THEYFRIEND: Nonbinary Performance Festival

The kickoff event of the 2023 THEYFRIEND: Nonbinary Performance Festival, the world’s first festival uplifting, centering, and celebrating nonbinary performance. Founded in 2020 by Vin Seaman, THEYFRIEND creates a space for nonbinary people to connect and see their experiences and perspectives centered on stage. 

Moderated by drag and dance artist SNJV, the kickoff event will include a pre-panel conversation on nonbinary identity with Sam Favela of The Transgender District, and feature performances and perspectives from “artists who express and thrive beyond the binary,” according to SNJV. “Now, more than ever, it’s critical that we continue to share our experiences, stories and joy - loudly and unapologetically” says Vin Seaman. Performances by drag artist Mojo Carter, musician Joce Ryder, dancer Riy Mutakabbir and poet Zara Jamshed.

SNJV (all pronouns) is an artist using dance, drag and drama to showcase humanity. Infusing culture into dance and fashion, SNJV creates performances for stage and film. With over 30 years of performance, SNJV has presented work globally, holds the title of Mr. GAPA 2019-2022 and is the first South-Asian title holder in GAPA’s history. In addition, he is the co-founder of Parivar-a social collective to support and celebrate Queer and Trans communities of the South Asian diaspora. He is also an educator who lectures about his research on drag, dance and identity. 

Mojo Carter (she/they) is a Trans Femme Black Drag Performer born and raised in New York, but now resides in the Bay Area. She is a traveling performer notable for performing in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, California and Washington. She is known for her fashion sense, and being an outstanding plus size model and performer. A few of her accolades include being a model for a Levi’s Pride campaign, winning the Castro Drag Entertainer of the Year Pageant and being an up and coming rising performer in the Bay Area performing with queens from Rupaul's Drag Race in shows like Princess and Reparations. Her Performance style and look is a combination of New York and California drag, bringing all types of culture into her drag to make a unique experience for audiences. 

Riyadah “Riy” Mutakabbir (they/them) is an educator aiming to create thought-provoking work. They first started their dance career at Stockton School of the Performing Arts and eventually transferred to Unique Visions Dance Company under the direction of Chelsea Hill. At 17 years old, they were admitted into UCLA’s Dance major where they were exposed to many different world dances and cultures. This exposure led them to a creative internship at Lula Washington Dance Theatre. During their undergraduate career, they were a member of the hip hop group, NSU Modern, and co-founded a group called Taste The Rainbow that celebrated resistance in a world that too often denies queer people’s existence. It is Riy’s mission to provide dance spaces to people of all genders and races to create a more inclusive dance community.  

Joce Ryder (they/them) began their creative career as a high school ballet scholarship student at North Carolina School of the Arts. A music wunderkind, they became a radio DJ at 15, and fronted their first band at 17. They began focusing on songwriting after joining New York City’s Anti-Folk scene. There, Ryder led a band playing all original songs. They were the lead singer of local pop-punk band Neon Anyway, performing at clubs all over the Bay Area, including Folsom Street Fair. In 2012, Ryder began studying theatrical improv—performing a number of times at the San Francisco Improv Festival, as well as multiple appearances at San Francisco’s Femprov Fest. They began acting in commercials and television in 2014. In 2021, they made and posted to YouTube 365 music videos. Ryder has been developing Gentlethem since 2021. They are the creator of TikTok’s ongoing anti-white supremacy #Listeningtoracism series.  

Zara Jamshed (they/them) is a queer, trans, disabled Pakistani-American poet from NYC living in Oakland, CA. They are the winner of the Penrose Poetry Prize for LGBTQIA+ writers and have work published in The Arrow, Keppel Health Review, Kiwi Collective Magazine and the Protest Through Poetry Anthology. Their full-length poetry collection Neither Created Nor Destroyed was a semifinalist for the Pamet River Prize, a finalist for the Stories Award for Poetry, and will be published with Game Over Books on November 7, 2023. Zara is a 2022 Periplus Collective fellow, was featured at Kearny Street Workshop’s literary arts showcase for APAture 2021, and has had their work supported by VONA, Open Mouth Literary, Sundress Academy for the Arts and Anaphora Arts. Putting their engineering degree to use, they currently work to bring the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy to California's low-income renters. 

Connect

Diamond Wave – Instagram 

Transgender District – Instagram