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Mixed Remixed Festival
June 14, 2014
Japanese American National Museum
Los Angeles, CA
www.mixedremixed.orgADMISSION AND EVENTS FREE
A film, book and media festival celebrating stories of the Mixed experience and racial and cultural connectedness through stories.
The StoryWhat are you?I remember people started asking me that question on a pretty regular
basis when I was about 11 and we moved to a racially divided town. At
first I'd say: "I'm
the best speller and my favorite color is
blue. I'm also someone who likes to write poems."
I soon learned that what people wanted to know was: why do you look
like you do? Why do you have curly brown hair and light brown skin and
blue eyes?
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"I'm black and white." It was the only answer that satisfied people.
It seemed like such a silly answer to me. It didn't tell you anything
about me. Wouldn't it be more interesting to know something
about my life?
What are you?
Now, almost 35 years later I'm beginning to learn how to answer the question because I've found a "home" community.
I'm the daughter of an African-American Air Force serviceman and a white
Danish immigrant. I'm Mixed. I'm an original Afro-Viking. And/or all
of the above!
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I founded the Mixed Remixed Festival because of my own need to find a place where I could tell my complicated story; I know there are other people who want to share their complicated stories too. The Festival is a "home" to showcase stories of the Mixed experience through film screenings, readings, performance and workshops. As a founder of the original mixed roots film and book festival that showcased many talented filmmakers, writers and leaders including Rebecca Walker, Danzy Senna, Kip Fulbeck and President Obama's sister Maya Soetero-Ng, I'm excited that the Mixed Remixed Festival will be even bigger. The Mixed experience is the American experience and the numbers keep growing!
Is the festival about mixed-race pride? No. It's simply a forum to tell stories about the Mixed experience, whether you're the parent of a Mixed kid, part of a blended family or relationship or a transracial adoptee.
Now when people ask me, "What are you?" I like to say: "I'm a story: I bet you are too."
The EventThe
Mixed Remixed Festival brings together film and book lovers, innovative and emerging artists, and multiracial families and individuals for workshops, readings, film screenings and live performance including music, comedy and spoken word.
The Festival also hosts
the largest West Coast celebration of Loving Day, a nationwide
celebration of the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that affirmed the
right of different races to marry. We will present the Storyteller’s Prize and produce a live show for Loving Day this
year. The Storyteller’s Prize is
awarded each year to artists, scholars and activists who have shown a
dedication to celebrating and illuminating the Mixed experience including
stories about multiracial individuals, interracial relationships and families of
transracial adoption. This year the festival will honor Comedy Central’s hit comedic duo Key & Peele with the
Festival’s Storyteller’s Prize who
have confirmed their attendance as well as award-winning writer/visionary Susan Straight. A dessert reception will immediately follow the prize presentation.
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The line-up includes an appearance by
Comedy Central's hit comedic duo Key & Peele; films by Nicole Gomez Fisher (
Sleeping with the Fishes), Amani Starnes (
United Colors of Amani), and Bryan Tucker (
Closure); readings by
Krista Bremer, author of the much-anticipated memoir,
My Accidental Jihad (Algonquin Books) and Chris Terry; workshops by poet Aaron Samuels and award-winning actors Khanisha Foster and Rayme Cornell, and Victoria Platt Tilford. There will also be a complete schedule of activities for Target Free Family Day. For a complete festival schedule click
here.
Skylight Books is the festival's official bookseller.
The NeedDid I mention that this event is produced by an all-volunteer team? And that the event is completely FREE--all of it! Even the dessert reception with wine and drinks is FREE! So that's where you come in. We need you to make a donation to help us pay for everything that we can't beg for, barter for, or borrow. That includes:
- program printing
- signage
- food for our volunteers
- Loving Day Dessert Reception catering
- video & still recording
- website design
- festival t-shirts
- seed money for 2015 and non-profit incorporation
We expect 1200 to 1500 festival attendees this year. If everyone who attends donates just $10 we'll make our fundraising goal!
The OpportunityWe also need you and your special skills!
If you are a graphic designer, web designer, videographer, film editor, we need your help. Please email info@mixedremixed.org and join the festival team.
If you are in LA, we could use your help to set-up, usher, and welcome attendees on June 14. Please email info@mixedremixed.org and let us know when you are available on June 13 and 14.
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