The BI_POC-Statement
BIPoC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) is an acronym used to highlight the unique experiences and systemic injustices faced by Black and Indigenous populations, while also acknowledging the broader category of People of Color. The term originated from the part of Turtle Island that is colonially known as the United States in the early 2010s and gained global prominence around 2020 following the police-state murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others. It is particularly used within activist and social justice circles as a way to center the specific struggles of racially marginalized groups.
While BIPoC signals a shared experience and identity, it fails to highlight the complexity of experiences, perspectives, identities, histories, dreams, visions, and magic each of us holds within ourselves. As an imperfect term originating from and framed by US-specific experiences, it also fails to capture nuances and historical mechanisms of oppression relevant across racially marginalized communities outside of the US. Despite this, and largely because we have not yet agreed on a suitable alternative that everyone in our team feels happy with, we have made the decision to continue using the term BIPoC in this year's call to gather. This call is an invitation to all who hold a shared experience of being oppressed, marginalized, and/or limited by systems of racism, and with that, racial capitalism and colonialism. It is a call to dream into new systems that nourish and care for collective well-being and visualize our paths toward making our visions a reality.
It is our wish to organize a conference that is rooted, at its core, in a shared political grounding that is anti-colonial, antiracist, anti-imperialist, and anti-capitalist. We want to center the visions of those most affected by multiple forms of oppression simultaneously: trans-hostility, -phobia and other LGBTQIA+-phobias, ableism, colorism, racial capitalism, white supremacy, and cis-hetero-patriarchy. During our conference, we will prioritize these siblings in our decisions for workshop facilitators and session hosts. We also actively encourage the hosting of radical affinity spaces as additions to the conference program. Liberatory work needs all of us acting with collective care and reciprocity. Please make sure to read the FAQ before attending. We are so excited to hold this space with you! <3
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can attend the summit?
The summit is open to comrades who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color and who align with the political grounding shared above. We welcome all BIPoC who are passionate about social justice issues, all of which relate back to climate and environment. Our conference is not open to white comrades. We are open to exploring ways of collaborating outside of this conference, but ask that any non-BIPoC comrades respect this space and refrain from joining.
What about white-passing BIPoC?
First of all, white-passing BIPoC are still welcome. If you are white-passing, we ask you to take some time to reflect on your experience in the world - in terms of access, safety and passing due to racial ambiguity. What does this mean for you and for others? We ask these questions not to deny people their experiences or heritage, but rather to create a safer space for our communities and those most marginalized within them. In order to do so, it is fundamental that we all understand how our positionalities and privileges relate to power dynamics shaped the complexities of racism, classism and gender-based violence. How do these privileges inform how you should - or should not - show up in a BIPoC space? Which roles or postions in terms of leadership or decision-making can you take up - or maybe better not?
If reading this activated you in any kind of way, we want to remind you to welcome these feelings or thoughts and not push them away. We don't ask anybody to defend themselves. This is an invitation to reflect and learn, so that we can welcome one another into the space with a full heart.
An offering in this moment can be the following information source: Recognizing being white-passing as a privilege
What are radical affinity spaces?
As acknowledged above, the term BIPoC does not represent the complexity and nuances as people who experience oppression for our bodies and cultures. In learning from last year, we want to schedule significant time during the first day, to hold affinity spaces for people who share specific experiences. This space is an offering for people to bond over their shared identities or positions in socitey,to ask questions and exchange, to grieve and heal, and to celebrate and just exist together. This could look like spaces for Black folx, latinamerican Indigenous folx, Trans Inter and Non-Binary folx, dis_abled (visible and invisible) folx - this list is just a suggestion and we know that these identities overlap for many of us. If you feel like things are missing, need to be merged, or more specified, we are open to your ideas and rely on your contributions.
We encourage all affinity spaces to bring their reflections back to plenum as an opportunity to learn and grow as a collective.
If you already want to suggest an affinity space we welcome you to get in touch with us.
For a deeper dive into affinity spaces: The Power of Affinity Spaces
What are radical affinity spaces?
As acknowledged above, the term BIPoC does not represent the complexity and nuances as people who experience oppression for our bodies and cultures. In learning from last year, we want to schedule significant time during the first day, to hold affinity spaces for people who share specific experiences. This space is an offering for people to bond over their shared identities or positions in society, to ask questions and exchange, to grieve and heal, and to celebrate and just exist together. This could look like spaces for Black folx, latinamerican Indigenous folx, Trans Inter and Non-Binary folx, dis_abled (visible and invisible) folx - this list is just a suggestion and we know that these identities overlap for many of us. If you feel like things are missing, need to be merged, or more specified, we are open to your ideas and rely on your contributions.
We encourage all affinity spaces to bring their reflections back to plenum as an opportunity to learn and grow as a collective.
If you already want to suggest an affinity space we welcome you to get in touch with us.
For a deeper dive into affinity spaces: The Power of Affinity Spaces
What topics will be covered at the summit?
The summit will cover a range of topics including:
The conference will have three full program days. These are themed as follows:
- Day 1: Understanding our network: Acknowledging our differences, Learning from one another
- Day 2: Practicing New Worlds
- Day 3: Carrying the Work Forward: Fuck The Empire
In the website section Conference 2025 you can access our program draft with more detailed information. We will post a detailed schedule once we have the sessions finalized.
How can I register for the summit?
The registrations will open soon. Registrations are available following this link:
Is there a virtual attendance option?
Due to our capacities, we cannot offer an online format.
I want to propose a session, but I can't find anything related in the program draft. Can I still submit it?
Yes! Our program draft is a curation that we came up with as a roadmap to move towards our overall objective of the conference. This is a tool that should help and inspire us. It is not a tool of exclusion. All proposals are welcome! We will do our best to fit all the ideas into the program.
Accessibility: Space & Transport
We are currently finalizing venue details and will update this section with comprehensive accessibility information soon. A prayer room is planned.
We aim to collaborate with disability justice groups to organize transportation and accommodations for inclusive participation. If you have accessibility needs, please email us—we want to support you.
Accessibility: Languages
Our organizing team primarily communicates in English, but German and Spanish speakers are present. Last year's main conference languages were English and Spanish. All sessions offer simultaneous translation into German, Spanish, and English.
If you prefer another language, please contact us early for translation support.