Talanoa

Talanoa: Behind the Scenes of Vaka: The Voyage

Join members and leaders of the Tautua Trans Leadership Cohort as they Talanoa about everything to do with Vaka: The Voyage! We dive into indigenous identity, cultural identity and practice, as well as authenticity and freedom in one’s lived experiences! You won’t want to miss out on this Talanoa, you might just get a sneak peek of the cultural performance!

Talanoa: Mental Health Awareness Month 

In honor of National Mental Health Awareness Month we discuss the mental health challenges and disparaties in the Queer and Trans Pacific Islander community.

Talanoa: Occupational Health and Safety of Sex Workers 

Join us for Talanoa on the Occupational Health and Safety of Sex Workers. Community Leaders doing this work will be having conversations on how the stigmatization & criminalization of sex workers leave them especially vulnerable to harm. 

Talanoa: QTPI The Census: Mental Health Counts 

Join us in QTPI the Census: Mental Health Counts! Lets discuss how the census directly helps to support mental health programs for our QTPI community.

Talanoa: Tautua Trans Leadeship Cohort 

The Talanoa Series provides a space for our communities to have conversations about the beliefs and systems that impact us. Here we are able to challenge those beliefs and use the power of our stories to create policies and practices that our grounded in community priorities. 

Talanoa: TransAction Screening of Leitis in Waiting & Joey Joleen Matele Full Interview 

In honor of Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, U.T.O.P.I.A Seattle held a special online TransAction screening of the film ‘Leitis in Waiting’ followed by Talanoa with Leiti and Transgender activist Joey Joleen Mataele who is featured in the film. This video documents the full interview.  

“Leitis in Waiting” is the story of Joey Mataele and the Tonga leitis, an intrepid group of native transgender women fighting a rising tide of religious fundamentalism and intolerance in their South Pacific Kingdom. The film follows Joey, a devout Catholic of noble descent, as she organizes an exuberant beauty pageant presided over by a Princess, provides shelter and training for a young contestant rejected by her family, and spars with American-financed evangelicals threatening to resurrect colonial-era laws that would criminalize the leitis’ lives. With unexpected humor and extraordinary access to the Kingdom’s royals and religious leaders, Joey’s emotional journey reveals what it means to be different in a society ruled by tradition, and what it takes to be accepted without forsaking who you are. 

Folks can Buy or Rent the film to support this amazing work here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_d5H…  

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Joey Joleen Mataele, and Directors Joe Wilson, and Dean Hammer for their partnership and support.