AMP Seeds’ Fall Lineup Includes Conversations, Performances, & More

The series from Allied Media Projects will host four virtual events this season
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adrienne maree brown - AMP Seeds
Catch adrienne maree brown, pictured above, in conversation with Ross Gay during AMP Seeds Sept. 9 event. // Photograph by Anjali Pinto, courtesy of Allied Media Projects

Allied Media Projects, a Detroit nonprofit focused on the intersection of media and social justice, is presenting a new installment of its virtual event series. Formerly known as the Speaker Series, the program is now called AMP Seeds and will host four events this September and October.

“Our Fall AMP Seeds series centers individuals fighting for a world without prisons and those using writing, filmmaking, and performance as strategies for resistance and joy,” says Brenda Hernandez, event manager of AMP Seeds, in a press release. “Dialogue is a powerful tool against systems of oppression, and we are excited to share insight from these impactful activists and artists. We hope audience members connect, listen, and discover new ways to contribute to a more equitable future.”

The opening event, taking place Sept. 9, will feature a discussion between Ross Gay, who has released four books of poetry, and adrienne maree brown, an author of several books who released her first fiction novel, Grievers, yesterday. The two writers will discuss how small joys can bring about individual and collective transformation.

AMP Seeds - Undocumented Filmmakers Collective
Undocumented Filmmakers Collective, pictured above, premiere their latest short film during the AMP Seeds series on Oct. 7. // Photograph courtesy of Allied Media Projects.

Later this month, on Sept. 23, AMP Seeds will present a conversation with Myrtle Thomspon-Curtis, co-founder of Detroit urban garden nonprofit Freedom Freedom Grower, and Cat Brooks, member of the In Our Names Network, an organization that works to end police violence against Black women, gender non-conforming folks, and femmes. Tawana Petty, who is the national organizing director at nonprofit Data 4 Black Lives and director of Black-woman led arts incubator Petty Propolis, will moderate the discussion. The event will cover how to co-create a world without prisons.

Then on Oct. 7, the program will host an event with the Undocumented Filmmakers Collective on dismantling barriers in the entertainment industry. The group, which centers the film expertise of undocumented people, will premiere a short satirical piece titled The Undocumented Rejects during the virtual event.

Rounding out AMP Seeds’ fall series is an evening of song and dance on Oct. 21 curated and hosted by Una Aya Osato, the co-founder of Brown RaidcalAss Burlesque, a femme BIPOC burlesque collective. The event will feature New York City performers Michi Ilona Osato, a burlesque and drag performer; Junior Mintt, a drag artist, speaker, and comedian; and Morgan Bassichis, a comedic performer and musician.

Tickets for each event are available through Eventbrite. There is no cost to attend, but donations to Allied Media Projects are welcome.

For more information, visit alliedmedia.org.