Words In Action: Queering the Tarot with Cristy C. Road

300 College Drive,Sarasota FL 34234

15 March, 2022

Description

We will dive into a non-traditional history of the Tarot, and eventually focus on deconstructing the red tape that lines Tarot as a practice Cristy Road Carrera is the author and illustrator of the Next World Tarot: a deck designed to demystify traditional norms associated with the tarot, both visually and historically. Often seen through images of European nobility, class structure, patriarchy, and white supremacy; the Tarot remains a tool that existed long before colonization; as ancient civilizations developed divination rituals with tangible objects, from sea shells to paper goods. In this workshop we will dive into a non-traditional history of the Tarot, and eventually focus on deconstructing the red tape that lines Tarot as a practice. Through both readings and group participation, we will learn new spreads and new ways of communicating and identifying with the Tarot’s abilities, as well as its imagery. As the goal of the Next World Tarot was to be a battle-cry of the unheard; this workshop will shine light on the unheard powers of the Tarot. This event is limited to 20 participants. Cristy C. Road is a Cuban-American artist, writer, and musician. Through visual art, storytelling, and punk rock music, C.Road has thrived to testify the beauty of the imperfect since she began creating art in her hometown of Miami, FL. C.Road graduated from the Ringling School of Art and Design in 2004 with a BFA in Illustration. In early 2006, C.Road released her first illustrated novel, Indestructible (Microcosm Publishing), a 96-page narrative about high school. In 2008, she released Bad Habits (Soft Skull Press), an illustrated story about healing from abuse; and lastly in 2013, her most recent book, Spit and Passion (Feminist Press, 2012), a coming-out memoir about Cuban identity, discovering Green Day, and surviving in the closet. C.Road's most recent project is The Next World Tarot (2017), a 78-card tarot deck detailing themes of justice, resilience, accountability, and reclaimed magic. Aside from creating art; Road is a songwriter and guitarist, having fronted the pop-punk group, The Homewreckers from 2008-2016. She currently fronts Choked Up, a project that doesn’t stray too far from the Homewrecker's foundations, but proves a departure in style and bilingual lyrics. About the Series: Words in Action: Finding Your True Purpose builds community by re-thinking the role of the arts in society. Each spring, Words in Action introduces New College students to professionals working in writing-adjacent fields related to literary, book, and other arts. Showcasing the way writers and other artists find careers in which to apply their skills, and the ways art lovers bring the arts into their lives, editors, publishers, librarians, booksellers, arts administrators and other professionals share how their careers and their love of literary and other arts intersect. Words in Action distinguishes itself from other practice-oriented literary events in that it moves across disciplinary and institutional boundaries to feature the teaching, production, and circulation of writing as a whole social process that involves both paid and unpaid labor, as well as an entire spectrum of cultural workers inside and outside the university. Our ambition is to radically re-vision creative writing beyond its disciplinary bounds and situate it within a larger social context of work, writing, and literacy in action. Support for this event was provided by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and New College of Florida Gender Studies Program.