The LGBT Center of Hampton Roads, in conjunction with the Virginia Stage Company and Work I Release, are producing a story slam titled “TRANSpoken – True Stories by Trans Persons of Hampton Roads” on May 19, at 7.p.m. at Work I Release in Norfolk, VA. Admission is free and open to the public.
Transgender rights are currently at the forefront of the ongoing national discussion surrounding greater rights for members of the lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities. TRANSpoken aims to bring the diverse transgender community together through spoken word.
The performance also aims to make a positive contribution to the national conversation as participants will engage attendees, challenge stereotypes, raise awareness and provoke discussion as a diverse series of transgender persons share their experiences living and working in Hampton Roads.
TRANSpoken is the culmination of nearly a year’s work between the transgender community and Patrick Mullins, Interim Artistic Director of the Virginia Stage Company and is one of only eight national grants made by The Catalyst Initiative.
The Catalyst Initiative is a project of the Center for Performance and Civic Practice (CPCP), and focuses on creating arts-based partnerships to serve the needs of partner organizations that may not have an arts-centered mission. The CPCP assists groups with visibility, capacity building for artists and collectives engaged in civic work. In addition, CPCP works to develop advocacy and communication tools to create productive relationships with non-arts partners in communities nationally and internationally.
TRANSpoken will be performed May 19, 2016 at 7.p.m. at Work I Release, 759 Granby St., Norfolk, VA 23510.
