Images of participants from past years courtesy of Womxn of Color Weekend
Photo: Phree
by Mia Phillips
Provincetown’s most valuable tourist attraction can’t be sold as a souvenir. Plenty of places offer beautiful beaches, historical monuments, and kitschy t-shirt shops, but the freedom to be who you are, among members of your community, without the constraint of fear or judgment sets Provincetown apart. “I think our town is about visibility and people having a safe space to come together and be themselves and celebrate and see themselves,” says the founder of Womxn of Color Weekend, Lynette Molnar. The weekend’s current executive producer and director, Jha D Amazi, agrees, “I think that’s one of the greatest gifts that Provincetown gives.”
Just over 20 years ago, Molnar, who had already created Holly Folly and Girlsplash in 1997 and 2005, respectively, received a request from Lorraine Najar, the former owner of Lorraine’s restaurant, to organize a weekend dedicated to women of color. Molnar felt there was an imbalance among the Provincetown demographic, and sought to provide a space for Black people who identify as LBGTQ+.
The first weekend’s schedule featured workshops, brunch, parties, a stand-up set by comedian Karen Williams, and various meetups. Molnar says after that very first weekend, attendees “were absolutely thrilled to be together and to be in a town that is so safe for everyone.”
Today, the weekend still features many of the events offered 20 years ago. “In keeping with the history of the event, we are centering our programming around workshops,” says Amazi. “This idea of knowledge-sharing is very important to us.” The workshops are thoughtfully tailored to the needs and interests of attendees. “We are checking the pulse of what we feel is important to our community,” says Amazi.
Traditionally, on the last day of the weekend, attendees dressed all in white descend down Commercial Street to attend the Soul Sister Brunch. This year, the event will begin with a blessing from Rev. Akosua by the harbor, where attendees who choose to participate form a circle to bless and be blessed. “Then we move inside for delicious food, wonderful conversation, and there’s an open mic component,” says Amazi. At the mic, attendees are allowed to share anything from a poem or a song, but Amazi says most choose to share their experiences from the weekend. “It’s just the warmest hug you could receive,” says Amazi. “It’s also the hardest because you know you’re getting to the end.”
Historically, the Soul Sister Brunch is followed by the porch party, which used to be held on the porches of the Brasswood and the Anchor Inn. “This year we’re doing a courtyard party right outside with music and double-dutch and hanging out like we would on our porches back home.”
Celebration is a cornerstone of the weekend, with parties planned for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. This year, to commemorate the weekend’s 20th anniversary, Saturday night’s party is a prom-themed gala. Attendees are invited to arrive as the version of themselves they couldn’t be in high school. Like most of the weekend’s events, there’s a dress code. “It’s a sneaker ball. Everybody’s going to be in their gowns and their suits, really regal and fine, but with sneakers on so that we can properly dance because it’s a party,” says Amazi.
There’s a specific cultural lens that organizers employ, from the music DJs are asked to play, to the party themes, and the food provided by various restaurants, “we are unapologetically prioritizing the experiences of BIPOC women identified folks at the event,” says Amazi. “But we are also very warmly welcoming our accomplices.”
The intention is to create a space for women of color, curated by women of color. “Every year, every single one of those collaborators identifies as a BIPOC women,” says Amazi. The significance and importance of this influence cannot be overstated. Attendees travel from all over the country to participate in the Womxn of Color Weekend. “Depending on where you’re coming from in this country, you might not have a community that looks like you and lives like you in your respective hometown,” says Amazi.
In its 20th year, the weekend’s role as a space to connect with members of your community is more essential than ever before. The Trump administration’s second term is in full swing, and undeniably more vicious and vindictive at unprecedented degrees. “So much is being lost in this moment and it’s terrifying, it’s overwhelming, it’s debilitating, it’s discouraging,” says Amazi. During this political moment, Amazi finds power among the people at Womxn of Color Weekend. “It’s a reminder that we are not alone, that we are not isolated, that we will not be defeated,” says Amazi. “In our joy, we will overcome.”
In the weeks leading up to the Womxn of Color Weekend, Amazi is stressed out. Amazi and Molnar agree that planning the weekend could be a full-time job, but since the weekend is a branch of a nonprofit organization, the SpaceMakers Society, that’s not an option. All the sleepless nights, endless emails, and phone calls are worth it when the first person approaches the registration booth at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House and says to Amazi, “I’m so happy to be here.”
Womxn of Color Weekend happens June 3 – 8 throughout Provincetown. To register or for more information, call 617.209.9179 or visit womxnofcolorweekend.com.
