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BECAUSE Conference 2024
BECAUSE 2024
Programming
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Jace N. Rios Rivera
pronouns: any/all/none
Sexualities scholar and bi+ activist Jace N. Ríos Rivera is a current Sociology PhD student at Boston University and holds a graduate degree in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University at Albany. With a BA in Sociology from the University of Puerto Rico, they bring decolonial perspectives into sexuality research, focusing on how identity categories are created, adopted, and transformed. Recipient of UAlbany's 2024 Excellence In LGBTQ Scholarship Lavender award, their work focuses on bisexuality as both a sexual orientation and theoretical framework, as well as the factors that influence plurisexual individuals’ choice of label. Throughout their activist efforts, they seek to make grounded theoretical contributions accessible and approachable to the public as they continue their research and explorations on bisexuality, non-monogamous relationships, identity formation, and gender expression/practice.
Bailey Merlin
pronouns: she/her
Bailey Merlin is the author of A Lot of People Live in This House and a bi+ activist with a background in media and medicine. She is the co-creator of the podcast Bisexual Killjoy and founder of the Bi+ Book Gang, an international writers’ group. She holds an MFA from Butler University and an MS from Harvard Medical School. Her writing has been published in literary magazines such as The Lascaux Review, ellipses..., Honeyfire Literary Magazine, Bandit Fiction, Anti-Heroin Chic, Chantwood Magazine, Drunk Monkeys, Dime Show Review, among others. In addition to her writing, Bailey has co-performed a spoken word short story album, Bug Eyes, with award-winning jazz guitarist Richie Smith. She is also the librettist of the opera ¡Dime! An Opera in Four Acts. Based in Boston, Bailey lives in an intentional community with a dynamic cast of humans, a toddler, a dog, a cat, and a friendly ghost. You can find her work on baileymerlin.com.
The Insomniac
The Insomniac has been DJing weddings and events around the Twin Cities for almost a decade and enjoys creating fun vibes for any space! She spins a variety of musical genres, from R&B and house music to jazz, country, and rock and roll. You can find more info on her at www.nosleepmpls.com, and at IG@the_sleeplessone
Bisexual Killjoy
Bisexual Killjoy is an informative, hilarious, and occasionally spite-fueled podcast dedicated to everything bisexual+ (all pansexual and non-monosexual friends welcome!). Fronted by two bi+ folks willing to talk about anything and everything bi+, you can expect to hear good stories, meet bi+ scholars and advocates from around the world, and learn how to be a better Bisexual Killjoy. Find them on bisexualkilljoy.com.