The Bechdel Project Hosts YES QUEENS!

In a powerful act of defiance and self-preservation, the Bechdel Project has announced "Yes Queens!", a restorative day-long event taking place on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at their headquarters in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This event is a direct and joyful artistic response to the nationwide NO KINGS protests and a collective rejection of what organizers describe as performative, autocratic celebrations.

Inspired by Audre Lorde's profound wisdom, "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare," "Yes Queens!" posits that rest, joy, and collective care are indispensable tools in the ongoing fight against authoritarianism. It also draws on Clarissa Pinkola Estés's insight into the cyclical nature of women's psyches, emphasizing the need for periods of solitude and rest amidst involvement and creation.

"We invite activists, organizers, and co-conspirators to join us for all or part of this day as inspiration, as repair, or as a pause woven into your ongoing political work," states the Bechdel Project. "Whether you're coming straight from the streets or holding space in quieter ways, this day is designed to nourish your body, spirit, and imagination."

The event is hosted in solidarity with the NO KINGS national day of action and mass mobilization on June 14th, which aims to address increasing authoritarian excesses, corruption, and crackdowns on free speech. The NO KINGS movement emphasizes that "The flag doesn't belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to us. We're not watching history happen. We're making it. On June 14th, we're showing up everywhere he isn't-to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings." A core principle behind all NO KINGS events, and thus also "Yes Queens!", is a steadfast commitment to nonviolent action and de-escalation.

SATURDAY, JUNE 14th SCHEDULE:

Participants are welcome to join for one or all events throughout the day:

9:00am-10:30am: NO KINGS Protest Sign Making & Postcarding
11:00am-12:00pm: Restorative Performance Workshop
12:30pm-2:30pm: Make Your Own Pizza Party
1:30pm-2:30pm: Solidarity Economy Learning Circle
3:00pm-4:00pm: Yoga Class with Luis Olle
4:30pm-5:30pm: Poetry Workshop
7:30pm: Fempire Comedy Show

How to Prepare:

Gather your friends!
Bring cardboard for sign making at 9am (markers and paint will be supplied).
Attendees are encouraged to integrate these restorative activities before or after participating in wider political actions.

RSVP is required: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/yes-queens-a-joyful-artistic-resistance-in-a-no-kings-era /