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
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.