Who We Are

Our Mission

By empowering Southern queer youth and building community through music and the arts, QORDS is a vehicle for expressing gender and sexuality, and harbors an environment of self-discovery and social change.

Our Core Values

We are committed to promoting the creativity, affirmation, leadership, abundance and voices of Southern queer youth. We recognize that gender and sexuality are multidimensional concepts that intersect with issues including, but not limited to: institutions, race, class, heritage, ability, documentation status, language, or spirituality. We aim to cultivate intersectional spaces and claim music and arts as a vehicle of queer empowerment.

Our Story

QORDS (Queer Oriented Radical Days of Summer) was founded in August 2012 and held the first overnight camp in Lenoir, NC in July 2013. QORDS is a grassroots, nonprofit organization.

Our board members are scattered across the United States and fundraise year-round. Currently, all teams are seeking more volunteers. If interested, please see our Volunteer page!

Organizers

Billie Grant

Board Member | She/Her

It has been said that Billie runs on giggles and glitter. What that really means is she refuses to look at a situation without seeing room for growth. A contextually radical queer woman of color, she is committed to work that centers the margins, using her unique lens to educate, rally, and advocate all the while empowering others to do the same. She works as a certified community-based sexual culture educator and expert and has been engaged in organizing and activism for more than two decades. Her likes include baking elaborate (ideally miniature) desserts and singing impromptu jingles about her more mundane tasks. Her dislikes include willful ignorance and being palatable. Now living and organizing in Denver Colorado (on the occupied land of the Arapaho, Cheyenne and Ute people), Billie has proven herself able to create a thoughtful and thought-provoking environment in which people can ask difficult questions, challenge accepted norms, and use their understanding of lived experiences to grow. She is excited to return to her work with QORDS Camp and is looking forward to an in-person session in 2024!

Dana Phillips

Board Member | She/Her

Dana is originally from Atlanta, but recently moved to Austin, TX, where she works as a Program Coordinator for UT Austin’s Center for Community Engagement. She is passionate about bringing together education, art, and activism, and is dedicated to being a mentor and advocate for LGBTQ+ youth. Dana has been a volunteer for QORDS since summer 2020. She plays cello and guitar and loves to stay up way too late writing songs. As a graduate of a performing arts high school, she genuinely believes that the arts can make the world a better place.

Crys/ta Song

Social Media & Outreach | They/She

Crysta is a neurodivergent speech language pathologist, artist/vocalist, educator, and community organizer. They are passionate about food justice, dismantling racialized capitalism, self determination, and community care. They are originally from unceded Lenape land, known today as New York City and currently reside in Staten Island with their plants (unnamed) and cat Bandit. In their free time, they enjoy crafting, playing board games and video games, hiking and camping, and listening to podcasts. They have been volunteering with QORDS since 2020 and will always encourage you to MAKE WEIRD ART!

Jenna Funicella

Treasurer | She/They

Jenna is a queer Durham based teacher and creator. Jenna has been a part of QORDS since the Summer of 2020, first volunteering as a band coach and is currently the treasurer and on the Board for QORDS. Jenna currently teaches high school math but has also led improv and musical improv workshops in MA and NC over the past few years. Music, dance, art and self reflection has always been key components in their life and they’re looking forward to continuing that excitement with all the lovely people here at QORDS.