TurkxTaylor initiative

The TurkxTaylor Initiative(TxT) is a cultural production collective. TxT works to preserve and activate the history of the 1966 Compton's Cafeteria Riot—the first well-documented trans and queer uprising against police violence in the country—while building community power around the future of 101-121 Taylor Street, the former site of Compton's Cafeteria.

Through public art, oral histories, political education, neighborhood exhibitions, workshops, performances, and storytelling events, TxT brings the history of the riot in conversation with present-day struggles over incarceration, displacement, and cultural erasure. By gathering participants from impacted communities, TxT is building a unified intersectional vision for a community-stewarded gathering space.

Within the working group, we are researching material to collaboratively envision a speculative design proposal that decarcerates the Turk and Taylor historic building and its vacant storefront to resurface its legacy of resistance.

Within the working group, we are researching material to collaboratively envision a speculative design proposal that decarcerates the Turk and Taylor historic building and its vacant storefront to resurface its legacy of resistance.

In this way, this work aims to become part of broader actions toward transformative change in the physical environment.