Event Details

Date/Time: 

Feb 4 2011 8:00pm - Feb 5 2011 12:00am

Price: 

$50, $100, $250, $500
Buy Tickets

Where: 

Bradford Stewart Studio
5872 Smiley Drive
Culver City, CA 90232

Women's Voices NowThe Women's Voices Now Benefit Party, organized by Women's Voices Now (WVN) and the Levantine Cultural Center  support's WVN's current project, Women's Voices from the Muslim World: A Short-Film Festival, which takes place March 17, 18 and 19, 2011 at the L.A. Film School.

The Benefit will be held on February 4, 2011, 8pm-midnight at the Bradford Stewart Studio, 5872 Smiley Drive, Culver City, CA. The venue is very cool in a dirty-chic sort of way.

The evening includes:

• films from Women's Voices from the Muslim World: A Short Film Festival being projected in the space's two alcoves (click here to watch)
• an art exhibit including artists Shepard Fairey, Rachel Monosov, Carly Ivan Garcia and Yapci Ramos. and others, co-curated by Catinca Tabacaru and Jordan Elgrably. The works will be themed loosely around women's voices issues.
• Cocktail party with an Open Bar, hors d'oeuvres with music DJ Alsultany;
• The Hijabi Monologues, a short performance piece starring Maytha Alhassen;
• Special live performance by vocalist Ani!

Muslim Women's Short Film Festival

In attendance will be friends of the Levantine Cultural Center, members of the Los Angeles film industry, art collectors connected to our exhibiting artists and supporting gallerists and many young professionals.

Click here for a video of WVN's last NYC event. Click here for a video of one of Catinca's exhibits in 2010. Click here for one of Jordan Elgrably's 2010 exhibits. 

Maytha AlhassenAbout The Hijabi Monlogues

The Hijabi Monologues is an effort to dispel stereotypes about Muslim women. An idea conceived by three friends in Chicago continues to challenge stereotypes about a group of women who have often been defined by others. In its third year, The Hijabi Monologues has been telling the stories of female Muslim Americans—from their perspective—to audiences across the United States and in Cairo. This special performances stars Syrian American Maytha Alhassen, a performer and organizer for the Hijabi Monologues who has traveled both nationally and internationally. She received her BA in Political Science and Arabic and Islamic Studies from UCLA, and her MA in socio-cultural Anthropology from Columbia University. Currently a doctoral student of American and Ethnic Studies at the University of Southern California (USC), May finds it of the greatest importance to bridge her worlds of community, social justice, academia and the arts. Read an L.A. Times story.

About Ani

The vocalist AniAni Zonneveld is a singer/songwriter, a producer, an activist and a Muslim (a-n-i.net). She is the co-founder and President of Muslims for Progressive Values (mpvusa.org) which calls for critical inquiry and dynamic engagement with Islamic scripture. She has uniquely blended her two worlds of music and activism into one. She speaks and sings her message of social justice, her angst against patriarchic practices within Islam, and peace, from a Muslim perspective. 

photography by Rachel Monosovphotography by Yapci RamosThe organizations you'll be supporting:

Women's Voices Now is a young not-for-profit social enterprise based in New York City. The WVN mission is to empower women and give voice to the struggle for civil, economic and political rights. We're currently working on our first project Women's Voices from the Muslim World: A Short Film Festival giving voice to women of all faiths living in Muslim-majority countries and Muslim women living as minorities around the globe. In a nut shell, we're filling that void in information that is created by traditional media, art and news sources. By using the short-film format available on the Internet, we're exposing the world to a plurality of stories originating with these women so that the next time a neighbor, a policy maker or a president must make a critical decision, something they learned from our films will inform that decision. The results have been astounding. We've received over 200 films from 40 countries around the world. We've made 98 Festival Selections which are available for viewing on our website, www.womensvoicesnow.org/watch, and are currently being viewed in 139 countries. The physical incarnation of the Festival (which this benefit is supporting) will take place at the Los Angeles Film School on March 17-19, 2011.

Art by Carly Ivan GarcíaFounded in 2001, the Levantine Cultural Center champions a greater understanding of the Middle East and North Africa, by presenting arts and educational programs that bridge political and religious divides. With activities based in Southern California, as well as a strong online presence that includes the Levantine Review, Radio Al-Fareed and Radio Tabbouli, the center reaches out to Americans and brings the Arab/Muslim closer into focus. The center partners with many interfaith and international initiatives.

Information on Levels of Support/Sponsorship:

$50
Access to Women's Voices from the Muslim World Benefit Party

$100
Access to Women's Voices from the Muslim World Benefit Party
Name will appear in list of Members in the Women's Voice's Now Festival Program
Complementary  Essential membership in Levantine Cultural Center (includes 2 comp tickets to an upcoming event, $40 value, click here for details)

$250
Access to Women's Voices from the Muslim World Benefit Party
Name will appear in list of Supporters in the Women's Voice's Now Festival Program
Set of Limited Edition 2011 DVD box of the Festival's Winning Films
Complementary Levantine membership in Levantine Cultural Center (includes 2 comp tickets to an upcoming event, up to $80 value, click here for details)

$500
Access to Women's Voices from the Muslim World Benefit Party
Name will appear in list of Donors Club in the Women's Voice's Now Festival Program
Set of Limited Edition 2011 DVD box of the Festival's Winning Films
ALL ACCESS V.I.P PASS to the Festival (including Opening Reception and Closing Party (value $250)
Complementary Benefactor membership in Levantine Cultural Center (includes multiple benefits, click here for details)