2012 Texans Watch- 4-0!

In the 30 plus year the Team Formerly Known as the Houston Oilers played inside Loop 610 they never started a season better than 2-0. 

There was the 1993 season when they started the season 0-4 and reeled off twelve consecutive wins to capture the AFC Central Division title and home field throughout the AFC playoffs.

Then they lost to Kansas City in their opening home playoff game. .  

The Titans and Bud Adams are Nashville's problem now, and the Houston NFL team I root for wears deep steel blue instead of columbia blue.

After two consecutive road games the Texans returned to Reliant Stadium wearing those deep steel blue uniforms and trampled the Tennessee Titans Traitors.  

The Bulls on Parade not only knocked Tennessee QB Jake Locker out of the game on the opening series after turning him into a quarterback sandwich, but had two pick sixes by Kareem Jackson and Danieal Manning to turn a 14-7 nail biter into a 38-14 win.

JJ Watt added two sacks and a fumble recovery to this dominating showing by the Texans defense to help the Boys in Deep Steel Blue remain the only unbeaten team in the AFC and win another division game.

Their schedule toughens up a bit over the next three weeks before they get their bye week.  Next up is the Monday night clash at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets, then consecutive home games at reliant Stadium against the Green Bay Packers and a rematch of the AFC Divisional round playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens. .

But they accomplished the mission we Texans fans wanted for them today in beating the Tennessee Traitors. 
  

WFPL-FM 'Strange Fruit' Show Premieres

I'd heard this show was in the works, but WFPL-FM 89.3, Louisville's public access radio station is kicking off a brand new podcast radio show dedicated to the issues facing the local community.

It's entitled Strange Fruit: Musings on Politics, Pop Culture and Black Gay Life  (after the Billie Holiday song) and features as its hosts two of my fave people in my other hometown in Dr. Kaila A Story and Jaison Gardner.  And yes, in the interest of journalistic integrity 'Nephew' Jaison refers to me as Auntie Monica..

But back to the post. 

The first episode is entitled, "Does Your Mama Know?" and looks at the coming out process for LGBT people of color.  They started a roundtable discussion with young people who have come out to their families, talked to some mamas about their reactions to their children coming out, then had a conversation with Lisa C. Moore, editor of Does Your Mama Know?: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories.   

You can keep up with what's happening on Strange Fruit via Facebook and Twitter, and the show's hosts  enthusiastically welcome your feedback.  They post a new podcast episode each Saturday; so stay tuned.

I know I definitely plan on doing so, and congratulations Dr. K and 'Nephew'.   May your show be a major success.

2012 UH Cougar Watch-Great Time For First Win

My fave college football team got their 2012 college football season off to a rocky start with a 30-13 upset loss to Texas State at Robertson Stadium.  

It got worse for UH on September 8 in a 56-49 shootout loss to Louisiana Tech to drop them to 0-2.

They were also battling the injury bug as they traveled to Pasadena,.CA to get spanked 37-7 by UCLA on September 15 to drop their record to 0-3 .

But the good news was they hadn't started conference play yet.   In addition to going through their bye week and getting healthy they would start and would start C-USA play against our crosstown rivals at Rice. 

Our campuses are separated by seven miles and this is the Coogs last season in C-USA before they move to the Big East next year.   This would be the last conference football game that we would play against the Owls and the Bayou Bucket and Houston bragging rights were also on the line at Reliant Stadium. 

Good thing since its been raining intermittently all day. 

The Coogs rolled to a 35-14 win versus the Owls thanks to Charles Sims rolling up 158 years on 24 carries and scoring three touchdowns to help keep the Bayou Bucket where it belongs on Cullen Blvd. for the second straight year.   It also gave us our first win of the season and most importantly made the Cougars 1-0 in C-USA West Division play

The Cougars get North Texas on Saturday at Robertson Stadium in their last non conference game of the season before they tackle the rest of their C-USA schedule.


Eat 'em up!   .You finally got that first win of the season. 

Same Conservacrap, Different Democratic President

If you think that President Obama being called a 'communist', 'socialist' or whatever epithet du jour by 'white' wingers is something 21st century that the conservafools have conjured up, note the circa 1968 protester and what they are calling President Lyndon B. Johnson in this photo.

Does this rant look familiar?  And you thought studying history was a waste of your precious class time.

This is a small sample of what Jorge Santayana was talking about when he uttered his classic comment 'those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it'.

Right wingers have flung the 'communist' or 'socialist' tag at not only President Obama, but LBJ, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton.  If you hit Google you'll find a few posters that already have current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pre-slimed with it as well.

Same conservacrap, different US president.

Secretly Serving-The Few The Proud, The Trans

While the LGB community was celebrating the first anniversary of DADT repeal, transgender people in the US military are still serving in secret. 

Marc Lamont Hill talks to trans veterans and a trans person still serving our country and having to hide to do so.   The trans veterans get to talk about their post service lives.    

Samuel L. Jackson Wake The F&@k Up Ad

I've been trying to say it on this blog in a more diplomatic fashion to you misguided people who claim there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans. 

Yes, there most certainly is, and it's time for y'all to wake up to that reality.  .  

Samuel L. Jackson in this NSFW ad just tells it like it T-I-S is in terms of how critical this November 6 election is to our country.

Shut Up Fool Awards-Alexander John Goodrum Memorial Edition

Today is the tenth anniversary of the death of pioneering trans man Alexander John Goodrum.   It's hard to believe that ten years has passed since I heard that shocking news of his passing mere days before his October 3 birthday.  He is still missed by all of us who had the pleasure of getting to know him and we trans folks should not ever forget his major contributions to our community and to the advancement of human rights in the LGBT community.

It's also Friday, so let's move on to our usual TransGriot business of calling out the ignorance and stupidity rampant in our society.

I'll get right to our weekly Shut Up Fool Award business.

Honorable mention number one this week was 2012 Shut Up Fool of the Year contender Mitt Romney.   That award will be revealed on New Year's Eve   

Honorable mention number two goes to Ann Coulter.   Had to pull her out of retirement for her jacked up racist commentary this week.

Honorable mention number three goes to Rep. Looney Louie Gohmert (R-TX), who opened his mouth and embarrassed the state and his constituents by claiming President Obama’s foreign policy in the Middle East was “a massive beginning of a new Ottoman Empire that [he] can take great credit for.”




Louie, you can take 'great credit' for being a continuing embarrassement to the state of Texas and our once proud tradition of sending leaders to Washington DC who were statesmen and stateswomen and not buffoons.

I'm just sayin'. 

This week's Shut Up Fool winner is Rep. Todd 'Legitimate Rape' Akin (R-MO).   When he's not campaigning with Phyllis Schafly in order to get the 'women's vote' in his campaign for Missouri's senate seat currently occupied by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), advocating to kill student loans, Medicare, et cetera, this knuckle dragging MCP (male chauvinist pig) asserts that Sen McCaskill was 'unladylike' and aggressive' in their first senate debate.

Yeah, right.  You really need to quit while you're behind, Todd.  You've already demonstrated just how misogynistic you are and written legislation to prove it. 

And as one of my FB friends Alyssa said,  "No reason to be ladylike if the man next to you is no gentleman."

Rep. Todd Akin, Shut Up, Fool!.

Gloria Steinem-Transphobe

You long time TransGriot readers know I'm not a feminist and I cringe when I hear Black women even say the term because of its history of marginalizing women of color to the point they left the movement.

And don't even get me started on its outright hostility to trans women, which is why I identify as a womanist.

And yes, it's time to unmask another one of the feminist icons, Gloria Steinem as a transphobe. 

She not only wrote some foul stuff centered on Renee Richards in 1977 when hating on transwomen was par for the feminist course, but in the 1983 book Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions that was recently republished.

But before I get to the transphobic 1983 scribblings, here's what she said then about Renee Richards and transpeople in general.  It was also in reaction at the time to comments that characterized the Richards saga as "a frightening instance of what feminism could lead to" or as "living proof that feminism isn't necessary."  

Steinem wrote at the time, "At a minimum, it was a diversion from the widespread problems of sexual inequality." She writes that, while she supports the right of individuals to identify as they choose, she claims that, in many cases, transsexuals "surgically mutilate their own bodies" in order to conform to a gender role that is inexorably tied to physical body parts. She concludes that "feminists are right to feel uncomfortable about the need for and uses of transsexualism."

She then concluded the transphobic article with the quote: "If the shoe doesn't fit, must we change the foot?

Moving on to the Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions in which pages 224-228 of it contains a five page essay on trans identities in which she cited Janice Raymond and her odious 1979 waste of trees The Transsexual Empire in it several times. 

Let's start with these transphobic gems.   On page 226 of the book:

Was it fair for women to face someone trained physically and culturally for forty years as a man?

On page 227 Steinem pulls out the 'mutilation' card:

In other words, transsexuals are paying an extreme tribute to the power of sex roles. In order to set their real human personalities free, they surgically mutilate their own bodies...

And ho hum, here we go again with the tired 'waste of medical resources' meme as she gives a shout out to Janice Raymond:

Instead of serving more lifesaving but often less lucrative needs for their surgical and hormone-therapy skills, some physicians are aiding individuals who are desperately trying to conform to an unjust society. It’s a small group of successful physicians she [Janice Raymond] names ‘the transsexual empire’.

So if you wonder why I have such a low regard for feminism no matter what wave it is in or have eye roll inducing suspicion of trans feminism, it's because of transphobic scribblings like this from a long list of white feminists and trans feminists like Chelsea Sayre who spend more time apologizing for the TERF's than calling them out for their nekulturny behavior.   

Discovering feminist icon Gloria Steinem shared those anti-trans sentiments, combined with feminism's appalling silence over the fact that their poison pens and the anti-trans sentiments they stoked have caused deleterious real world effects in the lives of trans women only adds to my distaste of feminism.

Alexander Goodrum-Gone Ten Years

I'd been in Louisville just over a year on this date when Dawn told me the shocking news that Alexander John Goodrum was dead a few days short of his 42nd birthday on October 3.  

I had the sincere pleasure of meeting him during the 1999 Creating Change conference that took place in Oakland, and it was one of the first times since becoming a national activist I'd met one of our African-descended trans brothers and had a chance to talk about trans life and issues from their perspective. 

Alexander was a Chicago native and had been an activist in GLBT organizing and social justice issues since 1980 in Chicago, San Francisco and after moving there in 1996 in Tucson.   He'd been doing some trailblazing work for the trans human rights community and he was one of my early role models.  He was also one of the first people I met who identified with the bi end of it.

In addition to being a dynamic speaker, Goodrum also founded TGNet Arizona, was a board member on the Tucson GLBT Commission, and the Funding Exchange's OUT Fund, which allocates an annual grant named after Goodrum to LGBT community organizing projects.

Goodrum was instrumental in getting Tuscon to include gender identity in their non discrimination law in 1999, and wrote this paper that appears on the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance (SAGA)  website entitled Gender Identity 101-A Transgender Primer  

But what I and many folks in the national community didn't know about Alexander was he was dealing with some major personal issues that would unfortunately drive him to take his life on the morning of Saturday, September 28, 2002 while under observation at La Frontera Psychiatric Hospital in Tucson.

I couldn't make it to that October 5 memorial service that day, but there isn't a time when I don't think about that handsome smiling guy I met in Oakland that people called 'Bear' and wonder where our community would be on our human rights march if he were still around. 

It's been ten years since his untimely passing, and I definitely want to make sure we never forget this African descended trans man who was a major player in our Black trans history 

2nd Annual Black Transmen,Inc Conference Coming Soon

I was pleased to hear about the first one when it occurred earlier this year in Dallas with Rev. Louis Mitchell doing an inspiring keynote address for it.  The 2013 event not only has a date but a bigger hotel close to the DART light rail lines to help you get around Big D and experience what the city has to offer.  

Save the date because the transbrothers are getting together on the other end of I-45 for their 2nd Annual Black Transmen,.Inc Transgender Advocacy Conference and Dinner in Dallas.  

For the second year in a row the transbrothers are planning a conference as big as the Lone Star State from March 13-March 18 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dallas - Campbell Centre .   Had some scheduling conflicts that kept me from attending the initial one (and was pissed about it)  but will do my best to keep the calendar open and clear for that weekend.

But I'll let my transbrothers toot their own horns about this fast growing and sure to be well attended event.

***.
 
Welcome to Our 2nd Annual Black Transmen, Inc Transgender Advocacy Conference! We are anxious to meet you in Dallas, Texas once again for an amazing and life changing experience. We would like to extend a special invitation and welcome to our sister group Black Transwomen and look forward to building with you as well. This is our time to meet, unite, discuss, learn and celebrate.

Plan for an event of a life time for couples, youth, singles, families and allies to transmen and the SLGBTQIH community worldwide. "Become the change you want to see in the world"

General Conference Information:

(4) Day Empowerment Event Schedule. Featured Topics on: Identity, Culture, Religion, Family, Health, Wealth, Careers, Education, Business, Legal, Community and Youth Services
Registration: http://blacktransadvocacy2013.eventbrite.com/

Conference Tracks:

Black Transmen, Inc Leadership Training (staff only)
SLGBTQHI Alliance & Community Training
Trans Health Fair & HIV/AIDS Education, Prevention and Testing
Trans Career Services & Job Fair
Trans Youth Seminar
Transmen Seminar
Transwomen Seminar
Trans Aging Adult Seminar
Spouses Seminar

Conference Events:

Annual Black Transmen, Inc Awards Dinner Ball (Formal Attire)
For Men: www.menswearhouse.com
TransManifest- Live! Performances from the SLGBTQ community.
Black Transmen, Inc Mini Ball featuring* All Trans Categories*
Pre & Post Conference Events will also be scheduled
More Events Will Be Posted!

Travel Discount Information:

Our Host Hotel $89 Night! Double Tree: Code BTA
http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/D/DFWCNDT-BTA-20130313/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG
American Airlines: Code A6733DE www.aa.com
Avis: Code D256983 www.avis.com
Amtrak: Code X79L-957 www.amtrak.com
Get on the Bus: Enjoy A Bus ride from your local area! Contact us to be added to the list.

2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Week 4

I compiled a 9-7 record in Week 3 in the wake of the 8-8 Week 2 one, but it was enough to allow me to take a four game lead over Mr. Watts thanks to a disastrous and uncharacteristic 5-11 week for him courtesy of upsets and the egregiously blown call on the last play of the Green Bay-Seattle game that still has the Cheeseheads righteously pissed off.  

I wasn't happy about it either since I had Green Bay winning that game in the Pacific Northwest and I would have finished 10-6 for the week

But I'm looking at the half full part of my 2012 NFL prognostication contest glass.  I've been at or above .500 for the first three weeks and it has resulted in me leading this 2012 contest of NFL prognostication wits for the first time this season.  I'm also deliriously happy about my Texans handling their Denver business trip and as a result are now 3-0 and off to their best start in franchise history.

They play the Tennessee Titans Traitors this week at Reliant in their attempt to start 4-0 for the first time in franchise history  

The photo of longtime NFL official Mike Carey is my way of saying, hallelujah, no more replacement refs!   The jacked up ending to Monday's prime time game forced the NFL to finally handle their business and sign a new eight year deal with the NFL Referee's Association.  The real refs like Mr. Carey will be back in action starting with tonight's Browns-Ravens game.  

And after a honeymoon period from us NFL fans glad the officials are back, we'll probably be shouting stuff at them like the Ravens fans did when they blow their first call of the season. 



We are now one quarter of the way into the 2012 regular season and we get our first two teams with bye weeks in the Colts and Steelers.  They have a lot to think about with their 1-2 records as they relax and watch 'errbody' else play games.    The Colts are probably shocked and deliriously happy to be 1-2.   The Steelers probably aren't since they are supposed to be contending for the AFC North crown.


We move into NFL Week 4 and it's time for me to build on this lead and achieve my goal of winning this prognostication contest at the end of this season.  These are Mike's Week 4 picks.  Mine are in underscored bold print.


Last Week's records
TransGriot    9-7
Mike Watts  5-11
 
2012 Season Records
TransGriot    27-21
Mike Watts   23-25

Week 4
Bye week
Colts, Steelers

Thursday, September 27
Browns at Ravens

Sunday, September 30
Noon CDT Games

Titans at Texans
Patriots at Bills

Chargers at Chiefs
Vikings at Lions
Panthers at Falcons
Seahawks at Rams
49ers at Jets

Afternoon Games 
Dolphins at Cardinals
Raiders at Broncos
Bengals at Jaguars
Saints at Packers
Redskins at Buccaneers

Sunday Night
Giants at Eagles

Monday, October 1
Bears at Cowboys

Scandal Season 2 Starts Tonight!

Y'all know how much I love Kerry Washington, and I'm looking forward to the start of the second season of the Shonda Rhimes produced ABC show Scandal starting at 9 PM CDT.

I also like Columbus Short and his character Harrison, too.

It cranks up tonight and picks up where it left off from that Season One ending cliffhanger episode.  It lets us know who Quinn Perkins really is, delves into her backstory and begins to answer the questions of what's up with Olivia and POTUS Fitz, how sprung is he over her (and vice versa) and is the FLOTUS actually pregnant?  

It'lll be interesting to see what clients and cases pop up requiring the special PR skills of Olivia and her team.  So yep, it's going to be another interesting season at Olivia C. Pope & Associates.

Want Fries With That Transphobic Hate Crime?

Can we trans women have a day in which somebody is not fracking with either us or the people who give a damn about us?  

Guess that's too much to ask.

The latest incident of cis haters gone wild happened in New York's Greenwich Village gayborhood at a McDonald's at 136 W. Third Street on September 19 to a transwoman and her boyfriend.

That particular Mickey D's has been plagued by some recent disturbing incidents including a patron badly beaten up in March 2011 because someone didn't like his pink tennis shoelaces.

Jamar McLeod, 24, told the NY Daily News he and his girlfriend, 22 year old Jalisa “JoJo” Griffen had just picked up her hormone medicine Wednesday night and were headed back to their apartment in Bushwick when they headed into the fast food restaurant on W. Third St. around 7 PM EDT to grab something to eat and use the bathroom

While in line McLeod got into a conversation with Griffen about how people were being attacked just for being gay.  He was overheard by their 350 pound tormentor Keith Patron, who butted into their conversation and started hurling homophobic slurs at the couple punctuated with '"I can't stand gay people."

McLeod implored him to leave it alone, but the bully from the Bronx escalated the verbal abuse when Griffen headed to the ladies bathroom.  Patron said she needed to 'use the men's room', kept up the homophobic and transphobic slurs and threatened to beat her up.  McLeod told him that wasn't happening, and he wasn't touching his girlfriend without going through him first.  

They ended up outside the restaurant and after ducking a swing from the McHater McLeod proceeded to give the transphobic bully a proper beatdown complete with a knee to the groin and a punch to the face. 

That's when the 44 year old Patron pulled out a razor and slashed McLeod on the elbow, neck and face.  He was treated at Bellevue Hospital and released but unfortunately the scars from the unprovoked attack will be permanent ones.  

Patron was arrested and charged with assault as a hate crime.  He's being held in jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond and hopefully justice will prevail in this case.

But once again, it's a situation occurring in which we're minding our own business and trying to get through our day without drama, and some phobic idiot thinks he has carte blanche to say and do anything they wish to us.

And that shyt needs to stop.   It will only stop when people are properly prosecuted and sent to jail for doing so.

What 'A Different World' Taught America

A Different World was an amazing, groundbreaking show, which is probably why we are so hard on the people who are allegedly producing shows for the African-American viewing audience now.  

It set the bar high for the types of shows aimed at our community such as the Mara Brock-Akil produced Living Single, which will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of its first broadcast on August 29, 2013, the Kelsey Grammer-Akil produced Girlfriends and its spinoff The Game.. 

And yes, when it's time for Living Single's 20th anniversary, I'll have a trivia quiz waiting on you.  You've been warned. 

Sadly some people producing shows for the African-American community have failed to meet that high standard and excel in producing 21st century coonery and buffoonery.

So I had to shine a TransGriot spotlight on a post from the other half of my fave power couple, Danielle Moodie-Mills.   She is also is the creative force behind the threeLOL blog  and wrote a post entitled "Black Excellence and Other Lessons A Different World Taught America'

She was paying attention during our blogger's roundtable at OUT on the Hill when I mentioned the upcoming  'A Different World' Quiz I created.

So what did A Different World teach America?    Plenty.  In addition to giving America a realistic slice of life in terms of our culture and the Black college experience circa late 80's-early 90's, they learned about womanism, South African divestiture, HIV/AIDS, date rape, the LA riots from our perspective, the Gulf War, and got introduced to our past, present and future actors and actresses.  

America also got to see that young African Americans did the same things anyone else did when they went to college.   They studied hard, discussed the issues of the day, learned things about themselves and grew as young adults, fell in love, and prepared to enter that different world beyond college life.

And that's probably why this show is so beloved and important to African-Americans 25 years later and we're hoping that Debbie Allen is successful in reviving it for a new generation.

The Second Annual TransGriot 'A Different World Trivia Quiz-The Answers

Okay TransGriot readers, did you have fun racking your brains trying to find the answers to this year's edition of the TransGriot A Different World Quiz or did you wimp out and wait for me to post the answers?  If you did, shame on you.

Here's the answers to those questions I posted Monday as promised. 

1. Name the artists who sang the theme songs for 'A Different World'.
Phoebe Snow, Aretha Franklin, and Boys II Men

2.What was the name of Whitley and Kim's sorority on the show?
Alpha Delta Rho 

3.What year did Kim pledge under Whitley?
1991

4. What state was Jaleesa from?
New Jersey

5. What was the name of Whitley's therapist who always urged her clients to 'Relax, relate & release? (extra credit point if you can name who played her).
Dr. Langhorne and Debbie Allen played her

6.How long did Kinu and Dwayne date before their break up?
six months

7.True or False. Colonel Taylor was chairman of the math department at Hillman
True

8.What were the nicknames Adele Wayne had for her husband and son Dwayne?
Woodchuck and Chipmunk

9 What was the name of the dream man Dwayne created for his radio shows leading up to Valentine's Day?
Darrell Walker

10. True or False.  Before Ron O'Neal began playing Whitley's father Judge Mercer Gilbert, he played a dean in season one. 
True

11.Who was the Gilbert Hall dorm director in Season 1?
 Stevie Rallen

12.Dwayne spent the summer working as an intern for Kinishewa Electronics in what Canadian cities?
Toronto and Montreal  

13.What city was Lena James from?
A Philadelphia B New York  C Washington DC  D Baltimore

14. True or False.  Whitley won the Miss Hillman title.
False

15.Which one of these is NOT a Hillman college dorm?
A Libbey Hall, B Gilbert Hall, C Douglass Hall, D Height Hall

16. What was the name of Ron Johnson's baby sister?
Rachel, played by Senait Ashenafi

17.True or False.  A Different World was the number one rated show among African-American viewers in the 1990-91 and 1991-92 television seasons.
True

18. What was the name of Walter's charitable foundation that he founded? 
Operation Outreach
 
19.  Which one of these actors or actresses did NOT play a Hillman College professor on the show? 
A Whoopi Goldberg    B. Keenen Ivory Wayans    C. Leslie Uggams   D. Clifton Davis

20  What was the full name of the club that Ron and Mr. Gaines co-owned?
The Place Where The Blues Shall Be Played.

21. What was Terrence's line name when he pledged Kappa Lambda Nu under Ron?
Little Brother No Play

22. What political office was Byron Douglas running for in Virginia? 
state senator

23. What historical event coincided with Whitley and Dwayne's honeymoon?
The 1992 LA riots

24  In addition to his son Terrence, Colonel Taylor had another child who attended Hillman.  Who was she?.
His daughter Suzanne

25  What was Adele Wayne's favorite dessert she loved to cook for Dwayne?
prune cobbler

Now that you've taken the test, how did you do?

0-5     Hillman freshman
6-10   Hillman sophomore
11-14 Hillman junior
15-18 Hillman senior
19-21 Hillman BA
22-23 Hillman Masters
24-25 Hillman PhD

Soledad O'Brien Shuts Down Ignorance Again!

I'm beginning to love my CNN sister Soledad O'Brien again (yep, she's a Black Latina)    She has been on fire lately in terms of calling out and shutting down conservaignorance and stupidity, and now has moved on to calling out the bigots.

I'm not a fan of Joel Osteen and his Lakewood Church, especially after what happened between his wife and one of my former coworkers.   

His Lakewood Church housed now in the former Compaq Center used to promote itself in H-town back in the day as the 'Oasis of Love'.  It's anything but that to trans and SGL people.

He recently showed up on Soledad O'Brien's show to plug his new book and when he made some homophobic comments to go with his book plug, Soledad and her guest Richard Socarides pounced. 

The First 2012 Presidential Debate In One Week

On October 3 the first of three presidential debates will take place on the University of Denver's campus between President Obama and his challenger Mitt Romney 

The debate will focus on domestic policy and be divided into six time segments of approximately 15 minutes each on topics to be selected by the moderator and announced several weeks before the debate.  The moderator will open each segment with a question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond. The moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the topic.

This University of Denver debate will be moderated by Jim Lehrer (and I already vented along with the National Association Of Black Journalists and Univision about the lack of melanin in the Commission on Presidential Debates choices for those moderators and their weak azzed defense of it). 

Yeah, still pissed about the fact there are no POC moderators for these debates and there hasn't been one since Carole Simpson did so 20 years ago.   But even she has commented about how little things have changed in 20 years.

But the best part is that in this UD debate or the two remaining ones Mitt won't be able to lie unchallenged.  This debate will also be occurring on the 20th anniversary of the marriage of the POTUS and FLOTUS (how cool is that?)

Also looking forward to the vice presidential one on October 11 between Vice President Joe Biden and Paul Ryan.

Already stocking up on the popcorn because this is going to be a make or break moment for the floundering Romney-Ryan campaign.  Either he steps it up or the Obama team can start planning their second inauguration ceremony on January 20 after the national handles its electoral business on November 6 and puts Romney out of his political misery.

When The Election's In Doubt, GOP Goes Racist

When the GOP starts losing in an election cycle, it's a given that since the only demographic they lead in any election cycle is white men, they will use tactics that attempt to stir up white male resentment and racism.

Hey, they've been falling for it over 150 years, and refined it with the Southern Strategy, so it works.

In the latest example of GOP racism for fun and electoral profit, we head to Massachusetts, where Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) is now trailing in his race with Elizabeth Warren despite the massive cash being pumped into his coffers in this overwhelmingly blue state.

So what does he do to overcome that deficit?   Can you say race bait?    Thought you could.

    

But this is why Scott Brown and the people who back him are 'scurred' of her.



I find it arrogant, amazing (but not surprising) that almighty whitey Scott Brown seems to think that he can determine based on her appearance alone that Elizabeth Warren isn't Native American.

But that's par for the racist political course for GOP candidates.   When they're losing, they go negatively racist.to attempt to carry the electoral day.   Massachusetts voters, I hope you'll punish him for it.

Womanist Musings-An All White Emmys

If you wonder why Latino and African-Americans have their own awards shows to honor their people, it's because far too often the big awards shows become boringly drawn out celebrations of whiteness.

Renee of Womanist Musings touched upon that in her critique of Sunday's Emmy Awards in which once again, POC's were nominated (and very few of them) but went home empty handed.

Okay, now it's time for me to give you a taste of what she had to say about the just concluded Emmy's

***

It would have been bad enough if the erasure of actors of colour were simply this year's Emmys, but the truth of the matter is that these award shows have a long history of this exclusionary behaviour. There are still categories which no Black actor has ever won (this in supposedly post racial America).

If Esposito had won Best Supporting Actor in a Drama for "Breaking Bad," or if Rudolph had won the Comedy Guest Actress Award for "Saturday Night Live," they would have become the first black performers to win in their respective categories ever. Cheadle would have become only the second African-American in history to win Best Lead Actor in a Comedy for "House of Lies." Elba was nominated for Lead Actor in a Movie/Mini for "Luther" and Devine for Guest Actress in a Drama for "Grey's Anatomy." The news isn't as shocking considering only 5 percent of black actors have won awards in the 63 years of the Emmys. [source]

When this sort of issue is brought up, it is often suggested that we focus on our own awards, but this is not a solution.  Award shows like the Emmys and the Oscars portend to represent the entire industry but that is certainly not what they are doing.  What we need to advance is mainstream inclusion, not special side projects; separate is not equal, as we have seen over the decades. Year after year, what is presented as inclusion, is nothing more than yet another extravagant display of White hegemony.What we have been offered are crumbs from the masters table and this will never be acceptable.  Even with the population demographics shifting, Whiteness still refuses to loosen its hold on power. If they are not going to award the work of actors of colour, they might as well rename the show to the White Emmy awards because the exclusion is obvious to anyone watching.

***

You can read the rest of Renee's article by clicking on the link.

FLOTUS Keynote Speech At CBCF-ALC Phoenix Awards Dinner

A little history was made Saturday night as First Lady Michelle Obama became the first FLOTUS ever to do a keynote address at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Phoenix Awards Dinner.

The Phoenix Awards Dinner serves is the closing event for the CBC Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, and honors four individuals for their contributions in addressing challenges facing the African-American community.

In case you're wondering who won those awards this year, it was Attorney General Eric Holder, Congresswoman Corinne Brown (D-FL), former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, and filmmaker George Lucas.

While the TransGriot was inside I-495 when it happened a mere subway ride away from me, I didn't go to this start studded event.   Neither did President Obama, who did the Phoenix keynotes in 2009 and 2010 but had campaign events elsewhere this year. 

But enjoy the video of our First Lady's speech .   And here's the link to the prepared remarks.

Ehipassiko-Because You're Stupid

Another one of Cristan Williams' posts from her Ehipassiko blog that needs to be signal boosted whacking all those conservasheeple who only get their news from Fox Noise and AM Talk radio.

Here's a taste of it:.

Yup. That’s right. You were duped. You were lied to. There is no quote wherein Obama talks about population wealth distribution. They edited the above speech and lied about what he was talking about… and you believed it. He’s clearly talking about moving resources from ineffective government agencies and redistributing those resources to agencies with “innovative in thinking, what are the delivery systems that are actually effective.”

Yep, if you watch FOX Noise or AM talk radio and believe everything you hear is the gospel truth without engaging those critical thinking skills, that's a problem because FOX noise.is nothing but a 24 hour purveyor of right wing propaganda. 

but here's the link to the rest of Cristan's post at Ehipassiko.

2012 Texans Watch-Texans Mile High Win

I got back home from OUT on the Hill just in time to watch my beloved Texans take on a long time nemesis in Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.  

There are some connections between the two teams.   Texans coach Gary Kubiak before coming back home to take the job was a backup QB and offensive coordinator for the Broncos, and Texans General Manager Rick Smith also got his start with the Broncos organization.

They marched into Invesco Field at Mile High in their liberty white uniforms with a chance to not only stay unbeaten in this young NFL season, but prove they were serious contenders in the AFC for that Super Bowl berth in New Orleans.

They also had a chance to erase some old demons.  As Tebow lovers are well aware of, the last Texans trip to Denver in 2010 birthed the Tim Tebow legend at their expense and resulted in a come from behind loss for my favorite NFL ballers.  They have also never beaten a Payton Manning quarterbacked team in his home stadium prior to Sunday and had a 2-19 record overall against him.  

But Peyton hasn't faced the Bulls on Parade defense either.  . . 

The Texans got off to a slow start, giving up a safety and a field goal to spot the Broncos an early 5-0 lead before the offense woke up, dusted off the big play part of their playbook and dropped a 63 yard bomb to Andre Johnson to take a 7-5 lead they never relinquished thanks to the Bulls on Parade defense.

JJ Watt and the Bulls on Parade defense made life miserable for Peyton Manning.  Watt had 2.5 sacks while Matt Schaub threw for four touchdowns in this game as the Texans sprinted out to a 20 point lead before the Broncos mounted a furious comeback that just like in Atlanta a week earlier fell six agonizing points short. 


The 31-25 Texan win means for the first time in team history they start a season 3-0.  They have a chance to build on this win with a division game against the hated Tennessee Titans Traitors in Reliant Stadium Sunday.  

Today Is National Voter Registration Day!

In 2008 65% of African-Americans that were eligible to vote in that 2008 election cycle exercised that right to do so. But sadly there were 6 million eligible American voters who didn't participate in that election because they either missed a registration deadline or they didn't know how or where to register so they could participate in that election. . 

It's four years later and there are approximately 46 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 are eligible to vote. But threats of apathy, and voter ID suppression laws are threatening to cut into those numbers at the polls in 2012.


To combat the problem, a large coalition of 1100 organizations that includes Voto Latino, the Congressional Black Caucus, the National Urban League, LULAC and the League of Women Voters  have joined forces on this day to conduct a nationwide voter registration effort in advance of this critical 2012 presidential election cycle. 

The NAACP has had a similar effort underway for months now, but this coalition effort kicking off today will have volunteers, celebrities and various organizations hitting the streets to reach out to potential voters.

The National Urban League has sent out this PSA emphasizing the need for young people to as I paraphrase NBJC President/CEO Sharon Lettman-Hicks favorite catchphrases, recognizing and owning our power.at the ballot box.



This National Voter Registration Day of coordinated field, technology and media efforts is designed to create awareness of voter registration opportunities, reach tens of thousands of voters that may not have been reached via other methods and get them registered in time for this critical election.  

We even had registration efforts happening during the just completed 2012 edition of OUT on the Hill  

So if you see some of those events while you're out and about today, now you'll know why.  If you're not registered, please take the time to do so.

TransGriot Update:  Here's the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Voter's Rights Toolkit you can download and share the info with everyone you know in your influence circles. 

2012 OUT On The Hill Compilation Post

Moni's back in H-town after owning her power, reconnecting with her Black TBLG fam and allies and making new friends during OUT On the Hill 2012. 

Like the 2011 edition, It was an amazing weekend I was honored to have the opportunity and pleasure to participate in, and hope I'm blessed to have the opportunity to do so again. 

But next year I want to aim higher.   I'd love to be part of a panel discussion at the CBCF-ALC in 2013 and OUT on the Hill (hint hint).  

While we see if that comes to pass eleven and a half months from now, in the meantime y'all can peruse my commentary not only about what transpired during OUT on the Hill 2012, but my thoughts pre and post conference.

2012 OUT on the Hill-Countdown to Owning Our Power

TransGriot's Finally In DC!

2012 OUT on the Hill-Day 1 Recap

2012 OUT on the Hill-Day 2 Recap

2012 OUT on the Hill-Day 3 Recap

2012 OUT on the Hill-Day 4 Recap

OUT on The Hill Is Over-Time To Go Back to Texas

2012 OUT on the Hill-What Now Black LGBT Family?

2012 OUT On The Hill-What Now, Black LGBT Family?

Another exciting edition of OUT on the Hill has concluded and our Black LGBT family has scattered to our various locales around the country until we gather inside I-495 next September.  

As we traveled by plane, train, bus and auto back to our hometowns with those conversations fresh on our minds, it's now time for the real work to be done that we discussed in the various sessions, conversations we had at receptions, in the hotel bars, over lunch and dinner and even our various hotel rooms.

As we got to Own Our Power inside the Beltway as Sharon likes to remind us to do, the big question now becomes what will we do individually and as part of our Black trans and SGL community to exercise the power that we spent time learning to own?  

The first thing on our Black LGBT Own Our Power list is a no brainer.   Get Trans and SGL people  registered and get your LGBT souls to the polls on November 6 (or sooner in my case as a Texas resident). We need to make sure that we get 4 more years for POTUS 44 and give him a Congress he can work with.  We also know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this president is the best ever on trans issues and has done some groundbreaking things for the SGL community as well.

We also have to not only continue to uplift trans people, but put our trans brothers in that leadership spotlight as well.  Remember some trans people are trans guys, and I was glad to hear that during OUT on the Hill 2013 the trans men will have a Town Hall like we did during this just concluded event.

I also challenged trans people in the Town Hall to run for office so that we can start writing the legislation we need and stop begging to be included in it.  Later that night LZ Granderson point blank asked me when I was going to lead by example and run for office in Texas, which is something my cousin asked me just before I left for DC.  That conversation LZ and I had falls under The Black Trans Revolution Will Not Be Televised territory.

Segueing into Black Trans Revolution items, since there's never been a trans themed forum at the CBCF-ALC, I'd love to see that happen as well in 2013 with trans men and trans women making up that panel along with allies. 

There's a thirteen city LGBT Economic Empowerment Tour cosponsored by the SBA and NBJC that is slated to hit Atlanta, Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Newark, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Oakland/San Francisco, Washington DC and Houston that we'll need to get the word out about.   This 'Many Faces One Dream initiative to tap into the economic power of SGL and trans people and those budding entrepreneurs and business owners amongst us is going to be an important component for the Black LGBT community's ability to own our economic power.  .

We also need to do the work to ensure that when we have the next LGBT themed forum at the 2013 CBCF-ALC, it's not just us in the room attending it.

Finally, we need to in the eleven and a half months until OUT on the Hill 2013 arrives on the scene bigger, badder, better and Blacker than ever talk up OUT on the Hill at every opportunity and encourage our people to go and be part of the amazing experience of seeing and talking to trans and SGL leaders from 18-80.  

And yes, we need to continue to network, forge partnerships and uplift each other in order to help our Black LGBT community survive, grow and thrive.  

There's probably other things that people will come up with in the wake of this conference, but what needs to happen now Black LGBT family is that we roll up our sleeves and get to work accomplishing some of the short term and long term things thoughtfully discussed during OUT on the Hill 2012.

The Trans Racial Political Divide Shows Up At SCC 2012

While I was owning my power inside I-495 AKA the Capitol Beltway, I thought about during some OUT on the Hill downtime that the Southern Comfort Conference was also going on in the ATL.   I've attended the 1999, 2000 and 2004 editions of SCC and it was undeniably a part of my trans activist evolution. 

Because at one point it was the largest trans gathering in the United States convention hierarchy, SCC has also been the backdrop of major trans political intrigue and drama.  The 2007 SCC convention was a major case in point of that . 

With its dates conflicting with OUT on the Hill and the increasing need for me to be in Washington DC for that event, it's highly unlikely I'll be back at another SCC unless I'm invited to do a keynote speech.

I've written SCC posts in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 but didn't this year.   I've talked about the irony of an overwhelmingly vanillacentric conference smack dab in a city considered the Black GLBT mecca.  I've noted the sincere attempts of the SCC board to diversify their attendance and one of their awkward moments brought on by that lack of diversity in 2008..  

My distinguished trans elder Cheryl Courtney-Evans attended the 2012 edition of SCC and reported in her abitchforjustice blog some of her observations about the sharp racial political divide that permeated this year's event over the looming presidential election.

So needless to say I was surprised, even shocked to find the reactions I got to my flier distribution...virtually every African American transgender person I offered one to, took it (some with the smile & "Obama in '12" comment). But I found that many of the Caucasians in attendance would refuse with a shake of the head (one telling me, "I'm not a fan of Obama's"), or just lay them down and leave them somewhere. It was during one of my 'smoke breaks' that I witnessed and heard comments from some Caucasian trans who were discussing a flier that was lying on a table between us from one of these "lay it down & leave it" occasions. "I really don't see what difference it's gonna make," she said, "they're both the same; they're gonna say one thing and do another after they're elected..."  WHAT??! Where have they been the last four years?? Hadn't they heard what one of their own had just said at lunch? (Also, I could see they were old enough to have seen at least three different presidents and their actions with regards to transgenders.)  Then I had to stop and think about who was talking...

Once again people, race matters, even in our little trans subset of society.  It's one of the reasons why NBJC and TPOCC exist.   Here's the rest of Cheryl's post for y'all to peruse.. 

The Second Annual TransGriot 'A Different World' Trivia Quiz

Today is the 25th anniversary of the first broadcast of A Different World on this date in 1987.   Some interesting news is developing about this groundbreaking show in terms of the fact that Debbie Allen is interested in rebooting it and putting it back on the air.  

And naw Carsey-Werner, I still haven't forgotten along with the legions of fans of this show that you haven't released Seasons 2-6 of A Different World to DVD.   What's up with that?

While we're waiting for the outcome of that and Debbie Allen's effort to revive the show, I'm going to give you loyal TransGriot readers an opportunity to tackle the second annual edition of my TransGriot 'A Different World' Trivia Quiz.   If you want to try to tackle last year's quiz, here it is.   I'll give y'all three days like last year to ponder it before I publish the answers in a separate blog post.

Have fun and note it's an open book Internet test.

1. Name the artists who sang the theme song for 'A Different World'.


2.What was the name of Whitley and Kim's sorority on the show?


3.What year did Kim pledge under Whitley?


4. What state was Jaleesa from?


5. What was the name of Whitley's therapist who always urged her clients to 'Relax, relate & release? (extra credit point if you can name who played her).


6.How long did Kinu and Dwayne date before their break up?

7.True or False. Colonel Taylor was chairman of the math department at Hillman


8.What were the nicknames Adele Wayne had for her husband and son Dwayne?


9 What was the name of the dream man Dwayne created for his radio shows leading up to Valentine's Day?


10. True or False.  Before Ron O'Neal began playing Whitley's father Judge Mercer Gilbert, he played a dean in season one. 


11.Who was the Gilbert Hall dorm director in Season 1?

12.Dwayne spent the summer working in an internship for Kinishewa Electronics in what Canadian cities?


13.What city was Lena James from?
A Philadelphia B. New York  C. Washington DC  D. Baltimore

14. True or False.  Whitley won the Miss Hillman title.


15.Which one of these is NOT a Hillman college dorm?
A Libbey Hall, B Gilbert Hall, C. Douglass Hall, D. Height Hall

16. What was the name of Ron Johnson's baby sister?


17.True or False.  A Different World was the number one rated show among African-American viewers in the 1990-91 and 1991-92 television seasons.


18. What was the name of Walter's charitable foundation that he founded? 


19.  Which one of these actors or actresses did NOT play a Hillman College professor on the show? 

A Whoopi Goldberg    B. Keenen Ivory Wayans    C. Leslie Uggams   D. Clifton Davis

20  What was the full name of the club that Ron and Mr. Gaines co-owned?


21. What was Terrence's line name when he pledged Kappa Lambda Nu under Ron?

22. What political office was Byron Douglas running for in Virginia? 


23. What historical event coincided with Whitley and Dwayne's honeymoon?


24  In addition to his son Terrence, Colonel Taylor had another child who attended Hillman.  Who was she?.


25  What was Adele Wayne's favorite dessert she loved to cook for Dwayne?
.

****

You may start the quiz.  I'll give y'all until midnight CDT on the 27th to come up with the answers on your own..


.

Paris Dupree Discusses Ballroom History

Something for you TransGriot readers to enjoy while I'm traveling.   The late Paris Dupree discusses and breaks down ballroom history during the 2006 Icon Ball in Atlanta.

OUT on the Hill 2012 Is Over-Time To Go Back To Texas

My Week 3 TransGriot NFL picks are already made and I'll find out how well I and my hometown NFL ballers did when I get home.  But in a few hours I'll be checking out of this hotel room that has been home for the last few days and heading back to Houston.

I've been waiting with breathless anticipation for the 2012 edition of  OUT On The Hill honestly since the 2011 one concluded.  Will be interesting to see how much this event grows in 2013, especially since it will be NBJC's tenth anniversary year.  I hope I'll be invited to participate in OOTH once again.

I'm not kidding y'all when I write the words 'my NBJC family' in my TransGriot posts.  They really have made me feel that way and let me know in no uncertain terms they appreciate me as much as I appreciate and love the work they do on behalf of the Black LGBT community. 

I also gained some new fans and readers for TransGriot, and thanks for all the love NBJC family y'all showed me during this conference.

This has also closed an amazing summer of activism and other speaking events for me on a high note. 
How high I'll detail later after I've had some time to ponder it on the plane ride home from BWI.

See y'all in a few hours Houston.   And see you Pappas Barbecue in the airport when I arrive.. 

2012 OUT on the Hill-Day 4 Recap

Another beautiful day on Washington DC, but it's one with a hint of sadness for me because it's the last day of OUT on the Hill. 

It's also the last day of the CBCF-ALC which has its traditional 7 AM Prayer Breakfast.  This year it was featuring Bishop Noel Jones and Kim Burrell and Valerie and Carmarion attended it as the NBJC reps.

While that was going on at the Convention Center,  the NBJC General Session started at 9 AM as I anticipated the start of the 10:15 AM Blogger's Roundtable that includes myself, LZ Granderson, Danielle Moodie-Mills of threeLOL, Kimberley McLeod of ELIXHER, Derrick McMahon of the Anti-Intellect Blog, and Huff Po contributor Darnell Moore.

This was a continuation of the conversation that was started at the CBCF-ALC yesterday that was also focused on the topic of 'How the LGBT Equality Movement Has Impacted Black America and the Media Landscape.'   There was some interesting conversation concerning that topic before we broke for our lunchtime keynote speaker, the Deputy Director of the US Small Business Administration Eugene Cornelius. 

We also had a pleasant problem during this lunch that is the result of the rapid growth of OUT on the Hill.  For a breif moment we had a few more people than seats in the Delaware Room. but the NBJC staff and volunteers quickly solved that problem. 

And yes, Eugene is family.   He not only challenged us to own our economic power, but was part of an interesting discusssion moderated by Maurice Jamal that discussed the upcoming LGBT Economic Empowerment Tour that will be cosponsored by the NBJC/and SBA.

With the afternoon session came a dilemma for me.  Now that my panels were completed, I was a spectator and had to choose which one I attended because all three had interesting topics.

I eventually split time between the Healthy Bodies, Healthy Communities one and the Stemming The Tide of Aggression one before we headed into the OUT on the Hill closing session.   

With the closing session's end also signaling the end of OUT on the Hill 2012 activity at the host hotel, there was still a community mixer at FAB Lounge in the Dupont Circle area starting at 7 PM that I skipped so I could catch up on my blogging. 

Before she split for the CBCF-ALC dinner that the FLOTUS was attending, Sharon Lettman-Hicks did give us a sneak peek at one of the events that will take place during the 2013 OUT on the Hill

There will be a transman town hall similar to the one that we transwomen had this year.  It will also be NBJC's tenth anniversary next year with an OUT on the Hill that promises in just its fourth year to be bigger and better event than it was in 2012 .

And I definitely want to be participating in it next year.

Texas GOP, It's Payback Time In One Month

While I'm beginning another day of Owning My Power during this thrid edition of OUT on the Hill, my mind still is thinking about events back home and the significance of what happens thirty days from today's date.

What's happening in thirty days?   Glad you asked inquisitive TransGriot reader.

October 22 is the first day we Texans get to cast early voting ballots in this 2012 presidential election cycle and for you peeps who wish to join me, here's the info to get the election party started. . 

The Texas Republican Party not only worked hard to suppress mine and the votes of millions of non-white Texans, seniors, and Texas college students, they also pushed a 2012 party platform that has amongst its odious planks a call for the repeal of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. 


I know which party values my vote and stood up for my constitutional right to cast it and which one did everything possible (and is still actively working) to suppress it, and I'll be voting accordingly on that date.

Thanks to the efforts of US Attorney General Eric Holder, a long list of allies and Section V of the 1965 Voting Rights Act law you conservafools claim is no longer necessary (yeah, right) all I'll need when I show up to vote on October 22 at one of those Harris County early voting polling centers is my yellow Texas voter registration card.

So yes, I already know what is on my agenda on that date, and it ain't voting for Mitt Romney or anyone with an 'R' behind their name.

2012 Out On the Hill-Day 4 Schedule

Darn, Day 4 got here pretty quickly and in 24 hours I'll be headed back to the Lone Star State.  But as the old saying goes, time flies when you're having fun and around some amazing Black LGBT leaders. 

While the CBCF-ALC is having their prayer breakfast from 7:30-10:30 AM, those who didn't want to (or couldn't get) tickets to that event have 8:00 AM-1:00 PM workshops and sessions to attend,

Meanwhile up the Metro line on our side of town in NW DC we' ll start a packed Saturday of OOTH events.  It starts from 9:00-10:00 AM with another OOTH 2o12 General Session which will be entitled The Future of the National Black Justice Coalition.

From 10:15-12:15 PM we'll have the Black LGBT Emerging Leaders Caucus entitled Taking a Seat at the Table: Energizing Black LGBT Youth to OWN Their Power  Another 10:15-12:15 PM session will be entitled Invisible No More: A Roundtable of Elders in the Black LGBT Community

The third one in that 10:15-12:15 PM time slot will be the second one I was invited to participate in, the Bloggers’ Roundtable: How the LGBT Equality Movement Has Impacted Black America and the Media Landscape From 12:30-2:30 PM we'll have our Keynote Luncheon with the title of The Great Recession: Harnessing the Collective Economic Potential of the Black LGBT Community 
When the Keynote Luncheon concludes, three more sessions in the 2:45-4:15 PM time slot

We Shall Not Be Moved:The Role of Faith in the Fight for Black LGBT Equality
Stemming the Tide of Aggression: Addressing Violence, Bias, and Hate Crimes in the Black LGBT Community
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Communities  Black LGBT Health: An Exploration of Current Trends and ChallengesThe closing 2012 Out On The Hill General Session will happen from 4:30-5:30 and focus on highlights of upcoming events .

And from 6:00-9:30 PM is another ticketed CBCF-ALC event, the CBCF-ALC Phoenix Awards dinner.  Yeah, I think I'll be chilling in the room at that time unless somebody in DC or OOTH has other ideas.