A group of childhood sexual abuse survivors learn how to fall, how to breathe, how to look up, through a series of roller skating lessons.
After the director offers an introduction to the ways in which roller skating supported them through their own childhood sexual abuse - they bring together a diverse group of 5 fellow childhood sexual abuse survivors. Our team will document our outdoor skate lessons over the course of 7 weeks. This will follow their progress, community-building, and trust in ourselves through physical challenges and games. Each lesson will be paired with a support group to deepen our stories and relationship to each other. The final lesson will include a music-video inspired stylized shoot to underline the particular barriers each person navigated. Each participant will also have the opportunity spend one day revisiting something else related to their CSA abuse they wish to reclaim - whether it be another physical activity, reclaiming a song, or tattoo.
Lexie is a trans multimedia artist whose work revolves around themes of bodies, homes, cyclical violence, and queer identity. They have been working with survivors of dometic violence and sexual assault for over 15 years - generating events, writings, books, and short films - with a special focus on fellow trans and childhood sexual abuse survivors. They've organized 120+ relevant public and private events, trainings, and panels at non-profits, universities, and more. They are a Jerome Hill Artist Fellow, resigned member of the RAINN National Leadership Council, and a Lambda Literary Award Finalist for their anthology WRITTEN ON THE BODY. Lexie integrated their personal experiences into the acclaimed THE SHIP WE BUILT, the first middle grade novel centering and written by a trans boy released by a major USA publisher, and is adapting it into a stop-motion feature film. Lexie's work has been featured in Teen Vogue, New York Times, Huffington Post, Feminist Wire, Ms. Magazine, Them, Bust Magazine, Autostraddle, as well as JKP's SURVIVING TRANSPHOBIA. WHAT WILL I BECOME? is Lexie's co-directed debut feature documentary and will have its world premiere Berlinale Generation 14plus and have its US national broadcast premiere on PBS.
