Rest In Power Juan Evans

Was shacked and saddened to hear the news that Atlanta based trans masculine activist Juan Evans has joined the ancestors at age 42 after suffering from as yet undetermined health issues for the last few days.

Evans was active in groups such as Blue House Family, the Solutions Not Punishment Coalition, Women on the Rise and the Racial Justice Action Center, according to Project Q Atlanta.

He was also active in Unity Fellowship Church, Greater Atlanta.

Evans died on Tuesday at Emory University Hospital Midtown and a cause of death has yet to be determined according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner.  Funds are being raised to help defray medical and funeral costs at this time.

The news was greeted with shock and sadness by the ATL activist community, who praised him as a fierce human rights advocate.  In addition to the legions of friends and colleagues mourning his loss, he leaves behind his wife Jacqueline Evans.

For those of you in the ATL who wish to pay your last respects to Juan, the funeral will be held tomorrow at  11 AM EDT at Virginia Highland Community Church.  Address is 743 Virginia Ave. NE, in Atlanta, GA 30306

Rest in peace and power, Brother Juan.    You will be missed.  

743 Virginia Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

743 Virginia Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306.

Politini LGBT Decoded Interview With Dr. KRZ

Y'all know how much love and respect I have for all three of these brilliant people in Aisha and Danielle Moodie-Mills and Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler.

That's too much awesomeness for one room we are not worthy to handle. (bowing in direction of Oakland and DC)

They recently got together to do a Politini interview that Danielle conducted.   In it Kortney talks about what equality means to him and why he has no problem speaking his mind when it comes to calling out injustice when he see it.

Check it out!

Kylar's 'DC Breakdown' Interview

About time some of our trailblazing Black trans men get their moment in the media spotlight..   

Kylar Broadus, one of my fave transmen, attorney, NBJC board member and a longtime advocate for our community, got a chance to do this interview with host Angela Rae on DC Breakdown to discuss the National Black Justice Coalition,  TBLG workplace discrimination, and his personal story. 

Please check it out  by clicking this link.   

Kortney's Going To The White House!

I have yet to have this happen for me, but so happy to hear that it has for someone I know.   Dr. Kortney Ziegler is headed to DC for the LGBT Pride Reception at the White House in June 30.

Congratulations Kortney!  Well deserved honor after all your efforts to see Trans*H4CK grow and become a national and one day international event and movement. 

And yes bro, deeply appreciate you being a strong, unapologetic voice for the Black trans community.

We can always use more people willing to stand on truth, tell it like it T-I-S is and ensure our voices are heard.  

Evon Young Finally Gets Justice

I've been keeping track of the Evon Young case and the five people, Victor Stewart, Ashanti Mcalister, Billy R. Griffin, Ron Joseph Allen, and Devin L. Seaberry who were arrested and charged with the murder of the 22 year old transmasculine rapper.   

It took a while for the five people accused of his murder and their cases to work their way through the justice system in Wisconsin, but it has finally happened.  

It won't bring 'Yung LT' back, but justice has been served in this case.  And now, here's the final judicial scorecard and update of what happened to all the people involved.

23 year old Devin Seaberry pled guilty to a lesser charge of second degree reckless homicide on July 2 in return for his testimony against Griffin, Mcalister and Allen.   Seaberry was sentenced to eight years in prison and seven years of extended supervision..

27 year old Victor Stewart pled guilty June 5 to second degree reckless homicide in exchange for his testimony against Griffin, and was sentenced to 16 years in prison and seven years of extended supervision.
     
19 year old Ashanti Mcalister was found guilty of first degree intentional homicide on June 27, and was sentenced on September 12 to life imprisonment.   He'll be eligible for parole in 2066.  

38 year old Ron Allen was found guilty of one count of first degree intentional homicide and sentenced April 14 to life imprisonment without the eligibility of extended supervision. 

26 year old Billy Griffin, whose first trial ended in a hung jury on June 17, was arraigned on first degree intentional homicide charges,  Just before Griffin's retrial was set to start, he plead guilty February 17 to amended charges and was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison and an additional six years and two months of extended supervision.

Where's Kortney? Everywhere!

Dr. Kortney R. Ziegler since the start of 2014 has been one busy brother.   He's been racking up the frequent flier miles as he takes Trans*H4CK national in addition to his speaking and lecture schedule.

I'll get to see him this weekend at the 2014 LGBT Journalists Media Convening in Washington DC, but this past weekend he was in Las Vegas handling their edition of Trans*H4CK.

FYI for you peeps in Chicago: Trans*H4CK (and its handsome creator) is coming to you in March as part of the weekend series of events surrounding the unveiling of the second edition of the Trans 100.   

"Considering that Trans* H4CK focuses on creating technology for trans* people with the input of trans* people," Dr. Ziegler continued, "it makes sense to partner with the Trans 100 in an effort to further highlight transgender activists that are changing the world for the better."

It will be taking place March 28-30 at Dev Bootcamp, so if you wish to take part. sign up now.

Dr. KRZ will also be one of the keynote speakers for the upcoming Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas April 30-May 4 and looking forward to hopefully seeing him again in the Lone Star State.

Assuming I don't have any other pressing business in New York May 3,  I'm looking forward to being in the audience for this keynote instead of delivering one like I did last year. 

But I know for certain there will be a Dr. KRZ sighting in Washington this weekend, and looking forward to seeing him there. 

Evon Young Trial Update II

As I promised you TransGriot readers, I was going to be keeping track of developments in the various trials of the five people, Victor Stewart, Ashanti Mcalister, Billy R. Griffin, Ron Joseph Allen, and Devin L. Seaberry who were arrested and charged with the murder of 22 year old transmasculine rapper Evon 'Yung LT' Young.

Young went missing on New Year's Day and it is suspected that after the alleged perpetrators killed him and disposed of the body in a dumpster, his remains ended up in a Menomonee Falls, WI landfill which was searched for 13 days but the body was never recovered.

Now to update the judicial scorecard for you in the search for justice for Evon Young..   

23 year old Devin Seaberry pled guilty to a lesser charge of second degree reckless homicide on July 2 in return for their testimony against Griffin, Mcalister and Allen.   Seaberry was supposed to be sentenced October 17 but as of yet haven't discovered what his punishment was. 

Same story for 27 year old Victor Stewart.  He pled guilty June 5 to second degree reckless homicide in exchange for his testimony against Griffin, Mcalister and Allen and was supposed to be sentenced July 23.     
26 year old Billy Griffin, whose first trial ended in a hung jury on June 17, was arraigned on first degree intentional homicide charges and his retrial is set to start in November.

19 year old Ashanti Mcalister was found guilty of first degree intentional homicide on June 27, and was sentenced on September 12 to life imprisonment.   He'll be eligible for parole in 2066.  

The trial of 37 year old Ron Allen was supposed to start on October 7, but haven't discovered as of this writing whether it started on that date or was rescheduled for a later date.

Will continue to keep an eye on how things are transpiring in Milwaukee until all the people who are being tried in this care are tried and our fallen trans brother and all who loved him receive justice.  

Dr. KRZ Being Honored By TLC October 3!

At the rate he's collecting awards, he may need to build a trophy case soon. 

Was happy to find out that my Left Coast trans brother and fellow blogger Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler will be honored by the Transgender Law Center at their upcoming October 3 SPARK! gala with the inaugural Authentic Life Award.

As Shawn Demmons stated in his commentary about Dr. Z posted on the TLC website and I wholeheartedly agree with:

"In his filmmaking, writing and community engagement, Kortney is forward thinking - he's creating opportunities and visible space for transgender people broadly, and transgender people of color especially."

Yes, he is.  And the recently concluded Trans*H4CK was just another sterling example of Kortney's ability to come up with creatively innovative solutions to advance the cause of trans human rights and expand visibility for trans people of color.

Hope you peeps in the Bay Area are planning on showing Dr. Z some love when that October night happens.

Congratulations, Dr Z!  Can't think of a better person for TLC to give the first ever Authentic Life Award to. 

Trans Assimilation

TransGriot readers, you have got to see this video of one of my trans brothers basically tellin' it like it T-I-S is about his masculine reality.