Mirror Stage to Present Fourth and Final HOLDING THE MOMENT Speaker Event

Multidisciplinary arts organization Mirror Stage will present its fourth and final Holding the Moment speaker event, challenging systems of silence and invisibility through the power of story on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Putsata Reang will present “Resisting Erasure Through Storytelling.” Mirror Stage takes pride in offering affordable and accessible productions, and all Holding the Moment events are free, inclusive, and open to all ages ($15 suggested donation) with both in-person at Rainier Arts Center in Seattle, and live-streaming options.

"The arts and humanities remain under attack, and Mirror Stage is doing what we can to counter the current administration’s aggressive attempts to eliminate all forms of diversity, equity, and inclusion advancement," said Suzanne M. Cohen, Mirror Stage Managing Artistic Director. “Holding the Moment is our way of meeting this current moment and holding strong in the face of opposition, by providing a platform to amplify the stories of those continuing to work to make the world a better, more inclusive place.”

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. Reang lives in Seattle.

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