Transgender actress and "Orange Is The New Black" breakout star Laverne Cox is currently co-producing an important and compelling new documentary about the life and incarceration of CeCe McDonald.
Titled "Free CeCe," Cox is producing the film alongside Jacqueline Gares in order to heighten visibility and awareness surrounding McDonald, a transgender woman of color in the midst of a "41 month prison sentence for defending herself against a violent, racist and transphobic attack in Minnesota which resulted in the death of one of her attackers."
"CeCe’s story is one that should have been covered more in the press. Trans women, particularly trans women of color, experience disproportionate amounts of violence and not enough is being done to eradicate that violence," Cox said in an interview with "Persephone Magazine." "CeCe’s story in so many ways encapsulates the intersectional issues that lead to far too many of us experiencing violence. I wanted to do a piece that explores the nature of how race, class and gender affect violence towards trans women and also give CeCe a space to tell her story in her words in the context of a piece that truly values the lives of trans women of color."
According to GLAAD, the film will primarily consist of Cox's interview with McDonald in prison and explore the events surrounding what happened to her on that night in 2011, as well as her experiences being incarcerated in a men's prison.
To learn more about "Free CeCe" or to make a tax-deductible contribution to the project, visit this website.
Titled "Free CeCe," Cox is producing the film alongside Jacqueline Gares in order to heighten visibility and awareness surrounding McDonald, a transgender woman of color in the midst of a "41 month prison sentence for defending herself against a violent, racist and transphobic attack in Minnesota which resulted in the death of one of her attackers."
"CeCe’s story is one that should have been covered more in the press. Trans women, particularly trans women of color, experience disproportionate amounts of violence and not enough is being done to eradicate that violence," Cox said in an interview with "Persephone Magazine." "CeCe’s story in so many ways encapsulates the intersectional issues that lead to far too many of us experiencing violence. I wanted to do a piece that explores the nature of how race, class and gender affect violence towards trans women and also give CeCe a space to tell her story in her words in the context of a piece that truly values the lives of trans women of color."
According to GLAAD, the film will primarily consist of Cox's interview with McDonald in prison and explore the events surrounding what happened to her on that night in 2011, as well as her experiences being incarcerated in a men's prison.
To learn more about "Free CeCe" or to make a tax-deductible contribution to the project, visit this website.