Vancouver, WA – Clark County Historical Museum, Fourth Plain Forward, and Humanities Washington invite the community to an engaging in-person conversation with Putsata Reang, a member of the 2024-2025 Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau program, on Thursday, June 6, 2024. This month’s CCHM Speaker Series presentation will take place at Fourth Plain Community Commons (3101 E 4th Plain Blvd Ste.101, Vancouver, WA 98661.)
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Presentation begins at 7:00 pm.
When Putsata Reang was eight years old, she didn’t understand why her skin was brown when almost all of her classmates’ skin was white. So she put an eraser to her arm and began to rub, hoping to become white. A decade later, feeling disoriented by the dawning realization that she is gay, Putsata put a razor to her wrist. But ultimately she was too ashamed to end her own life. That’s because when she was a baby, and her family fled war in her native Cambodia, her mother had saved her life.
Today, an increasing number of Americans like Putsata are at risk of erasure because of external forces such as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, and internal forces, such as shame and discrimination. Putsata discusses the dangers of dwelling on differences and encourages audiences to share their personal stories as an antidote to erasure.
Putsata Reang (she/her) is an author and journalist whose debut memoir, Ma and Me, was awarded the 2023 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association prize for nonfiction and was recognized as a finalist for the 2023 Lambda Literary Award. Her writing has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Ms. magazine, Politico, and The Guardian. Reang has held several prestigious residencies and was a fellow of the Jack Straw Writers program and Alicia Patterson Foundation for journalists.
At a Glance
Who: Putsata Reang
What: Resisting Erasure Through Storytelling
When: Thursday, June 6, 2024 @ 7:00 p.m.
Where: Fourth Plain Community Commons (3101 E 4th Plain Blvd Ste.101, Vancouver, WA 98661)
The CCHM Speaker Series season is sponsored by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission. This month’s presentation is co-hosted with Fourth Plain Forward and brought to you by Humanities Washington. Admission is free and open to all.
For more information, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.
About Humanities Washington
Humanities Washington is a nonprofit organization dedicated to opening minds and bridging divides by creating spaces to explore different perspectives. For more about Humanities Washington, visit www.humanities.org.
About the Speakers Bureau Program
In communities throughout Washington State, Speakers Bureau presenters give free public presentations on history, politics, music, philosophy, spiritual traditions, and everything in between.
Their roster of over 30 Speakers Bureau presenters is made up of professors, artists, activists, historians, performers, journalists, and others—all chosen not only for their expertise, but also for their ability to inspire discussion with people of all ages and backgrounds. Hundreds of Speakers Bureau events take place each year. Find a Speakers Bureau event near you.
To reach as many Washingtonians as possible, Humanities Washington partners with a wide range of organizations, including libraries, schools, museums, historical societies, community centers, and civic organizations. Qualifying nonprofit organizations are encouraged to host a speaker.
The Speakers Bureau program is made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Washington via the Office of the Secretary of State, the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University, and generous contributions from other businesses, foundations, and individuals.
About Clark County Historical Society and Museum
The Clark County Historical Society and Museum is committed to responsible collections stewardship, innovative collaboration and inspiring exhibitions and programs that engage the community in an exploration of Clark County’s past, present and future. Our purpose is to share an understanding of the past that will help to build a better future for generations to come.
About Fourth Plain Forward
Fourth Plain Forward is a place-based 501c3 nonprofit organization in central Vancouver focused on the Fourth Plain Corridor.
We are committed to uplifting Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, alongside those facing resource limitations and exclusion from mainstream services.
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