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FUSION 2007 CONFERENCE
Ignite the Fuse: Queer People of Color in Film, TV and Video
Egyptian Arena Theatre
Click here to register
From November 30-December 1, Fusion 2007 presents the inaugural Fusion Conference, IGNITE THE FUSE: Queer People of Color in Film, TV, and Video. The conference brings together innovative leaders in the queer people of color media-making community to engage with one another as filmmakers, activists, cultural workers, producers, screen writers, television executives, distributors, web-media pioneers, and critics. This forum provides a platform to engage in provocative debates, critical networking opportunities, and strategizing sessions to discuss the current moment and future directions of media making for and by queer people of color. Join us as we gather together in one place for a hot minute to meet n' greet, discuss visions for the future, critique, build, play sweet and rough, and…talk media.
 Friday, November 30
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12:00pm
Opening Remarks:
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Isabelle Gunning – President of the Board of Directors, ACLU of Southern California; Law Professor, Southwestern University.
1:00pm
Session 1:
EXPLORING REPRESENTATIONS OF QUEERS OF COLOR
Moderated by: Kevin Iwashina - Agent, Outfest Board Member
- Effie Brown - Producer (Rocket Science, Real Women Have Curves, But I’m a Cheerleader)
- Cherien Dabis – Director, Story Editor/Writer (The L Word)
- Cheryl Dunye - Director (Watermelon Woman, Stranger Inside)
- Tim McNeal - Vice President, Talent Development & Diversity, Disney-ABC Television Group
Queer people of color are gaining more and more visibility within commercial and mainstream channels. This session brings together the creative minds behind queer of color characters that we see in more mainstream media (TV, film) and the executives that green-light these ideas. What are the various representations of queers of color that have been put out there? How are queer characters of color created and put on screen? Are we happy with these representations and how do we put our two cents to question, challenge, and build on these images?
3:30pm
Session 2:
FREE THE MEDIA! ACTIVIST FILMMAKING IN COMMUNITY
- Oriana Bolden – Filmmaker; Founder: proj-ectPRO:JECT
- Monica Enríquez-Enríquez – Multi-Media Artist; Founder: Queer Asylum
- Katina Parker - Media Strategist, GLAAD
- Francisco Velasquez – Film Independent (Project Involve)
- Womyn Image Makers (represented by Aurora Guerrero and Maritza Alvarez) – Film Collective (Pura Lengua, 2005 Sundance Selection)
Film, video, and media-making has long been an activist tool that brings together communities of color and sparks social justice movements. Representing a variety of experiences in engaging with revolutionary media, from home-grown community-based films to using new media to open new channels of distribution, this session explores: How are film and video makers changing the world for the better as we speak? What are the different networks that activists and media-makers can connect with to make even bigger waves?
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Saturday, December 1
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12:00pm
Session 3:
GETTING OUR FILMS OUT INTO THE WORLD!
Moderated by: Yvonne Welbon – Director (Sisters in Cinema), Producer (Stranger Inside), Self-Distributor
- Jian Chen and Melinda Chen – Founders, QTpi Media
- Kevin Lau - Vice-President, Sales & Distribution, Strand Releasing
- Stephen Macias – Senior Vice President, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Regent Entertainment
- Debra Wilson- Director (Butch Mystique); President, Moyo Entertainment (Jengo TV)
- Jeffrey Winter - Wolfe Releasing
Our images are being delivered to you straight from the participants of this session, whose experience ranges from network television, to queer distribution, self-distribution, and web-based exhibition spaces. What are the current ways for putting out into the world visions by queer people of color? How do we cultivate audiences for creative work from/about queers of color? Where do audiences go to see creative work? What networks need to be tapped into in order to make your work accessible to the communities you care about?
2:00pm
Session 4:
SURVIVING & THRIVING: IDENTITY, SEXUALITY, AND THE MEDIA
Moderated by: Jasmyne Cannick – Media Activist; Co-Founder: National Black Justice Coalition
- LaDawn Best - GIRL2GIRL Leadership Coordinator, REACHLA
- Paolo Durazzo – Media Consultant, Black AIDS Institute
- Maria Carmen Hinayon - Transgender Health Educator, Asian Pacific AIDS
Intervention Team
- Elias Martinez - Health Educator, Bienestar
- Ed Varga - Executive Director, Homo A Go Go/Queer Arts in Action
Fierce media and health activists join forces on World AIDS day to raise questions of what work is currently being done and what needs to be done in order for us to be ourselves and love each other in fabulous health! As people of color, transgender people, immigrant people, queer women and men, how does the way we identify affect our health? What is the role of media and us having happy and healthy lives? What alliances can we build across our different communities in order to strengthen access to healthcare?
4:00pm Closing Remarks:
- Lina Paredes – Director of Grant-making, Liberty Hill Foundation
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To Register for IGNITE THE FUSE please click here
Advance registration is requested but not required. Fees for registration are based on a sliding scale (see back page) please pay what you can afford.
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