Library - Lohana Berkins

The Lohana Berkins Library is open to Queer BIPOC and all Trans people. Drop in to read books, drink tea, and chat with other bookworms. You can also become a library member and sign out a book to read at home!

During library hours, between 3 – 5 pm, we have a bureaucracy table, where we can tackle our bureaucratic tasks in a collective setting where they have less power to overwhelm us. This is a peer-to-peer space created by whoever happens to attend on a given day. There are no experts present to help with tasks, but others attending may have some info/guidance to offer, or people may decide to team up and take turns tackling each person’s tasks as a group (or find any number of other creative strategies!).

Opening hours vary monthly. Be sure to check our catalog for current opening hours and currently available books.

Library events happen once a month and are posted on Casa Kuà’s Instagram. We are open to hosting events with groups/writers or offering the space for writing groups to meet.

We are always looking for book donations, particularly in languages other than German and English, by BIPoC authors, on topics including (but not limited to): health, pleasure, resistance, decolonialism, empowerment, and preferably feminist/queer, trans* & inter* related.

We welcome used or new zines, poetry, fiction and non-fiction in all languages.

Email us at: books@casa-kua.com

In honour of the legacy and memory of a dear friend and amazing fighter

LOHANA BERKINS

we name our library after her.

Lohana Berkins was a travesti activist who represented her community in all aspects. Born in the city of Salta, Argentina, on June 14th of 1955, she lived 50 years, until February 5, 2016.

At thirteen years old, like many of us, Lohana was expelled from her family, so she embarked on a journey to the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. There, she had to practice sex work in order to survive. During those years of a lonely life on the margins, she found solidarity with her community, and always dreamed of another reality for them all.

This is why Lohana fought for a law about respect for the identity of travesti and transgender people, Law No. 3062, which was approved by the Buenos Aires Legislature in 2009. On top of that, Lohanna led the creation of the Nadia Echazú Textile Cooperative in 2008, the first Cooperative School for travesti and transgender people. The school is named after fellow trans activist, Nadia Echazú, who also fought for the rights of travesti and trans people. In 2010, she formed the Frente Nacional por la Ley de Identidad de Género (National Front for the Gender Identity Law), which was approved by the Argentinean parliament on May 9th 2012. This legislation became the first law recognizing gender identity in terms of self-perception, and it guaranteed access to healthcare for trans individuals as well as depathologizing trans identities. It was the most advanced law protecting diverse gender identities in the world.

As a Matriarch to the community, she taught us that

“the love that was denied to us is our drive to change the world”

and in the same way she showed us that

in a “world of capitalist worms one must have courage to be a butterfly”.

Dear Lohana,

the Travas of this planet that had the oportunity to meet you want the world to remember these things about you:

You were a LEADER

who showed us what we have to do, to remain brave and unbreakable towards whoever wants to violate our rights.

You had COMPASSION

that defined you, making us feel that we were not alone. You made us fly.

You were INTELLIGENT

and taught us to build and improve our tomorrow, and create a great future for the new generations.

You had CHARISMA,

which you used to empower us with your words of encouragement and strength.

You were MILITANT

in showing the whole world that we existed and that they could no longer look away because we were here and we are stronger and more visible than ever. For this, you gave your life.

You were REBELLIOUS

in the aim of transforming the society. Through this, you empowered even the meekest comrade.

With these words, we will remember you, as we have many fights ahead to keep you in our minds. We will always remember you as the leader of these empowered butterflies and TRAVESTI FURY.