Following Dallas’ Reproductive Liberation March, Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova Further Raised Funds — And A Little Ruckus — For The Cause At A Deep Ellum After-Party.
All photos by Karlo X. Ramos.
Inspiring and uplifting a scene as the Dallas Reproductive Liberation March was earlier, as thousands of Dallasites gathered to voice in unison their protest over the new Texas law that vastly restricts abortion access across the state, it takes a variety of energies and attitudes to truly win a fight like the one Texas women currently face.
To that end, those who gathered at Deep Ellum’s Thunderbird Station after the march on Saturday very much found themselves participating in a wholly separate vibe.
There, as promised, attendees were treated to a DJ set and performance from the noted Russian social revolutionary Nadya Tolokonnikova, co-founder of the punk rock protest and performance art collective Pussy Riot.
As one might expect from an activist and performer who has only been emboldened in the wake of being jailed for protesting her native country’s restrictive policies against women, Tolokonnikova’s offering at the outdoor Deep Ellum space was an anarcho-punk display of a variety of wide-ranging emotions — from exuberance to anger and all points in between — as well as a cathartic celebration of freedom of expression for all parties involved.
Initially billed as “a DJ set and talk about reproductive rights,” the performance — it doubled as a fundraiser that organizers say pulled in “at least” $10,000 for the Texas Equal Access Fund, which provides assistance and aid to low-income North Texans seeking but unable to afford abortions — found Tolokonnikova, her eclectic team of dancers and her energetic crowd doing far more than politely sitting and talking about the laws being passed against their bodies.
As the above photo set from photographer Karlo X. Ramos shows, this event — hosted by Thunderbird Station in conjunction with concert promotions company Banjos to Beats and Dallas activist Soraya Santos — brought far more ruckus and clamor than its announcement teased. It was an afternoon and early evening filled with, to put it one way, raging against the machine.
Hey, sometimes you’ve got to make a little noise to be heard. Especially in those instances when, as Tolokonnikova’s own participation in the battle proves, the whole world is watching.