BTAC 2018 Is Coming Soon

In case you're wondering why I haven't posted much about the 2018 Black Trans Advocacy Conference, it's because I haven't had much information to share lately about it until now.

The BTAC 2018 theme is Journeying Together: Living In Greater Truth and Healing.

I've known since BTAC 2017 closed out that the dates for the 7th annual event were April 23-29.  What I didn't know is that the conference will have a new host hotel for 2018, the Wyndham Dallas Suites-Park Central after two years of being in suburban Addison, TX.

The Wyndham Dallas Suites- Park Central host hotel is located at 7800 Alpha Road not far from the intersections of the LBJ Freeway (I-635) and the North Central Expressway.   I also noted when I pulled it up in Google Maps there's an In and Out located nearby and like the old hotel, it's not far from the Dallas Galleria for those of you who like to shop.

BTAC has people from across the state of Texas, the country and even our international trans fam attend this event.   It's always a pleasure to see Neish McLean from Jamaica and Dora Santana from Brazil there to bring their African Diaspora perspectives of being Black and trans to our panel discussions and general conversations. 

And it's the conversations and fun we have in our hospitality suite that make this week in Dallas even more memorable   

Some attendees have stated post conference that attending BTAC has led to a positive change in their own lives.  That week in Dallas is a welcome oasis from the desert of negativity we face as Black trans people.

Even if you can't come for the entire BTAC week, show up for the weekend  or a day or two.

In case you're concerned about SB 6, it is NOT law in the state of Texas because Black Trans Texans were part of the coalition last year  that helped kill it twice in the regular and Special Oppression Session.  Dallas has had since 2002 a nondiscrimination ordinance in place that protects trans people from discrimination. 

So come on down to the Lone Star State, see and meet your Black trans fam and our allies, get your learn on and have some fun.

BTAC 2018 will not only comprise 50 seminars, but have the features you all love like the  TransManifest Live! talent show, the Black Trans Advocacy Awards Gala, the Mr and Ms Black Trans International pageants, the Black Trans Family Reunion day and the Black Diamond Freedom Party and Rumble Ball. 

For those of you considering attending BTAC 2018 who care about sporting things, while we are  having fun at our host hotel getting to chill out, get our learn and grub on and spending quality time together, the Dallas area will also be playing host to the 2018 NFL Draft at Jerry World (AKA AT&T Stadium), and The Star, the Dallas Cowboys world headquarters in nearby Frisco, TX .

The BTAC conference is usually the start of my extended Cuatro de Mayo birthday week celebration. 

It's one of my fave conferences in large part because it's one of the few that centers my people and our culture.   I've been coming to it since I was honored to give a keynote speech at it in 2013, which was the first one opened to trans feminine participation. 

I'm looking forward to administering more domino beatdowns during that week in Dallas. 

Yeah, I said it.  And I'm more than prepared to back it up as people found out last year during Family Reunion Day.

So this year's BTAC 2018 conference not only is in a new hotel, but it is positioned to be the biggest and best one ever. 

Hope to see y'all in my home state for this one  .

Black Trans Advocacy Dallas HQ Building Sold

As we know in Black Trans World, it's never a easy peasy road for us to just simply live our lives.  We have times when the road is as smooth as freshly poured concrete on a brand new stretch of highway, and times when we're rolling along and hit a pothole that blows out a car tire. 

The same is true for the organizations that serve us.   Since we don't get the same level of funding that white led trans organizations get or have deep pocketed funders we can call on in a pinch, it can be challenging at times to get the donations and grants we need to fund the programs that are necessary to serve our people.

Black Trans Advocacy is the umbrella org for Black Transmen, Inc.,  Black Transwomen, Inc., the Black Trans International Pageantry System and the Black Trans Advocacy Conference and recently received some news that fits the blown tire scenario I laid out in the first paragraph.

The Dallas office park at 3530 Forest Lane that has hosted BTA's office in them for several years was recently sold a few days ago to a real estate development firm in suburban Southlake, TX.   The developer has plans to tear down two of the smaller office buildings, renovate the remaining one and use the space created by demolishing the two smaller office buildings to build a storage facility on it.

That means that the small businesses and organizations who have their offices in the two buildings slated for demolition will have to move.   Unfortunately BTA's office suite is in one of the buildings staed for demolition, and they have been given 60 days notice to vacate.

BTA now has the challenge of finding new affordable office space and once they do, move to that new space, set it up, and then resume planning for the upcoming BTAC 2018 conference 

But knowing them, with some help, they will rise to the challenge and get back on track in executing their primary mission of unapologetically serving the Black trans and gender variant community. 

    

BTAC 2016 Day 5 Highlights

The Awards Gala was off the chain last night, and loved the caramel cheesecake we had for dessert.

Today we trade being dressed to the nines for casual clothes and a little family fun.  We leave the cozy space of our host hotel for a few hours to take on the open spaces of the Circle R Ranch in nearby Flower Mound, TX.

Hope the barbecue is on point.  

Once we return to the hotel and get some chill out time from our day trip, the 5th Anniversary Closing Ceremony Party will commence capped off by the Black Diamond Ball.

We'll have people walking the various categories seeking to impress our distinguished panel of judges and get perfect tens.across the board.     .