BACK TO SCHOOL ~~~ Class Series
A cure for scholastic FOMO
Something I learned by going back to school is that— I LOVE SCHOOL. Do I love dusty institutions and hierarchy? Absolutely not. Do I love Flight School, Revolution Flower School, teach-ins and screenings in Prospect Park, self-led study, “grassroots degrees” (Neema Githere), and DIY degrees (Zoé Samudzi)? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.
By accident, I created a healing curriculum for myself this summer. I got my CPR certification (from an artist friend’s parents in their studio space), levels 1, 2, and Reiki Master attunement (from my brilliant friend Liza Marie Fenster), and after this weekend will have learned the NADA five-point ear acupuncture protocol pioneered by the Black Panthers and Young Lords. I can’t help but pursue class.
To cope with the envy I feel seeing all my student and teacher friends gearing up for the fall semester, I’ve put together a very special class series on (disclaimer: umbrella term) trauma-informed tattooing. It’s been awhile since I’ve offered these, and a large part of the reason why is that I feel I can’t teach a practical skills workshop without talking about the limitations and misapplications of the ideas. This will be my first time beginning by teaching a class specifically on origins, history, and the why of it all, as well as a separate final workshop on values alignment and resisting cooptation. If you’ve taken class with me before, you’ll know that I think of these containers as constantly expanding, and I am always bringing my own new learnings to how I teach. I am so excited to work through these three modules together.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ FIND IT HERE ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This will be the only workshop I offer for the rest of the year, so if you’ve been wanting to learn together live, this is the chance! There are a number of scholarships and pay-what-you-wish spots open, so please email me if the cost is a barrier— I would love to have you. Reach out with any other questions, too!
A reminder that the sale code AUGUST is good for 15% off everything in my webstore through the end of the month, including this class.
📝 BACK TO SCHOOL Class Series: Trauma-Informed Tattooing and Beyond
Unpacking origins, practices, and shortcomings
Three Saturday morning classes:
September 14, 21, 28 from 10am-11:30am EST
Presentation followed by group discussion and question
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📝 September 14: History and Origins of Trauma-Informed Tattooing
What does trauma-informed mean? How do we define trauma? We will unpack these terms with precision and criticality from a decolonial lens, tracing their lineage and considering how we apply them in tattooing today. We’ll come to a working definition of trauma from a healing-centered perspective and explore how it can affect the tattoo experience. We will also look at real world examples of tattooing’s power in a contemporary context.
📝 September 21: Practical Skills and Applications
Covering specifics of the tattoo process from outreach to appointment, we’ll detail examples and potential approaches to building a functional and flexible routine for ourselves and clients. Together we will think through boundaries, cross-field skill building, workplace models, and economic structures, inviting in the practices and knowledges we already possess.
📝 September 28: Values Alignment and Resisting Cooptation
What are the challenges and limitations of the idea of trauma-informed care? How does meeting these challenges become urgent in the face of rapidly shifting political crises? We will name and unpack the ways that “trauma-informed” falls short and experiment with new language and structures as a way to dream more expansive liberatory practices into being. What can tattooing achieve?
*Sessions will be recorded and video and slides will be accessible after each class*
Some reviews of past teachings:
“Santibañez's clarity and rigorous approach to social justice has had a profound influence on my practice as a tattooer.”
“Tamara’s workshops, writing and group facilitation have completely expanded my understanding of my practice as both a tattooer and client. Tamara shares their perspective of working in the industry for over 10 years in a way that is both completely accessible and revolutionary.”
“I was blown away after taking in both the Trauma Informed Tattooing and Compassion Fatigue, Boundaries & Burnout presentations. Professionally, this gave me a lot of new understanding for experiences I've had throughout my career.”
From this week:
Calls From Home screening at the Brooklyn Public Library, followed by a discussion with RAPP — Release Aging People from Prison (new member orientation this Thursday if you’re looking to get involved)
J Wortham’s Substack is back, baby <3
Mutual aid call-- Crown Heights CARE Collective funded an amazing community screening of Attica (1974) out of pocket this past week. Help pay them back and keep their work going via Venmo to @Cheryl-Rivera.
Friday September 6th: Palestine and Abolition Film Screening: Women in Struggle hosted by RAPP and Samidoun at MayDay Space.
MAYDAY NEEDS OUR HELP - they are in major need of donations to stay open and to continue being an invaluable resource. Donate here!