'Dark and Tender' Film Screening and Song Circle with Aaron Johnson

Dark & Tender Film Screening

Activist and facilitator Aaron Johnson will share “Dark and Tender,” a powerful short film that follows ten Black men as they embark on a transformative retreat on Whidbey Island with Johnson’s Chronically UnderTouched (CUT) Project. The men seek to reclaim platonic intimacy and tenderness through close encounters with nature and depictions of gentle Black masculinity, restoring the vital aspect of touch by replacing violence and rough play with care, connection, and intimacy. A Q&A and community sing will follow the screening.

Community Song Circle

So many of us have been hurt around our voices and are seeking healing. Song circles create a space where we can receive emotional nourishment by disrupting the notion that we cannot sing together.  

We are firm believers that music, tears, and laughter are not separate. We treat them all as critical parts of the human voice. Singing together, creating sound together, and practicing listening together are a few of the ways in which we reach for each other. ​

Participating in our song circles look many different ways: singing, harmonizing, jamming with your voice, tapping your feet, snapping your fingers, or listening. There is no requirement to sing! We often also include spoken word, invitations (not requirements) for community involvement, and conversations about race and racism in between songs.

People who have been told they cannot sing are especially encouraged to attend.

About Aaron

Aaron Johnson (he/him) is a public speaker, facilitator, touch activist, and filmmaker. As a founder of Holistic Resistance, Grief to Action, and The Chronically UnderTouched (CUT) Project, Aaron takes the time to hold the stories of Black people around homophobia, transphobia, and internalized racism.

Photo credit: Aliko Weste