Mo'olelo PAC Annouces 9 PARTS OF DESIRE 10/8-11/1 At The 10th Avenue Theatre

Deeply committed to community engagement and education, award-winning Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company is pleased to announce a slate of post-show discussions and community events that will complement its October production of Heather Raffo's 9 Parts of Desire, a play that features stories of women from Iraq running October 8 to November 1 at San Diego's The 10th Avenue Theatre (930 10th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101). Post-show speakers include:

· Dilkhwaz Ahmed, a refugee from Kurdistan of Iraq who founded License to Freedom, a San Diego organization that provides support services to victims of domestic violence from refugee and immigrant communities;
· Nadia Keilani, an Iraqi-American attorney and civil rights activist;
· Dr. Ghada Osman, the Director of the Center for Islamic & Arabic Studies at San Diego State University and Consultant on Mo`olelo's production;
· Janet Hayatshahi, the Director of Mo`olelo's production of 9 Parts of Desire;
· Dr. Shelley Orr, a Professor of Theatre and Drama at San Diego State University and Dramaturg for 9 Parts of Desire; and
· Judith L. Seid, Founder of Blue Summit Financial Group that specializes in Socially Responsible Investing.

In addition, a number of business and community groups are organizing fundraisers and membership nights at the performances of 9 Parts of Desire, including: International Schools Theatre Association, holding their Theatre arts Symposium Programme (TaPS) in partnership with Mo`olelo at The 10th Avenue Theatre; Blue Summit Financial Group; Survivors of Torture International; License to Freedom/United Nations Association of San Diego Women's Equity Council; American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee; The Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Women's Peacemakers Program; La Mesa First United Methodist Church; and University of San Diego Ethnic Studies Program.

Visual artist Doris Bittar will curate an exhibit in the lobby and 2nd floor gallery of The 10th Avenue Theatre that will include work from Iraqi and Arab artists Joyce Dallal, John Halaka, Adeeb Makki, Ibrahim Nashashibi, George Wahab, and Bittar herself.

Information and tickets for 9 Parts of Desire and these community events are available at www.moolelo.net and 619-342-7395.

Post Show Discussions

Thursday, October 8, 7:30 p.m. - Dilkhwaz Ahmed, 9 Parts of Desire Kurdish Perspective
Dilkhwaz Ahmed is the Founder of License to Freedom, a nonprofit organization that provides support services for victims of domestic violence from refugee and immigrant communities. Originally from Kurdistan of Iraq, Ms. Ahmed was the Executive Director of Nawa Center, a shelter for abused women, in Sulaimanya. She was granted asylum in the United States and resettled in San Diego in 2002.

Friday, October 9, 7:30 p.m. - Nadia Keilani, Iraqi Women and the Undemocratic Impact of 'Democracy'
Nadia Keilani is an Iraqi-American who immigrated to the United States in 1981. She is a practicing attorney and civil rights activist. Since the early 1990's, she has given numerous speeches and lectures on the issue of U.S.-Iraqi relations as well as the topic of women's rights in Iraq and other parts of the Arab world.

Sunday, October 11, 2:00 p.m. - Dr. Ghada Osman, Interpretations of the Role of Women in Islam
Ghada Osman is Director of the Center for Islamic & Arabic Studies at San Diego State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Studies and an M.A. in Islamic Studies, and frequently gives lectures on Islam and various aspects of Muslim societies.

Sunday, October 18, 2:00 p.m. - Janet Hayatshahi, Talk-back with the Director of 9 Parts of Desire
Janet has been active in the San Diego theatre scene as a director, actor, and producer since 1999. Her most recent directing credits include The Turn of the Screw at Cygnet Theatre, Inside Story: Middle-Eastern Tales for the Theatre of the World Festival 2009 at SDSU, and a staged reading of 9 Parts of Desire for the Thurgood Marshall Human Rights and Global Citizenship.

Thursday, October 22, 7:30 p.m. - Dr. Shelley Orr, Theater and Social Change: How Theater Can Give Us A New Perspective
Shelley Orr teaches in the School of Theatre, Television, and Film at San Diego State University in the graduate and undergraduate programs. She heads the dramaturgy area at SDSU. She holds a PhD in Theatre and Drama, an MFA in Dramaturgy, and is President of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas.

Saturday, October 31, 7:30 p.m. - Judith L. Seid, The Role of Money & Women in the Middle East - A Key Driver Toward Sustainable Prosperity
Judith Seid is the founder of Blue Summit Financial Group, a San Diego-based financial services firm specializing in Socially Responsible Investing . After fifteen years of helping investors align their money with their values, Judy has been recognized as this year's SRI Advisor of the Year by Boomer Market Advisor and has also been awarded the National Association of Women in Business Green Community award, and the U.S. Small Business Administration 2009 Women Owned Business of the Year Award.

 

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