Moni's Going To The 2012 GLAAD POC Media Institute

Well, looks like I'll be piling up more frequent flyer miles in late August

Was deliriously happy to discover that I've been accepted to participate in the 2nd annual GLAAD National People of Color Media Institute that will be taking place in New York August 24-27.

I'd heard about last year's inaugural POC media institute too late to apply for it, and when the opportunity presented itself this year, I made sure I got the application done and sent it in before the June 1 deadline.

And why did I consider this a priority to do so?  Because you long time TransGriot readers know lack of media visibility for non-white TBLG people is a issue that I have griped about for years on these electronic pages.   To borrow the words of Eldridge Cleaver, "If you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem."  This was an opportunity to do something about it.

“While there have been major strides to increase visibility around the stories and issues LGBT people face, far too often the voices, views and faces of LGBT and allied people of color are underrepresented, if represented at all,” said Herndon Graddick, President of GLAAD. “Our community needs to work together to change this. We are extremely proud to host this program which will help our community elevate more voices and celebrate the rich diversity of the community and our allies."

This program is created specifically for people of color who are LGBT or LGBT allies.  .In its first year, GLAAD worked with 30 LGBT and ally advocates through the National People of Color Media Institute. As a result, their stories and views reached millions through national media outlets including National Public Radio (NPR), Black Enterprise, Ebony, as well as community and ethnic media outlets such as El Diario, The Afro and New York Amsterdam News. 

The Institute is basically a two-day, training program in New York (August 24-26) and Los Angeles (September 7-9), where GLAAD staff, leading journalists and talking heads and key media trainers will develop Institute participants with best practices for on-camera and radio interviews.

It's also limited to 20-25 people, so as one of the people accepted for the New York one I'll get to meet my fellow 2012 POC Media Institute attendees and be part of it.  I'm also looking forward to being inside the New York city limits for the first time since 2000 even though this is primarily going to be a business trip. 

See y'all in a few weeks, Big Apple.