I’ve been quiet here and it’s been for a pretty good reason. I spend a lot of time working and this past month has been a whirlwind of things I’ll start sharing about here now that things are slowing down. Well actually they aren’t quite slowing down but I will say that the flow of things is adjusting as such to allow me some free time again.
One of the biggest projects in my life right now is my position at Anarchapulco, which in some regards is several positions. I am a coproducer, web designer, graphic designer, sponsorship manager, and probably a few more things I’m forgetting to list here. As such, I spend a lot of time thinking about and working on Anarchapulco.
We’ve got big things underway this year. If you watched the HBO series The Anarchists (which you probably did if you follow this blog) it probably left you thinking that Anarchapulco died sometime after 2020. The reality was it was reborn with the help of Catherine Bonandin, the new main producer, and me and a few others who have put a lot of ourselves into reshaping and helping the event to evolve into something to be truly proud of.
If I had a dollar for every person who saw the show and thought “what a dramatic mess of an event, I’m not sure it’s my vibe”, I’d have a lot of dollars. And at some points in the history of the event, I might have felt the same. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years it’s basically that you have to put your money where your mouth is with these things. I became involved partially to help with the stuff I wanted to change and I think I’ve had a pretty good impact on it.
So here’s what’s different. Partially due to COVID, the event left the big fancy isolated resort and has shifted to the Secret Garden in Playa Bonfil, technically even further outside the main center of Acapulco but the property itself and those who run it are pretty special. No more does the money for the venue that we spend each year simply go to the pockets of the corporation behind the Princess, who I’m pretty sure Carlos Slim is involved with. Now they go to private owners who spend a lot of that money within the local economy, hiring local people and getting local products to provide the food and services.
Then there’s the format itself. In 2021 and 2022, we had a much smaller ticket availability compared to the years prior because of Covid restrictions. This year as the world opens up we have nearly double what we had last year, with about 800 tickets available in total. Because of this, we are now once again able to offer a general admission ticket pretty close in price to what the event cost pre covid. We still offer the VIP ticket which includes 3 gourmet meals a day and drinks from an open bar among some other perks. But for those who don’t care about the food or simply can’t afford that experience, Anarchapulco is simply once again more accessible.
As far as content, the speaker list is fantastic (https://anarchapulco.com/speaker-page-2023-resist/) and is growing more diverse. We’ve done what we can to add more local influence as far as Mexican and Latin American speakers. We are about to announce a big name, like a huge name that I can’t share yet but it’s pretty huge for our small intimate event.
On to my favorite part of this coming year. Anyone who watched the HBO series saw the story of Anarchaforko. The decentralized fork of Anarchapulco was perceived by those in “power” to be an attack or threat but was really just an attempt at collaboration, an attempt to help provide what the attendees were asking for. The goal was always to work with Anarchapulco and I am proud to say I’ve partnered with Anarchapulco to produce Agoraforko, the rebirth of that event.
Some have asked me, why not call it Anarchaforko. The reality is that I have always been more of an agorist and since the event is more of a marketplace of ideas and less of an anarchist conference like Anarchapulco is, the change seemed natural and I’m very excited about it. I’ve designed the logo and am currently in the process of designing the calendar which will be community generated. Basically anyone with a VIP, General Admission or Agoraforko ticket will be able to attend Agoraforko, the dates for which are February 11-18, 2022. Not only will those ticket holders be able to attend, but they will be able to add their own events to the calendar. This will be the most decentralized portion of Anarchapulco ever. Not only will the content be decentralized but locations as well. I’ve had quite a few people ask me where Agoraforko will be held and the answer is, wherever you want it to be.
Want to have a community trip to the famous central market or the island? Put it on the calendar. Want to offer a workshop or even a speech? Put it on the calendar. Want to have a party? You get the idea by this point I hope.
Clearly, I am pretty excited for things to come. Stand by and watch the blog at anarchapulco.com or here for more information. If you want to save 10 percent on any ticket, use code LILY10 and you’ll help me out also as I am also an affiliate for the event.
Ticket Options that let you have access to Agoraforko:
4 Responses
Hello I’m single female traveling alone, first time going to anarchapulco. I want to get hotel as close to event as possible, so you have any suggestions, do I need rental car?
Airlines that you liked to get there? I’m coming from San Diego. Thanks in advance
There’s a lot of public transportation available so no need for a rental car unless you really want one. As far as places to stay look for anywhere in Playa Bonfil which is somewhat near to the airport and the event itself
So I’ve been pretty lame for the past 14yrs while completing my higher education and having 2 beautiful babies… and never obtained a passport being too broke to travel internationally. Do you think it’s possible for me to get a passport and make all my transportation/lodging arrangements in time? I unexpectedly have a break in my training which is also why I was able to browse HBO and binge watch the docuseries in less than a day! I really want to go, if not this year then for sure next year! I could go on and on about how much the docuseries impacted me by getting to hear from so many like-minded ppl which are usually very few and far between… but instead I’ll just say THANK YOU for sharing your story, being true to yourself, and being brave enough for continual growth, introspection, and new love/relationships💕 (obviously I’m a huge fan already 🥰)
You can get an expedited passport often, but it requires a booked flight as part of the process.