GLAAD Awards Inaugural Grant to Trans Docuseries ‘America in Transition’ (Exclusive)
GLAAD announced today the grand prize recipient of its inaugural grant, glaadgrants: “America in Transition,” a multi-platform docuseries about the everyday lives of trans people of color.
The grant provides partial completion funding and professional mentorship to creators making work that amplifies the voices of the LGBTQ community, with the aim of developing a pipeline to Hollywood. The leading media advocacy group for LGBTQ visibility in media, GLAAD has long been a vital resource for LGBTQ filmmakers and creatives. The organization hosts the GLAAD Media Awards, which honors outstanding LGBTQ media; and GLAAD’s annual Studio Responsibility Index is an invaluable resource in holding major Hollywood studios accountable when it comes to LGBTQ characters.
With glaadgrants, the organization can finally offer direct support to LGBTQ projects and creators.
Created by André Pérez, “America in Transition” explores community, family, and social issues for trans people of color across the United States. The non-fiction video series uses first person narratives from trans people of color, including immigrants, people living with HIV, and those living in rural environments. The series flips the script on the typical trans narrative of internal struggle, focusing instead on the families, cultures, and communities surrounding trans people in hopes of inspiring viewers to take action in their own communities.
“As a Puerto Rican trans man growing up in the South, I knew that we desperately needed a space to talk about the issues that matter most,” said Pérez. “I’m excited to share stories that reflect the nuances and complexities of the lives we live.”
Pérez is the founder of the Transgender Oral History Project, a grassroots media project documenting a range of stories from the trans community. He has recorded over 500 interviews as part of StoryCorps, and previously directed “Been T/Here,” a docuseries about trans Chicagoans of color.
“’America in Transition’ humanizes the trans experience in ways that will enlighten and engage Americans from all walks of life,” said GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis.
The first season of “America in Transition” will be online in November, 2017.
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