Feel the Fear and Step Forward Anyway....

Art, Hope, Community Power, All Together Now

The last six months (six years, fifteen years, lifetime) have in many ways been deeply challenging. And in some ways a continuation of so much. people who can talk to me in st paul but not minneapolis, friends who wanna play at presenting as closer than we are, doctors who will not say I cannot tell you and just so clearly lie to me.

Also, I have realized that there is a way forward, a way that honors myself as an artist, as a human, as a woman, as a community member in many, many communities including with queer folks, and Black folks and Native folks, and rural folks, and white folks, and those urban af, and suburban, and religious, Christian or Buddhist, or Muslim, questioning or irreligious or atheist, with men who believe in the sort of feminism Kurt Cobain lived, women and other gender minorities who have modeled both the freedom I aspire to and the commitment to other people and community, because end of the day we are one Minnesota (where it snows in April and Winter keeps the riffraff out, but its summer now so I can do what I want), one Minneapolis, a place where Prince knew rock and roll is alive. 

And so because I know there are so many good places, good Minneapolises, good Elys, good Duluths, good Rochesters, good Northfields, good Columbia Heights, all good communities where sometimes bad things happen I desire nothing more than to be making my art, having as scandalous a personal life as those who love me best will with me, and to have my communities joyful and healthy and autonomous!

I’m negotating a contract for a performance at the end of the month and am working to be able to complete other work. In work I have $3800 in art related income expected to pay out in the next thirty days and I’ve had offers for digital sales.  I also have personal resources I will be able to access soon. I am currently in a bit of a cash crunch as I’m making bold personal moves with autonomy and connectedness and I believe, community support. 

Will you support my practice in a way that is meaningful to you. I feel even $5 can be a deeply symbolic personal gift. The six references the last six years of pain.

I also am asking people to not give more than $500. I believe there may be people who could give more without feeling a pinch but I want it to be clear that I have broad support from people who all gave an amount they would not feel burdened by. 

What am I doing with this money? Paying a bit of rent, settling up on some business expenses, paying a small symbolic amount towards healthcare bills, securing a few options for places to create work, and I have a stylist to begin to make whole, and a few new shoes, a few new bras, and a marriage license to buy, an llc to file. Those who know me well have known that my entire adult life I’ve lived extremely frugally with some bling from secondhand stores and Target and its time for me to make myself and my life so solid and secure that Minneapolis becomes a place for the second coming of figlio, and if you dont know what I mean ask anyone who knows about the uptown bar, Lucia’s, Dave’s BBQ or Orr Books or who cares about the borders of uptown what I mean

So I’m asking for a gift in the amount of $5 to $500. please use PayPal ( https://www.paypal.biz/bergblom )! or Zelle via alison.bergblom.johnson@gmail.com, or venmo: https://venmo.com/Alison-BergblomJohnson

Last four is 9564 for venmo.

whatever is easy for you to give. 

Please use the cents to sent a message. To honor art please give ending in $xx.79. To honor freedom please give in an amount ending in $xx.74. If you know why, you can say, for now I’m thinking strategically in a targeted manner. For me, if I’m correct in a child protection report I’ve made where they confirmed identity if I’m correct in the close to a dozen cases I am confident of, if someone says to me well Karen Silkwood was murdered, and I internally roll my eyes because I know that confidently, only because I’ve looked at her case via a podcast, then I shouldnt be the only one who sees it. If I’m right where I think I’m right I’m not only describing a disability service sector with bad outcomes by design I am also describing a world where Israel Keyes is not the only person who didnt die in prison. And I think anybody who knows me or my art practice knows I hate actual murder and I hate forced and exploitive labor practices.

If you are unable to give please no worries, please breathe easy. If you would like to spread the word please do, but please keep this message off of social media. Please forward or repost anything you’d like. If you’d like to try to stop me please sot on your hands or maybe even pinch yourself until the urge passes.

Feel free to checkout and share my Patreon, my LinkedIn (Alison Bergblom Johnson), or my Bluesky (albergblom), or my facebook page.

With love,

Alison

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