Join us in a conversation about LGBTQ+ representation in film and television hosted by the Richland Library Rainbow Committee.
This documentary picks up where "Further Off the Straight and Narrow" left off in 2006. How did the rise of LGBTQ visibility, political progress, and digital technologies in the 2000s come together to offer the abundance of complex queer and transgender representations we see today?
Discussion panel to follow the viewing:
Dr. Vanessa Kitzie is an Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina’s School of Information Science. Her research focuses on supporting LGBTQIA+ communities in addressing their identity and health-related questions and concerns and exploring roles for libraries to provide this support.
She has received external funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the American Library Association to support her work and published articles in journals such as Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, The Library Quarterly, and Journal of Documentation.
M. Greg Green is an author, diversity & inclusion facilitator, and community health worker that uses his years of experience as a police officer and firefighter to facilitate conversations and humanize all people while shifting the corporate culture for his communities.
As an advocate, corporate trainer, and entrepreneur Greg is the co-founder of Transgender Awareness Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to assisting the transgender community, Miskonception LLC, a diversity training firm, and is the training manager at the Center for Community Health Alignment. Greg is a skilled and engaging speaker on transformative public service, trans visibility, awareness and intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ community and is a 2024 Clyburn Fellow.
He has spoken in Washington DC with the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Dorn VA Hospital, Federal Correctional Institution in Edgefield, SC, Federation of Families Summer Summit, The International Conference on Stigma, South Carolina Libraries Association, South Carolina Community Health Workers Association, Virginia Community Health Workers Association, and many other engagements and keynotes.
Patti O’Furniture was born out of a dare from the students of college professor Pat Patterson in the fall of 1999 and has followed a very non-traditional path into female impersonation ever since. Called the “yard sale with legs” because most of her initial costumes were gifts from other entertainers and fans, her mix of professionalism and quick wit have earned her a spot as one of the most sought-after emcees in the region.
In 2021, Patti was featured on the season 2 premiere of the HBO series “We’re Here” set in her hometown of Spartanburg, SC.
She first hit the stage on October 11, 1999 and has been entertaining audiences across the country ever since. From Los Angles to Boston and New York to New Orleans, she has worked at some of the most legendary clubs and queens - but she’s a Southern girl at heart and will always be proud to call the Carolinas home.
One thing has remained consistent since that very first show: every dollar that Patti collects on stage gets donated back to the community. All of her tips are donated to causes including HIV/AIDS prevention and education, animal welfare, LGBT civil rights, the environment and a host of local arts organizations. To date, she has raised over $1.5 million… one dirty dollar bill at a time
Mel Moore is the owner and principal consultant of GrassRoots Influencing The South (GRITS), LLC, an organization that builds the power of the people to influence decision-makers. Through their role at GRITS, Mel draws from perspectives of abolition, community care, reproductive justice, and disability justice to equip advocates with the knowledge and skills to not only dismantle harm-creating systems, but to dream of a better world for all.
Mel previously served as Director of Organizing for Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network, a South Carolina based nonprofit organization that advances the health, economic dignity, and rights of women, girls, gender expansive people, and their families. Mel has worked in LGBTQ+ advocacy since 2005, starting their advocacy career as Executive Assistant for Alliance For Full Acceptance and Interim Director for SC Equality.
They served as Executive Director of We Are Family, a Southern Grassroots non-profit organization that provides affirming spaces for LGBTQI+ youth. Through that role, they Launched Closet Case, SC’s first queer thrift store. In 2018, Mel launched the All Of Us Resource Center, the precursor for the Charleston HOPE Center, for the unhoused community on a budget of $0. They co-created the Charleston YOUth Count with the Riley Center for Livable Communities, the first study focused on housing instability and food insecurity for youth ages 23 and under in Charleston County. Mel grew up in the small town of Mount Pleasant, SC and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the College of Charleston.
Tee Joseph is a dedicated advocate for marginalized communities, known for their unwavering commitment to equality, equity, and inclusion. Tee is originally from the UK but has lived in SC for almost 20 years. They have focused their career on championing the rights and needs of underserved communities.
As the Executive Director of the Transgender Awareness Alliance, Tee leads efforts to provide essential aid, resources, and advocacy for the queer and transgender population of South Carolina. They also serve as the CFO and a facilitator for MisKonception, creating tailored training programs that promote workplace equity and respect.
Tee is a certified Community Health Worker (CHW) and a Center for Community Health Alignment Ambassador, roles in which they advocate for improved healthcare access and education, particularly for vulnerable groups across the State, region, and national spaces. Their influence is furthered by their participation as a Families USA Fellow of 2023-24, contributing to national healthcare policy discussions.
Tee’s work is driven by a core belief in the right of every individual to live freely and express themselves without harm. They are compassionate and dedicated to creating inclusive spaces inspiring with kindness, and love.
For your safety and ours, please stay home if you have COVID-19, if you have symptoms of COVID-19, if you are waiting for COVID-19 test results, or may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Add to Calendar2024-06-13 17:00:002024-06-13 19:00:00 Beyond the Straight and Narrow: Viewing and Panel
Join us in a conversation about LGBTQ+ representation in film and television hosted by the Richland Library Rainbow Committee.
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