OITNB's Laverne Cox Is Producing a Documentary About CeCe McDonald

Today in awesome, Orange is the New Black trans actress Laverne Cox is producing a documentary about embattled trans woman CeCe McDonald — who may be getting out of prison soon.

Free CeCe!, which has already begun production, is slated to continue into 2014 along with McDonald herself, who is set to be released on January 13, 2014 according to Minnesota’s Department of Corrections website. Double yay! Here’s Cox on why she began Free CeCe! with production partner Jacqueline Gares in Persephone:

CeCe’s story is one that should have been covered more in the press. Trans women, particularly trans women of color, experience disproportionate amounts of violence and not enough is being done to eradicate that violence. CeCe’s story in so many ways encapsulates the intersectional issues that lead to far too many of us experiencing violence. I wanted to do a piece that explores the nature of how race, class and gender affect violence towards trans women and also give CeCe a space to tell her story in her words in the context of a piece that truly values the lives of trans women of color.

McDonald is in the midst of completing her 41 month sentence in a men’s prison for the stabbing death of Dean Schmitz, who attacked her and several friends in Minneapolis in 2011. You can contribute to the Free CeCe! project here, if interested.