Moni's Headed To Creating Change 2017!

At one point I was debating whether or not I would go to Creating Change in Philadelphia after going through the contentious and mentally draining 2016 edition of it in Chicago.

But my presence was requested for some events taking place at #CC17 like the National Black Justice Coalition's (NBJC) Black Institute and by the Trans United Fund , so that means I'll be leaving the Lone Star State and heading up to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection for this 2017 edition of the Creating Change Conference.

Creating Change will be taking place from January 18-22, and the #CC17 host hotel will be the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.   With the start of #CC17 coming a mere 48 hours before a president hostile to our TBLGQ community will be inaugurated, the timing of this Creating Change couldn't be more crucial or critical to our human rights movement, especially for the transgender contingent of it.

I'm looking forward to witnessing the plenary keynote by the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II that will happen Thursday night.   I've had the pleasure of not only meeting Rev. Barber, but hearing him speak at previous events I've attended in Louisville and the last LGBT Media Journalists Convening hosted in Philadelphia in 2015.

I'm also looking forward to participating in the events I will be involved in that I know abou like Thursday's NBJC The Black Institute.  Also looking forward to tearing into a few Slurpees and some cheesesteaks while I'm there.

Speaking of being there in the #CC17 house, as always, when I step into the Marriott Downtown host hotel, don't be shy, say hi.  If I'm not rushing off to a panel, some off the hotel property event or engaged in conversation with someone, I'm more than happy to talk to people, and my trans, bi and SGL younglings will get priority.

See y'all in Philadelphia next week, #CC17.

Lavender Law 2016

While I was across town handling my media business as part of the over 4000 Black and Latinx media people attending the joint #NABJNAHJ16 conference, over at the Renaissance Washington Hotel, the LGBT Bar Association was hosting its 25th  Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair at the same August 4-6 time.

The LGBT Bar Association is headquartered in Washington DC, and that Lav Law gathering of our community finest LGBTQ legal minds started on August 4 and was scheduled to conclude today.

Lavender Law was first held in San Francisco in 1988, and started out being held in even numbered years for the first five Lav Law events.
Starting with the 1997 Lavender Law Conference held in West Hollywood, CA it became an annual event.

Unfortunately didn't get a chance to bounce over there and hang out with some of our trans legal peeps like my activist mentor Phyllis Frye, Dry Levasseur, Kylar Broadus and Jennifer Levi, but they probably were handling their business and networking with their friends and colleagues in the LGBTQ legal world like I was busy doing.

Hope y'all had a productive several days, and when you return to your locales you are armed with the information, strategies and tactics necessary to help advance TBLGQ rights in courtrooms at the local, state and federal level.

TransGriotNote: Photo by JasonSmith.com

Moni's Leaving On A Jet Plane...

To Chicago!

The first trip of the New Year for me leaving out of Hobby in a few hours to the chilly Windy City to attend and cover Creating Change 2016.   It's not only the third straight Creating Change I've had the opportunity to attend and my fourth overall, it's going to be the first time I've flown into O'Hare since my Air Marshal days.

It's also the first time I'm traveling to Chicago in the winter.  I usually despise air travel during the winter months, but gots to do what I have to do to be in the #CC16 house including enduring a connection and DFW layover up and back.

I'm so looking forward to seeing the Chicago peeps who are in attendance, my trans sisters and brothers and  'errbody' else in the national and international TBLGQ community that are traveling by land and air to get to the Hilton Chicago host hotel and other nearby lodging spots in the Chicagoland area starting tomorrow.

But I'm not looking forward to the 40+ degree winter temperature difference between Houston and Chicago.

I need to stop whining about it and count my blessings. The temp will warm up to a high of 31 degrees F by this weekend.  Until a few days ago, it was looking like I was going to miss it and moping in Houston about not being there.

Creating Change not only is an event in which we get our learn on and hone our activist skills, it also serves as a big impromptu TBLG family reunion and one in which much of the community's business is conducted during the time everyone is in the Creating Change host city.  

But some positive things happened for me over the weekend that made moi being in the #CC16 house possible, and I thank Brock and Ruby in advance for making it happen

Well Chicago, see y'all in a few hours.  Save some Giordano's meat lovers deep dish pizza for me.