Kousa Khamsa: Pride - a QT SWANA dance party

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including ticket information

Welcome to Kousa Khamsa: Pride - a QT SWANA dance party.  

We've been dancing together since 2021 — and we're celebrating this birthday loud and proud. For SWANA folks, loud and proud is just our baseline. Five years means laughter, community, inside jokes, unforgettable performances, new friendships, new partners, music, and dabke. A lot of dabke.

It started with a small party upstairs at Tamarack in Oakland in June 2021 — because we needed some queer joy in those COVID dark times. We filled the place. That gave us the confidence to go bigger at 7th West. And here we are with you. Thank you to everyone (past and present) who made this possible and kept us going

Be your best selves, follow the guidelines, take care of each other, and, of course, dance.

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About this party:

DJ sets by DJ Emancipation (of @soullovely), DJ Mansaf Mama, and jaag.

Haute Couture Drag by Arabic Queen Sheidybee.

Photobooth by Velvett Photos

Flier design and artistry by Paradise. 

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Please review our community guidelines - no photos/videos of individuals or the party without explicit consent, no inappropriate behavior, mind how much you imbibe. We ask you all to look out for one another and gently encourage those around you to follow these guidelines and to let us know when someone is being disruptive. We’ll have security folks around the party to talk to. People unable to meet these minimums or who are being disruptive will be promptly asked to leave.

• We are celebrating our queer, trans, and nonbinary SWANA community. This is our space and these are the people we are prioritizing. Be mindful of the space, your presence, your privilege, and of consent. We really care about creating a beautiful, supportive space. Party-goers should feel comfortable letting us know about anyone disrupting this space and we will promptly take care of it. We will have security folks at the front door and around the party identified so you can reach out to them. Please do not hesitate to tell us anything. And being an ally means using your privilege (cis-privilege, male-privilege, straight-privilege, white-privilege) to lift up and support our community, especially in its time of need. 

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• RSVP required. 21+ For tickets, we'll be using TicketTailor and separate sliding scale tiers. 
  • Tier 1 prioritizes our LGBTQ+ folks who identify as part of the SWANA or BIPOC communities
  • Tier 2 for our lovely non-LGBTQ+ folks or non-SWANA/BIPOC Allies. 
  • Please contact us if you need any support in purchasing tickets - discounts available. NOTAFLOF. 
  • Limited tickets may be available at the door, but please purchase online ahead of time to make it easier. 

For the first time in years, we've raised our ticket prices. We've always been committed to keeping this party affordable — and to paying our artists what they deserve. Supporting the artists means investing in our community. No one turned away for lack of funds; reach out if you need assistance.

TIER 1 – Queer/trans community tier (LGBTQ+ SWANA and LGBTQ+ BIPOC Community)

• $13 – Lwāba
• $18 – Bannat
• $20 – Door price

TIER 2 – Ally tier (non-LGBTQ+ SWANA, non-LGBTQ+ BIPOC, other allies)

• $20 – Khawal
• $25 – Habbabat
• $30 – Door price

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• Remember practicing kindness and patience. We take care of ourselves, so act like the family you need.

• Photography
  • For the safety of our community, please do not take photos/videos of the party/dancing or share on social media without getting the explicit consent of the individuals in the photos. 
  • Feel free to take your selfies and group-selfies (with consent) in a separate, empty part of the space without the unconsented partygoers in the background. 
  • You can take photos of our DJs and performers on their own, so share and tag those.
  • We will have a decorated photobooth area for folks to take fun photos.
  • Feel empowered to help others maintain these boundaries and give gentle reminders. We will not be sharing photos online of individuals without their consent.

• 7th West is fully accessible, and our party happens (mostly) in the outdoor area. Parking is in the streets and not far from BART. 
  

• We love you all and see you soon. If you have any limitations or questions about anything, please reach out to Fadi Shihadeh (630-209-2666).