This week on Apex Express, we feature some “supergays” in our community. Host Robynn Takayama talks with Jenni Chang and her partner Lisa Dazols who will be traveling around the world meeting LGBT community leaders. We’ll also hear from Yvette Choy, producer of the Ms. TangTang Show, a live variety show talk show featuring queer Asian American artists. HIV activist Tita Aida talks about her interest in the project and then Tita Aida transforms into Ms. Tangtang who then takes over Apex Express to interview multimedia artist Shawn Tamaribuchi. Learn more below.
Jenni Chang and Lisa Dazols have packed up their lives for a year where they will travel to 17 countries on three continents meeting the “supergays,” a word they’ve coined for leaders in the queer community. This adventure will take them to countries like South Africa and Argentina where gay marriage is legal and countries like Kenya where homosexuality is criminalized. They will be documenting their interviews and their experiences traveling as lesbians on their blog, Out and Around: Stories of a Not-So-Straight Journey.
Out and Around has created opportunities for the couple to talk with youth, people of faith, and individuals about the impact of homophobia and bullying. They plan to continue this education process by creating a documentary of their travels and the conversations they have with the supergays and are fundraising for this project on Indie-Gogo.
Our second segment features The Ms. Tangtang Show, and hosted by HIV/AIDS health worker Tita Aida as the lovely Ms. Tangtang. Featured artists include performance artist D’Lo, photographer Mia Nakano, and the Rice Rockettes, among others. You can catch the live taping on Thursday, June 23 at 7 p.m. at the African American Art and Culture Complex (762 Fulton Street). Tickets are $15-20. To support their Kickstarter fundraising campaign, click here.