nd
6:30pm-7:30pm
In this 60 minute lecture Virgie Tovar – author, expert and lecturer – offers a primer on the history and sociopolitical realities of our cultural obsession with weight loss. The story of modern day “Diet Culture” didn’t begin with juicing or cleanses, but rather over 200 years ago with the inventor of the graham cracker.
 
Fat Positive Shorts
Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch, 1901 Russell St.
Thursday June 30th
7:00pm-8:30pm
A selection of short films designed to challenge our understanding of fatness:

• Aquaporko! - Aquaporko! is the story of Melbourne’s fat synchronized swim team. We follow fat activist and filmmaker Kelli Jean Drinkwater as she meets the team and uncovers a world of sisterhood, queer community and radical body politics. 22 minutes
• Fatty Cakes & the Puff Pastries music video – This Fresno-based all-girl band follows the tradition of riot grrrl, performing unapologetic songs about pizza, patriarchy and hating their jobs at the mall. 2 minutes
• Heft- In this short comedy filmed in Oakland, a fat, queer, Black woman draws a bevy of suitors and scoundrels. Screened at the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project Festival in 2014. 10 minutes
• Life Long Weight Gaining - A video of an installation by Vienna-based fat performance artist Veronika Merklein. 8 minutes
• The Fat Body (In)visible - Body acceptance activists Keena and Jessica’s stories detail the intricacies of identity and the intersections of race and gender with fatness; the women themselves find new and inventive ways to be proudly visible subjects through the strategic use of fashion and social media. 24 minutes

 
Freedom from Fat Shame! A Reading + Discussion
North Branch, 1170 The Alameda
Saturday July 2nd
7:00pm-9:00pm
Virgie Tovar has assembled a group of incisive writers and activists for an evening of body liberation with readings and personal stories. Let their words smash your feelings of fat-shame and help you foster acceptance in yourself and celebrate diversity your community!  Featuring comic artist Casey Gilly, Co-Managing Editor for Everyday Feminism Jezebel Delilah X, poet Baruch Porras-Hernandez, burlesque performer Irene McCalphin, and Dr. Kjerstin Gruys, author of Mirror, Mirror off the Wall.
 
Interview requests should be made to me via e-mail at virgie@virgietovar.com. Further questions about the events can be directed to Jack Baur jbaur@ci.berkeley.cs.us

Thanks to our media sponsors Ravishly,  Halmoni Vintage, and Wear Your Voice Magazine.

Graphic design by Jen Hickman

Special thanks to the Berkeley Public Library and Jack Baur for making this festival possible!

For more information go to www.BerkeleyPublicLibrary.org

Come hear poet Baruch Porras-Hernandez on July 2 at "Freedom from Body Fat Shame!"

Come see acclaimed short doc "Aquaporko" about all fat femme Australian synchronized swimming team on June 30 at "Fat Poz Short Films!"

Meet burlesque performer and writer Magnoliah Black on July 2 at "Freedom from Fat Shame"

Watch short doc "The Fat Body (In)visible" on June 30 at "Fat Positive Short Films"

Meet Kjerstin Gruys, author of "Mirror Mirror off the Wall" on July 2 at "Freedom from Body Shame"