2022 – Pivot! Pivot!

Just a couple of quick updates as Camp draws every closer (two sleeps! Or basically, no sleeps for me):

  1. We’re swapping the cupcake decorating session from Sunday to Saturday, and the yoga session from Saturday to Sunday.
  2. Our panel discussion on the intersections of fatness and indigeneity will now be hosted by Ema Talavoa who will also be doing her own talk on Sunday.

I hope this is the last schedule change I’ll have to make but hey, let’s not make any assumptions because anything might happen. thank you in advance for your flexibility and understanding!

2022 – How to make worker legislation work for you with Linsey Higgins

Linsey recognises the challenges of being fat and having workplaces that expect you to fit into them – especially when you’re disabled. Drawing on her knowledge of employment, and health and safety legislation, Linsey will share some experiences as well as tools and strategies to make your workplace fit you.

Linsey is a fat, queer, disabled public servant who specialises in governance, is the co-convenor for Kaimahi Whaikaha – the Council of Trade Unions disabled worker sector group, and the Wellington Province co-convenor for the Green Party. However in a former life she was a union organiser and she studied social work which forms the basis of her advocacy and activism.

2022 – Crafting with Victoria Buchanan

Keeping your hands busy has a really great way of facilitating chat and getting to know one another, and that’s exactly what Victoria is offering us.

We’re going to be sitting down to craft bright, fun and colourful beads, chill out and enjoy the good vibes and make something to take home with you.

Victoria is a Boomette, an illustrator, zinemaker and an all-round hobby nerd. She’s super excited to do some arts and crafts with y’all at Camp!

2022 – It’s a Drag with Willy

Willy SmacknTush is a Wellington based Drag performer, producer and MC. 

With five years experience under this belt, he has helped change the landscape of the local scene.

He was the first and only Drag King to win the regional title of Mx Capital Drag and has a smorgasbord of other awards to his name. 

Willy is focussed on representing women, Kings, fat performers, and other minorities when it comes to his productions. 

The woman behind Willy is a mother, a feminist, a fat queer chronically ill woman who has made the recent move from stay at home married mother to independent in-love lesbian.

Hannah will be appearing out of drag.

2022 – Fat Yoga at Camp Boom

Founded in 2017 by Sarah-Jane Duff of the plus size fashion label Lost and Led Astray, FAT YOGA’S ideaology is to offer yoga which is accessible to all body types. 

We believe in diversity and fighting to change negative perceptions of the FAT body. Striving to create a community space where we can talk freely about our bodies and explore our powers within, we believe that FAT is simply a descriptive word. We’re dedicated to taking the power back from a word that’s held negativity for so many for far too long – helping our yogis feel empowered in their bodies and minds. 

What to expect from our Camp Boom session: Mindfulness meditation/breath work followed by a nourishing and adaptable FAT yoga session.

Spaces to change clothes will be available at Camp Boom if you need them. There is one shower available at our venue.

2022 – A tasty tasting session

I love wine tasting because it’s a great way to try new things and learn stuff while hanging out with friends. Hang on, did I just describe the entire Camp Boom experience? I think I did! But I know that not everyone is into wine, which is why we’ll also be doing a beer tasting at the same time, as well as a soda tasting for those who aren’t into alcohol. Thanks so much to Ōhau Wines, Urbanaut Brewery and Bootleggers Soda for supporting fat babe community!

  • A selection of Urbanaut beers
    A selection of Urbanaut beers. These may not be the exact ones we are tasting
  • a selection of Ōhau wines
    A selection of Ōhau wines
  • A selection of bootleggers sodas
    A selection of Bootleggers Sodas

Never done a formal wine tasting before? That’s fine! You’ll be guided through it. Believe me when I say I’ve done a lot of wine tasting. You don’t need to have prior knowledge. All that matters is trying something new, and figuring out if you like it or not. You can describe your wines as “tasting like bananas & nostalgia”, or “fragrant tobacco, rich soil, white flowers, smashed minerals and metal” – both are valid!

2022 – Holding space with Ema Tavola

Ema Tavola is an independent artist-curator based in South Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Tavola’s curatorial concerns are grounded in the opportunities for contemporary art to engage grassroots audiences, shift representational politics and archive the Pacific diaspora experience. Having worked on curatorial and engagement projects for galleries and museums throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, Tavola is committed to curating as a mechanism for social inclusion, centralising Pacific ways of seeing and exhibition making as a mode of decolonisation. Tavola opened her independent gallery, Vunilagi Vou in 2019 in Ōtāhuhu, South Auckland. Responding to the uncertainty of the global Covid-19 pandemic, Vunilagi Vou shapeshifted throughout 2020-2021 before re-emerging in its original form as a gallery, art retail and consultancy space in 2022.

Tavola is a proud Fijian from the island of Dravuni, Kadavu. She holds a Master of Arts Management and Bachelor of Visual Arts but credits her most critical and ongoing education as the act of motherhood.

2022 – Broad In The Seams with Jess

Jess is fat sewist & maker based in Ōtautahi/Christchurch. ½ of “plus-size” sewing pattern company Muna & Broad, Jess got into sewing and then into the sewing pattern business because of lack of clothing options for her size, and then lack of sewing pattern options for her size.

She has particular interests in natural fibres, experimenting with silhouettes you don’t find on fat bodies on pinterest, bright pink pants, and saving tiny scraps of fabric and blogs/muses a lot on wardrobe colour palette experimentation and building the perfect non-capsule wardrobe of clothes that love her body back.

Jess posts her makes on instagram @fat.bobbin.girl and blogs at broadintheseams.com, she’s also the face (and body) behind the PDF sewing pattern printer at chchsews.com

Jess will talk about accidentally starting a business, but purposefully ensuring that it centres fat bodies and doesn’t have an upper size limit and how community support allowed her to quit her day job to focus on dressing fat.

2022 – “The devil doesn’t need an advocate – but people do” with Erin

Born in South Africa, Erin spent their high school and university years in Christchurch before moving to Wellington in 2015. They have extensive experience working in disability advocacy in both community and government spaces.

Erin is a proud disabled, queer activist committed to challenging and dismantling ableism and other forms of oppression, and always learning from other activists, both in Aotearoa and around the world.

2022 – Getting to know you with Creatif Kate

Kate on stage, picture by Splitelevision

We know that coming to a Camp where you don’t know everyone (or maybe even anyone) can be a bit of a scary experience – so we’re kicking things off with a warm-up session from a woman with confidence to spare! Creatif Kate will introduce all the speakers, and help you introduce yourselves to the others too. With a mix of (her) performance and group activities, we’ll start making new friends, get our juices flowing and ease ourselves into the weekend.

Kate is a whirlwind of a woman. She’s a poet/performer/producer/photographer – basically, if it starts with ‘p’ she’s down! As a full-time creative, Kate lives on the thrilling edge of being a starving artist while remaining decidedly fat. She loves it.