Press Release

April 12, 2019

TransLash Launches Episode 3 to Focus Attention on the Pivotal Role of Families for Transgender Individuals

Full Range of Familial and Kinship Ties Fostered By Trans People, Especially Those of Color, Are Explored

Project Also Rolling Out Dedicated Website and Social Media Channels

New York, April 12, 2019 TransLash launched Episode 3 of its four-part docuseries, which takes on the power that birth families have in shaping trans people, both positively and negatively, as well as the crucial role played by chosen families as either a backstop, supplement or enhancement, to these initial blood-tie experiences. Following the journey of journalist Imara Jones as she returns to the small Georgia town of Albany where her mother was raised to explore her family roots, TransLash also takes a wider look at how chosen family for queer communities forms the basis of activism for LGBTQ individuals. As a result the families that trans people are born into and create play a central role in the fight for social justice overall. Episode 3 features a variety of community voices, including those from the Transgender Law Center and Southerners on New Ground (SONG).

The 16-minute piece, entitled “Family Matters,” joins the two existing previous episodes of TransLash. Episode 1 focused on the physical and policy violence visited upon trans people, while Episode 2 highlighted trans people’s encounter with the healthcare system. Through the prism of Imara’s own transition story, TransLash explores what it is like to be transgender, especially a trans woman of color, at a time of social backlash. It uses where we are on trans rights as metric to measure where America is on civil rights as whole. Episode 3 was produced by Oria Media.

TransLash is also launching a dedicated website, as well as social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. The series is also distributed through the digital assets of Free Speech TV.  A Facebook Watch Party for Episode 3 will take place at 12:30 PM today.

Imara Jones says, “My mom died of cancer in 2011 before I transitioned. Her premature death led me to embark on a journey to explore whether she would have accepted me as I am. By delving into her past and mine, I realized that family in all of its typeswhether it be blood, kinship or chosenis essential to who we are. Often those who seek to undermine trans people talk about us as if we spontaneously appear, but like everyone else, we have history. Key to this history is that, even under the most difficult of circumstances, we find a way to love and create new families, which often serve as the basis for our ability to fight back. As families gather for the Easter and Passover, these are topics and perspectives I wanted to present.”

Kris Hayashi, Executive Director of the Transgender Law Center says, “During a time when transgender people are under intense legal, policy, and even physical attack, the need to tell authentic trans stories is as important as ever. We at the Transgender Law Center understand that in order to secure trans rights, we must work to change our broader culture one heart, mind, and community at a time. That’s why we are proud to have been featured by Imara in all three episodes of TransLash, including Episode 3 where TLC’s own Micky Bradford speaks movingly about the power of family and organizing.”

Ana Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation says, “The New York Women’s Foundation believes in advancing the economic, racial, and gender justice of all women. Guided by our experience, we know that in order to do so fostering narrative change and centering the voices of historically underinvested communities essential. That is why we are proud to support this episode of TransLash as well as the work more broadly of our Fellow-in-Residence Imara Jones as she continues to use information as a tool to drive social change.”

Ron Williams, Executive Director of Free Speech TV says, “As one of the few truly independent multimedia networks, we believe that featuring the voices left out of traditional mainstream media is essential to building a freer and fairer world. TransLash and Imara’s work more broadly aligns with our goals and values. We are pleased to roll out this latest episode across the full range of our digital assets, thereby amplifying the voices of the transgender community at a crucial moment history.”

Mary Hooks, Co-Director, SONG says, “With our focus on the South we understand the pivotal link between all forms of family, organizing and social change for LGBTQIA and other historically marginalized communities. We are thrilled that this understanding and the of work of SONG are included in Episode 3.Sharing the voices and stories of the people and places often left untold is as important now as ever.”

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About Imara Jones

An EMMY and Peabody Award winner, Imara is the host of The Last Sip, a upcoming weekly, half-hour news show which targets Millennials of color; especially women and the LGBTQI community currently on hiatus. It airs on the independent news network FSTV. In addition to her career in journalism, Imara has held economic policy posts in the Clinton White House and communications positions at Viacom. Imara holds degrees from the London School of Economics and Columbia. More information about her can be found at www.imarajones.com

About TransLash

TransLash is a four-episode web docuseries that focuses on what it’s like to transition and be trans at a time of social backlash. Initially distributed as a docuseries on YouTube and Facebook, it follows the transition story of journalist and host Imara Jones, as well as that of the larger trans community at a time of social backlash.

About Transgender Law Center

Transgender Law Center (TLC) is the largest national trans-led organization advocating for a world in which all people are free to define themselves and their futures. Grounded in legal expertise and committed to racial justice, TLC employs a variety of community-driven strategies to keep transgender and gender nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for liberation. transgenderlawcenter.org

About The New York Women’s Foundation

Since 1987, The New York Women’s Foundation has advanced a dynamic philanthropic strategy based on the fundamental reality that, when women thrive, their families and communities also thrive. The Foundation’s grantmaking places it at the top of public women’s foundations in the United States, and in the top two in the world. We invest in women-led, community-based solutions that promote the economic security, safety, and health of the most vulnerable women in New York City. We foster women’s leadership, create partnerships that spark catalytic change, exchange insights with experts across sectors, and empower women by training them in activism and philanthropy to accelerate and sustain forward progress. Visit https://www.nywf.org to learn more about our work to transform lives, families, and communities – and create a better New York City for all.

About Free Speech TV

Free Speech TV is a national, independent, nonprofit news network committed to advancing progressive social change. As the alternative to media networks owned by billionaires, governments and corporations, Free Speech TV elevates unique perspectives through daily news programs, independent documentaries and special events coverage.

Free Speech TV reaches more than 38 million households nationally on DISH (channel 9415), DIRECTV (348), Sling TV, and over 150 community cable affiliates. Free Speech TV streams live 24/7 at freespeech.org, is available on-demand and streaming on Roku and Apple TV, and maintains an active presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Free Speech TV believes a more just and democratic world is possible when the media empowers people with the information they need to fight for what matters.  

About SONG

Southerners On New Ground (SONG) is a regional Queer Liberation organization made up of people of color, Black people, immigrants, undocumented people, people with disabilities, working class and rural and small town, LGBTQ people in the South, people who are ready and willing to do our part to build justice and liberation for all people.

About Oria Media

Oria Media is a New York City-based digital and broadcast news production company that originates programs for millennials of color. Oria receives support from a number of leading foundations for the creation of content which combats lower levels of democratic engagement amongst historically marginalized communities by filtering national issues through the people and organizations redefining society one community at a time.

Contact:

TransLash: Imara Jones

imarajones [at] gmail[dot]com

 

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