Next Wednesday, April 23, BCRW will be hosting Redefining Realness: A Salon in honor of Janet Mock featuring respondents Brittney Cooper, Che Gossett, Reina Gossett, CeCe McDonald, and Mey Valdivia Rude. They will be participating in a conversation around Janet Mock’s book Redefining Realness, the importance of storytelling in social movements, trans women’s activism, media representation of trans women, and the role of community and relationships.
In an interview about Redefining Realness with Slate, Janet elaborates on the importance of stories:
I wrote Redefining Realness because not enough of our stories are being told, and I believe we need stories that reflect us so we don’t feel so isolated in our apparent “difference.” For so long, the media has been telling our stories through the filters of journalists, some well-meaning and others super-disrespectful, and I think it’s empowering to have stories that are unfiltered, coming directly from the source.
Like Janet, each of the panelists are also activists and advocates for communities of color, especially for trans communities of color, and the diversity of work represents an array of approaches and perspectives.