this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2025
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Welcome to /c/AmA

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Please stick to one of either three post types:

A standard Ask Me Anything post.

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What is an AmA?

AmA’s or “Ask Me Anything” began on the old internet, originally AOL chatrooms, later followed by Slashdot. They are crowdsourced interviews where the interviewee first makes a post describing who they are and what they do. Commenters then leave questions and can vote on other questions according to which they would like to see answered.

The interviewee can then go through and reply to the questions they find interesting, and easily see those questions the internet is dying to have the answer too. Questions will be a mixture of radical, serious and lighthearted resulting in the kind of interview you won’t get elsewhere.

What Topics Are Allowed?

Anyone can do an Ask Me Anything. The topic of the AmA must meet the rules below, and in some cases you must provide proof of the claims you are making. Ask Me Anything topics fall into two categories:

Something that plays a central role in your life. The prime example of this is a person's job; posts about someone's occupation are almost always allowed. A person's topic should be something that they know thoroughly and is important to them; this gives them more to discuss and a more thorough background in the field.

A truly interesting and unique event. An example would be "I organised a protest against x." It's an activity that doesn't play a central role in someone's life but is so uncommon that many users would not have experiences of their own to relate to it.

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Mutual-Aid and Crowd Funding - AmA submitters that include any aid or funding campaign must be eligible for an AmA without the campaign for it to be allowed. Additionally, the focus of the AmA must not be the campaign -- those posts would be more appropriate in the mutual-aid community. Posts about suicide.

Other Restrictions:

Giveaways are not permitted on AmA. Contests and giveaways already running on a third party site prior to the AmA are acceptable

Proof

Proof in the case of public figures or orgs may be a social media post on an official account. For other topics it may be a proof image. This does not always have to be included in the post at the time of posting and it may be discussed with the moderators and provided privately. We will ALWAYS respect your complete privacy.

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It’s me, BilduEnjoyer, long time lurker. I’m trans-masc and fled America for the Basque Country (Euskara) last month. I made it! AMA (hexbear.net)
submitted 2 weeks ago by BilduEnjoyer@hexbear.net to c/ama@hexbear.net
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Pictured: ACAB at a public, well maintained, outdoor gym.

I’m a long time Hexbear lurker. I came here as a lib from r/chapotraphouse and now I’m a lib who has read some theory. Thanks y’all!

I am Basque diaspora and trans masc. I had been planning to move to Euskadi (Basque Country) years ago, but with the rise of fascism in the states and the risk of being disappeared for being trans and openly anti-fascist I decided that I had to flee the country ASAP. I used all my savings, help from family, and a fundraiser to escape. I am extraordinarily lucky and beyond grateful to my found family and other loved ones. I hope to pay it forward.

I’m now living in a punk apartment in the middle of Bilbao, a historically anti-fascist region of Spain and a former victim of Franco’s reign of terror during the Spanish Civil War. The bones and memories of the Basque Partisans who fought and died for a better future are ever present.

A few facts about the Bilbao:

  • Bilbao has a massive community center called “Azkuna Zentroa”

https://www.azkunazentroa.eus/es/

The center contains:

  • A massive “climate refugee” space with heating in the winter and cooling in the summer for everyone to use, for free, as needed. Inside this space there is also clean bathrooms (nicest in the city imo) and an exhibition hall.

  • A library featuring DVD’s, media editing centers, reserve study sections, a floor dedicated to comics, and a residency hall for international comic artists. There are books in Basque, Spanish, various other languages.

  • A movie theater featuring independent films, locally made cinema, and more popular films for families. Tickets are about $5.50 on Tuesdays.

  • For an additional cost there is access to a really nice, low light, gym and a pool. People with disabilities are accommodated with their own specialized locker rooms. Gym classes are free with membership.

————

The old part of Bilbao is over 700 years old and is full of Basque punks. There is fierce support of Palestine with actions performed every week. The center of the old town is dominated by CNT: Confederación Nacional del Trabajo, more information can be found here (Sorry it’s Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederaci%C3%B3n_Nacional_del_Trabajo

CNT has been setting up “Free Sectors of Bilbao” and emancipating abandoned churches and buildings for use as housing for the homeless. I have seen these projects throughout the city, this org puts the work in and has been active for over 100 years.

I could go on but there is so much I want to blab about. Euskadi isn’t perfect, but it is an oasis in Western Europe.

AMA and I will try to answer what I can.

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[–] vovchik_ilich@hexbear.net 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

They're Gazte Koordinadora Sozialista, a fairly recent breakout from the Abertzale left in Euskal Herria, and their political scene is pretty dope, my org generally has good relations with them and they seem to be a lot more actually socialist than the now rather institutionalized Bildu.

BTW, what languages do you speak? Welcome to Spain! (I'm not from Euskal Herria myself but welcome there too lol I assume you'll be loved)

[–] BilduEnjoyer@hexbear.net 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I speak English and some Spanish. I’m currently in language school. I can read and interpret through listening decently, but my speech isn’t great. I know enough to get what I need, but not enough to have full conversations. With Basque I speak like a baby.

I will def check out that org once I’m settled enough. If you have any good tips about the local art scene as well I’d love to hear them. The graffiti here is amazing.

[–] vovchik_ilich@hexbear.net 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Honestly, I'm afraid I'm a boring-ass cishet white stem dude who isn't really into the art scene, sorry :(

I can give you some music recommendations though if you wanna know a few leftist bands that are historically quite big in Spain

[–] BilduEnjoyer@hexbear.net 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yes I will take them

[–] vovchik_ilich@hexbear.net 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

La Raíz is quite popular, they dissolved some years ago but they're back on tour this year, some of their most popular songs are Entre Poetas y Presos (talks about the victims of Francoism) and Jilgueros (talks about hunting finance capitalists).

Boikot is quite a bit older but some people still like them if you're into more of an older rock/punk.

Ska-P is good'ol ska, and some of their most famous songs are "Cannabis" (in favour of legalisation of weed), "El Gato López", "El Vals del Obrero", or "Jaque al Rey".

Chikos del Maíz is a popular but dissolved rap band with leftist lyrics and quite good quality.

Since you're in Euskal Herria, you probably already know Kortatu, classic Basque rock, their song "Sarri, Sarri" is well known and plays in a ton of parties.

Finally, older too, "Mago de Oz" are veterans of rock/metal with Celtic influences, and since the 80s/90s they've been very vocally in favour of LGTB+ thanks to the drummer Txus di Fellatio. Their song "Quien Quiera Entender que Entienda" talks about the struggle of homosexual love in a homophobic society and is touching and beautiful to me, and their song "Fiesta Pagana" featuring anti-christian lyrics (common trope in this band) is universally known and loved by millenials in Spain. Their Celtic influences come because they're originally from Galicia, where Celtic themes and culture are still present even after millennia of different cultures in the peninsula owing to the relative isolation and underdevelopment of the region.

Hope you like at least one or two of the things I recommended :)

[–] BilduEnjoyer@hexbear.net 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Excellent, thank you~~

[–] vovchik_ilich@hexbear.net 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Anytime! And if you're ever visiting around Madrid feel free to HMU by private if you want recommendations or a tour or anything :)

[–] BilduEnjoyer@hexbear.net 2 points 1 week ago

Heck yeah, I’ll keep you in mind