LGBTQ at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute

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The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (LHPAI) is partnering with Seattle Parks and Recreation to invite the community to “Bearing Witness,” featuring performances by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth of color and their friends.

This free showcase starts at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17th. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. at LHPAI, located at 104 17th Ave. S at E Yesler Way in Seattle. The show runs for about 90 minutes.LHPAI logo

Once housed in the Department of Parks & Recreation, LHPAI was transferred to the Office of Arts & Culture (OAC) in 2013. In an earlier blog, I described how OAC is leading a re-organization of LHPAI from a City-funded operation to an independent non-profit by 2018. LHPAI’s programming mission will remain the same, with the potential to expand.

I have invited OAC to brief the full City Council early next year on the transition’s progress. Watch for my future blog regarding their presentation.

LHPAI’s December 17th performances serve as a finale to the 2014 Bearing Witness sessions, a program for queer youth of color, friends and allies up to age 22 to express themselves through dance, music, spoken word, and other performing arts to name, explore, express, and celebrate who they are as lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, questioning individuals, as people of color, and as youth.

Rainbow_flagYouth involved with the Bearing Witness program participated in weekly sessions at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, where they received free mentoring from a team of performing arts professionals.

For more information, contact the office of Randy Wiger, at 206.295.5218, and ask for Rodney Greene.

By the way, do you know about the Seattle LGBT Commission? It’s a volunteer body supported by the City that advises the Mayor, Council and departments about issues of concern affecting the LGBTQ community, recommends policies and legislation, brings the LGBTQ communities and the larger Seattle community together through long-ranged projects, and ensures that City departments fairly and equitably address issues affecting and involving Seattle’s LGBTQ communities as individuals and as a protected class afforded accessibility and inclusion to the services of the City of Seattle. Check out their website and click on “Commission Highlights” to see what the Commission has been up to.

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