The Ackerman Institute’s Gender & Family Project will present its second annual benefit, A Night of A Thousand Genders, on Monday, March 23, 2015, from 6:00-8:30pm at Joe’s Pub (425 Lafayette Street).
The evening begins with cocktails followed by a very special one-night-only cabaret evening celebrating the beauty and resilience of gender expansive youth and their families.
The second annual Night of a Thousand Genders will be hosted by Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Cynthia Nixon (“Sex and The City”) and will feature performances by Drama Desk nominee Lindsay Mendez (Wicked), American Singer/Songwriter Joe Stevens (“Last Man Standing”), Kyle Taylor Parker (Kinky Boots), and Youth Pride Chorus, with Music Direction by Emmy Award-winning composer Lance Horne.
The first annual Ackerman Institute’s Gender & Family Project Family Award will be given to the Jazz Jennings Family. By opening up to media, Jazz Jennings and her family were among the first families to raise public awareness about the lives and needs of gender expansive youth and their communities. The Ackerman Institute’s Gender & Family Project is honoring the amazing and proud mother, father and siblings who have fought to keep Jazz safe, happy and thriving.
The first annual Community Award will be given to the Central Park East 2 Middle School. Over the past year, CPE2 has collaborated with The Ackerman Institute’s Gender & Family Project, focusing on inclusivity in the classroom. They have developed gender inclusivity curriculum and policies in a continuation of their anti-bullying efforts and dedication to the well being of each child.
The event is sponsored by the Ackerman Institute for the Family and by Honorary Chairs, Academy and Grammy Award-winning lyricist and composer, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell and Pippin) and award-winning author Kate Bornstein (“Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and The Rest of Us” ). The event Co-Chairs are Jane Miller Rennert, Jeremy Matz, and Christopher Scott.
A Night of a Thousand Genders begins with cocktails at 6:00PM followed by the benefit performance beginning at approximately 7:00PM. Following the event there will be an After Party in the Library at the Public Theatre with music by Casey Spooner (Fischerspooner). All proceeds from this annual event will support The Ackerman Institute’s Gender & Family Project’s mission to raise awareness about the critical need for more services supporting families of gender expansive youth, at home and in schools, as well as expanding its staff and scope of services in the greater New York area and beyond.“We are extremely excited and grateful for the support of Cynthia Nixon and the talented performers for this event,” said Jean Malpas, Director, Ackerman Institute’s Gender & Family Project. "Ms. Nixon is a fierce and articulate advocate for a more inclusive world. We are deeply grateful that she has chosen to lend her voice to our crucial message: Acceptance is Protection.
“‘Acceptance is Protection’ is The Ackerman Institute’s Gender & Family Project’s beacon and we are dedicated to spread acceptance, and therefore protection, and celebrate our transgender and gender expensive youth. We are on the ground working together with families, caregivers, schools, communities and professionals to translate this message of acceptance into an everyday reality. Our program has expanded quickly and dramatically to respond to the significant needs for family services. We welcome our growing community and look forward to creating the safe and gender inclusive environments all children and adolescents need.”
Find out more here.
