Speaking OUT –Open Mic story telling and experience sharing

Join the photographer/author Rachelle Lee Smith, co-host Sam LaRoche, and subjects from the new book Speaking OUT: Queer Youth in Focus while they speak OUT about their experiences in the book and beyond.

Subjects will discuss how they have changed alongside the change in society and today’s political climate and reflect upon their hand-written stories from over the last decade. There will be audience participation and you are encouraged to share your stories!

It is a powerful experience to have our voices strengthened by joining one collective voice. We are more significant together than we are alone. While the stories we share may differ, ranging from experiences with homophobia to youthful bravado and everywhere in between, together they create the narrative of growing up queer.

Rachelle Lee Smith is an award winning and nationally and internationally shown and published photographer and the author of the recently published Speaking OUT: Queer Youth in Focus.

Speaking OUT is a decade long collaborative photographic essay that explores a wide spectrum of experiences told from the perspective of a diverse group of young people, ages fourteen to twenty-four, identifying as queer (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning).
The body of work has been published in magazines such as The Advocate, School Library Journal and showcased by the Equality Forum, the Human Rights Campaign, National Public Radio, The Huffington Post, World Pride and the U.S. Department of Education.
The ongoing photographic essay was published this year by PM Press and Reach & Teach with a foreword and afterword by HRC’s Candace Gingrich and Graeme Taylor.

“Rachelle Lee Smith has created a book that is not only visually stunning but also gripping with powerful words and even more inspiring young people! This is an important work of art! I highly recommend buying it and sharing it!”
—Perez Hilton, blogger and television personality

Book published by PM Press and Reach and Teach

Sam LaRoche is a spoken word poet, musician and artist. Find out more about Sam by following her on Instagram @blacksheepmixtape.