The sixth edition of Disruptive Fridays features a conversation with Pedro Marum (XenoEntities Network, Mina, Suspension, PT/DE), Mariana Nobre V. (Performer, choreographer, queer rave instigator, Emotional CPR (eCPR), Rabbit Hole and Lecken collectives, PT/DE), Mariana Cunha (Kosmicare, PT) and Rafi (Artist, Organizer, TS Raver, DE), moderated by Nada Bakr (Disruption Network Lab EG/DE).

During this conversation the guests discuss harm reduction within queerfeminist self-organized communities that welcome queers, trans, POC and neurodivergent people to discuss, test and learn about psychoactive substances. For long they have operated with structures that not only provide moments of revelry but also much-needed care and acceptance for many, who often find in these communities their peers, their kin, forms of coping and resistance. In the current times of pandemic and isolation they are debating how to continue this work.

As the clubs and parties close, where does all this energy go now? What happens to all the bottled-up anxieties and loneliness? What happens to the people that struggle with addiction and, instead of understanding, find prejudice and discrimination? Who looks after those whose needs have always been overlooked or oppressed? What happens now that governments have (yet again) failed to protect, and these communities have become de-fragmented and even more precarious under isolation? How can we foster collective digital support, debates, talks and guidelines about harm reduction and emotional support in self-isolation times?

With Pedro Marum, Mariana Cunha, Mariana Nobre V. And Rafi Disruption Network Lab speak about their ongoing projects and about “RAVELENGHT”, an upcoming project in which they collaborate to generate accessible tools for harm reduction, relief and empowerment within the queerfeminist electronic music scene and raver communities. By organizing online discussions, workshops and support groups in collaboration with artists, healthcare professionals and local community organizers, they call for a culture of solidarity across and beyond European borders.

Photo Courtesy of the organisation