For Oakland’s drag-based performance troupe, Fella Fem, burlesque is a sensual, saucy way of blurring gender lines while simultaneously celebrating the myriad forms of sexuality.

Nearly 50 community members, mostly from Oakland, gathered last night a public forum at the Women of Color Resource Center in downtown Oakland. The event was in response to the much-publicized gang rape that occurred Oct. 24 at Richmond High School.

Raising Our Voices is an ongoing media training project that works with community leaders to produce content on issues related to immigration, poverty, violence, gender, labor and social justice. The program is facilitated by Media Alliance, in partnership with many community organizations including East Side Arts Alliance, First Voice Media Action, Mujeres Unidas Y Activas, Centro Legal

Approximately 200 people were in Richmond this past weekend to draw attention to the case of the 16 year old high school student who was raped here recently but to also bring the larger issue of gender violence to the public.