Building a future family

a group of people walking down the street

Building a Future Family is the culmination of a 10 week workshop series at the Community for Positive Aging in Portland, OR. Participants met once a week to create and share stories. We explored alternative forms of family, community care, aging, and intergenerational connection. We translated what we learned from each other into a photo installation. At the end of our 10 weeks, we invited the public to an unveiling of what we made and a group discussion/ Q+A panel. We discussed questions such as: What does chosen family mean to you? What can we learn from queer family structures? What role does storytelling have in our relationships to each other? What role does caretaking play in a family? How is struggle or conflict worked through when the difference is divisive? How do we keep connections with those we love alive after they die? What does your desired family look like?