LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER

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Native of Turtle Island - Lenape Territory and Motherland Africa. Black + Queer + Proud. Raised in what society calls NYC.  Home to the gay rights movement, Stonewall Inn, House of Balenciaga, and the nation’s largest gay-pride parade. A city which birthed leading activists Audre Lourde (s/h), Hida Viloria (t/t), Leslie Feinberg (s/h), Marsha P Johnson (s/h), Sylvia Rivera (s/h), Keith Cylar (h/h) and Willi Ninja (h/h) (just to name a few). 

Although NYC is a safer city than most, it hasn't always been a bouquet of roses. Since childhood, We've experienced gender discrimination in public places, random violent attacks by strangers on the street, verbal harassment while using a cisgender bathroom of our choice, sexual violence, and the list goes on… 

Our love for Circus + Performing Arts allowed us to find an inner Spiritual place of solace, healing, freedom and authentic expression. Yet there were still very few studios, auditions, gigs, and event venue spaces that fully understood and accepted not only our identity, but the stories We and others like us shared.

Both in language and customs, our culture acknowledges 3 sexes and gender expansiveness - feminine and masculine energies in the form of Spirit can present itself in infinite forms. There are no debates on pronouns, denying our children the right to play sports, genital mutilation when a baby is born, nor governments deeming homosexuality illegal. 

So, out of depression, anger and exhaustion birthed a fierce, resilient and loving world: ANKOLE. A world where our existence on the planet will no longer be ignored, our truths no longer silenced. Children are encouraged to express themselves in numerous ways with zero boundaries. The ITSGA culture thrives in every creative, artistic way possible.

ANKOLE is created for you, for us. WELCOME HOME 

~ Ari Salaam (they/we), LCAT, BC-DMT