Skip to main content

“Hummingbird Heart”: From Zine to Live Tour

 by Emily Duff

Kinsale Drake (Diné) is a multi-skilled creative with professions ranging from Poet to Playwright. Her endeavours have landed her spots in a range of publications from TIME to the Yale Literary Magazine and recognition such as the J.Edgar Meeker Prize, the Academy of American Poets Prize, and the Young Native Playwrights Award.

Currently, Kinsale edits Changing Wxmen Collective, after having gained experience serving as a National Student Poet. 


Kinsale founded Changing Wxman Collective to create a digital publishing platform and creative space that highlights BIPOC voices and narratives. 


Said to be “here to empower our own narratives and create space”, Changing Wxmen Collective is a digital arts magazine by and for BIPOC people of marginalized genders. Their publication includes art, poetry, prose, op-eds, interviews, zine making workshops and more using a community force in order to make waves with their mission to empower each other’s work, spotlight those who inspire us, and connect with each other to create real change. 

  


With an interest in Indigenous feminisms and radical poetics by women of colour, Kinsale can be found studying the intersections of cultural (re)vitalization movements, Indigenous poetics, and Indigenous feminisms at Yale University. 


She created Hummingbird Heart in 2021 alongside Alice Mao while on a trip to New York City in which an awkward conversation about gender and sexuality began between the two. Recently published by Abalone Mountain Press, a Diné-woman-run press, the zine comes in two colours: lilac and pink.


Discussing the inversion of the cisgender heterosexual whiteness, male gaze, alienation, desire, loneliness, queerness, and other “ness”es.

A summer tour by the same name, Hummingbird Heart, is set to take over and inspire the youth of Southwest of America. Featuring a range of live performances, workshops, and hybrid music and poetry shows, it is sure to be a fascinating event to reintroduce creativity and passion.


Having already gained experience working with multiple artists, collectives, and small businesses to curate readings, markets, fitting parties, collection launches, and concerts. 


This has even extended to running Softer Sounds, a company founded by herself and Nanibaah to allow for pop-up events that ensure the safety and enjoyment of all while making sure to highlight Queer People of Colour. These spaces have no limits, with previous occurances having taken place around spoken word poets, independent vendors, and more. Kinsale focuses on creating a welcoming and festive space that can celebrate local and underrepresented artistry - something that is vital to every single community. 


Having already attended Junior High Los Angeles, Inspired by Diné Bizaad, and PEN America in June, the upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:


Palabras Bookstore Zine Fest: July 1st


The Nile Theater: July 2nd


San Francisco Botanical Gardens: July 16th


The Ruby San Francisco: July 19th


The Ruby San Francisco: August 9th


Tea at Shiloh’s, Los Angeles: August 10th


NDN Collective, Santa Fe: August 19th


Museum of Contemporary Native Arts: August 20th


To gain tickets to any of the shows, just click the link attached to the date! See you there…



Most Popular

Fashion For a Cause: Brands That Stand with Palestine and the history of fashion as a form of Activism

by Oana-Maria Moldovan For over two months, there has been an ongoing genocide war in Gaza. To simplify a long and horrific issue, the situation that started, on a larger scale, around one hundred years ago, and has only become amplified since October 7th 2023. Taking place around the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Israel–Lebanon border, the armed conflict is between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups.  The problem is about “stolen” land. Said land is seen as an important holy part of both religions involved. But really, how holy can we consider a land to be, if people kill other people for it? It’s important to remember that this genocide is about three things: forced occupation, zionism, and religion. It’s also important to remember what ethnic erasure is. This terrible expresion, also known as cultural or ethnic assimilation, refers to the process by which the distinct cultural or ethnic identity of a particular group is gradually diminished or erased, often due to...
Read more

Now What? The Aftermath of the 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl'

by Susan Moore Here is a bit about me: I am an open, excitable, creative AFAB who is also moderately attractive. I have a unique sense of personal style and a personality that on the surface can only be described as “bubbly” and “quirky”. For this reason, dating is a nightmare. To be sure, I do not have a hard time finding dates or potential suitors. The problems arise when said dates spend some time with me and decide that I am a rare specimen, and the connection they feel with me is “unlike anything they have felt before”. Then, things go one of two ways.  Either a) they decide I am too high maintenance and no longer palatable, or  b) they choose to never look further than the surface and are content to date the idea of me rather than the real me. There is something rather interesting, perhaps funny, about my situation. It is in no way unique. I have met so many people who constantly dealt with the same problem. Even funnier still, is the fact that there is a trope that simu...
Read more

Victoria’s Secret's Downfall: Lack of Diversity and the Reimagined Fashion Show That Aims to Save the Brand

by Ally McLaren For 23 years, Victoria's Secret dazzled the world with its extravagant annual Fashion Show, but in 2019, the event was abruptly canceled.  This decision, however, wasn't entirely surprising. The brand had faced mounting criticism for its lack of diversity, which contributed to declining ratings and scandals behind the scenes.  Now, Victoria's Secret is attempting to reinvent itself with a new fashion show concept. Will this be enough to save the brand from its troubled past? The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was once renowned for its bejeweled bras, angel wings, and A-list performances. Despite thus, its popularity waned due to the brand's refusal to embrace diversity.  Public outcry intensified in 2018 when the show's organizer, Edward Razek, made controversial remarks about not featuring plus-size or transgender models, suggesting it didn't align with the brand's fantasy image.  Moreover, revelations about the brand's former CEO...
Read more