[act-ma] 12/14: AID Talk : Screening of "Alpo Jana Golpogulo - The Lesser Known Stories" with Sumi Das

[Mona Mandal]

*The Association for India’s Development (AID), MIT and Boston chapters*
presents
*Screening of ‘Alpo Jana Golpogulo – The Lesser Known Stories’*
a documentary chronicling the the journey of those marginalized due to
their gender and sexual identities in northern West Bengal, India.

*WHEN: *Sat, Dec 14, 2019 (4.30-6.30pm)
*WHERE: *MIT, Building 4, Room 237
*Facebook Event:*  https://www.facebook.com/events/2561827147378542
*Trailer:* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yGIPjzr3r8

This documentary focuses on the transgender community in Coochbehar and
Jalpaiguri, in the northern part of West Bengal, India. In ‘Alpo Jana
Golpogulo – The Lesser Known Stories’, the characters are real and they
talk about their lives and struggles – their families, the dilemma of often
living a dual life because it is still difficult to come out with one’s
true gender identity in a marginalized region. Every day is a fight for
most, often rejected by their families, coerced to live as a man, abused,
harassed, and deprived of education and livelihoods.

These stories are not of lost dreams and shattered hopes, but of sheer grit
and optimism, and the continuous struggle of survival and securing a place
of dignity in society with their true gender identity. These people who
live far away from urban centres often do not receive any support and their
fight for life and livelihood remains unseen, their voices unheard.

Sumi Das is a transgender activist, from Coochbehar, West Bengal. Through
Moitrisanjog, a trans-led group that provides much needed shelter, medical,
counselling and legal services to the trans community, she has brought
about awareness of the harassment issues their communities face. Sumi left
home at the age of 14 and has been fighting for the rights of transgender
communities since then. She has been working with a Dalit activist to
bring together
the intersectional forces between the Dalit and Transgender movement. She
has been one of the main forces behind bringing together this documentary
to bring this unique perspective of her community from rural West Bengal.

Presented by Maitrisanjog Society, an organization working for the rights
of transgender people in Coochbehar, ‘Alpo Jana Golpogulo- The Lesser Known
Stories’ is directed by independent documentary film maker and journalist
Sudarshana Chakraborty. It highlights the everyday lives, dreams and the
undaunted spirit of the transgender people of North Bengal and aims to
contribute to their struggle by documenting their lesser known stories.

The event is free and open to all.
Some refreshments will be served.