Emmy-nominated actress and activist Laverne Cox rose to fame through her role on Orange is the New Black, quickly becoming an important voice for transgender rights. In her debut memoir Transcendent, Cox delves into her traumas, gender identity, transition, and, in the end, her journey to healing.
Laverne Cox spent years tirelessly working to make it as an actress before her breakout, Emmy-nominationed role in Orange Is the New Black. She studied dance, acted in off-Broadway shows, and worked in restaurants, all while honing her craft. Now, she has appeared in award-winning movies and shows, produced the award-winning documentary The T Word, and become a leading voice advocating for queer and transgender people. In her debut memoir Transcendent, Cox delves into her traumas, gender identity, transition, and, in the end, her journey to healing.
Filmmaker, writer, and actress Cheryl Dunye first emerged as part of the “Queer New Wave” of young filmmakers in the early 1990s. Her first feature film,The Watermelon Woman, is now a classic of queer cinema, as well as ’90s film more broadly, and resides in the permanent cinema collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Her films, including a collection of her documentary shorts, were recently added to the Criterion Channel. In recent years, Dunye has begun working in episodic television, directing such shows as Dear White People, Queen Sugar, and Lovecraft Country. Dunye is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the founder of the Oakland-based production company Jingletown Films.
SF Pride and City Arts & Lectures are offering free tickets to those for whom cost is a barrier. Thanks to the generous support of Tom LeNoble and BMO, each ticket will include a complimentary copy of Laverne Cox’s new memoir, Transcendent. Sign up for tickets HERE.
If your ticket comes with a book and you are unable to attend this event, please call Marcus Books at (510) 652-2344 to arrange for pick-up. Books are available for pick-up at Marcus Books up to 7 days following the event.
Photo by Brett Lemke