Radical Empathy

Guest this month: Béla Hackenberg – Multidisciplinary Artist & Specialist for Trans Empowerment

Navigating Conflicts as a Trans, Nonbinary, and Inter Person

In this workshop, activist and artist Béla Belissima invites participants into an empowering exploration of conflict dynamics. Together, we will examine how trans-feminine and queer lived experiences shape our navigation of resistance, confrontation, and self-assertion.

Drawing from her background in political education and community communications, Béla offers insights into remaining agentic during conflicts without making our identities invisible. This session provides a dedicated space for reflection and the exchange of strategies that help us set boundaries while staying connected to ourselves and our communities.

About Radical Empathy

Radical Empathy – Tools for Togetherness builds on Radical Empathy – Queer Storytelling for Connection (2025) and further develops the format: from collective storytelling to collective practice. The workshop series strengthens queer solidarity in all its diversity and asks: How can we stay connected, especially when things get tough?
Hosted by Neo Seefried, the series combines collective storytelling with somatic, communicative, and creative tools to remain capable of acting in queer contexts when faced with conflicts, emotions, and differences—without avoiding or escalating them, but rather with greater clarity, care, and relational competence.

Each session has its own thematic focus (including grief & death, relationships, migration, HIV/AIDS, club culture & substances, trans/inter/non-binary) and is complemented by a guest who explores the respective topic in depth. At the center is the Resonance Circle: a space for shared stories, mindful listening, and resonance—empathy as a practice that we train together and carry into our daily lives.

neo seefried (*1995) is a freelance cultural mediator, curator, artist and author with a focus on queer realities, club culture and social participation. Living and working in Berlin, neo combines educational formats such as workshops, podcasts and exhibitions with an activist, intersectional practice. Neo studied Art Education (University of Leipzig) and Curatorial Studies (ZHdK) and has worked for the Schwules Museum, Schloss Biesdorf, Kunstmuseum Basel, Universität der Künste Berlin, TU Berlin, HFBK Hamburg, Haus für Poesie Berlin, Tanzquartier Wien and independent art spaces such as Parat, Clubbüro, Baby Angel and Last Tango in Zurich.

Béla Belissima is a multifaceted trans-female activist and artist based in Berlin. A central element of her work is the empowerment of queer people, particularly trans individuals and communities. Béla works as a freelance podcaster, host, model, performer, and in the field of political education. Since May 2025, she has also been working at “TGEU – Trans Europe and Central Asia,” currently in the role of “Junior Communications Officer.”

With the support of the Senate Department for the Interior and Sport – Berlin State Commission against Violence, we have developed the program “Conflicts as a Starting Point – Resilience as a Community Experience.” The project opens respectful, dialogical spaces for queer people in Berlin. It makes differences visible, invites individuals to endure them, and creates opportunities to address them productively and creatively. The aim is to overcome social fragmentation within queer communities and to strengthen new forms of exchange, cohesion, and mutual participation.

Hinweise
Teilnehmende: This session is an exclusive safer space for TIN individuals (trans, inter, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people). We particularly encourage the participation of TIN people who experience multiple forms of marginalization.
Language: Depending on the group’s needs, sessions will be held in German and/or English.
Cost: Free of charge, registration required.