BTAC 2017 Bound!

Yes, I was just on a Megabus last week headed to Austin on Easter Sunday no less to do battle with the Texas Forces of Trans Intolerance desecrating our state capitol.

Now that I've done my part to help fight the attempt to pass the unjust HB 2899, this time I get to do something that is fun for me in terms of getting on a Megabus rolling north on I-45 to go to Dallas for BTAC 2017.

The Black Trans Advocacy Conference is not only my favorite conference, it's a unique one in the trans conference ranks.  For five days, it's one that unapologetically centers Black trans people and the issues that impact our community while serving as a family reunion style gathering. 

We also get to inform, educate and network with each other while building that extended family with life changing results.  Once you attend BTAC once, you'll never be the same person again.

It's even therapeutic in some ways.  I came up during the 2014 BTAC a day after enduring a 14 hour marathon HERO committee hearing in which I heard far too much dehumanizing anti-trans language from the opposition.  By the time I'd gone through the remaining days of BTAC enveloped in the love of my community, I was refreshed and ready to go back to Houston to take the HERO haters on
 
The planning committee enjoys putting it together, and they are shooting for another record attendance year for BTAC.  You can also follow the action on social media at the #BTAC2017 hashtag.

What will be weighing on our all our minds is Chay Reed, the young trans sister we just lost this weekend in Miami.  Here's hoping they catch the waste of DNA who killed her.

During this BTAC week that starts today, we'll have the blessing of getting together to make another year of memories, laugh, cry, learn from each other, hug old friends, meet new ones, thank our allies and sponsors for their support and just gather together as a extended family once again.
     

In addition to the BTIPS pageant, the TransManifest  Live open mic talent show, the awards gala, the State of the Black Trans Community Town hall and Saturday's Family Fun Day, it's going to be another informative and fun week.  

Yeah, I spent much of the last few days since I returned from Austin catching up on my sleep since I know I have a few long nights ahead of me.  That's before I factor in all the folks in the DFW area who want to see and chat with me while I'm here. .   

This is the sixth annual incarnation of it, and as a member of the BTWI board, I also get to do my part in helping the convention trains run on time.   It's also the kickoff to my extended birthday week celebration.    

This BTAC 2017 week that we've all in the BTA family impatiently waited for since the close of last year's conference will sadly be complete when we reach Sunday, April 30.

And it's still not too late for you to join us.  See y'all in a few hours.

Upcoming BTAC 2017 Press Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April  18, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding President
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

Black Trans Advocacy is pleased to announce our upcoming Black Trans Advocacy conference in Dallas that will be held from April 24-30 at the Dallas Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria.

This is the sixth annual BTAC conference with attendees from all over the United States gathering to discuss issues of importance to the Black trans community.

Black Trans Advocacy is also pleased and proud to be at this upcoming BTAC conference celebrating the fifth anniversary of the founding of Black Transwomen, Inc.

As a Texas headquartered organization, we are not only concerned about SB 6 and HB 2899 and vehemently oppose both pieces of unjust legislation, but also lament the loss of seven African American trans women this year to anti-trans violence,   We are also concerned about the disrespectful media coverage they have gotten when the media reports their deaths and the lack of funding that goes to Black trans led organizations. .

We will also be discussing at this April 28 press conference BTA's thoughts about the current state of Black trans America, our Black Trans Advocacy conference, and other issues of importance to our community.  .

We are inviting members of the media to attend a press conference that will take place at the conference hotel starting at 12:30 PM CDT on Friday, April 28 at our conference host hotel, the Dallas Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria.

The hotel is located at 14901 Dallas Parkway, Dallas, TX 75204 and we at BTA look forward to seeing you there.    
  
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Black Transwomen,  Inc  is a national not for profit organization based in Dallas TX  that is part of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition,  a social justice alliance of the Black Transmen Inc, Black Transwomen Inc & Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations. BTA is committed to the advancement of black and trans people and the liberation of all disenfranchised people by working collaboratively to help end race and gender inequalities   

The Divine Cassadine Transition Scholarship Fundraiser

There are a few posts on TransGriot in which I discuss silicone pumping, the negative effects of it and chronicle the pumpers who get busted and brought to justice or killing people while doing so.

Tanisha Caston AKA 'The Divine Tanisha Cassadine', was born in Memphis  September 16, 1968 and touched many lives inside and outside the House of Cassadine and the pageant and ballroom community    She died on March 16 at age 48 due to complications from silicone injections.

It was a death that shocked many in the pageant world who knew her, and brought home to people the danger of silicone pumping


Miss BTIPS 2016 Taliyah Cassadine is also the founder of Say No 2 Silicone Injections to promote awareness of the danger of silicone pumping.

She created the Divine Cassadine Transition Scholarship to not only keep memories of the legacy of Tanisha alive, but also help create a funding stream to help trans women who want to transition in a healthy and safe way without using silicone.   It can also be used to remove silicone from a person's body, which can also be a costly process.

The Divine Cassadine Transition Scholarship will be awarded at future BTAC conventions.  Fundraising for the $3000 goal started April 1 with the hope that the goal will be reached and hopefully exceeded by next April 1.

If you're inclined to give $5, 10, 20 or whatever your heart moves you to do at this time, please do so. No amount is too small to give in order to reach and hopefully exceed the goal to seed this fund.  

Even $1 will help the cause, and here's the link to the fundraising page. 

Black Trans Advocacy Statement Concerning SB 6

TransGriot Note:  One of the Texas organizations condemning SB 6, the Transgender Oppression Act is the Dallas based Black Trans Advocacy, the umbrella org for Black Trans Women, Inc, Black Transmen, Inc, the Black Trans Advocacy Conference, and the Black Trans International Pageantry System.

Here is a statement from BTA about the introduction by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) and Sen Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) of SB 6.  

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January 6, 2017

Black Trans Advocacy, Black Transwomen, Inc, Black Transmen, Inc and the Black Trans International Pageantry System are angered but not surprised as Texas based organizations by the decision of Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst to continue the Republican Party's attack on Texas trans people and specifically Texas trans women.

In case you've forgotten Lt Governor Patrick,  our state motto is 'Friendship', not Hatred

The introduction yesterday of the unjust, immoral and unconstitutional SB6  is nothing more than a frontal assault on the humanity and human rights of Texas trans people.  We are also concerned about the negative effects a passed SB 6 would have on trans Texans and visitors who come to the Lone Star State to enjoy our hospitality and attend our Dallas based Black Trans Advocacy Conference that is now in its sixth year.

Texas trans people are spouses, family members, children, business owners, taxpayers and your neighbors who would also feel the negative repercussions of any boycott of the Lone Star State  that would occur if SB 6 were unfortunately passed.   That boycott  would do irreparable harm to our state's economy and condemn the Lone Star State to face the same international rebuke and scorn as a human rights oppressor that North Carolina is facing.

We urge our lieutenant governor and Sen Kolkhorst to withdraw this reprehensible bill.  We insist as Texas residents and voters that you spend this 85th Texas Legislative session focusing on the issues of importance to our state. Attacking the humanity of Texas trans people is an unnecessary political distraction, and frankly is nothing more than legislative bigotry and oppression.

If you persist in pushing transphobic legislative bigotry upon our community, you, Sen Kolkhorst and the Texas Republican Party will own the responsibility of lost Texas jobs and billions of dollars in lost business revenue.

More importantly, you and your party will bear the responsibility for the harm done to the lives of the transgender Texans that we proudly and unapologetically serve.

Black Trans Advocacy Conference Regional Summits

While we're counting down to the sixth annual Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas next April, BTAC executive director Carter Brown is hitting the road for a series of BTAC regional summit events that will take place in several cities around the country.

The first one was in Topeka, Kansas August 26-27, with upcoming ones in New York on September 10, Atlanta September 24-25 at the Phillip Rush Center, and Baltimore October 7-9 at a location TBD.

As more are scheduled will pass that information along to you.




The New York event will start at 12 PM, and if you're interested, head on over to 115 W 113th St to check it out.

The goal of the BTAC summits is a multi faceted one..  In addition to getting the opportunity to meet Carter and other local BTAC leaders, it's spreading the word about the Dallas based national conference that is unique in trans conference world of being focused on Black trans people.

While this conference is focused on Black trans people, we encourage trans people of all ethnic backgrounds to come along with allies and significant others.

The BTAC regional summits summits are also seeking people interested in starting Black Transmen, Inc (BTMI) and Black Transwomen Inc (BTWI) local chapters, joining existing local chapters, participants and regional sponsors for the Black Trans International Pageantry System (BTIPS) pageants, people interested in stepping up to become leaders in BTMI/BTWI, and people wishing to help plan the 2017 BTAC national conference.

At a time in which right wing politicians are attacking the trans community and bald face lying to deny our existence combined with faux faith based resistance to our trans lives, events like BTAC are critical to building self esteem, and meeting and bonding with other trans people from around the world.    We were blessed at this year's event to have trans people from Brazil and Jamaica attend this year, and that's one pattern I hope continues for BTAC

Events like these regional summits help them get the word out about the conference and hopefully get people to come and check it out.

The 2017 BTAC Conference that will take place in Dallas April 24-30 is now in its 6th year, and is setting a goal of breaking its attendance record set earlier this year of 150 participants.

So hope that you can attend one of the regional summits when it comes you way, and even better, if you can attend the BTAC national conference that is now just eight months away from happening.

BTAC 2017 Keynote Speaker Nominations

BTAC 2017 will be here before we know it, and one of the cool things about this conference is there is space made for community input for some of the events like the Awards Gala and the keynote speakers.

The nominations for 2017 keynote speakers have opened, and BTAC is looking for trans masculine and trans feminine nominees to do their keynotes for the conference that is set to happen April 24-30.

Who Will Be Your Next Keynote Speaker? BTAC 2017 National Keynote Speaker Nominations NOW OPEN for trans, transmen, transwomen!!!

If you or someone you know would be a great candidate for this opportunity, please nominate them today. The deadline to submit keynote speaker nominations is October 30, 2016.

Here's the link to nominate your candidates for BTAC 2017 keynotes.

2017 BTAC Conference Dates Announced

You have read my posts about the Black Trans Advocacy Conference and talk about all the amazing things that happen while we're there at this rapidly growing event.   And I'm not bragging about it simply because it happens in my home state.  

It's more like a family reunion than a conference, and it doesn't hurt for me that it happens close to my birthday.

The dates for the 2017 BTAC have been announced, and the sixth annual edition of it will be held from April 24-30, 2017 at the Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria 14901 Dallas Parkway   The Dallas Galleria is in easy shuttle range along with a plethora of various dining options in the area

Loved the host hotel, its friendly staff, and its amenities.  

And that's before we even start talking about the BTAC conference itself with its keynotes, community summit, seminars, the Mr and Ms Black Trans Pageant, Trans manifest, the awards gala, the Black Diamond Ball and the Family Fun Day attended by your trans siblings from

Whether you stay for the entire empowering week or just do a few days of it, BTAC is waiting to welcome you with open arms for a unique Afrocentric conference experience open to all..

If you need more info about it, dial 855-255-8636 for more information.  Watch these TransGriot electronic pages for more info about registration and programming as that 2016 date gets closer  

Can We Talk 4 Real Podcast Tonight Featuring BTAC

Later tonight myself and BTAC CEO Carter Brown will be chatting with the award winning Can We Talk 4 Real podcast duo of Michelle and Terri Boi about the just completed Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas.

BTAC just celebrated its fifth anniversary and an amazing week in the Lone Star State, and we'll be discussing what happened at #BTAC2016   To become part of the conversation, you can dial 347-215-8985 and press 1 to take part in tonight's conversation.

The Can We Talk 4 real podcast featuring Carter and the birthday girl will start at 8:30 PM EDT-7:30 PM CDT, and hope you will join us for this sure to be informative and amazing conversation. 

Why BTAC Is Necessary

We weren't even 24 hours past the end of a megasuccessful BTAC 2016 conference when some loud and wrong trans feminine agent provocateur who shall remain nameless attacked the event.

I don't believe in saying nothing to ignorant trolls, I believe in confronting their idiocy head on because not confronting their ignorance leads to the incorrect assumption in the court of public opinion there is a grain of truth in their loud and wrong assertions.

I get the opportunity to go to many national and regional conferences throughout the year, and the one I look forward to every year ever since I first attended it in 2013 is the Black Trans Advocacy Conference when I was tapped to be its first ever trans feminine keynote speaker.

I have been blessed to watch this conference grow exponentially to the point that it is starting to get the attention it deserves as a major conference and draw interest from international attendees as a result.

BTAC is necessary for the same reasons that the Transsistahs-Transbrothas Conference in Louisville was necessary in 2004-2005.  In a LGBT conference world that is overwhelmingly white, grounded in and predominately caters to whiteness, and oriented toward the lesbian and gay end of the TBLGIQ alphabet, we must have spaces for trans persons of color grounded in our culture that celebrate themselves, our trans identities and discuss issues from that perspective.

I can recall being at Southern Comfort in 1999, 2000 and 2004, and you could count the number of Black trans people on two hands.  That's unacceptable in a city like Atlanta that prides itself on being the Black GLBT Mecca and lonely.   While I appreciated the opportunity to meet many of the trans leaders at the time, there were still times I needed to talk about Trailblazing Transitioning While Black with others going through what I was experiencing.

Being a Black trans person is a different transition road and set of circumstances to travel to be our authentic selves, and comes with a set of problems that our white trans counterparts in many cases don't have to contemplate.

When we toss in the issues of Black trans people across the African Diaspora, those issues become even more complex as we American based Black folks now have to expand our horizons beyond our own borders to factor in the issues that affect our African descended trans siblings in the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and the African continent.

In addition to having a conference like the Black Trans Advocacy Conference that is positioning itself to be that bridge over the Diaspora, it's nice to be in a space that celebrates all aspects of your Afrocentric personality and is an unapologetically Black one.  It's one in which intergenerational and intersectional learning takes place not only in our seminars, but in our rooms, the hospitality suites, and when we have lunch or dinner.  .

It's also cathartic and vital that we be able to have family no holds barred conversations in which we don't have to feel as if we have to censor ourselves because white allies are in the room.  

BTAC has the feel of a family reunion because frankly, it IS one.  Besides the fact it falls on or close to my birthday, I know it's going to be one of the few conferences I attend in which my culture is embraced, centered and celebrated  (NBJC's OUT On The Hill is the other one).

I have heard and seen in my last four years people who enter the BTAC host hotel with skepticism, and leave it crying after the closing brunch or upset because they can't stay for the whole event.  It's one in which I got introduced to many of my Black trans brothers, and it's one of the few spaces in which I walk around and they spoil me and the other trans sisters rotten.  .

BTAC has spawned relationships and now two marriages, and fostered the growth of solid friendships and working relationships.  It honors people for their work to advance the rights of our entire community when they have yet to get that recognition from the trans community at large.

And BTAC is a conference that affirms daily that you are loved, worthy of being loved, and have much to contribute to our community and the world.

As Kwame Ture once stated, 'In order to participate in the greater society, you must first close ranks'  What that means is in order for Black trans people to become a stronger and more potent intersectional partner, we have collective internal community building work we have to do to make us the best people we can be individually and collectively. The Black Trans Advocacy Conference is one of the places where we do that collective community building work, with the idea that it will lead to a better, stronger, more cohesive trans community.

And that's why BTAC is needed and necessary. .  .

Moni's Post BTAC 2016 Thoughts

I'm back at Casa de Monica after spending an amazing week hanging with my chosen family at the 2016 edition of the Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas.

It was the fifth anniversary edition of this event, and it was a week in which I got to share the same space with old friends and make acquaintances with new cis and trans friends from around the country and increasingly the world.  This year we had attendees from Brazil and Jamaica, and I hope we continue to draw more people from the African Diaspora to the Black Trans Advocacy Conference..

It's an event that has the feel of a giant family reunion, but it's one in which we get to learn, laugh and love each other in a world that is being stirred up for crass political reasons to become more irrationally hostile to all trans people.  

It was sad we had to spend time putting out a press release condemning Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) for pimping anti-trans hate in the Lone Star State mere hours before our conference kicked off..

But we refused to let the transphobic devils suck the joy out of this conference.

BTAC is a gigantic raised clenched Black fist debunking the notion that Black trans people don't exist.  It is the middle finger to all those who would seek to harm and oppress us.  It is an unapologetically Black trans focused space and conference that is also welcome to all who wish to attend and hang with us.  

BTAC is your family beckoning to those of you to come, get your hug and the welcoming love you deserve that the world and at times your own blood families fail to properly give you at times.  It's having fun and enjoying each other's company whether we are in the host hotel or out and about in the world trying to legislate us out of existence.

It's where we went to the correct bathrooms for an entire week and nothing happened in this hotel except us pooping, peeing and washing our hands when we were done.

It's remembering our ancestors who paved the way, the people we've lost, and the folks who wanted to be there but circumstances kept them away from us this time.  Know that you are loved by your BTAC family, we missed you at BTAC 2016, and hope you're blessed to be with us in 2017.

BTAC is where you can unapologetically be your fabulous Black trans selves.  It's sharing a meal with people who are like you and allies who unconditionally support us..  It's displaying your talent at TransManifest Live.  It's strutting your stuff on the Black Diamond Ball runway as you get tens across the board from the judges.  It's being crowned the king and queen of the BTIPS pageant system by last year's royalty.

It's exchanging information, hugs and heartfelt stories not only in the seminars but as you chill in each others rooms, in the hospitality suite or in the lobby area with other hotel guests and staff.  It's celebrating the start of love connections made at past and this year's BTAC conference.

It's getting dressed up for the Awards Gala and being recognized by your BTAC family for the work you do not only inside the organization, but to advance the human rights of our entire community even if the rest of the world ignores your substantive contributions to doing so.

BTAC is where your voice matters and you get to role model the change you wish to see in the world.

It's also a conference in which peeps find out I write and spit spoken word poetry, can step up my fashion game when necessary, I don't bite when you approach me to say hello, I have a wicked sense of humor, and I play a take no prisoners trash talking game of dominoes while others are doing the same thing when they play whatever card game du jour that is going on at the time.

You have been warned for next year, peeps thinking about coming to challenge the Queen of the Dominoes table. And if it hadn't been raining too hard Tuesday night, y'all would've found out I can bowl.

And trans haters, it's where we gleefully blow up your lies about what it means to be an unapologetically Black trans person or an unapologetic ally to our community..

It's also a conference in which by the time it reached the closing brunch on Sunday, I and everyone else there is sad it's over.

We are all painfully aware as we gather together one last time for that closing brunch it will be another 365 days before we're blessed to be in the company of these amazing people we've spent a fab week with in the same BTAC space

And this year I missed the brunch because I had to leave early to catch my 2:50 PM Megabus back to Houston.  I and Dee had to depressingly watch as everyone else attending it got dropped off by the hotel shuttle bus at Blue Mesa and we stayed on enroute to DART's Addison Transit Center.

So yes, while BTAC 2016 is one for the history books, already looking forward to next year, and hope those of you who missed it this year will join us for BTAC 2017. .

And when the date and location for BTAC 2017 is announced, you will definitely see it on these TransGriot pages.

BTAC 2016 Final Day Highlights

Our week in Dallas for the Black Trans Advocacy Conference ended far too soon, and now we'll have to say goodbye to each other until next year.

BTAC 2016 has been an amazing event.   In its fifth anniversary year, we moved to a new hotel and broke our attendance record.  We had far more first time attendees this year and international attendees from Brazil and Jamaica..

The international attendees is a pattern I personally love and want to see continue.  The international attendees expand and add another level to the discussions we're having when it comes to being Black and trans.

For those of us who are still in the DFW area or at the hotel, we get the chance to meet up at Blue Mesa for our Farewell Brunch starting at 12 noon CDT.  We talk about the amazing week we had, share one last meal together, and lay some organizational groundwork for BTAC 2017.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to miss it since my Megabus is leaving for Houston at 2:50 PM, but I'll be thinking about everyone on the ride back down to my end of I-45 and eagerly anticipating the dates for BTAC 2017

BTAC 2016 Day 4 Highlights

All hail our new Black Trans International Pageant royalty that was crowned last night in Taliyah Cassadine and Dane Ray who will be repping the BTIPS system for 2016.

Darn this BTAC week week is going by so fast.

Today is our last full day of seminars with our main event being the Black Trans Advocacy Awards Gala starting at 8 PM.  I also get to find out who receives the award named for moi along with the others being passed out tonight..

BTAC 2016 Day 3 Highlights

Enjoyed doing my Black Trans History 101 panel and being part of the Black Trans Community Summit with Tela Love, Justice Williams and Louis Mitchell.

Also witnessed an amazing display of talent at TransManifest last night that included singers, lip sync, several spoken word performances, and a rapper.

It's Thursday at #BTAC2016.   The highly anticipated events taking place today are the keynote speeches by Mister Cris and Dora Santana and later tonight, the Mr. and Ms. Black Trans International pageants at 7 PM in which the new BTAC royalty will be crowned to represent us..

There will also be two morning blocks and an afternoon block of seminar programming to fill out the rest of this third day of Black Trans Advocacy Conference programming..

BTAC 2016 Day 2 Highlights

The first full day of BTAC 2016 seminars starts at 9:15 AM CDT.   We'll also have the BTAC Career Clinic and the opening of the vendor area.

Th topics of the seminars in the AM block are 'Creating Healthy Masculinity', 'Ways Of Coping With Stress', 'Gaining and Maintaining Employment For Trans People', 'Behind The Scenes Pageantry Preparation On and Off Stage' and 'Life Choices'.

I'm moderating one on Black Trans History at 2:15 PM as part of the Black Trans Community Summit, with Part 2 starting at 3:30 PM will be a round table discussion on issues of importance to our community.  

For those of you wishing you were here in Dallas with us,  you can check out the days events at the hashtag #BTAC2016.

This day closes with Trans Manifest Live starting at 9 PM

BTAC Condemns Lt Gov. Patrick`s Call For TX Anti-Trans Hate Law

The 2016 edition of the Black Trans Advocacy Conference kicked off in Dallas today, but attendees were dismayed to hear that Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) signaled during a press conference that he would be supportive of a HB 2 style hate bill in the Lone Star State.  It`s not surprising since Patrick supported and contributed to the HERO repeal forces.  

The Black Trans Advocacy Conference this afternoon issued a statement condemning Lt Governor Patrick`s comments attempt to peddle anti trans hatred in Texas.

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The Black Trans Advocacy Conference condemns Lt. Governor Dan Patrick`s statement that he would support removing human rights protections for all Texans with an HB2 style bill.

We find it particularly egregious that you would cynically use hatred of trans people to do so in an election year.

"I fail to understand why our lieutenant governor would wish to take this regressive step backward," said BTAC executive director Carter Brown. "Trans Texans are your neighbors, business owners, employees, taxpayers, family members,  husbands, wives, and people raising children."

"It is time to move Texas forward, not follow North Carolina down the divisive, economy destroying nouveau Jim Crow path they wish to take our beloved state."

BTAC 2016 Day 1 Highlights

Been waiting for this day since I left Dallas last year after the conclusion of last year's conference to go back to my end of I-45.   It's now time for the 5th annual Black Trans Advocacy Conference, and we're doing so from a new hotel, the Marriott Dallas/Addison Quorum after two years at the Doubletree Campbell Center.

New hotel means we have a new area of town to learn in terms of what is available nearby, and one in terms of how it's laid out.

We get started at 1 PM CDT with our opening plenary session and orientation, with our first seminar of BTAC 2016 starting at 2:30 PM entitled 'Sharing The Light Of Love Through Spirituality' with presented Jade Lenore.

At 7 PM will be the BTAC 2016 Opening Ceremony followed at 8:15 PM by a Grand Akanni for the brothers and masculine identified attendees moderated by BTAC CEO Carter Brown and a Grand Ayombi for the ladies and feminine identified attendees moderated by BTWI's Dee Dee Watters.

And if the weather holds up, at 10 PM we're going bowling tonight at Bowlmor Lanes..      .

You can also follow the action at #BTAC2016.

In The BTAC 2016 House!

Hey Dallas, Moni's on your end of I-45 until Sunday for the 5th annual Black Trans Advocacy Conference and Awards Gala starting today and running until May 1

 It's my fourth one since 2013 when I was honored to be the first trans feminine person to do a keynote when they opened the conference to trans feminine participation.  .

This year's 2016 keynote speeches will be delivered given by Dora Santana and Mister Cris, and y'all still have time to join us for all the fun.

Since it falls so close to my May 4 birthday, I treat BTAC like an extended birthday celebration, since my birthdays the last few years have tended to be quiet contemplative days.

But back to talking about this year's edition of BTAC.   This year we are at a new hotel, the Dallas Addison Marriott Quorum at the Galleria, after several years at the Doubletree Campbell Center.  I loved the old hotel because it had a Whataburger and 7-Eleven in easy walking distance and it was literally on the DART Orange and  Red light rail lines.  The West Coasters liked it for the Inn-and Out Burger that was up the street.

A new hotel means we have a new neighborhood and part of the Metroplex to explore and find out what amenities are nearby. We trade North Park Mall for the Dallas Galleria and being closer to DFW Airport instead of Love Field.  If Louis Mitchell makes it again this year, he's probably going to love the new hotel because of the Starbucks in the lobby.

The one thing that doesn't change is the the Trans Manifest, the Black Trans Advocacy Pageants, our Awards Gala, the Black Diamond Ball and our Family Fun Day and Reunion Picnic.

BTAC also provides me and all its attendees the chance to network, hang out with my trans siblings, their supportive family members and our supportive allies.  It's reuniting with old friends, making new ones, and discussing during this week what we need to do to be the change we wish to be in the world.

Going to be an interesting next few days.