Howard County Center For The Arts to Offer LARAMIE PROJECT Talk Back Panel, 10/12

Following the October 12th final performance of THE LARAMIE PROJECT, a special audience "Talk Back" discussion will take place on the subject of hate crimes, the impact of the play, and to help those better process what they have just seen in ways that can be life changing. Such a discussion is also an opportunity for self-expression, and creates a powerful venue for learning. Esteemed guest panelists include Tim Jansen, Executive Director, Community Crisis Services, The Trevor Project, Father E. "Skip" Koritzer, OSF Pastoral Associate St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Baltimore, Officer R. Davis Howard County Police, Mary M. Campbell, Compliance Officer, Howard County Office of Human Rights, Chris Riley from PFLAG of Howard County & Grant Myers, President, How Do You Like Me Now Productions/Erase Hate Through Art. Photo Credit: Shealyn Jae.

THE LARAMIE PROJECT opens Oct 3, 2014 at Howard County Center For The Arts, 8510 High Ridge Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043. Performances Fri at 7pm, Sat 1pm & 7pm, Sun at 1pm. Tickets available online www.EraseHateThroughArt.com or at the door: $20/$18 Seniors/Students/Military. Black Tie Opening GALA Oct 3rd: $25. A portion of all proceeds will be donated in support of the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

THE LARAMIE PROJECT, is a powerful play created by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project examining the impact of a violent hate crime, the beating death of Matthew Shepard on the close-knit community of Laramie, WY.

In the early hours of October 7, 1998, Matthew Shepard was tied to a fence, pistol whipped, robbed, and left alone to face the cold Wyoming wind. After seventeen hours, he was found and transported to a Colorado hospital where he succumbed to his injuries six days later. Only months before, on June 7, 1998 James Byrd Jr. was chained to the back of a pickup truck and dragged three miles to his death after his body hit a concrete curb. His attackers dumped his battered corpse near a cemetery a mile further down the road. Matthew was attacked because he was gay. James only crime was the color of his skin. Thousands of miles separated them while hate joins them forever in the battle against hatred. On October 28, 2009, President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. It expanded the 1969 United States Federal Hate-Crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

In spite of this far-reaching legislation, hate crimes are still pervasive in our society and their incidence is on the rise through out the country. The American LGBT community is often the target of hate crimes, and among this group transgendered individuals face an even greater threat.

The Matthew Shepard Foundation was founded by Dennis and Judy Shepard in memory of their 21-year old son, Matthew, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998. Created to honor Matthew in a manner that was appropriate to his dreams, beliefs, and aspirations, the Foundation seeks to "Replace Hate with Understanding, Compassion, & Acceptance" through its varied educational, outreach and, advocacy programs and by continuing to tell Matthew's story.