Laverne Cox is an Emmy-winning actress, producer, LGBTQ+ advocate, and author, best known for her role as Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black, which made her the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. Born in Mobile, Alabama, she studied at the Alabama School of Fine Arts before pursuing acting in New York City, where she now resides.
Transcendent - A Memoir
Four-time Emmy-nominated actress Laverne Cox shares her journey as a transgender woman in Hollywood, confronting childhood trauma, shame, gender identity, her transition, body image issues, her search for romantic love, deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, and ultimately, healing.
Monica Lewinsky and Laverne Cox on identity, resilience, and reclaiming their own narratives. They reflect on public scrutiny, the evolution of media, and how to challenge stigmas and build empathy in a polarized world.
Be the first to find out about new speakers and sessions, and special events.
The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival is a full-day event featuring live podcast recordings and studio television tapings by The Atlantic, NPR, The New Yorker, CNN, PBS, Pushkin, and more. Watch live as journalists, newsmakers, and thought leaders -like Nancy Pelosi, Laverne Cox, Ibram X. Kendi, Tonya Mosley, and Robby Hoffman- take on compelling topics and headlines making the news. Plus, community meetups, speaker meet-and-greets, micro-sessions, food trucks, DJs, -and surprises. Join us on June 6th at Fremont Studios, The Picklr and Hidden Hall in the heart of Seattle's Fremont neighborhood.
Emmy-winning actress, producer, LGBTQ+ advocate, and author
Speaker Emerita, United States Congress
Author, Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age
Activist, Writer, Producer
Co-Host Fresh Air / Creator and Host of Truth Be Told
Former ESPN Host, Podcast Host
Emmy-winning writer, Emmy-nominated actor, and Comedian
Author of America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation's Anniversaries
Host, Mossback's Northwest
U.S. Senator, California
Geologist, Host of Nick on the Rocks
Host, Seattle Now / KUOW
Host, Radio Atlantic
Host, The Political Scene
Distinguished Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Host, KEXP's Sounds of Survivance
Host, The Newsfeed
Host of CNN Podcast, "One Thing"
King County Executive
Writer and Host, First America
Musician / Writer
Author, Citizenship: Notes on an American Myth
Senior Correspondent, Radiolab Co-Host
Storyteller, Speaker, Mentor, Teacher and Counselor of the Spirit
Author, MOTHERLAND: A Feminist History of Modern Russia; Founding Partner, Washington Correspondent at Puck
Host of Democracy in Color podcast, Author, and Columnist at The Guardian, The Nation
Musician, Helms Alee, Lozen, Tacos!, and Uukwuuk
Moderator-in-Chief
Cascade PBS, Arts and culture writer / television host
Theoretical Physicist and Cosmologist, Author of The Edge of Space and Time
