Creating Space & Platforms exclusively for Black & Brown Trans People
“ We believe in the power of collective action, cultural practices, and expression to shift the realities of Black Trans & Non-Binary Lives”
Meet the Molasses Crew
ZOLA MAKEDA
A Black, Queer, Trans Woman, Chicago-born, hailing from Wrightwood, with an ardent drive for her overall mission to utilize music, performance, & organizing to deliver healing, strength, self love, and pride to other QTPOC. She wants those within the black trans experience to feel valued, beautiful, and confident in their identities. For, within the most strenuous and challenging portions of her existence as a Queer and Trans person, the medium in which she found healing & fortitude was music. She feels it is her duty to give as much as she can to others who feel the pain she once felt and still battles so they can find solace in the midst of their struggle, by utilizing that same musical prowess.
CAE MONAE
Cae Monae is the most recent collective member of Molasses and is a fearless FemmeC and performance artists that has graced many stages across the U.S. This TRANSCENDED woman describes her sound as “Experimental. Accidental. Purposeful” with clear references to deconstructed club, hip-hop, and techno. Cae has been featured in publications such as Paper Magazine, Bullett, and Out Magazine and uses vibrant visuals to juxtapose her dark sounds and persona. Her most recent project, Nefertiti, names the importance and legacy of Black Trans power and the importance of trans family. Help us honor the work that Cae has been started by supporting Molasses campaign
Lucy Stoole
Lucy is Chicago's Black Bearded Beauty. Drag Performance Artist, Entrepreneur, and Host. 2016 winner of Chicago Nightlife Awards "Best Drag Entertainer" and various features in the Chicago Reader, Gays Time Magazine, and WUSSY Magazine. A staple in the drag community, Lucy has used her platform and art to bring issues of race and gender to the forefront and is consistently challenging the accepted norms in both performance and entertainment.
Mayon
Mayon (Choya Webb) is a New-York based, Chicago-raised producer, sound artist, and disc jockey whose Black and Mexican roots strongly inform their work. Channeling sounds from different Diasporas, Mayon’s work centers exhibiting connections between various genres including Midwestern-born genres such as house music, techno, soul, disco, and other global genres. As an organizer both in community and in nightlife, Mayon seeks to build sanctuaries for cultural makers to expand and experiment with their art forms.