Press Release: LGBT film breaks ground in the South

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LGBT FILM MAKES HISTORY IN THE SOUTH

New York, NY – On October 3rd 2009 the U People Visible Voices Tour kicks off with a screening of the award-winning documentary, U People at the National Civil Rights Museum at 450 Mulberry Street in Memphis, TN.  The film screening will begin at 7:30pm CST and will be followed by a talkback panel at 9pm featuring the film’s directors along with several key academics and elected officials, discussing the progression and further development of LGBT rights and understanding within the south.  A schedule of the tour may be accessed at www.iloveupeople.com.

The launch of this film is also the launch of a partnership with U People (iloveupeople.com) and Glam Media (glammedia.com).  Glam Media’s technology along with its sister company Tinker.com are making it possible to track discussion across Twitter around this historic event. In addition a college coalition including NYU, Syracuse, University of Memphis, UCLA and upwards of 16 other universities across the nation will log on and join the talk-back discussion in real time.  To be apart of the live simulcast and discussion go to http://memphis.com/iloveupeople.com

The Civil Rights Museum Executive Director Beverly Robertson commented, “The Civil Rights movement was based on ensuring the rights for all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or religion. We certainly encourage the open and honest dialogue this film will promote and hope it serves to enlighten, educate and dispel myths.”

Hanifah Walidah, Co-Producer/Co-Director of the film added, “When I told my mother that U People would be filming at the Civil Rights Museum, she was brought to tears. She understood the history and significance of bringing our film and the issues surround LGBT rights to the home of the civil rights movement. It’s been a long journey for a film that was initially deemed an accident. U People has become a unique voice in the understanding of gay culture. We look forward to U People becoming an agent for change in states that are ironically less accepting of this generations fight for civil rights.”

About the U People Film

Winner of the Jury Award at the IMAGE+NATION LGBT Film Festival in Canada, U People is an incidental yet timely documentary. The first Rockumentary of its kind presents an entire cast and crew of 30 gay, straight women and trans folks of color were caught on camera behind the scenes of a not so typical music video shoot. What the camera caught will introduces a hilarious, candid and very human voice into the discussion of gay and straight within the black community. From this premise a thriving community at www.iloveupeople.com was born which reflects a more diverse image of queer people of color and finds new ways to promote our connectedness as oppose to differences within the larger society.

About the National Civil Rights Museum

The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the Lorraine Motel, the assassination site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., chronicles key episodes of the American civil rights movement  and the legacy of this movement to inspire participation in civil and human rights efforts globally, through our collections, exhibitions, and educational programs.

Prior to the formal adoption of this mission statement, the Museum was founded with the purpose of not only preserving the place where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spent his last hours, but also to preserve his legacy and that of the civil rights movement as a whole.

Contact:  { Nicole Breeds  press@iloveupeople.com}