Thursday, October 18, 2007

Clocked: An Oral History (In 3 Parts)



This film is split in to three 15min segments. In this first segment the audience gets to know some of the players in the Bay Area trans community.



This second segment is a more in depth look at community and how individuals see their own diverse communities.

&




The third segment is a continuation of commentary on the state of the trans communities but adds a conversation about vision and direction.


If you like this film and would like to see the full version please feel free to purchase this film directly from Customflix by clicking the "Add to Cart" button on the right side of this page. Your purchase will ensure that this important work is continued...

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Graduation Finally!


Here I am at 30 finally a bachelor, lol. My wife was the unsteady hand on the camera, you try getting a clear shot with a wiggling 2-year-old on your lap. It was a great day, August 25th, and a great place to have a graduation ceremony, the Unitarian Church on Franklin and Geary. I had a speech prepared, it was open mic, but I left it in Sadie's diaper bag, so I didn't get to use it. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

OPEN MIC SPEECH

New College of California has a special place in my heart today. When I told my friends that I would be speaking at an open mic graduation ceremony, they would look at me and say "How very New College." I have to say that this college is one of the most unique university experiences I have ever had. And to say that my cohort was a unique one would be a gross understatement. I truly got to study with some of the most interesting people that I have ever met.

Alcina, a mother of two with a passion for conflict resolution. Kd, a personal chef with a deep love of indigenous food culture. Letha, a mother from Mariposa with a heart of gold and a love for mapping the cultural exchange of the Silk Road. Noel, a poet whose words flowed like milk and honey, with a passion for Aikido and nonviolence. Fran, a Universal Sufi Minister with the divine mission to bring enlightenment to all. Gilbert, the actor with the goal of cataloging the Roxy Film Archive. Chris, the young man from Santa Cruz who got his kicks with permaculture. Marion, whose true love of the theater was as amazing as her ability with Dreamweaver. Young Hee, the critical mind who kept everyone on their toes, seeking something more that scaling half dome could give her. Michelle, the Texan who flew out every other weekend to grace us with her presence, whose deep devotion to G-d was evident in her every breath. And Sandy, the mother of us all with her Wacky Science experiments and beautiful presence.

Along the way we lost some, Letha and Chris graduated before most of us, and gained some, Michelle and Fran came to us in the last semester. However, the bond between us is still strong, we keep in touch with our Yahoo! Group, Cohort Alchemy. The name in itself is pretty self explanatory, we were a complex group of people with many different interconnected aspects and turned ourselves into a cohort. Though, it is much more than that, through much gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair we painstakingly turned ourselves into a cohort no matter where people went after the experience. A group of friends who will make it their life's work to keep in touch and update each-other on their joys, like Kd's recent wedding, and sorrows, like Michelle's fight to come out here for this graduation.

Through it all, we have remained individuals and true to ourselves, while still becoming part of a whole. I know that I will take this experience with me into the world on the other side of college, over the rainbow as it were. And move through the world with a purpose that encompasses not only my values but those of my friends, my cohort, my college.

How very New College, indeed.

Friday, August 3, 2007

AGENCY has an Air Date!

AGENCY
Air Date: Sept. 16th 2007
Time: 8:30 PM
Only of ACCESSF, Cable Chanel 29

An unscripted interview show that focuses on personal stories and reflections about enacting change through spiritual, political, literary or cultural agency




Friday, July 13, 2007

Clocked: An Oral History



This film is split in to three 15min segments. In this first segment the audience gets to know some of the players in the Bay Area trans community.



This second segment is a more in depth look at community and how individuals see their own diverse communities.

&




The third segment is a continuation of commentary on the state of the trans communities but adds a conversation about vision and direction.


If you like this film and would like to see the full version please feel free to purchase this film directly from Customflix by clicking the "Add to Cart" button on the right side of this page. Your purchase will ensure that this important work is continued...

Monday, July 9, 2007

Agency on Access 29

agency

noun

  1. That by which something is accomplished or some end achieved: agent, instrument, instrumentality, instrumentation, intermediary, mean, mechanism, medium, organ. See means.
I am expanding this oral history project into a television show on the local cable access channel. The shows title is Agency and the first show will be filmed on July 21st from 1:30pm to 4:00pm at AccesSF's studio. I wanted to do the same thing that I did with Clocked, in so much as the questions will remain the same and the ethnographic aspect will remain intact. The show will similarly focus on the personal stories and reflections this time about enacting change through spiritual, political, literary or cultural agency.

If anyone would like to participate or be a guest on the show, please feel free to contact me. I started to work on the opening segment and really think I like it!

Tell me what you think?

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Late trans leader honored

Published 06/21/2007



JoAnne Keatley, left, and Martin Rawlings-Fein, present the Outstanding Transgender Individual Award posthumously to the late Louis (Lou) G. Sullivan, whose sister, Maryellen Handley, accepted the award on his behalf. The third biennial Transgender Awards were presented by SF Transgender Empowerment Advocacy & Mentorship Monday, June 18 at a reception at the LGBT Community Center. Others who were honored included Chris Daley of the Transgender Law Center, who received the ally award; and the Transgender Resources and Neighborhood Space program at UCSF, which received the organization award.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Trans Celebration Shabbat (WOW)

As a filmmaker I get really nervous before showings and that is ok, because usually there are a smattering of people in the crowd. On Friday the 1st of June at the Trans Celebration Shabbat, I had a double dose of the nerves because I was not only showing my film, Clocked: An Oral History, I was also one of the producers of the weekend and my mother was attending from Klamath Falls, OR. I wanted everything to go well for the entire weekend, so much that I came by the synagogue that afternoon to set up the projector and sound equipment about 6 hours before showtime. I readied myself for the 20 people that I expected to show up at the film screening and was surprised to find that more people than seats arrived. The room was filled to capacity and people were spilling out into the hallways, the adjoining classrooms and the stairwell.

The energy was palpable and I felt as if everything would go well for the entire weekend if my little film could drag this many people to the shul on a Friday evening, free food or not. Upon looking around the room for the faces I knew, there were a few, and many I hadn't seen in years. Yet, the majority of those crowding into the oneg room were strangers to me. People sat on the floor, the extra folding chairs, they also stood and peered around the corner while some just closed their eyes and listened to the dialog.

The Trans Celebration Shabbat brought people of every religion, and knowledge of the trans-communities, out of the woodwork to be part of something celebratory and wonderful. There is a line in my film delivered by Cecilia Chung, "In the last 40 years, we spent many years mourning and grieving what we did didn't have or what we've lost, mourning and grieving how we survived a very violent time in our community history; but because of all the progress we make, I think we will see more people feel empowered to talk about what leadership means; what diversity means; what celebrating themselves means. And gender and sexualities are meant to be celebrated, not to be grieved." I think that this is important, as transpeople we need to celebrate ourselves, our gender, our sexuality and our lives in community with others. It is when we touch others hearts and minds that we are blessed in return.

Friday, June 1, 2007

TONIGHT! New Screening for Clocked! (San Francisco, CA)

J. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California

From the J:

Shaar Zahav to host transgender events

San Francisco’s Congregation Shaar Zahav will make history when it becomes the first synagogue to host a Shabbat weekend devoted to transgendered people and issues of concern to the transgender community. The transgender Shabbat service, which begins with a potluck dinner and service, takes place Friday and Saturday, June 1 and 2. All events are open to the public.

Friday’s events begin at 6:30 p.m. with a screening of “Clocked: An Oral History,” a film about the local transgender community from filmmaker and Shaar Zahav congregant Martin Rawlings-Fein. It will be followed by a Shabbat service led by Shaar Zahav rabbinic intern Reuben Zellman.

Saturday programs run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and include Torah study; a workshop for teens moderated by Alexis Rivera from the Transgender Law Center; a discussion for parents on how to determine if their child is gender variant; and a workshop on “How to be a Fabulous Trans Ally,” moderated by United Genders of the Universe.

A pair of transgender-themed short films will also screen, followed by a workshop called “Developing New Jewish Rituals” for transgender and queer congregants; a workshop on transgender civil rights law; and one exploring Torah and spirituality sponsored by Coastside Jewish Community. Havdallah takes place at 5:30 p.m., followed by a spoken-word performance by Ali Cannon.

Shaar Zahav congregant Robert Bernardo said, “A lot of the [transgender] events in the last year have been sad occasions, usually to remember someone murdered or hurt. We wanted to create a celebration of diversity, a happy event about lively expression, being proud and being out.”

From Marty:

The J. got a few things wrong (The dinner with the movie will not be potluck, lol) but they did try to be inclusive and talk about transgender issues. Just think 30 years ago they wouldn't even touch press about the G & L communities, now they print stories about the T communities having fabulous events at LGBTQQS Synagogues.

This film screening is the second chance to see Clocked outside of my living room screenings. You don't have to stay and listen to the sermon if you don't want, but the whole weekend looks fabulous.

Friday Night June 1st at 6:30pm (Film Start Time)
Sha'ar Zahav, 290 Dolores Street, SF CA
Enjoy finger foods and watch clocked projected on the big screen!

Claudia Kenworthy Oral History

Patricia Kevina Fili Oral History