Celebrate and preserve 2SLGBTQIA histories in Western MA

Going LIVE in the Spring of 2025: Rooted Resilience: Intersectional Narratives of 2SLGBTQIA+ Creatives in Western Massachusetts is a podcast, multimedia blog, and discussion series exploring and preserving the intersectional narratives of contemporary 2SLGBTQIA+ creatives living on colonized Nipmuc, Nonotuck, and Pocumtuc land also known as the CT River Valley of Western Massachusetts.

Our Mission: Preserve and amplify the voices of marginalized contemporary creatives and their often overlooked contributions to the cultural and social fabric of the state. We'll be sharing creative and personal histories from artists in the region, exploring resilience and community through a holistic lens.

We see the work of preserving the rich 2SLGBTQIA+ history of this region for the community-at-large as a privilege and a joyful obligation. In that, we are intentionally creating visual and audio experiences and dialogues that are accessible to all within our community.

The production costs for this first year of a podcast, multimedia blog, and discussion series is $40,000.

Our budget covers:

We are seeking $10,000 from YOU, our community, to serve as an anchor for the remainder of our fundraising. Please consider donating or sharing this fundraiser today.

The podcast will be produced by Luc Abbott & M Rudder of Bloom Local with fiscal sponsorship from BOMBYX Center for Arts & Equity and contributions from these community sponsors: High Five Books, The Tiny Activist, and Yet Another Queer Pop-Up Market.

This project is also made possible by a grant from Mass Humanities with funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Stay Connected

You can sign up here to receive email updates about this project and follow us on IG @rootedresiliencepod.

BOMBYX is a non-profit organization established to steward the property at 130 Pine Street, in Florence, Massachusetts - a historic gathering place founded by abolitionists who championed anti-slavery, gender equity, and religious tolerance. Carrying these values forward, we serve our community as a venue for transformative arts experiences, spiritual growth, and challenging conversations.