BTWI Statement On The Trans Murders In Dallas and Atlanta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2018
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding National DirectorDee Dee Watters BTWI Board Chair 
855-255-8636 Ext 11media@blacktranswomen.org

We at Black Transwomen, Inc are dismayed and saddened about the murders of our trans siblings occuring in our headquarters city of Dallas, TX and in Atlanta, GA where we have a BTMI chapter.

Our condolences and warm thoughts go out to the friends and families of Carla Patrica Flores-Pavon, the still unidentified Black trans sister whose body was pulled out of White Rock Creek on May 12, and Nino Fortson.

The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office is still working to ascertain the cause of death for our unidentified sibling, and once that is determined we will pass that information along as quickly as we receive it.

We also mourn the untimely passing of our Latinx sister Carla Pavon, and thank Ana Andrea Molina and the Organizacion Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT) for the opportunity to be present at the vigil organized by OLTT for Ms Pavon at the Cathedral of Hope on May 13.

Ms. Pavon was the ninth trans person we have lost to anti-trans violence in the US, and we join OLTT in expressing our desire for the swift capture, prosecution, and punishment of the person who killed Carla so that justice can be served for her family and all who loved her.   

BTWI leadership has been working in close cooperation with the Dallas Police Department to help get accurate information out as expeditiously as possible in these cases.  We are diligently working to ensure that we identify our sister so that the investigation into her death can commence and the perpetrator can be brought to justice. 

In Nino Fortson's case, there are many members of our Atlanta BTMI-BTWI family who knew Nino  personally and are devastated after hearing the news of his tragic May 13 murder.

Fortson was unfortunately the tenth trans person and first trans masculine person killed in 2018, and we mourn his loss as well.   Our transmen also face anti-trans violence aimed at them, and his murder is an unfortunate reinforcement of that reality. 

We at BTWI along with our BTMI brothers in Atlanta and beyond are hoping that the perpetrator of our fallen brother's May 13 murder is swiftly captured and punished for his crime.

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. 

    

Black Trans Advocacy Statement Concerning The Trump Trans Military Service Ban

TransGriot Note:  The BTA statement concerning the reinstatement of the trans military service ban

Black Trans Advocacy is saddened to hear that President Donald Trump is continuing the Republican assault on the humanity and human rights of transgender Americans by reinstating the ban on trans military service that was rescinded by the Obama Administration just last year.

What we find particularly odious about this is that it was done exactly 69 years to the day in 1948 that president Harry S Truman issues his executive order desegregating the US military.

There are 15,500 trans people serving in our military, and many of them are doing so with distinction. In addition, the RAND Corporation study done on the costs of transition related medical care at only $2.4 to $8.4 million, a miniscule amount considering the entire military health care budget is $7.8 billion dollars.

It was past time to allow qualified trans people who met the requirements for service in our armed forces to be able to do so.  Some of those people who have or are serving in the US military are part of our Black trans family.

We at Black Trans Advocacy hope that this misguided decision is reversed as soon as possible.  

Black Trans Advocacy Statement Concerning The Senate Passage Of SB 3

TransGriot Note: The BTA Statement concerning the passage of SB 3

Black Trans Advocacy is not shocked to see our Republican controlled Texas Senate continue their misguided and reprehensible attack on the humanity and human rights of transgender Texans via the Lois Kolkhorst authored SB 3.

This unjust bill passed out of committee on an 8-1 vote July 21 and in the Senate yesterday by a 21-10 margin after 8 hours of debate.   Last Friday Texans including our Mr Black Trans International king Trenton Johnson by a 12-1 margin expressed themselves via personal appearance in Austin to deliver in person testimony or sent  written testimony to the Senate State Affairs Committee urging them not to pass the unjust SB 3 or SB 91 bills authored by Kolkhorst.

We thank Sen Sylvia Garcia who isn't a member of Senate State Affairs, but sat through the nearly 11 hours of testimony given on that bill, and Sen Judith Zaffirini who was the lone NO vote in committee.

We thank the ten Senate Democrats who stood up for the humanity and human rights of transgender Texans, and condemn Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr for disingenuously lying during the debate to claim he has never voted for discrimination while joining all 20 Senate Republicans to enable discrimination against trans Texans. .

Yes senator, you did vote for discrimination back in March when you voted to pass SB 6 out of committee and then did so on the Senate floor.

We urge House Speaker Joe Straus and the members of the House State Affairs Committee to do the right thing for our state and kill this legislative abomination before it costs us more convention business beyond the $66 million we have already lost.  

We at Black Trans Advocacy would also like to see this SB 3 bill die before we lose any more Texas trans women to anti-trans animus.

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   

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.

Back In H-town From BTAC 2014

Well, finally back in Houston after a memorable BTAC 2014 weekend for me.

I couldn't attend the entire conference because of the pressing HERO business here, but did make up for lost time after my arrival in Dallas Thursday night.

Friday afternoon an amazing Black sisterhood discussion co-facilitated by Espy Brown and myself happened in which the cis and trans women in the room talked about the issues and concerns that concern us.  

That discussion needed another hour but it brought major insights to how both sides see things and hopefully helped pave the way for friendships to form. It was also the beginning of giving our cis sisters the knowledge they need to be better advocates for us when they end up in situations in which they have to quickly and confidently check other transphobic women.   

We also left that session in agreement that trans women are women and we both need to be doing a better job of working together.  It's a discussion we'll probably do again at a future BTAC event.

The community town hall immediately followed.  A tell it like it T-I-S is discussion moderated by Tiq Milan in which we discussed a wide range of issues impacting our community.

Several hours later at the Advocacy Awards Banquet, we got to enjoy a performance by KOKUMO and Dr. KRZ, Louis Mitchell and I were in the Skyline Ballroom to personally hand out the awards named for us   And did I mention all those handsome brothers, their lovely significant others and our allies in semiformal attire?

And who won the Monica Roberts Black Trans Advocacy Award for this year?    Tiq Milan. 

Houston represented this year (as usual).  Major shout out to Dee Dee Watters for winning a well deserved Newcomer of the Year Award and Tye West who was also honored during the Friday banquet.  

Always good to see my Dallas peeps Omar Narvaez, Rafael McDonnell, Katy Stewart, Nell Gaither and my homegirl Arianna Lint who did double duty with us and LULAC.

Saturday was Fun Day, and as we pulled out of the hotel on another clear and cloudless day enroute to Camp El Har Stevie Wonder's classic song Fun Day was playing in my head, and that exactly what it was.

A fun day to laugh, play games, and get away from the hotel for  few hours while building community before we moved into the screening of the movie Shirts and Skins, the TransManifest and the Black Diamond Ball

I did get to read two of my poems for TransManifest.   One of them was the fave poem of the BTAC fam and a request from Auset O'Neal entitled Y'all Love Madea But Hate on Me' and the other was 'Bathroom Trans Hate'.

And just as quickly as BTAC 2014 begun, it was over.  I hate I missed the early days of it, but the closing service on my birthday was a nice way to tie everything together and send us on our way back to our various parts of the country renewed, refreshed and ready to do the work necessary to continue the Black Trans Renaissance and build our community..

See y'all next year BTAC fam, and hopefully for the entire event.