Press Play: The Womanity Project on opening a conversation around gender

The Womanity Project is a nonprofit organization producing media content and workshops to shed light on cultural and gender stereotypes. In this episode of Press Play, we talked with Aurelie Harp, Executive Director of The Womanity Project.

The Womanity Project is not a one gender platform, it is a movement for all. If we can start adding questions to challenge the current ‘gender narrative’ we can create a culture of change. When you feel included, you’re inspired to do your bit, and make your community fairer. This is the Womanity Effect. - Aurelie Harp

NYXT: What are the biggest changes that Womanity Project experienced over the past year?

Aurelie Harp: The Womanity Project is a media production and training organization using storytelling and improv to start an open conversation around gender, feminism and how each of us has the power to create equality. Through our workshops and stories, we highlight each individual’s uniqueness by deconstructing gender identity and rebuilding our relationship with humanity. This year, we expanded the conversation to men. We also extended our network and collaboration with schools and other non-profit organizations in Brooklyn.

NYXT: Can you tell us about your film Lala’s World featuring activist Lala Zannell?

AH: LaLa’s World is a short documentary around LaLa B Zannell, a lead organizer in

the Trans community and the first trans woman of color at the White House

briefing for Women’s History Month, that aims to better understand the daily

challenges of NYC’s trans women of color. LaLa's journey is a unique story of

challenges, love, and support that differs from the "victim's narrative" that we

often hear in the media.

NYXT: What is the message of the film and where are you going to be presenting it?

AH: ‘’Gender is the only thing that everyone has such a hard time to talk about. And it is the biggest thing that is pulling everyone apart.’ Trans women of color are not invisible and it’s time to acknowledge it.  As LaLa says in the film: “We are human beings on this planet and we are not going anywhere.” Lala’s World is a story of hope for anyone who feels that they are not seen or heard. Lala’s World is a story of humanity. The film is currently in the festival circuit. The film was screened at the Tilde Melbourne film festival in Melbourne Australia on Dec 1st. We are planning to have many more screenings especially in schools and institutions to have opportunities to have a dialogue within the community.

NYXT: What are your upcoming events and activities?

AH: 2020 is going to be very busy. We are building various Womanity programs with schools and organizations. We are also producing our Womanity Signature workshop on a monthly basis with Airbnb. Follow us on social media and website for updates. We are also continuing our monthly Womanity Series, and we are in the process of expanding Lala’s Wold into a series.

NYXT: What are the Womanity Project's goals for 2020?

AH: We believe human connection is the starting point of respect and equality. Our goal is to develop more workshops and stories in the community to increase our involvement in the community and measure the impact of our conversations. We are going to organize screenings, panels and open mics to deconstruct gender & race, and create empathy and change. We are also getting organized to raise $100K to continue producing our series and for our community to have free access to our workshops.

NYXT: What do you ultimately want to see the organization become in the future?

AH: Our ambition is for The Womanity Project to become a sustainable community hub that helps reshape our community into a more humanistic world, where gender does not mean division but inclusion.

NYXT: Would you like to add anything else?

AH: The Womanity Project is not a one gender platform, it is a movement for all. If we can

start adding questions to challenge the current ‘gender narrative’ we can create a culture of change. When you feel included, you’re inspired to do your bit and make your community fairer. This is the Womanity Effect.