About The Men's Story Project
The Men's Story Project (MSP) is a new public performance and community dialogue project that explores social ideas about masculinity, using the arts as a medium for community-building and social change. It aims to highlight men's stories that are less often heard; to break silences on issues including sexism, racism, heterosexism, ableism and violence – and ways in which these interplay with norms around masculinity; to celebrate men’s beauty and humanness; and to stimulate active discussion on what being a man can be all about. The ultimate goal of this replicable project is to help increase the presence of genuine personal expression, peace, health and justice in communities. The project is getting started in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In each MSP performance, a diverse group of approximately 15 local men share pieces they have created about their own lives, on subjects including sexuality, romantic relationships, friendship, family, mentors, rites of passage, HIV/AIDS, perpetration of and healing from violence, immigration, personal transformations, and the men they wish to be – all with a framing focus on examination of masculinity and men’s roles. Performances are multi-medium, including slam poetry, monologues, prose, music and dance. Each performance is followed by facilitated audience-performer discussion. MSP presenters are local artists, activists, and men who have never been on a public stage.
A longer project description can be found here, and the YouTube site is here.
MSP PERFORMANCES & SCREENINGS
MSP @ UC-BERKELEY
Huge thanks to everyone who came out on April 25 & 26 to the UC-Berkeley perfomances, and to each of you who contributed your love, time, and courage towards their creation! They were fabulous, and met with standing ovations and strong positive feedback. Some audience feedback is here. Huge thanks also to our sponsors, listed above.
Presenters: Aqeela Sherrills (Community Self-Determination Institute, Reverence Movement); Amir Rabiyah; Michael Katz; Mack Dennis; Jeff Pollett; Joshua Safran; Jake Tobias; Clover Mathis (formerly of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater); Leroy F. Moore, Jr. (Sins Invalid); Galen Peterson (Art in Action & Silence the Violence); Folawole Oyinlola (formerly of San Francisco Ballet); Abe Becker, Matt Blesse, Charles Ekabhumi Ellik, Stephen Meads, and Terry Taplin (Berkeley, SF and Youth Speaks slam poetry championship teams).
MEN'S STORY PROJECT COURSE AT UC-BERKELEY, 2009-2010
We're excited to announce that UC-Berkeley will be implementing a semester-long, student-led Men's Story Project course in the 2009-2010 academic year! The course will focus on academic and personal examination of masculinities from a health and social justice perspective, and will culminate in the development of a student-led MSP for the UC-Berkeley community. This initiative won a Bears Breaking Boundaries 2009 Award in the category of Improving Student Life, which will provide partial support for the conduct of a qualitative study about the MSP - which will inform future university-based initiatives.
MSP FILM @ SF INDIEFEST
The film of the MSP debut performance was at the SF IndieFest! Of over 100 films at the festival, it was one of eight films selected for an extra screening at the Shattuck Theater in Berkeley. Thanks to all who came out, and who participated in the Q & A!
MEN'S STORY PROJECT PERFORMANCE #1
To those of you who came to our first show: THANK YOU!!
With a packed, standing-room-only house, an incredibly loving and present audience, tears and laughter, and loud standing ovations for the courage and honesty of our presenters, the first MSP performance took place on 8/17/08 at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley! Huge thanks to the amazing participants, and to everyone who came out to support and share - this feels like just the beginning of a broad-reaching and important project which will only become stronger as we go! Some audience feedback is here.
This performance included 16 men, ages 22-60. Topics addressed included: platonic love between men; struggles with Islam, homophobia and HIV; bisexuality and internalized homophobia; disability and sexuality; testicular cancer and personal wholeness; images of African American masculinity; men's public restroom rituals; one man’s journey from domestic violence perpetration to anti-violence activism; refusal to continue intergenerational patterns of violence; spirituality in San Quentin; transgender identity and gender fluidity; relationships with fathers and other family members; and gratitude to lifelong mentors. Presenters included established local artists and first-time performers.
MSP @ UC-SAN FRANCISCO
Our 2nd performance, sponsored by the UC-San Francisco Center for Gender Equity and 10 other campus groups, took place on 10/15/08. It was amazing - thanks to all who came out! Door donations went to SF Women Against Rape (www.sfwar.org), which works with people of all genders to prevent & respond to sexual assault.
MEN'S STORY PROJECT CD
By popular demand, we're making a CD! This will be a music/spoken word compilation of men's personal stories. All music styles and languages are welcome, from anywhere in the world! We'll be promoting the music for radio/TV/internet/print, and artists retain all rights to their piece. The Call for Submissions is here -- deadline is rolling until filled.
MSP TRAINING & EDUCATION MATERIALS
* MSP TRAINING MANUAL
The MSP performance model is intended for replication all over the planet! We would like to create an MSP Network, centralized on an upcoming expanded website, which has links to the local MSP initiatives of universities and NGO's.
We have developed a 30-page MSP Tips and Guidelinestraining manual, which sets out the mission of the MSP, core values, and ways to create a local Men's Story Project. The Table of Contents for the manual is here.
Please note that permission is required to call your project a Men's Story Project, and there are a few requests that we make of participating groups.
Training manual fee: $75-100 - nonprofits; $100-200 - universities.
* MEN'S STORY PROJECT DVD
"deeply funny" -SF Weekly
"a film of cultural importance" -SF Chronicle
A DVD of the MSP debut performance is available for personal & instititutional use. Each performer's piece is a separate chapter selection and can be used to stimulate discussion on different social topics. This film debuted at the SF IndieFest in February 2009.
DVD fee: $18-20 - Individuals; $50-100 - Nonprofits; $100-250 - Universities.
To order materials, contact josie@mensstoryproject.org.
MSP ADVISORY COUNCIL
The MSP Advisory Council is being created! Our members are leading advocates, practitioners, and researchers in the areas of men's work, masculinities, public health, violence prevention and conflict resolution, media for social change, and organizational development. It is an honor to be working with each of you.
Ori Brafman - NYT bestselling author of "The Starfish and the Spider" & other books
Shari Dworkin - Associate Professor, UCSF School of Nursing
Jackson Katz - Educator, author & filmmaker on masculinities & violence prevention
Michael Kimmell - Professor, State University of New York
Paul Kivel - Author, "Men's Work" & other books/curriculum
Mary Koss - Professor, Arizona College of Public Health
Frederick Marx - Director, Warrior Educational Films
Dean Peacock - Founder & Director, Sonke Gender Justice Network
Jason Schultz - Instructor, UC-Berkeley School of Law
Aqeela Sherrills - Founder, Community Self-Determination Institute
SUPPORTING THE MEN'S STORY PROJECT
The Men’s Story Project is an independent project in its initial stages. We seem to be onto something timely and powerful with this project, and believe it has potential to become a widespread initiative contributing to community-building and healing, far and wide.
Initiated with no funds and just a lotta love, we need your support to help the MSP become a sustainable, expanding initiative.
The fiscal sponsor for the MSP is YES! (www.yesworld.org), a long-standing nonprofit organization that supports young activists around the world.
Tax-deductible donations can be made with the Google link below, or checks made out to YES!, with Men's Story Project in the check byline, can be sent to YES!, c/o Men's Story Project, at 420 Bronco Rd., Soquel, CA 95703.
Thank you for your support! Peace.
Some good links:
http://www.promundo.org.br/35325
http://newsite.vday.org/meet-vday/v-men
http://www.genderjustice.org.za/
http://www.voicemalemagazine.org/
http://www.paulkivel.com/index.php
http://fem-men-ist.blogspot.com
Please contact Josie Lehrer at josie@mensstoryproject.org with questions, feedback, or for further info on creating a local Men's Story Project.