Want to change the world? Join a non-profit agency! At an organization full of compassionate visionaries dedicated to making the world a better place, nothing could possibly go wrong – right?

Okay, so nobody’s perfect, and no non-profit is the perfect agent for change. As you may know, some aspects of non-profits can be stressful, challenging, and even counter-productive to the ultimate goals of social change work. And that can be hard for me to hold, knowing that even people with the best intentions can contribute to creating obstacles in the way of true liberation.

Luckily, we now have some courageous folks to help us name what goes on in the wacky world of non-profits, through a new activist-artist group called Peacock Rebellion. And they’re doing it all with fun and sass, as well as a deep sense of hope in the power of true activism.

Peacock Rebellion is centered around queer and trans people of color, and the artists craft their work through lenses of intersectionality, interconnection, interdependence and transnationalism. These artists aren’t afraid to speak the truth about the dangers of a non-profit industrial complex that upholds problematic patterns and stifles activists' dreams.

The truth is, we don’t have to accept the problems of the non-profit world, even with the best intentions. As Peacock Rebellion founder Manish Vaidya says, “we can dream bigger.”

Our big dreams take center stage at Agen(c)y: Nonprofit Dreams + Disaster, Peacock Rebellion’s first cabaret. Twelve queer and trans people of color use comedy, film, burlesque and more to critique the current state of social change, and to share their freedom dreams. The tremendously talented performers include Lambda Literary Award winner Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Deep Dickollective founder Juba Kalamka, and Mia McKenzie, of the revolutionary blog Black Girl Dangerous. In addition to the all-star performers and curators (Maya Chapina and Manish Vaidya), there’s an all-star line up of sponsors: INCITE, Mangos with Chili, POOR Magazine/Prensa POBRE, Queer Rebels, and QWOCMAP. In other words, a whole lot of fierceness has gone into this show.

Agen(c)y: Nonprofit Dreams + Disaster premiered last night to a packed house at La Peña Cultural Center, and tonight’s show is nearly sold out, so it may be too late to see it on this run. But don’t worry! We’ll be seeing much more of Peacock Rebellion’s amazing work. To find out more, you can visit their website or their Facebook page, and to offer your support, visit the Indiegogo page.

Each day, I search for something new. A new image, or a new idea, or a new way of seeing the world. It's important to me to be open to change.

That much may be obvious. If you're reading my blog you might know I'm looking to explore the relationship between writing and social change. But this time, I'm not really talking about creating change outside of myself. I'm thinking about the changes unfolding within me.

I keep writing and reflecting on new practices, because I'm generally being good to myself these days, which is fairly new to me. So while I do have some beliefs and ways that I staunchly believe in, I generally like to approach the world open to the possibility of new light in my life. As far as being good to myself goes, I'm still learning a little more each day about what that means.

Newness is the stuff of growth and change. It's the spirit of creativity, and innovation. So being open to newness means just about everything to me as an artist.

Another reason I like to be open to change? There was once a time when I was stuck. Stuck in an abusive relationship. Domestic violence survivor advocates often describe domestic violence as a pattern of power and control, and I was trapped in that pattern.

That pattern means there was no one moment when it all went wrong. There was no one point when I should've walked away, in spite of all the time I've spent wondering. I was stuck in a pattern, and it was going to take a change to break the cycle.

So, as a survivor, I like to keep my arms open to the ever-present possibility of new healing. That doesn't mean I won't settle into new patterns, get comfortable until they become old ones. But now I want to try nurturing the patterns that have good roots. If I'm open to new beginnings, from places that are good for me, I'll wander into my own healing path.

And this change might begin inside me, but, as I know from being in community with survivors, those who share their stories also spark new cycles of healing in the air around them.

Speaking of trying new things, here's the trailer for Season 2 of that web series I like, "Black Folk Don't." The show is in a new location, and it looks like they're taking on some interesting and important topics for the new season. The first couple of episodes are out, and you can watch them on the "Black Folk Don't" website.