BTAC 2014-Day One

I'll be heading up I-45 to it on Thursday, but today was also the first day of the Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas running through May 4.   That means I'll actually get to do something on my birthday weekend besides sitting at the house

And it's still not too late for you peeps in easy driving range of Dallas to come join us at the Doubletree Campbell Center.

Yep, I'll be hangin' with my transpeeps starting late Thursday night.   But while I'm handling some business and tying up loose ends here in Houston so I can take off for the weekend,  the Grand Akanni led by BTAC founding co-chairs chairs Carter and Espy Brown will happen followed by the BTAC Family Social.

Darn, I hate I'm missing that. 


I'm also missing Day 2 and the first day of workshops that commence at 9:15 AM tomorrow.  

The April 30 day's events will be capped off by the Imagine One Humanity - Interfaith spiritual revival service led by Pastor Deneen Robinson, Min. Carmarian Anderson, Rev. Alex Byrd, Min Kaleb Elijah and Auset O'Neal    

Day 3 will bring us into May and more thought provoking seminars.  It will also feature the keynote speeches of Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler, Arianna Lint, and Ignacio Rivera.   That evening's event will be the Mr. and Miss Black Trans International Pageant.

Day 4 on May 2 is why I'll be there in full effect.   I have a Black Sisterhood panel I'm doing with Espy Brown and the Black Trans Community Summit before we move into the Black Trans Advocacy Awards Gala. 


Day 5 (May 3) is Family Health and Fun Day featuring the first annual Kye Allums 3 on 3 basketball tournament and BTMI Club Harlem.   

BTAC 2014 closes on my Cuatro de Mayo birthday with an interfaith service and closing ceremony and a luncheon before we all head back to our lives.  

I'll just be a year older than when I arrived in Dallas.

 

BTAC Needs Support, Too

We are rapidly closing on the April 29-May 4 dates for the third annual Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas, and I'm looking forward to seeing my trans peeps and our allies there at the Doubletree Campbell Center.    But I was bothered by this e-mail that was shared on the BTAC page.

Email response to invitation to BTA Awards.
_______________________
"I don't know why I am receiving these e-mails. I am a transwoman, but I am white. I am sure that I wouldn't be welcome at you Gala in May." ________________________

You Are Sure of it?????My friends, racism exist. We are here to help end it! We get so much of this but on this one, we are sharing it so that we can grow from it together.

It is not racist to affirm black and trans identity. IT IS racist if you don't support it and exclude yourself from programming based on the affirmation of race. Please know that Affirming Black and Trans Identity, Black Trans Community Organizing, Black Trans Advocacy is a GREAT thing and takes us all to support for full equality to exist. Our goal is to obtain full equality and to become instruments of social change. If you support equality, make it a priority to get involved. It is counterproductive of our cause if you exclude yourself from our programming. All are invited, welcomed, needed and loved. One Earth. One People. One Love. #btac2014  

The point I'm going to make in this post is that the Black Trans Advocacy Conference needs support, too.  

Just as you would like for me and the rest of the non-white trans community to support events like Southern Comfort, First Event, and countless other regional conferences and panel discussions that you organize that don't reflect our culture or at times the issues of importance in our communities, we expect reciprocal treatment when we organize or host events such as BTAC that may not reflect yours. 

If we don't see your face in the Doubletree Campbell Center place because you incorrectly assumed as a white trans person you're not wanted at BTAC,  how else are you going to learn about the issues that affect my community, meet some of the people who are working to tackle and solve those problems, and have substantive conversations with the people who are our Black trans leaders? 

You're going to miss this year's keynote speeches from Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler and Cheryl Courtney Evans.  You'll miss the Black Diamond Ball in which awards to our community's heroes and sheroes will be handed out.  You'll miss the tell it like it T-I-S is commentary in our town halls and panel discussions.

And you'll miss a golden opportunity to network with not only people in our community, but our allies who do show up to support the BTAC and help us get our learn on.  

And you'll miss your chance to settle what is sure to be one of the big BTAC conference debates.  Which burger is better, In-N-Out or Whataburger? 

FYI, there's an In-N-Out burger location just up the North Central Expressway feeder from the hotel.    

I said in this post and will repeat and remix this salient point for your reading pleasure:  Having strong, confident, politically aware and vibrant Black, Latin@, Asian-Pacific trans communities telling our stories strengthens the entire pink, white and blue flag waving trans community as a whole.  It also strengthens our various non-white cis and SGL communities and any other one we choose to ally with. 

We trans people of color would rather work together to build community with our white trans brothers and sisters and our cis, bi  and SGL allies to advance our common goal of human rights for all.  But we are no longer doing so as disrespected, enfeebled junior partners   

It has become necessary for us in the second decade of the 21st century to have conferences like BTAC in order to discuss the issues that ail our community, learn, network, reconnect with each other, come up with solutions, and own our power so that we can permanently solve those problems.   

We're just doing the same thing the white trans community has done since the late 80's-early 90's.   The Black trans community didn't say you COULDN'T come, and neither did the BTAC organizers.   We want as many peeps at BTAC as possible because we are exceedingly proud of this now three year old conference, want it to grow and want to show it off to the world. 

The fact it's in a blue oasis in my red soon to be purple home state with a rich trans history makes it even more important it survive and thrive . So assuming you wouldn't be welcome at BTAC is not only asinine, but problematic.       

The bottom line is that stronger non-white trans communities benefit the ENTIRE pink, white and blue flag waving trans community.   The sooner you get that point, the sooner we can move trans human rights forward in our nation and around the world  

See you at the Doubletree Campbell Center next month.  

Congratulations Omar!

The Lone Star State as you know has some fantastic activists living in its 268,561 sq. miles of territory and in the 16 years I've been involved in the TBLG human rights fight I've gotten to meet and know a few of them.

One of the people I have the pleasure of talking to from time to time is Omar Narvaez.

Omar is based in the Dallas area, is the former president of the Stonewall Democrats of Texas and is the community educator for Lambda Legal’s south central regional office in Big D. 

Narvaez made a little history when he was sworn in February 26 as the first openly gay trustee of the Dallas County School Board.    The DCSB governs the 14 school districts in Dallas County and has three countywide positions and four district seats that align with the Dallas County Commissioners Court

The DCSB's primary job is providing services for the Dallas County ISD's in the areas of transportation and information technology, as well as continuing education for teachers.

“It’s not a well-known seat, but it’s one that affects the entire county as far as schools go and ISDs,” he said in a Dallas Voice interview, adding he’s excited to focus on a position that affects youth. “They are the most important entity for our future.”

Narvaez is serving out the remaining DCSB term of trustee Maricela Moore, who resigned from it in January.  That term expires in May 2015 and he has yet to decide if he is going to run for reelection on the DCSB.  

He is also quite aware of the fact that he is now one of the few openly gay officials in Dallas County.  It is a short but distinguished list that includes Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons and 116th Judicial District Court Judge Tonya Parker.

“There’s not a lot of us, but at the same time we are putting ourselves out there, and our orientation does not deter us from running for office,” Narvaez said.

Congratulations Omar!   Knowing you, you'll have no problem focusing on being the best person on the DCSB.  The children in those 14 Dallas County ISD's couldn't have a better advocate for them.
   

BTAC 2014 Registration And Call For Proposals

The 2014 Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas from April 29-May 4 at the Hilton DoubleTree Campbell Center is rapidly approaching.   It's time for you trans and gender non-conforming individuals, family, friends and community allies to accept the BTAC conference invitation to gather, educate, learn, build and grow together in unity.  

The clock is ticking, so it's time to get busy and get registered for this third annual conference that is free for all registered guests to attend as long as you do so before April 1, 2014.   After that date all registrations will be processed onsite at the conference hotel and carry a $10 processing fee.

The BTAC 2014 theme is "One Earth. One People. One Love."  BTAC is inviting trans and gender non-conforming individuals and our family, friends and community allies to gather, educate, learn, build and grow together in unity.

BTAC 2014 has also issued a Call for Proposals with proposals due on January 5, 2014.   So if you have an idea for a conference proposal, need to get it in by clicking this link before this deadline.   

If you're looking for more information or an opportunity to sponsor this conference, you can inquire about how to do so by emailing btac@blacktrans.org 

Black Trans Advocacy
3530 Forest Lane Suite 312C
Dallas, TX 75234
(855) 255-8636

And yes, if you have some spare change like $5's, $10's, $20's (or more if you're feeling generous)  burning a hole in your pocket, you can make a tax deductible donation since it is a 501c3 organization.
   

November 22, 1963

Today is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas. 

Unlike my parents and others old enough to remember exactly where they were and what happened on that day, I was just a mere 18 months old. 

Whatever knowledge I have of what happened on that day comes from not only talking to family peeps and relatives old enough to live through that day, but watching newsreels, video, documentaries and reading the history books about the Kennedy presidency. 

Since I have relatives in Dallas and we frequently did vacation trips up I-45, I have actually seen Dealey Plaza, the Texas School Book Depository, the Grassy Knoll and the Kennedy memorial there.




That moment altered the American history timeline.   We know President Kennedy was in Dallas as part of a political tour to shore up Texas in advance of his presidential reelection bid in 1964.  

There's also been endless speculation about what a Kennedy second term might have looked like had the fateful decision to remove the bubble top on the presidential limo not been made.
 
One thing we can probably conclude would be correct is that the Civil Right Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 probably wouldn't have happened as quickly.

But then again, we'll never know, just like 50 years later we still don't have definitive answers on exactly what happened on this date to one beloved president and a Democratic party hero.

Janette Tovar Murder Anniversary Update

On October 16 we passed the one year anniversary of the death of 43 year old Janette Tovar of Dallas, who died of blunt force trauma to the head after she was assaulted by her then 26 year old partner Jonathan Scott Kenney.

Kenney was arrested and charged for the murder of Tovar, but I haven't as of this writing found any evidence of a trial date being set for Kenney in this case or if he has been convicted of it.

I'll have to talk to my sources in the Dallas area to find out what's going on in the Tovar case since it's been a year and I'd like to know myself what's going on.  

The Facebook page set up in her memory by her niece Layla was updated on what would have been Janette's birthday on August 31 and has a recent post dated September 15.

It points out what I've stated before.  Trans murders have impacts far beyond just the individual whose life was taken.  It has ripple effects in the lives of countless other people who knew and loved the person as well. 

RIP Janette, and may you expeditiosly receive justice. 

Countdown To BTAC 2014 Has Begun!

It's official people, the countdown to the BTAC 2014 event April 29-May 4 in Dallas has officially begun.

It's going to be bigger, badder and better than last year, and I;m not saying that because me and Kylar Broadus were the keynote speakers for it and  got awards named for us along with Minister Louis Mitchell and Dr Kortney Ryan Ziegler.

BTAC 2014 is quickly becoming a must attend event in our community, and with the hotel reservations now opening up the block of rooms reserved for it will quickly sell out so get busy reserving them now at the Double Tree Campbell Center

BTAC will help facilitate Room Share again this year and as I've already mentioned in a previous post about it, the last day of it is my birthday.  .

Stay tuned for more details about BTAC 2014 as I receive them and hope to see you in Dallas this spring..  

Federal Reserve Bank Of Dallas Refuses To Add Trans Protections

Over the last several years we have had governmental entities and colleges and universities all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area add sexual orientation and gender identity language to their non discrimination statements or employment policies.

The Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas, which has branches in San Antonio, Houston and El Paso, has employment protections for sexual orientation in its non discrimination policy but is refusing to add gender identity language to it.

What's up with that FRB of Dallas?

Rafael O'Donnell, the Communications and Advocacy Manager of Resource Center Dallas sent a letter in June requesting a meeting with FRB Dallas representatives to discuss adding gender identity and expression protections, to which he received an email declining a meeting. After an email response that went unanswered, McDonnell sent a second letter in August, but received no response. He then sent a follow-up email in September. that has gone unanswered.

Tyrone Gholson, the senior Vice President of FRB Dallas not only has not responded to McDonnell's request for a meeting, he has also not answered the Dallas Voice's request for comments concerning this issue. 

“It’s baffling,” McDonnell said in a Dallas Voice interview about the process. “Other branches of the Federal Reserve Bank offer fully inclusive employment protections. Many of the nation’s largest commercial banks offer full LGBT employment protections. To be dismissed in an email, without responding to other attempts to contact, makes me wonder how truly committed FRB Dallas is to inclusively.”

Same here, especially when other governmental entities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area do so. 

So you know what that means TransGriot readers.  Time to be agents of our own liberation once again.

Respectfully call Mr. Gholson at 214-922-6000 or hit up his email address  tyrone.gholson@dal.frb.org and encourage him and FRB of Dallas CEO Richard Fisher to add trans employment protections to their policies as expeditiously as possible. 

DART Board Votes To Extends Domestic Partner Benefits!

It's been in the works for over a year and was delayed another few weeks by a walkout during the September 25 DART board meeting by members Michael Cheney (representing Garland) and Randall Chrisman (representing Carrollton, Irving) just as the issue was about to come up for a final vote.

The Cheney and Chrisman walkout denied the 15 member board a quorum and forced a delay of the final vote  until the October DART board meeting.    

But at last night's DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) board meeting my TBLG peeps and allies in North Texas got to celebrate their delayed major victory when the DART board voted 10-3 to extend health care benefits to the domestic partners of unmarried DART employees. 

Translation: that also extends them to SGL couples. 

We unfortunately have had since 2005 one of those odious marriage bans contaminating the Texas Constitution, so the words "same-sex partners" are not used in this DART policy because Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) says the state does not recognize same-sex partnerships.  

DART's new policy was crafted with a major assist from Rafael McDonnell, the Communications and Advocacy Manager of Resource Center Dallas.and strikes a balance between Abbott's unjust rulings and the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act.    

The new DART policy takes effect in January and is a “one-plus” plan that will allow a DART employee to cover one unrelated adult in his or her household.

The unrelated adult cannot be eligible for health benefits through the government or another employer, and the person added must prove that he or she has lived with the DART employee for at least one year.

"This is an issue of fairness and competition," McDonnell said in an interview. "It sends a signal to future DART employees that this is a place that values you regardless of who you are and who you love."

Omar Narvaez echoed the feelings of many people supporting the measure and said the passage was a long time coming.

"This has probably been the most overly examined, low cost issue in DART history," Narvaez said  North Texas area TransGriot readers, here's the list of DART board members and how they voted on this domestic partners benefits issue so you know who to properly thank and show some love to. 

For
Richard Carrizales (Dallas)
Jerry Christian (Dallas)
Amanda Moreno Cross (Dallas)
John Danish (Irving)
Pamela Dunlop Gates (Dallas)
Gary Slagel (Addison, Highland Park, Richardson, University Park)
Robert Strauss (Dallas)
William Tsao (Dallas)
William Velasco II (Dallas, Cockrell Hill)
Faye Moses Wilkins (Farmers Branch, Plano)

Against
Michael Cheney (Garland)
Randall Chrisman (Carrollton, Irving)
Mark Enoch (Garland, Glenn Heights, Rowlett)

Absent
Jim Adams (Dallas)
Paul Wageman (Plano)

Congratulations North Texas BTLG family.  This was another win worth celebrating that once again points out to the peeps on I-5 and I-95 that just because you live in a Red state, it doesn't mean that you can't get GLBT human rights stuff passed.

Can't wait to see what y'all pull off on your end of I-45 next. 

BTAC 2014 Call For Proposals

I had such a wonderful time at the second annual BTMI 2013 conference in addition to delivering a keynote speech for it. 

Now that I know the date and location for it, I'm making plans to attend the renamed Black Trans Advocacy Conference 2014 in Dallas, TX from April 30-May 4. 

The third annual event will be at the Doubletree-Campbell Center once again which is on the North Central Expressway near North Park Mall, the DART Orange and Red light rail lines and has shuttle bus service to and from the nearby Park Lane DART light rail station to the hotel.

And oh yeah, did I mention there's an In-N-Out Burger location two blocks south from the hotel on the North Central Expressway feeder?  And yeah Sean, I owe you a reciprocal spades butt licking and will be bringing my dominoes and backgammon case with me, too

I'm mentioning all this stuff because the date for BTAC 2014 is rapidly approaching and the call for proposals is being made for this rapidly growing and eagerly anticipated event taking place in Dallas. 

I'm also curious to see who gets the award named for me after I teach a seminar at BTAC 2014. 

Nice segue into what this post is about, an announcement for you peeps who wish to attend BTAC 2014 can start thinking about your possible seminar presentations when the submissions page goes online.

And yeah, goes without saying the BTAC organizers would like a diverse crowd in attendance, too.  If you want to learn about my Black trans community, need to be at events where we gather and talk about our issues, especially since the 2014 BTAC conference theme is One Earth. One People. One Love     

***

BTAC 2014 Conference Info, Registration, Sponsorship Package & Call for Proposals will be available online October 2013!

Conference Theme:
One Earth. One People. One Love
2014 Workshop Dates: April 30/ May 1/ May 2 / May 3

We are looking for creative and engaging workshop proposals that will help to educate an audience inclusive of the LGBT community about gender, sex, sexuality and social change to help reinforce our BTMI mission of equality, advocacy & empowerment.

We are interested in proposals that are aligned with our conference theme and may cover topics included in our BTMI program areas: Identity, Culture, Religion, Family, Health, Wealth, Careers, Education, Business, Legal, Community and Youth Services.

AUDIENCE

Transmen
Transwomen
Trans Spouse
Trans Aging Adults
Trans & HIV Positive
Trans Masculine (Stud/Butch)
Youth & Family
Trans Ally
Trans*Umbrella

Texas Drag Icon Whitney Paige Dies

We Texans have already dealt with the shocking death of Erica Andrews to a lung infection back in March. 

I'm unfortunately just now finding out the news that another one of our iconic female illusionists in Whitney Paige has passed away .

Whitney was born in Little Rock, AR raised in Tennessee and eventually moved to the DFW area and lived there for over two decades.  The Fort Worth based Paige was nicknamed 'The Eyes Of Texas' for those hypnotic grey eyes of hers. 

While I never met Whitney, I was aware of her as because her career started back in the 80's,   Paige was immensely popular in Dallas, Houston and other parts of the state and in the female illusionist world as the outpouring of grief that ensued after her death was a testament to how beloved she was. 

Paige held a long list of titles that included winning Miss Gay USofA at Large, Miss Gay USofA Classic and most recently Miss Continental Plus 2013 in addition to being a runner up for Entertainer of the Year twice.

Paige passed away June 25 after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer.  A memorial service was held June 30 at Fort Worth's Rainbow Lounge and this memorial video popped up to pay tribute to her as well.

Rest in peace and power, Whitney.  You are going to be missed by all the people who loved you inside and outside the community  

Dallas Observer Amends Problematic LGBT Movers And Shakers List

The Dallas Observer as you probably read here published a problematic Dallas LGBT movers and shakers list of seven people earlier this month that had no ethnic diversity or people on it from the trans, bi or lesbian wing of the community. 

After the TransGriot and a few other people inside and outside the DFW metro area pointed out the original list was melanin and estrogen free in addition to omitting people from the trans, bi and lesbian ends of the  community, three days ago the article was amended

There was this comment from author Alicia Auping in the opening paragraph about it.

Update, July 18: After this post went up a couple weeks back, several people pointed that it was a little -- OK, a lot -- one-dimensional, omitting various demographics of Dallas' vast LGBT rainbow of a community.

So we've added to it. Not every mover or shaker or mover-shaker is included, and you're welcome to suggest the names of people who move and who shake in the comments. But we think it's a better reflection of the community's diversity, which should have been present the first time around.

Indeed.  The persons added from the trans end were Dr. Oliver Blumer and Rev. Carmarion Anderson.  BTMI/BTWI's Carter Brown should have been in this article, too.   On the L end of it Joretta Marshall, Feleshia Porter and Cece Cox were added.  

Still could stand to improve on the ethnic diversity of this rainbow community list, but at least you were listening. Dallas Observer and Ms. Auping.

2014 BTMI/BTWI Conference Dates

We knew when the 2013 edition of this conference came to a close that the location of the 2014 BTMI/BTWI Conference would be in Dallas and it would be held sometime in the spring.

But what we didn't know was which DFW area hotel would earn BTMI/BTWI's 2014 convention business much less the date for next year's event.

Have been advised that the dates for the third annual BTMI/BTWI conference that I had the pleasure of keynoting last year have been determined.

Start making your plans to "Become The Change You Want To See In The World" by heading to the Dallas-Ft Worth area for the third annual BTMI/BTWI conference from April 30-May 4, 2014.

Hmm, that's around my birthday.   As soon as I get the hotel and other details as to when the convention site goes live I'll pass on that information as soon as I receive it.

We had a wonderful time at the 2013 event and BTMI/BTWI promises to be even bigger and better

TransGriot Update:  Been confirmed that the hotel will be the same one as well, the Doubletree Campbell Center. 

Dallas Observer LBGT Movers And Shakers List Has No Trans, Bi Or Lesbian People On It

Received a link from one of my DFW area TransGriot readers to an interesting Dallas Observer article by Alicia Auping that discusses seven LGBT movers and shakers in the Dallas area.

When you peruse the list of seven people named, can you guess what the common thread is?

Yep, the people featured in it were all white gay males.  

The list the Observer put together is not only devoid of ethnic diversity, it is also devoid of people from the trans, bi and lesbian community of Dallas as well.  

Just on the trans end of it you have inaugural Trans 100 honoree and Black Transmen Incorporated (BTMI) founder Carter Brown living in the Dallas city limits.  So does Dr. Oliver Blumer, the board Chair of the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) and Rev. Carmarion Anderson, the South regional minister for the national group TransSaints of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries.

Brown, Dr. Blumer and Rev. Anderson are three highly respected Dallas area trans residents making a difference not only locally but in the Lone Star State and on the national level.  

There's Judge Tonya Parker, the first elected openly gay judge in Dallas County and the first openly gay African-American elected official in the state of Texas that you could have included on this list but didn't. 

There's Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez who was just featured in an HBO documentary.   Dallas based GetEqual activist CD Kirven.  Lambda Legal community educator Omar Narvaez.  Resource Center Dallas CEO Cece Cox.  Patti Fink, the president of the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance, and current co-host of the longest-running LGBT-exclusive radio program in America and Lividia Violette, who is a national board member of Bi Net.  

They are just some of the Dallas area BTL people who are movers and shakers too and should have garnered recognition for their efforts to make Dallas, Texas and the nation a better place.  

But instead, what the Observer did in this article is fall into that troubling pattern of ignoring or erasing the accomplishments of people in the TBLG community who are not white gay males.

If you claim that the LGBT community is a diverse one, it's vitally important that you showcase that diversity especially since not all the members of the rainbow community are white gay males. 

That visibility is also vitally important in a red state like Texas.  When GLBT people of color come out who are trailblazing leaders in the community, that needs to be highlighted.  

It's also important to consider when you put together these LGBT lists that you have not only ethnic diversity, but also representation from the bi, trans and lesbian part of the community in addition to the gay male one.

Brittney Griner To The NBA?

While I'm disappointed my Houston homegirl won't be playing for another NCAA women's title this weekend in New Orleans, I'm keenly aware of the fact that Ms. Griner will be the number one draft pick in the WNBA draft and the Phoenix Mercury can't wait until April 15 to call her name.

Interesting news out of Dallas is that Mark Cuban is considering drafting her in the second round for his Dallas Mavericks and if he doesn't,. giving her a tryout for the Mavericks summer league team to see if she can play ball at the professional level with the NBA fellas

"If she is the best on the board, I will take her," Cuban said before the Mavs Tuesday night game against the Los Angeles Lakers. "I've thought about it. I've thought about it already. Would I do it? Right now, I'd lean toward yes, just to see if she can do it. You never know unless you give somebody a chance, and it's not like the likelihood of any late-50s draft pick has a good chance of making it."





Brittney's intrigued by the idea. "I would hold my own! Lets do it." she wrote on Twitter Tuesday night in response to the Cuban NBA chatter.

You all know of Brittney's awesomeness in the NCAA women's ranks.  She finished as the second all time scorer in the women's collegiate ranks with 3,283 points, blocked 748 shots and threw down 18 dunks with 11 of them happening during her senior year.   She would be the second woman after Ann Meyers to get an NBA tryout.  Meyers was a women's hoops star at UCLA and got a tryout with the Indiana Pacers in 1979.

Can Brittney play with the NBA boys?   And will she hear her name called in the WNBA and NBA drafts?

BTMI 2013-The End And The Beginning Of Something Special

When I stepped into the Doubletree Campbell Centre Wednesday afternoon, I had a deja vu flashback to the 2005 Transsistahs-Transbrothas event that a group of us put together at the Galt House in Louisville, KY.

It was part of a vision I'd had of being able to have national level FUBU conventions and conferences in which we could learn, build family bonds and working relationships with each other and allies while throwing some fun into this equation as well.  

While TSTB wasn't as successful as I would have liked it to be, the idea was never far from my mind, and I knew it was something the African-American trans community needed.

Carter and Esperanza Brown have taken that trans conference idea to the next level and given it the fierce urgency of a movement.   The Black Transmen, Inc Conference and Retreat started last year in Dallas, was wildly successful and this year moved to a larger hotel where the conference can grow and evolve.

When I walked in, I had the feeling of a family reunion.  There were my old friends in the transmasculine community like Louis Mitchell and Kylar Broadus.   There were some I'd met at previous events like Kye Allums.  There were others that I've known for years online like Kortney Ryan Ziegler and Carter Brown that I was getting a chance to meet for the first time and people who I would meet at this event like Sean Coleman, Jevon Martin, Rev. Lawrence Richardson and a long, growing list of transbrothers I'd need a separate post to properly acknowledge.

I even got a chance to see my trans homegirls Carmarion Anderson, Arianna Inurritegui Lint and Diamond Stylz.  Still a trip that I get to only spend quality time with Diamond at a conference and we live 8 miles from each other.

It was also a pleasure to meet and talk to allies, spouses and SO's of our transguys in attendance and take part in some thought provoking seminars and discussions.

Lakewood Church down here in Houston in the commercials it used to promote themselves back in the day used the tagline the 'Oasis of Love'.

That's what I genuinely felt the moment I stepped off the Megabus in Dallas, was picked up by Espy and whisked to our convention hotel to the moment I departed for H-town with the BTMI Advocacy Award packed in my suitcase.   

There have been times as recently as the last TDOR in Houston in which I despite being one of four Texans to hold an IFGE Trinity award, I felt less than appreciated, invisible and sometimes disrespected here in Houston and the state for the activist work I do on behalf of the trans community  

But that wasn't the case at this BTMI conference.

I felt like was around family and enveloped in an oasis of unconditional love for the entire run of the conference.  I was repeatedly told and shown how much I was loved, appreciated and respected in spite of the fact this was the BTMI show and predominately transmasculine space.

My role as I saw it before I arrived was to respect this transmasculine convention space, deliver my keynote, participate in the Saturday community summit, support the various seminars I did attend by dropping a comment here and there, and listen to the voices of the people attending.  

And oh yeah, have a little fun while I was in the BTMI house.

But in the process of doing that, I kept getting the feeling that something truly amazing was going on.  This was a well organized, well run conference and the Friday health fair was a great idea.  I kept hearing about people driving in from as far away as Tampa, northern Virginia, Jackson MS and Minneapolis-St Paul or flying in from Seattle, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area, LA, Philly, the New York-New Jersey area and Madison, WI to be here in the BTMI 2013 house.   

In addition to talking to the brothers, I got to talk to their SO's, spouses and even their kids.  Many of the brothers told me how much help to them in their own journeys reading various TransGriot posts were and relayed how some of those posts touched them or even saved their lives.

BTMI is dedicated toward the goals of not only dispelling myths and lies about the Black trans masculine community, but building better Black men period.   I also left Dallas with a much better understanding of the challenges our trans brothers have to navigate and their issue concerns.

Some of those are similar to what Black trans women have to deal with in terms of accessing medical care while trans while others are unique to the trans masculine community.  I got to simply listen to the brothers talk about those issues and their concerns in the seminars and watch them over the past few days build a community. 

The brothers are stepping up their leadership game.  You will see some amazing things involving the Black trans masculine community happen over the next few years.  They are determined to live up to the BTMI motto of being the change you want to see in the world.   One thing they let me know they were concerned about is the off the charts violence we trans women are experiencing and they wanted to do a better job of standing up and raising their collective voices against it.      

I was honored to be in the house to witness this second BTMI conference, and was sad when the time came for me to head back to my life in Houston.  The closing faith service punctuated that four marvelous days had passed. 

I loved the ball, the pageant, and playing cards and dominoes during the Wednesday night meet and greet.  I even got the opportunity to read one of my poems I have posted on TransGriot during the Thursday night Transmanifest LIVE! event. 

BTMI 2013 has ended as all conferences must, but I hope and pray that the friendships made there last a lifetime.  There were working partnerships started with allied groups.  Issues were discussed in a tell it like it T-I-S is manner and possible solutions to those problems discussed.  

And yes, we disussed the fact that we need to support BTMI and thi conference with our t-bills.  Slide them a $5, $10 a $20 or whatever you can afford on a regular basis so that this organization can continue to put on this high quality conference and expand programming.

BTMI 2013 is over and headed to our history books.  For those who wanted to be here but couldn't for various reasons, when the save the date post goes out on this blog and other electronic venues, I hope you folks who couldn't be here for the second edition of this conference will make it your business to be with your brothers for the third edition in 2014. 

And you may see the TransGriot teaching a seminar or two there as well 

     

BTMI 2013-Surprise, I Have Another Award!

The BTMI brothers had a few surprises for me while I was up there in Dallas this weekend. 

While I was busy telling the world I felt honored to be in their presence, they were busy spoiling me rotten while at the same time enveloping me and the other trans sisters in attendance in love. 

I had more than a few brothers who pulled me aside during events, after panel discussions or while I was kicking it with them in the lobby or outside as they smoked how much they appreciated TransGriot, the work I'd done to uplift and serve as an inspiration to the Black trans community and how long they been fans of my blog. 

Even Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler, who I admire for not only having a doctorate and producing the movie Still Black, A Portrait of Black Transmen (that was doing brisk sales in the lobby and you can purchase by the way), confided that he was a fan of my blog and was as excited to meet me as I was him.

.I was planning to check out CD Kirven's seminar 'The Power Of Us-Bridging The Gaps Between The L and T' but Jevon Martin and the guys had other ideas.   Jevon sent your fave blogger to a nearby nail salon on Greenville Ave and treated me to a mani and pedi.

I got back in time to catch the tail end of Rev. Lawrence T. Richardson's Trans 102 seminar before we moved on to the other event I was scheduled to participate in besides the keynote speech. 

It was a Black Transgender Community Summit that included Kylar Broadus, my Houston homegirl and esteemed video blogger Diamond Stylz, Rev Carmarion Anderson, Minister Louis Mitchell, Diwa Cain and moi. 

It was an hour and a half of tell it like it T-I-S is commentary that we could have used two hours for, but when it was over a little after 5:30 PM we all had to get ready for the formal dinner and the BTMI Awards.

So as I sat there two hours later with my tablemates getting my grub on and making conversation until that moment in the program happened in the Skyline Ballroom the hotel's 21st floor, I was just happy to be one of the nominees.   


But I was stunned to discover when Treach read the name of the winner of the BTMI Advocacy Award it was my name being read aloud along with it popping up on the video screen set up in the ballroom.  It was also accompanied as I got up to a standing ovation by Treach, Javon and a few of the brothers saying, 'Surprise!'  

Y'all know that usually I'm not at a loss for words, but this time I was not only stunned into temporary silence but beginning to cry as the realization hit me I was not only getting an award given to me by my own trans people, but it was happening in my home state.

And even better, from now on the award I was given by BTMI would be known as the Monica Roberts Advocacy Award.

So thanks BTMI for the Advocacy Award that I took back to Houston.  It means so much to me because it's from you transbrothers and it looks great on my shelf.. 

Moni's Getting On The Bus-To Dallas

I'm flipping the travel script for this trip to deliver the keynote speech for the Black Transmen, Inc conference.   Instead of heading to either Hobby or Intercontinental airport to initiate my travel to Dallas, I'm taking the bus. 

The Megabus that is.

As you read this, I'm at the downtown pickup point for Megabus awaiting my 1 PM CDT departure to Dallas.    

I've seen the Megabus a few time at its downtown pickup point when I'm coming through METRO's Downtown Transit Center or passing it when I'm riding the light rail that passes by it.   I've done a long bus trip from Louisville to Houston and back so I'm curious to see what traveling by Megabus is like.

It's scheduled for four hours, which is about the time it would take me to drive from Houston to Dallas up I-45, so that's a good sign.   It's also been a while since I done the trip on terra firma from Houston to Dallas, so I'll get the opportunity to see just how much the scenery has changed between the two cities.

 See y'all in a few hours, Dallas. 

2nd Annual Black Transmen Conference Schedule

It's getting closer to the March 13-17 dates for the second annual Black Transmen, Inc Conference in Dallas.  I'm getting more excited about being there as we draw closer to my Wednesday travel departure date from my end of I-45 for it.

I have the honor of being the first transwoman keynote speaker for this rapidly growing event and I get the bonus of seeing Kylar, Louis, Kye and some of my other favorite trans men in the community and meet others for the first time. 

Also looking forward to meeting and greeting many of you in the transmasculine and transfeminine community that I get to chat with on Facebook or trade Twitter tweets with.

This conference keynote that happens on March 15 will be the first time I've ever done one inside the borders of my home state and I'm looking forward to it.  I'm also looking forward to checking out some of the informative seminars and discussions that will be part of this event.   There will be pageants as part of this event as well. 

For those of you in the Dallas area you may want to head to the Hilton Double Tree Campbell Center and check out all the exciting activity that will be happening there.
  

Police Women Of Dallas Is Back!

Normally I run far away from any reality TV show, but one which caught my attention and became a much anticipated guilty TV pleasure for me was Police Women of Dallas.  It was on TLC back in 2010, but now has moved to the Oprah Winfrey Network.

I fell in love with Sgt Tracy Jones on the original show to the point I follow her Twitter feed. 

Well, she's back in the 2013 edition, but there are three new officers they are following in this edition which premiered on January 25. 

The new DPD officers whose exploits they are chronicling in addition to Sgt Jones are Senior Corporal Cheryl Matthews, Detective Angela Nordyke, and Officer Yvette Gonzales.

The series follows the officers as they do their jobs fighting crime in Dallas and also gives you a peek at them balancing it with their personal lives.  

The peek at Officer Gonzales' life was very interesting, especially when I watched the episode in which they introduced us to her partner of eight years who she had just proposed to.  .

They are engaged, but haven't set a date yet.

It's now moved to Friday nights on OWN, and I'll definitely be checking it out until it's over. . 




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