Community Meditation with Joaquin Caro Longbeach

For this workshop, Joaquin will honor the original stewards of Long Beach, which include Tongva, Chumash, and Acjachemen peoples. This will include a brief discussion about the history and where we are now, and how the "Land Back" movement is critical in ending sexual and relationship violence. Afterwards, we will offer our lifeforce to the sacred land we are on with our breath through meditation and some optional movement. The hope is for us to connect to our bodies as sacred land, and further as a collective body that includes our Earth, and recognize our role in restoring balance through reciprocal relationships.

This free community event is the final offering to Velvet Penny's initiative to offer community care through accessible, all ages, art and wellness workshops. Our mission is to share these workshops to help connect attendees with practices that can help them, grow, heal and find empowerment.

is based in Long Beach, CA (occupied Tongva/ Chumash territory), and is a Chicane queer non-binary community organizer, facilitator, collaborator, and reiki practitioner centering queer trans people of color by primarily providing trauma-informed training, peer support, healing, and mindfulness.3. Description of ActivityFor this workshop, Joaquin will honor the original stewards of Long Beach, which include Tongva, Chumash, and Acjachemen peoples. This will include a brief discussion about the history and where we are now, and how the "Land Back" movement is critical in ending sexual and relationship violence. Afterwards, we will offer our lifeforce to the sacred land we are on with our breath through meditation and some optional movement. The hope is for us to connect to our bodies as sacred land, and further as a collective body that includes our Earth, and recognize our role in restoring balance through reciprocal relationships.

ABOUT PLAYNICE LONG BEACH
Playnice Long Beach is an emerging art and impact space anchoring the cultural and creative landscape of the city while empowering community to achieve the highest of their personal and professional goals.

ABOUT ‘YUDITH’

Yudith is the second Official Music video release for Velvet Penny’s debut record, ‘All the Flowers.’ The video portrays the nonlinear path of healing and addresses the different avenues of self destruction that present themselves to us when lost. Pictured is doe eyed Yudith, as she finds herself in a desolate environment encroached upon by a group of menacing spirits persuading her from the path of self love and discovery.

ABOUT VELVET PENNY

Velvet Penny, is a musical collective, dedicated group of community organizers and artists led by singer/songwriter Marlena Martinez. For her debut body of work, Marlena spent several years creating ‘All the Flowers,’ which was released as an album, community zine, and award winning music video dedicated to preventing and healing domestic violence. ‘All the Flowers’ can most simply be described as an art rock album that explores the sounds of folk, alt-jazz, and psychedelia unified through the complexities of dissonance and the lightness of healing.

As a vocalist and community organizer working at the intersection of activism, wellness, and art, Marlena was awarded an artistic residency at CASA Pitzer in Ontario, California hosted by The Arts Area where her music video for ‘All the Flowers’ was on view from November 2022- February 2023. During the opening, Velvet Penny made their debut as a full band but most critically, Velvet Penny’s residency offered free education, art, and wellness programs designed to create kinder and safer communities. Workshops ranged in topics such as somatic consent, zine making, body and trauma work/healing, and self-defense.

Bandcamp

Music Video

Live Video

Instagram

Info: During this portion of the event, Velvet Penny Frontwoman, Marlena Martinez, will talk about the making of the ‘Yudith’ Music Video and the mission trro portray healing’s nonlinear nature and the desire to cultivate community care as continued care. We’ll also have a chance to talk to Joaquin Caro, one of the collaborators in the video who plays a THOT.

Host or Publisher Velvet Penny