Mixed Remixed Festival

New Play about Mixed Family Tours UK

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I hope I’ll have a chance to check out this new play touring the UK, My Name Is . . . about a mixed-race girl.  The play is inspired by a real story from 2006.

According to the Independent: “In August 2006, 12-year-old Molly Campbell, a mixed-race schoolgirl “disappeared” from Stornaway, in the Outer Hebrides. Her father, British-Pakistani Sajad Rana, who was divorced from her mother, Louise Campbell, had moved back to Pakistan with his older children and wanted Molly to join them. Louise was terrified she would lose her remaining child. When her daughter didn’t come back home, she feared Rana had abducted her and called the police. Louise’s mother publicly said Rana was plotting to marry off the child, adding further piquancy to the rising public outrage about Asian “barbarism”. And then came the startling/shocking finale. At a press conference in Lahore, Molly, dressed in a bright shalwar khameez, cheerfully told journalists that she had left Scotland of her own free will and wanted to live with her dad. She was no longer Molly Campbell, but “Misbah Rana”, a Pakistani Muslim. Long court battles ensued, politicians got involved, and in the end Louise gave up the fight. Most Britons found it hard to understand why the pre-teen gave up her Western freedoms and chose a severely proscribed life. She is now back in the UK and living with her mother.”

It sounds fascinating! —Heidi Durrow

Congrats Nicole Gomez Fisher: Best Director Sleeping with the Fishes

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Me, Ana & JoeWe are so excited to report that Festival Fave Nicole Gomez Fisher, director of Sleeping With the Fishes which we screened on June 14 to raves, took home the award for Best Director for Sleeping with the Fishes at Friday night’s Imagen Awards!

The show will air on PBS September 27th. We’ll keep you posted on the exact time once we have more details.

Huge congratulations Nicole!  We are so thrilled for you; it’s so well-deserved.-Heidi Durrow

Spotlight on Festival Fave Mari Naomi & Her New Book of Graphic Vignettes

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mx14_MariNaomiWe were so lucky to have artist Mari Naomi participate in the inaugural Mixed Remixed Festival.  And now we’re excited to tell you about her new book of graphic vignettes which will be out in September.

Dragon’s Breath is an exciting new work you don’t want to miss. In Dragon’s Breath, “MariNaomi explores a wide spectrum of topics including youthful rebellion, mortality, disillusionment, and compassion. These poignant stories, some filled with hope, others tinged with remorse, are sure to appeal to even the most discerning reader.”

LA-based folks!  You can catch Mari at Skylight Books (the Festival’s official bookseller) September 26, 2014(Friday), 7:30 p.m. for her book release party and reading.  Free admission.  See you there! Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles.

 

Mari will be appearing at a number of venues.  Check here to see if she’s coming your way!–Heidi Durrow

 

Kim Wayans: A Festival Fave is on CBS’s Reckless

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Kevin Knotts, Kim Wayans, Jennifer Frappier
Kevin Knotts, Kim Wayans, Jennifer Frappier

Today, we want to put the spotlight on the beautiful and talented Kim Wayans. Kim and her husband Kevin Knotts are generous donors and supporters of the Mixed Remixed Festival. In addition to her support of the Festival, she has done her fair share of shedding light on multicultural issues.

One way she has shed light on biracial issues is by teaming up with her husband to write a book series titled Amy Hodgepodge. The book series features a multiracial girl and the obstacles she must face growing up being Asian, Caucasian, and African American. The series starts out when Amy starts fourth grade after being home-schooled for years. If you want to read more information on the series or purchase a copy of the book for yourself, click here.

You can catch Kim in action on Reckless airing on CBS. Reckless is a dramatic series filled with crime. Kim’s character is probably not what you would expect from the roles she has played in the past, but fans will definitely not be disappointed in her performance. Kim plays Vi Briggs a strong-willed paralegal with a great sense of humor. Kim Wayans recently did an interview regarding her character, Vi Briggs, and the show  with ABC News. You can read the whole interview here. You can catch the latest episode of Reckless on Sundays at 10/9 central on CBS.

If you want more information about what Kim Wayans has been up to, check out her website: here.

You can also follow her on Twitter.

 

Mixed Remixed Donor Dinner

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DSC03651You guys came through for us for the Indiegogo campaign and we hope you received your thank yous and perks!  But there were a couple of special perks that we’re just getting around to fulfilling and wow! What a wonderful night.  Madge Stein Woods who has been an incredible booster, supporter and friend donated $500 for a beautifully prepared seven-course meal under the stars prepared lovingly by personal Chef Darryl.  It was an amazing and wonderful night.  Remember we can always use your support.  It’s easy to donate here.  

Mixed Remixed Festival Storyteller’s Prize Presentation 2014 PHOTOS

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Heidi Durrow, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan PeeleI can’t stop smiling when I think about the wonderful performances and speeches at the Mixed Remixed Festival Storyteller’s Prize Presentation.  We’ll share some of the video with you as soon as we can so stay tuned and follow our social media networks for updates.  In the meantime, enjoy these photos from a most amazing night!  Are you in any of the photos?  And don’t forget to check out this gallery of photos to0!–Heidi W. Durrow  (Having trouble viewing the photographs?  See the photo gallery here.)

Mixed Remixed Festival Photos 2014

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_DSC1198We are so excited to share these awesome photos from the Festival! Check them out!  And don’t forget to check out these photos too.-Heidi Durrow  (Having trouble viewing the photos?  You can view the photo gallery here.)

Meet Cam, a Festival Attendee with a great heart!

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photo (3)I had a chance to do an email Q & A with Cam who is super excited to attend the Mixed Remixed Festival.  I love his story!  He’s traveling all the way from Illinois to join in on the fun!  Check out what he had to say.–Heidi Durrow
Q: You’ve probably heard it all your life, but I have to ask: What are you?

A: I’ve been asked so many times and I still don’t know the best way to answer the question. The simplest answer is half white on my mom’s side and half black on my father’s.

Q: Was there a moment in your growing up you realized that you or your family were “different”?  How old were you?  What happened?
A: I distinctly remember in kindergarden drawing pictures of my family and ALWAYS using a different crayon when I had to draw myself.  Everyone was “Peach” while I was “Tan”.  I grew up in a pretty diverse suburb of Chicago and all my peers were of various backgrounds.
Q: What did your parents tell you about being mixed?
A: My mom always emphasized not having to choose between being black and being white.  This helped a lot when my mom and I moved to a predominantly white suburb and it was difficult not to be a token.  I was always just told to be myself, because I’m more than just my ethnicity.  This way of thinking helped me to embrace white and black cultures and live my life not fitting into stereotypes.
Q: Why is the Festival important to you?
A:  I’ve been coming to Mixed Roots for a few years and now Mixed Remixed and I remember the first year I walked in and was so shocked by how many beautiful people were there.  This festival for me is a glimpse of how much tolerance and unity can be achieved if we celebrate everyone’s cultures coming together.  That’s what the festival stands for in my eyes, a celebration of cultures coming together as one community.
Q: The mayor of LA calls himself a “kosher burrito” because he has a mixed Mexican and Jewish background.  What would your “mixie food name” be? 🙂 #mixiefoodname
A: My mixed background is a little bit of everything so I’d have to be a “Thanksgiving leftover sandwich” Some of all of it in every bite!

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