Join the Vilna and JCCNS for a riveting conversation about LGTBQ rights and challenges with Dr. Alison Rosalie Brookes and author Mimi Lemay.
Raised in an ultra-orthodox Jewish family with every aspect of her life dictated by ancient rules, Mimi Lemay’s role as a woman seemed preordained from cradle to grave. What We Will Become is Lemay’s heartfelt memoir of her transgender child's odyssey, and her own journey outside the boundaries of the faith and culture that shaped her life. Dual narratives of faith and motherhood weave together to form a heartfelt portrait of an unforgettable family. Brimming with love and courage, What We Will Become is a powerful testament to how painful events from the past can be redeemed to give us hope for the future.
Interested in reading Mimi's book? Please support local independent bookstore by purchasing online through Copperdog Books in Beverly MA. You can also purchase online at bookshop.com by using this link.
Mimi Lemayis an international advocate for transgender youth and the author of the viral essay, “A Letter to My Son Jacob on His 5th Birthday.” Lemay and her family meet regularly with legislators, business leaders, educators, and clergy to share their vision of a more equitable world. She is a member of the Parents for Transgender Equality National Council at Human Rights Campaign and holds a master’s in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.
Alison Rosalie Brookes, MD was raised in London, England in an Orthodox Jewish family. She has been a physician at MGH in Boston for 17 years, and sees herself as the patient's "guide" through whatever they are experiencing, and a welcome point into the medical system. Outside of medicine she has spent 20 years advocating, fundraising and hosting cultural events to raise awareness and money for the homeless in Lynn. Alison has a transgender daughter who revealed her true gender identity at the age of 19.
In partnership with the Jewish Community Centers of the North Shore.