"Everything that I do, I think I do for fifteen-year-old me — when I didn't know about culture or anything," says artist, musician, writer (and friend) Sara Century. Her newest endeavor is Baby Hair, a monthly female- and queer-oriented reading series and open-mic night she co-founded with writer Erica Adams. Frustrated with events that feature only male performers, and inspired by San Francisco writer Michelle Tea's Sister Spit open mic, Adams and Century decided to create a safe community space where artists of all persuasions can come to perform.
"We want to have an open space where people can talk about a relationship or talk about sexual assault in a very open environment, as opposed to an open microphone that takes place at a bar with ten drunk dudes with their arms folded, staring at you, which is intimidating," explains Century. The night is open to pretty much anything as long as it's under fifteen minutes; past performances have included everything from short stories to jokes to performance art to dramatic readings of text-message conversations.
Century says she feels like people get apprehensive going to these events because it feels so vulnerable, but she reiterates that Baby Hair is a safe, fun space to connect with other people and foster community. The female and queer focus isn't there to exclude or alienate straight males, who are welcome and have participated in the past, but more to put an emphasis on groups of people who often feel out of place in the dude-centric art community.
Baby Hairis tonight at Deer Pile, above City O' City, 206 East 13th Avenue; sign-up begins at 7:30 p.m., and performances begin at 8:30. The all-ages event has a $3 suggested donation; for more information, visit www.facebook.com/babyhair69.
