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Last week, the WMHW Diversity & Inclusion Committee hosted a private screening of “I’m Your Venus,” a 2024 Tribeca Festival Spotlight film following the investigation of the unsolved murder of American trans woman Venus Pellagatti Xtravaganza.  Venus was one of the iconic stars of “Paris is Burning,” the legendary 1990 documentary that chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay and transgender communities involved in it.  Venus was murdered during the film’s production in 1988 and now, 35 years later, the Pellagatti family, represented by WMHW, and the House of Xtravaganza worked with the NYPD to reopen her investigation.

The intimate evening at the Wythe Hotel Brooklyn Screening Room concluded with a post-film panel featuring executive producers Dominque Jackson and Jonovia Chase, director Kimberly Reed, Venus’ eldest brother John Pellagatti and producer Mike Stafford.  This inspiring panel discussed the making of the film and how it can promote positive change in the community in honor of Venus’ legacy.  NJ State Senator Raj Mukherji and Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez were also present to share plans for the Venus Pellagatti Xtravaganza House, a landmark project for which partner Jim Walden and associate Deanna Paul serve as advisory board members.

In the words of Dominique Jackson, “inclusion does not correct the past,”  but we can work together to build a better future and address the urgent needs of the trans and LGBTQ+ communities.  Venus’ home is the first tangible landmark designation for a trans person in the United States.  The mission now is to create a safe space that provides continued access to the home for the trans and LGBTQ+ communities.

“It starts with a debt-free purchase of the home that builds exponentially into the future with housing, health care, education, community engagement, and employment opportunities.” Click here for more information and to donate to the Venus Pellagatti Xtravaganza House.