I am passionate about generating creative resources relating to bodies, homes, cyclical violence, regionalism, too. In part, it’s finding a way to pay forward some care and nuance after surviving some of the things I’ve survived. Also, I’ll leave my own words for a sec to offer a quote from my pal Heather, “Healing is like being stuck in traffic.” All the cars around ya gotta move if you wanna move. So, here we are amongst risk, and patience, and impatience.
In recent years, my work speaks most directly to the cross-section of trans identity and childhood sexual abuse (CSA). I am especially keen on this as so much of the hateful legislation and rhetoric mishandles CSA narratives as a way to punish and further scapegoat the trans community. I’ve explored this and other DV/SA survivor advocacy through universities, books across genres + ages, protests, essays, creative + tool-building + holiday themed workshops, staff + helping professionals teach-ins, prevention education, filmmaking, performances, tours, etc. This werk, of course, intersects with other lived themes (like suicide, migration, addiction) and unexpected emotional realities (like joy, bro) because we are all complex and (again) alive.
Anyway. Here are some projects very in motion this month -
WHAT WILL I BECOME? - A feature documentary I’m co-directing now in post-production. We have a big announcement related to this project happening this summer. The log line - “More than 50% of transgender boys have attempted suicide. Through two life stories, directors Lexie (hi!) and Logan unravel why their community is particularly vulnerable to living and dying quietly.”
THE SHIP WE BUILT - This is a middle-grade novel I wrote with PRH that is already out! It deals with themes of CSA, gender, incarceration, loneliness, Rust Belt living, imagination as a tool for survival - all from a 10 year old lens in the late 90s attaching letters to balloons. However, I wrote a screenplay version of it while doing the book! I’m dyslexic, have a banned book, and I am deeply aware reading can’t be for everyone for several reasons, and want the story to be accessible. Anyway. Last week, we finally found a first production company to hop in!! After so long (over a year!) of looking. Will be glad to share the who’s-who of that later this month. And will be glad to share lil windows into that process of giving something so special to me another way of living. Also, bro, this is the kinda project and stage where if you wanna help make it happen - talk to me!
MEET ME THERE, ANOTHER TIME - This is an anthology I’m putting together for JKP (Hachette imprint) and wow it is due end of NEXT MONTH!! ah. This is my second anthology with them. This one is focused on queer and trans people writing places that they’ve had to leave behind. I am excited n curious to think about other shapes this project can take, but gotta finish this step first!
There are several other things in different shapes and stages, such as a book relating to tables and a v special roller skate x saxophone collab, and maybe you’ll hear about those. I am also really wanting to develop a documentary about the cross section of CSA and anti-trans rhetoric - talk to me if you wanna get in on that somehow?? I’m feelin a bit on fire with this topic. (Are you?)
I’ll close with some things I love - pie (gluten free), feta cheese, feta cheese in pie (spanakopita), my cat (below), risk (the feeling - NOT the board game), surprising myself & being a beginner as often as possible, teaching roller skating and finding other ways to support people in their agency. I’m pretty deep into a dance form called contact improv. Helping out Rabble (npub1wmr…g240) (they’re the reason we are all here!) part-time is a really neat thing. And, in an alternate life, I probably would have pursued wildlife conservation work and animal welfare.
I don’t know. You’ll learn more another time! Or not! Congrats if you read this all the way to the end.
Closing out by shouting out a few other groups in this residency cohort who I have admired for a while! MuckRock Foundation (npub1u5n…vv2r) RevolutionZ (npub1j4s…tlyh) protest.net (npub1z3t…2du7)
