HAPPY HOUR Panels Set for MX'D MESSAGES Festival at New York Live Arts

New York Live Arts' 2017 Live Ideas festival Mx'd Messages presents HAPPY HOUR, a series of panel discussions that address the festival's core curatorial message: to imagine a world without binaries across gender, race, politics and theology.

The four panels are held from Wednesday, March 15 through Saturday, March 18 at 5:30pm at New York Live Arts, 219 West 19th Street, NYC. Tickets start at $10. For tickets and information, visit newyorklivearts.org or call 212-924-0077.

During the first discussion, Creating Black Futures, on Wednesday March 15, artists, theorists and activists discuss the radical potential of genre fiction and Afrofuturist art in relation to current social justice movements. Panelists include artist E Jane, activist/writer/artist Reina Gossett and author Andre Carrington among others.

The second discussion, Specter Spectrum: Exploring Trans Theologies, on Thursday March 16, explores trans theologies with Rabbi Mark Sameth, who meditates on the trans identity of god and whose New York Times article "Is God Transgender" went viral; Viva Ruiz, a feminist who melds ritual and performance art; Linn Marie Tonstad, a theologian who interlaces Christian theology with queer and feminist theory; and sexuality educator and performance artist Wazina Zondon. The panel will be moderated by Barbara Carrellas, author of Urban Tantra.

On Friday March 17, the panel United Nations Commission on the Status of Women: Where is my Box?, presented in conjunction with OutRight Action International and on the occasion of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, will consider the inherent challenges and possibilities of creating a future without the binary language of gender identity and sexual orientation while also advocating for the rights of women and gender non-conforming people around the world. Panelists include ACLU staff lawyer and LGBTQI activist Chase Strangio, moderated by Siri May, UN Program Coordinator at OutRight Action International.

The fourth dialogue, on Saturday, March 18, The Road to Trans Visibility: Roles, Trolls, and Tolls, with model Casey Legler and television and film director Silas Howard, among others, and moderated by performer/activist Kate Bornstein, will look at what it means to be a trans role model. Transgender visibility in the media is at an all-time high, with film and television, fashion shoots and advertising campaigns featuring trans talent. What are the responsibilities and challenges, if any, of being a trans person in the public eye?

Located in the heart of Chelsea in New York City, New York Live Arts is an internationally recognized destination for innovative artistry. New York Live Arts produces and presents dance, music and theater performances, offers an extensive range of participatory programs for adults and young people, supports the continuing professional development of artists and serves as home for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company.