2025-26 Theme: Legacies of Living Free

Legacies of Living Free

It is with great pleasure that we share our 2025-2026 annual theme: Legacies of Living Free. To engage with these legacies, the text we have chosen is  Marsha: The Joy and Resistance of Marsha P. Johnson  by Tourmaline. Marsha P. Johnson was an trans activist, care worker, sex worker, performance artist, living icon in her community, and  apparently  someone  with a deep affinity for dogs. In this new (and first full) biography of Marsha’s life, Tourmaline pays homage to the many layers of Marsha’s identity while also letting the myth have its due. Marsha was a singular human being and has become  (especially in the  years  beyond her presence on this side of the river), a symbol for the Stonewall Uprising  and more generally  Trans inclusion in LGBTQIA+ struggles. Marsha is  an emblem of free expression and as the subtitle tells us: joy and defiance. The text is full of flowers and glitter,  bravery and grace. Ultimately, as a  staff, we decided this was the book we wanted to read with you because we believe that by taking the time to mark one single life as  sacred  we will be practicing a vital skill: how to honor one another in the full breadth of our existence.  

As we embark on this intellectual and spiritual journey, we are reminded of the importance of nurturing spaces like ours, where shared experiences and learning are truly valued. Our hope is to continue building an environment that is welcoming yet reflective, a space where everyone feels encouraged to engage fully and authentically. “Everyone struggles with being made to feel that they should be smaller, that they should be less complicated, that they are taking up too much space, that they don’t deserve to live a full and joyous life” writes Tourmaline. She argues that the  biography  of this  Black Trans Queer person is “universally captivating [. . .] because the struggle and the bravery it takes to embody one’s true self is universal.” As it turns out, everyone is precisely who we would like to see living free. 

Often when we are in conditions that are harsh,” Tourmaline reflects, “it can be a perfect time to dream.” We are already dreaming. We spent our summer in the archives, readying for the 40th, gathering ideas and strength from the people who dreamt up the responsibilities we are now privileged to perform. We are excited to have this book to guide us in the year of our 40th  Anniversary because it provides ample opportunity to continue the conversations we have focused on in recent years: on collective hope, harm reduction, disability justice, mutual aid, (WC themes from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, respectively).  This year we are going to dig into our own histories: personal, political, institutional.   We are going to let these last forty years feed us as we dream up forty more to come. 

There will be events aplenty, including  Marsha  reading groups for staff and students this winter quarter. We have  a limited  number of free copies of the book available for those who wish to join. We will weave this text into  additional  aspects of our programming, and as  culmination  but not conclusion, we will host Tourmaline for a workshop and a keynote address in April. But behind and within every event there will also be intention: We are going  to use  these opportunities  to dream up a  future beautiful and liberatory  for everyone. We are going to love one another,  seek  to understand one another, and be present for one another’s struggles. We are going to grow our collective courage and  speak  our individual truths. These invitations are open to all.     

In community, 

The Women’s Center  

Theme Artist

Meet the artist who designed our annual theme artwork "Legacies of Living Free"

Theodoor Gabriella Malaika Grimes (They/He) is a Black gender expansive digital artist known for his vibrant illustrations that center the queer experience under the moniker ggggrimes. Based in the Bronx, Theodoor is entirely self taught. ggggrimes' work expresses brilliantly colorful, lush, and tranquil depictions of queer life while recognizing the significance of interdisciplinary spirituality and cultural identity held by trans people of color.

Theodoor often describes his work as a portrayal of queer people of color living beautiful, erotic, and emotionally complex lives: highlighting a safe and abundant world that every queer deserves. Theodoor's illustrations are full of incredible detail and texture: tattoos, body hair, surgery scars, bulges, blushes, expressive eyes, and seemingly endless patterns. Inspired by manga, spiritual iconography, horror, erotica, and slapstick, his portfolio boasts thoughtful and provocative visual storytelling with diverse characters and subject

Past Themes

• 2024 - 2025: Earth is a Relationship
• 2023 - 2024: Collective Hope is a Radical Practice
• 2022 - 2023: Lessons from Harm Reduction
• 2021 - 2022 Disability Justice As Feminist Practice
• 2020-2021: Mutual Aid & Community Engagement
• 2019-2020: By Degrees: Gender. Education. And Progress.
• 2018-2019: Gender. Labor. And Power.
• 2017-2018: Critical Intersections