The Black Sound Symposium is a 4-day event full of concerts, talks, workshops, screenings, and interdisciplinary dialogue rooted in Black sound and Black sonic space. The symposium aims to create and sustain community; to celebrate curiosity, wonder, disobedience, collaboration, and play in artistic work; to expand anti-racist and activist pedagogy and methodologies in and outside of our institutions; and to honor the long and rich lineages of Black virtuosity that have been diminished and erased from artistic canons and social consciousness.

BBQueer is a collaboration between three dance/art and community centered organizations in Santa Cruz – Motion Pacific Dance (MP) and Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center (TWDCC). BBQueer celebrates the transformative art making power and embodied activism of Queer Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Providing a home where the BIPOC queer community can feel seen, affirmed, included and safe, BBQueer is where queer and BIPOC artists can share their work, celebrate their identities, and feel completely welcome. It is a proud space where humans are seen as whole with intersectional stories to share.

Speak for Change was founded with the mission of creating positive and lasting social change in our local and global communities. From a studio at the Tannery Arts Center in Santa Cruz, Thomas Sage Pedersen has hosted over 100 podcast episodes – and now, Speak for Change and Indexical bring you a series of live events! Each event features an interview and a musical guest, with new and custom sets tailored to the topic of conversation.