When Pu tsata Reang was eight years old\, she didn&rsquo\;t understand why her skin was brown when almost all of her classmates&rsquo\; skin was white. So she put an eraser to her arm and began to rub\, hoping to become white. A decade later\, feeling disoriented by the dawning realization that she is gay\, Putsata put a razor to her wrist. But ultimately she was too asha med to end her own life. That&rsquo\;s because when she was a baby\, and h er family fled war in her native Cambodia\, her mother had saved her life.
\nToday\, an increasing number of Americans like Putsata are at ris k of erasure because of external forces such as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation\, and internal forces\, such as shame and discrimination. Putsata discusses the dangers of dwelling on differences and encourages audiences to share t heir personal stories as an antidote to erasure. \;
\nAbout the presenter: Putsata \;Reang \;(she/her) is an author and journalist whose debut memoir\, \;Ma and Me\, was awarded the 2023 Pacific North west Booksellers Association prize for nonfiction and was recognized as a finalist for the 2023 Lambda Literary Award. Her \;writing has appeare d in publications including the \;New York Times\, \;Ms. \;mag azine\, \;Politico\, and \;The Guardian. Reang has held several pr estigious residencies and was a fellow of the Jack Straw Writers program a nd Alicia Patterson Foundation for journalists.
\nReang lives in Sea ttle.
\nThis event is made possible by the Humanities WA Speakers Bureau&nbs p\;and in partnership with \;Asians for Collective Liberation. \;
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\nhttps://spokanelibrary.libnet.info/event/9883692 URL;VALUE=URI:https://spokanelibrary.libnet.info/event/9883692 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR