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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 23, 2016)
JUNE 23, 2016 // 7 Diversity Dialogues series to discuss transphobia, misogyny on June 24 Blues guitarist to perform in Long Beach ASTORIA — The Lower Columbia Diversity Project and Astor Library Friends Association present Diver- sity Dialogues, a series of discussions and presenta- tions focusing on topics related to diversity. The irst event in the series is “Mi- sogyny and Transphobia,” a community conversation facilitated by Drew Herzig of the Lower Columbia Diversity Project. The event will take place at 6 p.m. Fri- day, June 24 at the Astoria Public Library, located at 450 10th St. Admission is free. Transgender issues have been in the news lately. The civil rights of the transgen- der community are being af- irmed, but the backlash has been intense. What’s going on? How does the contro- versy about transgender rights, especially the rights of transgender women, relect our society’s view of women in general? How is our cultural misogyny shap- ing the conversation? What do terms such as gender identity and gender expres- sion mean? And what’s the big deal about bathrooms? LONG BEACH, WASH. — Ore- gon blues guitarist and song- writer David Jacobs-Strain will perform at 7 p.m. Satur- day, June 25 at the Peninsula Arts Center. A ierce slide guitar play- er, Jacobs-Strain is known for his virtuosity and spirit of emotional abandon; his live show moves from humorous, subversive blues, to delicate balladry, and then swings back to swampy rock ’n’ roll. It’s a range that ties Ja- cobs-Strain to his own gener- ation and to guitar-slingers like Robert Johnson and Jackson Browne. “I try to make art that you can dance to, but I love that darker place, where in my mind Skip James, Nick Drake, and maybe Elliot Smith blur together,” Jacobs-Strain said. Jacobs-Strain began play- ing on street corners and at farmers markets as a teenag- er and bought his irst steel guitar with the quarters he SUBMITTED IMAGE Between the recognizable gendered bathroom signs is a trans-inclusive symbol. Questions such as these will be the focus of the June 24 event. The mission of the Lower Columbia Diversity Project is to engage proac- tively with diversity issues in the region, educate the community on the beneits of diversity, tolerance and inclusion, and provide a fo- rum through which individ- uals, groups and organiza- tions may address concerns relating to diversity in the community. The Astoria Public Library, a department of the City of Astoria, is guided by the mission statement, “Ex- plore ideas, engage minds, excite imagination.” For more information, contact library staff at 503-325- 7323 or visit astorialibrary. org Pla ying to da y’s best m usic Peninsula Arts Center welcomes David Jacobs-Strain SUBMITTED PHOTO BY TARA LAIDLAW David Jacobs-Strain will perform at the Peninsula Arts Center. saved up. Before he dropped out of Stanford to play full time, he had already appeared at festivals across the country, often billed as a blues prodigy, but he had to ight to avoid being a novel- ty act: “I wanted to tell new stories; it just wasn’t enough to relive the feelings in other people’s music,” he said. Jacobs-Strain has appeared at festivals from British Columbia to Aus- tralia, including Merlefest, Telluride Blues Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Bumbershoot, and Blues to Bop in Switzerland. He’s taught at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch, and at 15 years old was on the faculty at Centrum’s Blues and Heritage workshop. On the road, he’s shared the stage with Lucinda Williams, Boz Scaggs, Etta James, The Doobie Brothers, George Thorogood, Robert Earle Keen, Todd Snider, Tommy Emmanuel, T-Bone Burnett and Del McCoury. His 2013 album, “Gen- eseo,” speaks of open roads, longing hearts and lash- backs of Oregon — a record of emotions big and small, and lyrics that turn quickly from literal to igurative. “I’m fascinated by the way that rural blues inscribes movement and transience,” Jacobs-Strain said. “The mu- sic that frees a singer keeps them on the run; there’s a crossroads where a thing can be enchanting but dangerous; damaging but beautiful.” On “Geneseo,” old sounds become new, the blues takes an unexpected turn, and Jacobs-Strain moves further into his own territory. The record was funded by fans; over 200 people pitched in on Kick- starter to pay for the album’s mixing and promotion. The Peninsula Arts Center is located at 504 Paciic Ave. N. Admission is $12 at the door or online through Brown Paper Tick- ets, or call Bill at 360-901- 0962. Wine, beer, and other refreshments are available for purchase. Concerts beneit the Long Beach Peninsula Acoustic Music Association, a 501(c)3 nonproit charita- ble organization.
