EYE ZEN’S VISION

All people in the U.S. recognize and celebrate the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, plus (LGBTQ+), activists that fought and continue to fight to liberate the LGBTQ+ community from social and legalized discrimination and stigma.

Queer people recognize ourselves in queer ancestors, finding solace and inspiration in our stories, and recognizing that we are not alone but a powerful and supportive community with a length of histories as long as that of humanity.

Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (QTBIPOC) communities are recognized and celebrated for their histories that have for too long been systematically hidden and appropriated by white-supremacy in mainstream culture. 

EYE ZEN’S MISSION

Eye Zen Presents is committed to unearthing and elevating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, plus (LGBTQ+) histories so that we can better understand our lineages and ourselves. We create innovative, trans- disciplinary performance and community-building events throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, illuminating underrecognized queer ancestors.

EYE ZEN’S VALUES

Historical Research: We protect and promote lost LGBTQ+ histories through rigorous research, preservation, and interpretation. Our work gives image to the unseen and moves the forgotten to create a lasting body of evidence of these vital legacies to disseminate for future generations.

Anti-Racism: We acknowledge that our board, staff, and community have been raised in a society inundated by a racist, transphobic, hegemonic, white supremacist system. Through the development of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion advisory committee, we are taking a proactive approach to unlearning toxic norms as an organization and to root our work in anti-racist practices.

Community: We aim to build lasting relationships with our artists and patrons. We begin each of our artistic projects and programs by looking for community partnerships with local organizations and businesses and conduct regular exchanges with them once our collaboration has been established. 

Curiosity and Growth: We dig into our past, unpacking the stories of how we cultivated the socio/political climate of today in order to ask bold questions about how to move towards a more liberated future. We learn from the past so we can grow.