Burning Bowl is a beginning of year tradition for Affinity Community Services’ constituents and the broader community. Burning Bowl is an affirmation ceremony that includes listing the negativity and challenges of the previous year, burning them, and writing affirmations for the New Year that are then placed in a self-addressed envelope. Affinity mails these affirmations to participants in June so they can check their progress. The event also includes a keynote speaker, spoken word, and drumming and serves as a fundraiser for the organization. The 2012 theme for Burning Bowl is “Healing Internally and Building Communities without Boundaries.” The keynote speaker is Sharmili Majmudar, executive director of Rape Victim Advocates. Others who are sharing their talent for the event include the Drum Divas, youth drummers from the Korean Resource and Cultural Center, Queer Choir, Veronica Bohanan, and KOKUMO. For the first time in the history of Burning Bowl, Affinity has a co-host—Amigas Latinas. The two organizations plan to open a shared community space together in 2012. Amigas Latinas and Affinity are social justice organizations with nearly 20 years of service in LGBTQ communities of color. Amigas Latinas mission is to empower Latina lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning women by providing a safe environment, personal growth, support, education, and advocacy to impact family, friends, and the larger communities we live in. Affinity works with and on behalf of Black LGBTQ communities, queer youth, and allies to identify emergent needs, create safe spaces, develop leaders, and bridge communities through collective analysis and action for social justice, freedom, and human rights. The two organizations collaborate on a number of social, community building, and civic engagement events.

Recorded Satuday, January 7, 2012 at Hyde Park Union Church.