Happy Birthday, Jazz!

October 7 is already a busy day for me birthday card wise because I have two cousins who were born on this date.  So is six time Grammy award winning singer Toni Braxton, actress Nicole Ari Parker, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, baseball player Evan Longoria and (yuck) Russian president Vladimir Putin.  

October 7 is also the birthday of my trailblazing little sis Jazz, who turned 13 today  

Jazz has been an inspiration not only for the trans kids of her generation through her award winning advocacy, she's inspired me and my generation by allowing us to peek into her life at different time periods courtesy of her various media interviews, the I Am Jazz documentary, speeches and the two Barbara Walters interviews.   Jazz also fought a two year battle with the US Soccer Federation to get them to craft policies so transkids like her can play soccer.

Jazz has been one of the reasons along with our other transkids we trans elders have fought so hard to ensure that our trans younglings like her have a better world to grow up in and have laws on the books to protect their human rights.

We want our trans younglings to have the unfettered ability to just focus on making their dreams come true when they get to adulthood just like everyone else in this society.

And yeah, I'm still looking forward to meeting her although we keep missing connections.   Was bummed when I found out she and her mom were recently transiting Hobby Airport on their way back home mere hours after I'd arrived and gotten back to H-town after my West Coast trip for Trans* H4CK.   

And hint hint Jazz, I will be here in January for Creating Change 2014 in Houston.

But back to the birthday post.  

Jazz, you are a blessing to us, your family and the trans community and I and your trans elders have much love for you.  Hope you are having a wonderful birthday chock full of blessings, laughter, smiles and unconditional love.

May you have more of them to come!