Elderberries is the organization for social activities, education, public speaking and activism for elder Q folk. Normally only members are invited to the Elderberries events, but in January there are three or four events that the general public is invited to.
Anita Martinez short film
On the afternoon of January 11, filmmaker and documentarian Arena Alamino will present her short film about Anita Martinez, entitled Anita Louise And The Wild Women. This short documentary is a portrait of Anita and an exploration of the Wild Women Don't Get the Blues lesbian camping weekends she captured with her camera in the 1980s and 1990s.
Arena says: “I was struck by the intimacy and playfulness of these images and how the deep sense of trust she built with her subjects was so immediately obvious to the viewer. She was generous enough to allow me to spend time filming her in her home despite her declining health, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to provide this snapshot of her life and her work.”
We'll have a discussion about the film and Arena’s work afterwards.
This is a pot luck; bring some food or a beverage to share.
Elderberries members will have gotten the particulars; if you're not a member but would like to attend, RSVP at AtlanticCanadaElderberries@gmail.com .
NSRAP reboot meeting
Indirectly related to the Elderberries: in 2010, the activism organization NSRAP created the Elderberries. NSRAP crashed and burned a few years ago; that's documented here.
A small team will be hosting a meeting to restart the organization on the evening of January 14. If you ever attended an NSRAP meeting, please come.
If you have not gotten correspondence from Dan MacKay about the event, please RSVP at AtlanticCanadaElderberries@gmail.com . There will be light refreshments.
An afternoon with two Q politicians
On the afternoon of January 25th, Elderberries members, friends, and allies can meet our representatives in the municipal and provincial governments when MLA Lisa LaChance and Halifax Councillor Sam Austin will be the guests of the regular Elderberries Salon to talk about their work as openly LGBTQ members of government and their relationship with the 2SLGBTQ+ community and organizations.
Although each has their own constituency, they can also serve as LGBTQ+ voices in their levels of government.
Sam Austin (Dartmouth Centre) has a background as an urban planner and was first elected to Council in 2016. He came out as bisexual about a year and a half ago.
Lisa LaChance (Halifax Citadel – Sable Island), the NSNDP spokesperson for 2SLGBTQ+ Affairs, was first elected to the Legislature as an openly lesbian candidate in 2021, and after the 2024 provincial election became part of the Official Opposition.
Elderberries members will have gotten the particulars; if you're not a member but would like to attend, RSVP at AtlanticCanadaElderberries@gmail.com .
This is a potluck event; please bring some food or beverage to share. Home-made and store-bought are both welcome. Coffee and tea will be provided.
