Events
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE + OPEN TO THE PUBLIC UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
Upcoming Events
April 27th: Virtual Key Note for Black Queer Dom Society’s Submissive Summit
Join hundreds of BDSM s/types globally to virtually gather at Black Queer Dom Society’s first conference aimed to empower and educate submissives. There will be educational workshops, speakers, and opportunities to network with other submissives.
Please note: this event is private and pre-registration is required. You can register/learn more here.
NYC MAY 17th: Cafe Tabac Podcast Live Audio Recording + Book Signing Event
Flier + more information coming soon!
Copies of A Recipe for More will be available for purchase, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee inventory or a signed copy unless you pre-order a signed copy in advance.
To pre-order: Send $28 via |Zelle to +1-203-981-4657| or |CashApp to $SaraElise333| with “Your Name + Book” in the comment field.
Brooklyn June 22nd: “Picturing an Abundant Queer Future” with The American LGBTQ+ Museum
More information coming soon!
Notable Past Recent Events
NYC October 16th: Panel for HealHaus X Lululemon Activation “Ushering in the Soft Life”
In collaboration with HealHaus, Sara Elise will be speaking on a “Healthy Conversation” panel at Lululemon’s Soho space. Her book A Recipe for More will be included in gift bags for all attendees.
The wellness activations at this pop-up are in celebration of Lululemon’s new Seriously Soft product, where we will explore the impact of Soft through the different senses, and redefine what “soft” can look like: bold, empowering, body-positive, expressive, and free.
This event is invitation-only.
LA October 13th: In Person Conversation Event with Fariha Róisín “Use Your Fear and Your Rage”
Click the flier above for more info and to RSVP for the event. Seating is limited.
LA October 11th: Reading + Collaboration with Mare Lunatica programming at NeueHouse
Join us for a reading, Q&A, and happy hour mixer in celebration of A Recipe For More, Sara Elise's debut book recently released with Harper Collins. In A Recipe for More, Sara Elise discusses her relationship to BDSM and kink as a ritual for embodiment, visibility, and agency.
Meet us at Neuehouse Venice Beach, with the beautiful paintings of Mare Lunatica as a backdrop, to hear from both Sara Elise and her friend of over 20 years, painter Sarah McCarthy Grimm, as they share more about their painful and powerful daily rituals that have inspired creation in their respective artistic practices. Books will be available for purchase (and signing) and participants will leave with written prompts for exploring their own kink, spiritual, and creative journeys. Complimentary NA beverages will be served.
Click the flier to register to attend the event.
NYC June 28th: In Person Conversation Event with Jezz Chung “Queer Your Friendships”
Visit P&T Knitwear’s site for more information and to register for the event
NYC June 20th: In Person Sound Bath Meditation + Cacao Ritual with J. Wortham and Tara Aura “Invest in Your Pleasure”
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. Hope to see you there!
May 5th: Virtual IG Live with Adrienne Marie Brown
If you missed the conversation, it lives here on my Instagram page. You can also visit @adriennemariebrown on Instagram.
NYC May 5th: In Person Kinky Book Release Event with DaemonumX “Let Yourself Be Visible”
A BDSM performance and Q&A with Sara Elise and DaemonumX, in celebration of the release of Sara Elise's book: A Recipe for More.
The event is named "Let Yourself Be Visible" as an homage to that chapter in her book.
"I am able to reclaim agency over my body in my visibility, especially through practices such as BDSM. In BDSM, I can consensually choose to use my body for submission or service. I name myself as “kinky” and as a “leatherdyke” as a means of visibilizing myself and honoring the history of ancestors and elders in our communities who came before me. Fariha Róisín, in her most recent book Who is Wellness For?, says “I think part of unlearning these vast and failing systems is to learn to trust ourselves and our own wisdom, but we must also challenge the status quo and unpack how we play into domination.”
It’s important to remind ourselves that we have the power to decide what we do or do not do with our bodies always, and can determine when we want to engage with the structures that society has deemed useful or valuable (as in fantasy make-believe scenes), and when we want to fuck around with them, queer them, and ultimately dismantle them and anything else that doesn’t serve us. And the first step in doing that is the claiming and the naming for ourselves."
- A Recipe for More
Thank you and looking forward to celebrating together!
May 4th: Virtual Conversation with Porchlight + Boswell Books
If you missed the conversation, you can check out the full interview here
NYC May 2nd: In Person Book Release Event for A Recipe for More
May 11th: Virtual Conversation with California Institute of Integral Studies
Register here to join the conversation
May 19th: Virtual IG Live with Well Read Black Girl
Visit @WellReadBlackGirl on Instagram to join the conversation
Notable Events 2018 - 2022
Virtual Clubhouse Event: Queer/Trans Folx Talk Polyamory, BDSM & Kink
March 16, 2021
Let’s talk sex, love and all the ways Queer & Trans folks are reimagining connections. Curious folk welcome! Join this dope lineup as we explore how polyamory and kink/BDSM show up in our lives.
Virtual Apogeo Collective X Away Travel: The Future of LGBTQ Travel
June 24, 2020
In a series for Pride Month, Away Travel is featuring LGBTQ+ leaders who work in the travel space to discuss the following topics: The impact the LGBTQ+ community has had on the travel industry; How we envision the future of LGBTQ+ travel; and new trends we have seen emerge in the industry. Looking forward to joining and sharing our perspective, as the owners of Apogeo Collective.
Sara Elise, Tara Aura X The Collective Digital Event: Self Reiki with Laura Chung
MAY 20, 2020 6-7PM BST (UK Timing), 1-2PM EST ONLINE, ZOOM LINK TBA
Join Tara Aura and Sara Elise for a self-reiki workshop featuring beloved spiritual coach Laura Chung.
Brooklyn-based duo Tara + Sara Elise curate elevated wellness events through an accessible lens, so approaching inclusive intimacy and self-satisfaction is their sweet spot. They will be opening space with Reiki master Laura Chung, who teaches kundalini yoga in NYC and spreads healing wisdom through her Awaken and Align podcast.
Together with The Collective for the first time, Sara Elise + Tara Aura will explore touch as a form of spiritual care and learn how to redirect universal life force energy as an act of kindness toward ourselves. Anyone feeling unwell, experiencing stress, anxiety, or negative mental state would benefit from this practice. All guests will gain a deeper understanding of how and where the body holds our emotions, according to ancient Chinese medicine, and finally practice a step-by step meditative ritual, scanning the body and restoring its energy centers.
This event is in support of Mental Health Awareness Week. The Collective has partnered with a charity called InCommon, a social enterprise that brings older and young generations together to tackle social isolation and loneliness. 100% of any of your donations to attend the event will go to InCommon's COVID19 response work. #VirtualExperiences #BeMoreTogether
Digital Urban Retreat Workshop Series- QUESTIONING (POLY)
MAY 1, 2020 1-2PM ONLINE
For this Friday’s QUESTIONING from 1-2pm ET, Blind Seed’s Sara Elise along with her wife Amber will be discussing all things polyamory and leading a playful conversation about sex, intimacy, and boundaries.
Feel free to just listen in on mute or come camera-ready to chat—All forms of participation are welcome!
Email info@blindseed.com and make your CashApp donation ($BlindSeed) to secure your spot for this virtual gathering. Any donation counts. Once we receive your RSVP you’ll be on our guest list, and we’ll email a Zoom link and more info on what to expect.
Let’s make time to start #questioning and get to know ourselves and others in a casual setting. Invite friends! We want everyone to find more reasons to enjoy staying home with us. #collectivecare
Photo credit: @salt_nyc @naimagreen
Digital Urban Retreat Workshop Series- QUESTIONING
MARCH 27th + APRIL 10TH, 2020 1-2PM ONLINE
We’ll have our second round of QUESTIONING this Friday at 1pm! #alonetogether again for a playful conversation series about intimacy, sex, and boundaries. Thanks to all the sexy couples and cuties from from all around the world who joined us last month!
Email info@blindseed.com and make your CashApp donation ($BlindSeed) to secure your spot for this virtual gathering. Any donation counts. Once we receive your RSVP you’ll be on our guest list, and we’ll email a Zoom link and more info on what to expect. All forms of participation are welcome—so come camera-ready or just listen in on mute.
Invite a friend or make some new ones! We want more of you to find more reasons to feel better at home with us. #collectivecare
Photo credit: @kingtexas
Apogeo Collective: A Pop-Up Bed & Breakfast Project for Marginalized Traveling Communities
This winter, my partner Amber + I will be in San Juan del Sur— a small beach and surf town on the coast of Nicaragua— hosting a pop-up bed and breakfast project for travelers of color, LGBTGIA+ & gender non-conforming travelers, and our allies. The project, called Apogeo Collective, will serve as a safe-haven for typically marginalized travelers to rest, rejuvenate, and tap into their creative exploration.
Explore the site by clicking this link, read through the frequently asked questions, explore the Work Fellowship program if you’re interested in an exchange for a subsidized stay, and contact us here with any questions.
Hope you can join us in the Sun!
Sara Elise + Tara Aura at The Collective’s “Be More Together” Morning Meditation + Ice Breaker
Join us for “Be More Together” on November 15, an intimate, gathering by The Collective dedicated to answering one key question: how can organizations create new communal spaces that add value to local communities rather than ignoring or damaging them?
Sara Elise + Tara Aura will be leading a morning meditation and ice breaker.
Then, throughout the day you can expect keynotes, group actions, prototyping, storytelling, surprise performances and thoughtfully designed networking opportunities dedicated to the future of shared space. We’ve crafted an incredible lineup of presenters who will share their work, insights and impacts.
This event marks The Collective's formal launch in the U.S. and takes place in the "Great Living Room" of our first New York location, Paper Factory in Long Island City. In the spirit of our mission to build and activate a global network of spaces that put people first, we'll hear — then collaboratively workshop — visions for more impactful spaces.
We hope you'll join us. RSVP here.
Man Repeller Wellness Good Evening: A Conversation About the Culture of Wellness
Join Sara Elise + Tara Aura alongside Bianca Valle at the Man Repeller Headquarters in NYC for Good Evening, a monthly event that brings our community together to get a behind-the-curtain peek at industries and topics that inspire us from people we admire.
Tickets can be purchased here.
Urban Retreat Workshop: Harnessing Sacral & Sex Energy for Wellness
Join Sara Elise + Tara Aura at SoHo House West Hollywood on July 11th, 2019 from 6:30-8PM in Los Angeles for our upcoming urban retreat workshop focused on revitalizing, healing, and harnessing your sacral & sex energy. In the first part of the workshop with our featured healer Scott Schwenk, we will move through real-life applications of techniques that will to teach you how to nurture your body's pleasure as an act of self love whether in the bedroom, in the office, or on your morning commute.
We will then continue with an interactive panel & dialogue with local wellness influencers centered around their process of cultivating pleasure as a guiding principle for wellness. The workshop experience will provide practical tools and greater insight into the power of sensuality as a life force energy.
As with all Blind Seed events, tea + healthful snacks will be provided and participants will leave with a parting gift bag + resources for future research and personal development. This event is FREE but space is limited — email us at info@blindseed.com to submit your name to our guest list.
Harvest & Revel at Pioneer Work’s Community Happy Hour: June 2019 in Brooklyn
Join Pioneer Works staff, artists-in-residence, and friends in our garden for happy hour. Each event spotlights a local chef or culinary organization. June’s Happy Hour features Harvest & Revel.
Harvest & Revel is a full service private event catering company located in Brooklyn, NY. Founder Sara Elise was inspired to help transform her community’s relationship to affordable, locally sourced foods. With her team of chefs, she focuses on creating sustainable, nutritious, and delicious cuisine through a wide range of both indulgent and health-conscious menu options that celebrate the flavors of the natural ingredients. Harvest & Revel has become the go-to caterer for adventurous and thoughtful eaters who care about taste and well-being, offering well-sourced and creatively cooked food with style as well as ethics.
Community programs at Pioneer Works are made possible in part through the generous support of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. You can find out more here.
outlet.FYI X Red Bull Music Festival Influencer Dinner + Concert Event
On May 11th, I’m collaborating with outlet.fyi (a social membership collective highlighting creatives of color) and Red Bull Music Festival to bring a group of my friends to dinner at The East Pole and then to Park Amory to enjoy the FKA twigs Concert.
FKA twigs emerged as an enigma. From her earliest spellbinding music videos to her critically-acclaimed debut LP1 (2014), the English singer, dancer, producer, and choreographer’s distinctive amalgam of electronic music, R&B, and avant-garde pop has entertained fans as much as its intrigued them. With vocals either as fragile as crystal stemware or sharp as a katana blade, she’s created songs that pulse with sexuality but reveal only glimpses of the woman who owns it.
My list for this event includes the following guests and they will each post about the event:
Crystal Anderson (@beerbottles_chainsaws, 24K)
PhEonix (@YESUNIVERSE.art, 227K)
Seher (@Seher, 22K)
Coco + Breezy (@CocoandBreezy, 100K)
Jenna Wortham (@Jennydeluxe, 42K)
Naima Greene (@NaimaGreen, 48K)
Fariha Róisín (@Fariha_Roisin, 27K)
If you’re interested in working with me to host a similar social event, please reach out here.
Urban Retreat Workshop: April 2019 in Brooklyn
Do you want to learn more about your gut barrier and microbiome? Did you know that your emotions, moods, and the way your body feels all have to do with the things going on in your belly?
If you're curious, join Sara Elise + Tara Aura for our upcoming hands-on urban retreat workshop where we'll be discussing all things GUT HEALTH!
This Wednesday, we'll begin by hearing perspectives from two leaders in the industry. They'll be there to share their personal views and also answer any of your burning questions. Then, our event sponsor Dropping Seeds will take us on an interactive journey assembling our own gut-healthy tea blends that will aid in digestion and flow. Participants will leave with a small gift bag filled with a few delicious treats and resources for future development.
This event is FREE but space is limited — email us at info@blindseed.com to submit your name to our guest list.
Urban Retreat Workshop: February 2019 in Brooklyn
Join Sara Elise + Tara Aura at DUMBO House for our upcoming urban retreat workshop, on February 6th from 7-9PM, focused on revitalizing, healing, and harnessing your sacral & sex energy this winter. In the first part of the workshop with our featured healer Lana Hormeri, we will move through real-life applications of techniques that will to teach you how to nurture your body's pleasure as an act of self love whether in the bedroom, in the office, or on your morning commute.
We will then continue with an interactive panel & dialogue with local wellness influencers SirRoan of Dropping Seeds, Lynsey of Bread x Butta, August of Pleasure Chest Stores, and Mistress Couple of La Domaine — centered around their process of cultivating pleasure as a guiding principle for wellness. The workshop experience will provide practical tools and greater insight into the power of sensuality as a life force energy.
As with all Blind Seed events, tea + healthful snacks will be provided and participants will leave with a parting gift bag + resources for future research and personal development. This event is FREE but space is limited — email us at info@blindseed.com to submit your name to our guest list.
Featured Speaker at Brown University: February 2019
In February, I’ve been asked to share as a guest speaker at Brown University’s LGBTQ Center’s Legacy Series in collaboration with Tender Table, an storytelling platform for women (trans or cis) and nonbinary folks that identify as black, indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) to share narratives about food and its connections to identity, memory, and community. The center’s theme for the 2018-2019 school year is “Building Our Trans and Queer Futures: A project of (re)imagining.”
The final presentation can be found here.
P O C O A P O C O: January 2019
This winter, I’ll be in Mexico for a multi-disciplinary, research-based residency in Oaxaca partaking in research for a new personal project. Pocoapoco offers a platform for creative exploration and space for collective intelligence. The residency hosts artists across all fields to support research, conversation and connection surrounding creative work, process and purpose.
Essence Black Love Gala: Fall 2018
This fall, my partner and I are collaborating with Essence to celebrate their first ever #BlackLoveGala, shining a light on black love in all shapes and forms.
Join us in celebrating by getting your tickets to the gala on October 13th here, and stay tuned to their website throughout the winter for video glimpses into our love.
Hope to see you there!
Illustration by Alex Bowman
2nd Annual Well Read Black Girl Festival: Saturday November, 10th
Well-Read Black Girl and Pioneer Works present the second annual Well-Read Black Girl Festival, a celebration of Black women readers and writers that seeks to initiate meaningful conversations within the literary arts.
Tara Aura + I, representing Blind Seed, will be leading an intimate workshop for the WRBG community: Writing Our Future: Manifesting Collective Change with Blind Seed.
Join us by purchasing your ticket here and enjoy a day of inspiration and a chance to plunge into your heart’s intentions, removing resistance, and raising your vibration.