Build A Better Future Book Club from Girl Gang Manchester

Stimulus, discussion, co-learning, and action to create a more equitable world for all.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mad World: The Politics of Mental Health by Micha Frazer-Carroll

'A radical antidote to the constraints of our current conceptualisation of mental health' - Dazed

Mental health is a political issue, but we often discuss it as a personal one. How is the current mental health crisis connected to capitalism, racism and other social issues? In a different world, how might we transform the ways that we think about mental health, diagnosis and treatment?

These are some of the big questions Micha Frazer-Carroll asks as she reveals mental health to be an urgent political concern that needs deeper understanding beyond today's 'awareness-raising' campaigns.

Exploring the history of asylums and psychiatry; the relationship between disability justice, queer liberation and mental health; art and creativity; prisons and abolition; and alternative models of care; Mad World is a radical and hopeful antidote to pathologisation, gatekeeping and the policing of imagination.

Facilitator: Amie Kirby (she/her)
Amie (she/her) is the producer of Girl Gang Manchester’s Build a Better Future spaces. She is a queer, working class crip based in Salford. Amie’s interests lie in the intersection between community organising/ grassroots activism and the use of art, culture and heritage to instigate change. She most often campaigns around disability justice, migrant justice & free movement, working class identity, and youth voice. Currently she is working as a freelance writer and researcher, as well as Project Coordinator for the Working Class Movement Library. 

Chosen Organisation for Donations: The White Pube

This month, donations will go to The White Pube, a collaborative platform run by Zarina Muhammad & Gabrielle de la Puente. TWP do amazing work for working class creatives -- including a successful funding application library and a monthly grant. Their monthly grant is pausing due to lack of funds... so hopefully whatever we raise can go towards setting that back up and/or other org costs.

GDLP has also been very vocal about how her life has been impacted by Long Covid -- so during Disability Pride Month it feels fitting to highlight the relationship between crip solidarity, capitalism, and our understanding of mental health!

If you would like to facilitate a future book club or have an idea for a book that you think we should feature please drop us a message at girlgangmanchester@gmail.com. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We’ve expanded the focus of our regular anti-racism media club to include a variety of other identities and issues we believe are important to engage with as a community. Anti-racism will still remain a central focus and we will take an intersectional approach to issues - with many of the books on our upcoming lists authored by black/queer women.

We hope this group will provide a space and build a community for education, discussion and reflection. Every other month we will focus on a brilliant book exploring marginalised experiences.

Where possible we will invite facilitators with lived experience of the topic to provide stimulus and co-moderate discussions with our team- we choose to share the role of facilitation to share both the power and responsibility within the space.

The club meet on the final Thursday of every other month and sessions will now be 2 hours long to create space for lengthier discussions and action point check ins and outs at the start and end of each session.

We are trialling an in-person/online hybrid event delivery to maintain some of the increased accessibility lockdown instigated, but we would also like to build community and action around this group - so encourage people to come down in person if they can! 

We intend to maintain a long term, consistent space for people to take personal responsibility and communal accountability for their allyship and coalition learning, creating a space for reflection, discussion and to hear from other voices. The group is always open to new members, or returning ones, so we’d love for you to join us!


HOW THE GROUP WORKS:

• We’ll be meeting in person and online. Both digital and IRL spaces will be open 10 minutes in advance to arrive for a prompt kick off.
• Links to online meeting will be sent in advance of the session.
• Our sessions will involve specific prompts and small group discussions (as well as online in virtual break-out rooms)
• Digital attendees will be in groups together and in person attendees will be in groups together
• The space will be facilitated. Though some of our facilitators may have lived experience, this is a space for communal learning and structured discussion rather than a teaching space- the ‘teacher” will always be the author of the material.
• In order to pay our facilitators for their preparation and leading time, we are making paid for tickets compulsory at check out to help us cover the cost of their fees. We feel this is important, particularly when we are asking people with lived experience to contribute. If you are currently unwaged or the £3.50 is a barrier to your attendance, please book the free ticket, but we encourage payment where possible.
• There is also an optional donation to a relevant charity which changes each month and is selected by our facilitators, should you wish to donate.
• Please book your place in advance for each session.

WHO IS THE BOOK CLUB FOR:

The sessions are open to people of all genders/races/sexualities/classes/disability inclusive - if you have any specific accessibility needs in regard to the sessions, please let us know and we’ll do our very best to accommodate. For parents, single Mums, and those with a legitimate reason to be late, don’t worry we will still let you in the room! For everyone else, please try to be on time if you can so we can all be a part of the full conversation where possible.

This is a space for everyone - though we would like attendees to be aware that participants may be at different stages of their personal educational journeys. We must be prepared to push one another and address our own shortfalls to get the most out of the sessions, valuing the voices with experience, if they wish to attend.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Refund policy: Paying for a ticket funds freelance artists, creatives and facilitators and helps support Girl Gang Manchester in continuing to run events. All tickets are non refundable and non transferable.

Girl Gang Manchester’s events aim to be as inclusive as possible. This event is open to people of all genders, ages, races, sexualities, and classes. All are welcome, please see specific access information below.

Accessibility information:

• The room will be lit with normal lights. There will be a projection screen for zoom participants and potentially a power point presentation.
• We won’t be using strobe lighting for this event.
• All gender toilets are provided.
• Seating will be available throughout the event.
• We happily offer free tickets for personal access assistants, please email us at girlgangmanchester@gmail.com to arrange this. Registered assistance dogs are also welcome!
• Specific COVID guidance can be found below.
• A Girl Gang Manchester team member will greet you as you enter the event space and will be available as a point of contact throughout the event if you require anything.

If you have any other access requests or worries, please contact us at girlgangmanchester@gmail.com. We are super proud that our events and club nights are welcoming and that there are always people who feel comfortable to attend on their own.

COVID-19 Guidance:

Though we no longer have any specific COVID-19 guidelines in place at our events, it is our expectation that you as a member of our community exercise personal responsibility in that you do not attend if you knowingly have COVID or any other contagious disease, or if you have knowingly had contact with a positive case.

Why do we ask identity questions?

We want to make our events as inclusive as possible and we often get questions from people who for whatever reason say, ‘I really want to come but I am nervous, will I be the odd one out?’ Whilst we will always strive to do our best to make everyone feel welcome, it is useful to know a little more about who our audience is for each event so we can be honest in our responses to any queries. It also helps us tailor events for the people attending and identify who we aren’t currently reaching with our work.

This data really helps us, please answer any questions you feel comfortable with. If you do not want to share this information, please leave it blank. More information can be found on our Privacy Policy.