sistah*sinema Presents A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lord

In partnership with sistah*sinema Cleveland, SPACES is excited to be a host location a special screening of A Litany for Survival: The Life & Work of Audre Lorde in conjunction with meditations on be(IN) thr(u), the immersive exhibition by Brooklyn-based artist ọmọlolú Refilwe Bàbátúndé currently on view at SPACES.

In meditations on be(IN) thr(u), Bàbátúndé has transfromed the Oracle Gallery into a constellation of sonic and visual works rooted in familial archives, Black sound traditions, healing practices, and self-emancipation. Through layered audio, video, printed matter, and a monument to Zora Neale Hurston, the exhibition invites visitors into spaces of deep reflection, attunement, and care.

The sistah*sinema screening expands these conversations through the life and legacy of Audre Lorde — the award-winning Black lesbian poet, mother, teacher, and activist whose work bridged the Civil Rights movement, feminist organizing, and LGBTQ+ liberation struggles. Following the film, guests are invited to participate in an open mic celebrating Lorde’s enduring influence through poetry, music, storytelling, and performance.

This program also resonates with Bàbátúndé’s recent residency workshop at SPACES, inspired by Lorde’s Zami: A New Spelling of My Name and the Black feminist breathing practices of Alexis Pauline Gumbs. Through deep listening, collective voicings, mantra creation, and sound-making, the workshop explored breath, sound, and the body as spaces of transformation, healing, and becoming—themes that continue throughout both the exhibition and this collaborative community gathering.

About the Film

This epic portrait of the award-winning Black lesbian poet, mother, teacher, and activist Audre Lorde catalogs an incredibly impactful, revolutionary career. From her childhood roots in Harlem to her battle with breast cancer, the film explores a life, and a body of work, that bridged the Civil Rights movement, the women’s movement, and the struggle for lesbian and gay rights.

After the film, stick around for an Open Mic! All Audre Lorde-inspired performances are welcome. Featured artists, Nedra Johnson and Storme Webber.

SCHEDULE:

• 1:00 PM – Doors open. Check in, grab refreshments, and get comfy.
• 1:30 PM – Welcome and opening words.
• 1:40 PM – Film starts (52 minutes).
• 2:40 PM – Open Mic Begins: music, good vibes, time to connect.
• 4:00 PM – Close out the event.

HOSTS: Sistah Sinema Host Committee

Sistah Sinema Cleveland is a film and dialogue series that amplifies the voices and experiences of queer women of color (QWOC). By combining film screenings with community dialogue, the program creates affirming spaces for connection, cultural exchange, collective healing, and community building.

SPONSORS: AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland

COMMUNITY PARTNER: LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland

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