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 are often intertwined with masculinities; 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 self-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, gender identity, 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 masculinities and men’s roles. Performances are multi-medium, including slam poetry, monologues, prose, music and dance.
Each performance is followed by facilitated audience-presenter discussion. MSP presenters are local artists, activists, and men who have never been on a public stage.
A longer project description is 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).
We're also excited to announce that the MSP won a Bears Breaking Boundaries 2009 Award at UC-Berkeley, in the category of Improving Student Life! The award provides support for an ongoing qualitative study about the MSP process and outcomes, to inform future initiatives.
MSP FILM @ SAN FRANCISCO INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
The film of the MSP debut performance was part of the SF IndieFest! Of over 100 films at the festival, it was one of eight selected for an extra screening at the Shattuck Theater in Berkeley. Thanks to all who came out, and who participated in the Q & A!
MSP DEBUT PERFORMANCE
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.
Presenters: Juan Cuba (SF Women Against Rape), Robert Haaland, Kenny Johnson (This Sacred Space), Michael Katz, L. Abdul-Kenyatta, Leroy F. Moore, Jr. (Sins Invalid),
Galen Peterson (Art in Action); Jeff
Pollett, Rashad Pridgen (a.k.a. Soul Nubian), Ahmed Salcido, Matt Singh, Jake Tobias; Abe Becker, Matt Blesse,
Charles Ekabhumi Ellik, Stephen Meads (Berkeley & Oakland slam poetry championship teams).
MSP @ UC-SAN FRANCISCO
Our 2nd presentation took place on 10/15/08 at UC-San Francisco. It was sponsored by the Center for Gender Equity as well as Office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity & Diversity, Office of Student Life, Student Health Center, UCSF Police Dept., Diversity Celebration Committee, LGBT Resource Center, Medical Student Well-Being Program, and Arts & Events. It was fabulous - thanks again 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.
Presenters: Juan Cuba (SF Women Against Rape), Kenny Johnson (This Sacred Space), Michael Katz, L. Abdul-Kenyatta, Galen Peterson (Art in Action); Jeff Pollett, Rashad Pridgen (a.k.a. Soul Nubian), Amir Rabiyah, Matt Singh, Jake Tobias; Abe Becker, Matt Blesse, Charles Ekabhumi Ellik, Stephen Meads, Jorge Vargas (Berkeley & Oakland slam poetry championship teams).
MSP TRAINING & EDUCATION MATERIALS
* MSP TRAINING GUIDE & LICENSE
The MSP performance model is intended for replication all over the planet! An upcoming, expanded MSP Network website will have links to emerging local MSP initiatives of universities, faith-based groups and NGO's.
We invite you to consider creating your own local project. We have developed a 30-page MSP Tips and Guidelines manual which sets out the mission of the MSP, core values, and how to create a local performance/dialogue initiative. The Table of Contents is here.
Please note that licensing is required to call your project a Men's Story Project, and there are some requests that we make of participating groups.
Information about the license agreement is here..
Training manual fee:
$75-100 - Nonprofits; $125-200 - Colleges & Universities.
* MEN'S STORY PROJECT DVD
"deeply funny" -SF Weekly
"a film of cultural importance" -San Francisco Chronicle
“The Men’s Story Project film is a powerful and moving tool for sparking conversations about male socialization, the variety of masculinities men act out, and the roles that all men can play in building healthy and just communities.”
–Paul
Kivel, co-founder of
"It is still relatively rare -- and often startling -- to hear men talk openly and honestly about experiences in our families, struggles (and joys) in relationships, violent victimization or perpetration, or anything else that leaves us feeling vulnerable -- especially in front of other men. That is why the Men's Story Project film is such an important contribution to the expanding work of engaging men at all levels of gender justice work: it speaks to our hearts as well as our minds, and beautifully brings together the personal and political aspects of these critical issues."
-Jackson
Katz, anti-sexist educator, filmmaker & author
"The Men's Story Project " gathers a wonderful array of
men's voices and stories--deeply moving, at times hilarious, and
always thought-provoking. I can't wait to show this film to
students in my college sex and gender courses; I'm sure these stories
will provide inspiration for my students to think about male privilege
and pain, as well as the commonalities and differences among men. And ultimately the film will provide plenty of grist for us to ask
together, 'just what is a man?'" -Michael Messner, Professor of Sociology & Gender Studies, U. of Southern California
Total run time: 114 min.
DVD fee:
$20 -Individuals; $50-100 -Nonprofits; $175-250 -Colleges & Universities. Please add $6 for shipping/handling.
To order materials, please contact josie@mensstoryproject.org.
MSP ADVISORY COUNCIL
Our Advisory Council members are leading educators, advocates, and researchers in the areas of masculinity & gender studies, public health, violence prevention, 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
Jason Schultz - Instructor, UC-Berkeley School of Law
Chad Keoni Sniffen - Prevention Coordinator, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
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 it, and believe it has potential to become a widespread effort contributing to community-strengthening and healing, far and wide.
Initiated with no funds and just a lot of love, we need your support to help the MSP become a sustainable, expanding initiative.
Many thanks to Give Something Back, Inc. and the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program for your support.
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 project.