Roberta S. Hunte on "My Walk Has Never Been Average: Stories of Black Tradeswomen"

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Air date: 
Wed, 09/24/2014 - 11:30am to 12:00pm
Roberta S. Hunte on "My Walk Has Never Been Average: Stories of Black Tradeswomen"

We speak with Roberta S. Hunte of "My Walk Has Never Been Average:
Stories of Black Tradeswomen, a multimedia presentation based on the lives of women whose stories are rarely told. We also speak with two actors in the production; Skeeter Greene, model, actor and lyricist, and Marilyn Keller, singer and actor.

Adapted for the stage from in-depth, first-person interviews with Black women in all aspects of construction, these stories reveal great inner strength and accomplishment in the face of the multiple oppressions facing Black working class women in America. 

The interviews were conducted by Roberta S. Hunte, who teaches Black Studies, and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Portland State. Professor Hunte’s dissertation is the original source material for Walk. When asked what she hopes to achieve through this theatrical presentation, Dr. Hunte said, “We rarely talk about working class women and work. Pundits talk about work in the media, but rarely do we hear grassroots folks talking about what it means to have a job, to find meaning in work, and what is required of some of us to walk our path. “

Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc, will present My Walk Has Never Been Average on Sept 26th at 7:30 p.m.  The performance will be at the Alberta Rose Theatre 3000 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211. It stars Marilyn Keller, Shelley B Shelley, Angela Bonilla, Sidony O'Neil, Ashley Williams , Skeeter Greene, Aiyanna Cunningham and Josie Seid.

Tickets are $10.00 and are available through Alberta Rose Theatre  https://www.albertarosetheatre.com/tickets.html and can be purchased through 503.764.4131, 

This performance is a featured event of the Tradeswomen Leadership Institute, The institute facilitates leadership development, advocacy and unity of tradeswomen.   http://www.tradeswomen.net/tradeswomen-leadership-institute/

“Walk” played to sold out crowds during the Fertile Ground Festival in February, at Portland State University as part of Sexual Awareness Month, and at SEI followed by a community forum on race, gender, and inclusive workplaces. 

Bonnie Ratner, who adapted the material into a stage piece and is directing Walk.  Ratner is also the Executive Director of the August Wilson Red Door Project. The Red Door’s mission is to use the arts and dialogue to change the racial ecology of Portland. Promoting work by, about, and featuring artists of color is one of the ways the Red Door helps Portland move toward this change. Ratner, a playwright and screenwriter, got involved when she read a chapter of Hunte’s original dissertation. “These stories just jumped off the page,” she said. “They were funny, scary, infuriating. They cried out to be fully embodied. Roberta and I started to scheme."



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