Trans Pride Event In Chicago Next Week

TGIF (Trans, Gender Non-Conforming Intersex Freedom) , the first ever trans pride event in the Midwest according to its founders will take place on July 29 at Union Park in Chicago. 

It was put together by KOKUMOMEDIA in collaboration with other local Windy City organizations such as the Dyke March, Affinity, Southwest Youth Collaborative, the Center on Halsted, the Broadway Youth Center, About Face Youth Theater, and YEPP with financial support from the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Berlin Nightclub, Queerer Park, the University of Chicago, and Lambda Legal.

TGIF will feature music, performances, speak outs, poetry, skits, beauty parlors and more in addition to a keynote speech from Kylar Broadus, the executive director of TPOCC, the Trans Persons Of Color Coalition.

KOKUMOMEDIA is the entrepreneurial company founded by KOKUMO, a 23 year old African descended transwoman whose 'artivism' includes a one act play I talked about on the blog last April called 'The Faggot Who Could Fly'.   She was recently honored with a 2012 Esteem Award.in the Outstanding Service Youth category. and her name translates to literally mean 'this one will not die'

She wants to create the world she didn't grow up in and has noticed like all non-white trans people do the progress disparity between us and our white trans counterparts.
“[Transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex] people are definitely making strides, but when it comes to black and brown TGI people, we’ve got a long way to go,” said KOKUMO. 

For those of you TransGriot readers in the Chicago area, you may wish to observe history in the making by checking out and supporting the first annual TGIF event and give my TPOCC brother some love.