'Trans People Deserve To Live' Banner Displayed During World Series Game

I wasn't watching Game 5 of the 2018 World Series in Los Angeles because I'm still salty about what happened to my Astros.   But when chatter started popping up online about something happening at the game, I took a few moments from the writing assignment I was working on to check it out.

My online social media search was rewarded with the glorious sight of a trans flag themed banner being unfurled in Dodger Stadium with the words 'Trans People Deserve To Live' on it.

The question that crossed my mind when I saw it was,"I wonder if the trans Latinas were behind this?" It didn't take long to have my hunch confirmed that it was indeed the Trans Latina Coalition handling their Dodger Stadium protest business.

Bamby Salcedo and Maria Roman were at the Red Sox- Dodgers game and during the fifth inning, dropped the banner from the left field upper deck seats of the stadium.

Even if I had been watching the game, would have found out about it until later because the banner according to multiple reports, wasn't shown during the FOX broadcast of the game.

It did hang for a few minutes before security personnel intervened, removed the banner and escorted Salcedo and Roman out of the ballpark without incident and without being arrested .

“I felt my heart was dropping along with it,” said Salcedo,  the president of the Trans Latina Coalition in an interview with INTO. “I was kind of exploding because of the adrenaline. You don’t know what’s going to happen with the police and security and all of that.”

Even though the banner drop didn't make it on the FOX broadcast of what turned out to be the final game of the World Series, it is blowing up on social media.

Salcedo is calling for trans people in other communities to take up space in mainstream community events and replicate the action just conducted in Los Angeles as a show of resistance to the anti-trans actions being aimed at us.

“I hope that this action will motivate members of the trans community, our allies and our comrades to really activate and to really understand that we have power,” Salcedo said. “We can demonstrate our power anywhere and everywhere.”

Yes, we can.    What it also demonstrates is that we will not be erased, either. 

Denny's LA Trans Fail

One of the questions still resonating from Jazmina Saavedra's gleeful harassing of a trans woman using the restroom in a Los Angeles Denny's is what was Denny's reaction to it?

Here's their statement about the incident:

We are extremely disturbed by the incident that took place at our Los Angeles restaurant this week. At Denny’s, we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind, inclusive of gender identity and sexual orientation.

We are dedicated to providing a welcoming dining environment for all our guests and believe that our transgender guests and team members should be allowed to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with. Our restaurant teams attend training which covers our policies against discrimination and promotes respect for all guests. 

In this case, the video of this incident does not tell the full story. Our manager was approached by a guest complaining that a man was in the women’s restroom. Once a female team member checked that no one else was in there, the manager entered. 

Before seeing the guest, the manager observed drug paraphernalia on the floor near the guest and asked the guest to leave based on that observation, and not on her gender identity.

 There is no place for discrimination of any kind in our restaurants. We apologize to our transgender guest and others in the restaurant that had to endure another customer’s disrespectful behavior.

-Denny's

Yeah right,  Denny's.   I am skeptical about the all too convenient allegation that the trans woman was being thrown out for 'using drugs' in the restroom. 

What about your failure in throwing the person out (Saavedra) who instigated the incident, possibly committed several crimes and violated the human rights of this trans person peacefully using the restroom while doing so? 

Why wasn't Saavedra thrown out as well?

And naw Jazmina, you have a long ugly history as the spokessellout for Latinos For Trump of parroting anti-LGBT slurs, so spare us the 'I'm not a transphobe' rhetoric, because you ARE what we say you are and happily demonstrated it for the world to see.  In addition, your reputation as an unrepentant homophobe and transphobe precedes you. 

So don't get mad conservasnowflake because we are expressing as a trans community our First Amendment rights to call out your reprehensible behavior.

We're tired of peeps like you dehumanizing us.   Our humanity and human rights are not up for debate or discussion.  Neither are we tolerating anti trans bigotry being aimed at us.  We have no problem calling it and you out for being a transphobic jerk.

Hoping that Saavedra will be punished at the ballot box June 5 for her behavior.  The LA trans and gender non conforming community will have their say tomorrow at a peaceful protest being organized and sponsored by the Transgender Rights Movement from 11 AM -5 PM PDT at the Denny's located at 635 S Vermont Ave. 

It appears to me that some trans sensitivity training is needed and necessary so that Denny's actions match the lofty words in this statement.

Black Panther Premiere In LA

It's almost that time that me and my friends are eagerly awaiting in terms of the public release of the Ryan Coogler directed Black Panther film on February 16.

Myself and many of my friends are already planning to check out Black Panther when it opens at our local multiplexes, and there are Black Panther themed parties planned for that weekend across Wakanda, er Black America.

Tickets are already selling out for the opening weekend, and I would not be surprised if this movie, opening smack dab in the middle of Black History Month, makes some serious money.

Because I damned sure want to see some Black Panther sequels

A sign that we're getting closer to the Black Panther debut was its world premiere in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theatre last night.   The stars of the film walked the PURPLE carpet (purple is the royal color of African royalty FYI) in African themed attire that being called by the best red carpet event of 2018.

The fabulousness of the cast walking the purple carpet in African attire paled in comparison to the movie.   The reviews have been embargoed until February 6, but word and praise for the movie is already filtering out that calls Black Panther the best of the Marvel superhero movies so far.

The Los Angeles Times Tre'vell Anderson said on his Twitter feed  "BlackPanther is a love letter about blackness, to a world that often ghettoizes it without realizing that it is on black backs that this planet revolves." 

Hey, I expected nothing less.     See y'all at the multiplex.

Arrest Made In Viccky Gutierrez Case

That was fast. 

On January 11 at 8'00 PM PST a joint  LAPD-FBI Fugitive Task Force arrested 29 year old Kevyn Ramirez for the murder of Viccky Gutierrez. 

Her body has yet to be positively identified by the LA County Coroner as of this writing.

Investigators obtained a search warrant, found evidence linking him to the crime scene and arrested Ramirez after admitting to investigators he killed Gutierrez after as dispute.

The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney for filing consideration and Ramirez is being held on a $2  million bail .

It is also still an active case, and LAPD investigators are still seeking information that will not only lead to a positive identification of what is believed to be Viccky's body, but also establish a motive for her murder.

If you have that info please call West Bureau Homicide at (213) 382-9470

Number 2- Rest In Power Viccky Gutierrez

Well, didn't take long for us to have the second trans women of 2018 killed in the US and the first trans Latina..

We have to go all the way to the Left Coast in Los Angeles.   I was made aware of this thanks to Bamby Salcedo.    Her  badly burned body was found after LAPD West Division and LA Fire Department units responded to a fire in a multi-house unit at 1711 S. New Hampshire Ave in the Pico Union district around 3;15 AM PST.

The LA County Coroner's Office will be conducting an autopsy to identify the body and determine the cause of death.  Since the apartment that burned was Viccky's,  and she has not been located, it's presumed that the deceased body found after LAFD spent 48 minutes fighting the fire is indeed hers. 

“Just to learn that she’s no longer with us is really sad,” Bamby said in a Facebook live video. “And it’s not that she is gone, it is the way that she was murdered. She was brutally murdered, and we believe that it was intentional, we believe that it was premeditated...She was burned in her apartment. The police, like always try to say to Viccky’s friends not to say anything to anybody because of the investigation... But there’s a couple of things that we want to do. One of those things is to ensure that we seek justice for Viccky.”

Viccky was a member of the TransLatin@ Coalition and often showed up for their free daily lunches provided to anyone in need.   Here friends remarked that 'she was an inspiration dor many of us' and she was 'the nicest girl in the world' 

Now she's unfortunately been taken away from us far too soon.

If you have any information that will lead to investigators identifying Viccky's body or lead LAPD detectives to capturing the perpetrator of this crime, you are urged to call LARD during business hours at (213) 382-9470

After hours or on weekends you can call  (877) LAPD(5273)-247     You can also leave anonymous tips with Crime Stoppers at  (800) 222-TIPS (8477) 

Since Viccky was from Honduras, she had no family in the US.  A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise the $10,000 needed to pay for her funeral and ship the remains back to her family.

Viccky's Vigil of Resistance as it is being called is happening tonight from 7-10 PM PST.  Address is 1660 Venice Blvd, the zip is 90006.

Rest in power and peace Viccky!   Your trans family here in the States won't rest until the person who did this is brought to justice

Astros One Win Away From Earning World Series History

I was up late along with much of Houston watching that World Series record five hour extra inning game that put my fave baseball team one win away from capturing our first World Series title,

And it wouldn't be true to the nature of a Houston sports team if it didn't come with a heaping helping of nerve wracking tension.

The Astros fell behind 4-0 in the first inning to the LA Dodgers and their ace Clayton Kershaw who shut them out for three innings until their bats woke up in the bottom of the fourth inning. 

And then it got crazy.   Yuli Gurriel smacked a three run homer that tied the game in the bottom of the fourth at 4-4, only to have  the Dodgers go back in front in the top of the fifth after Bellinger hit a three run homer to put the Dodgers back up 7-4.

The Astros, as has been their pattern all season came back and tied it on he'd better be AL MVP Jose Altuve's three run shot in the boom of the fifth to knot the game at 7-7 and knock Kershaw out of the game.

The Dodger went back up 8-7 in the top of the seventh after George Springer's diving attempt at a sinking line drive by Bellinger got past him for a triple that scored Kiki Hernandez from first base.

Springer atoned for his fielding error by smashing a massive homer that tied the game at 8-8, which was followed up by a Bregman single, a double by Altuve that scored Bregman, and a two run homer from Carlos Correa to push the Astros to a 11-8 lead.

The craziest game in World Series history finally ended when Alex Bregman got the walk off hit that allowed pinch runner Derek Fisher to score from second base for the 13-12 Astros win that gave them a 3-2 series lead, closed out their home playoff run with a stellar 8-1 record and put them one win away from earning the franchise's first ever World Series title.

Can't wait to see if Game 6 in Los Angeles will be a trick or a treat Astros fans have been waiting for since 1962.  I like our chances with Justin Verlander pitching for us and the best offense in baseball now awake at the right time.

World's Longest Trans Pride Flag Unfurled During LA Resist March

I see my trans Latina sisters in LA have been busy once again with a new project in terms of creating the largest trans pride flag in the world just in time for the LA Pride Resist March that happened on Sunday.

This LA Resist march was attended by tens of thousands of people and many celebrities marching down Hollywood Boulevard

I confirmed with trans flag creator Monica Helms that the LA trans flag is officially the largest trans pride flag created so far in the world.  It is 25 feet 6 inches by 160 feet  (7.8 meters by 48.7 meters). It beats the Palm Springs trans pride flag by 1580 square feet  (146.8 square meters)

The previous largest trans pride flags were for parades in Mexico City and most recently Palm Springs.

The now largest trans pride flag in the world was created by them and unfurled during the LA Resist March that was part of the series of Equality Marches that took place across the country on June 11.,

Congrats LA trans fam for creating the largest trans pride flag in the world.   But have a feeling another group somewhere on this planet is going to try to beat it.

TransLatina Coalition's G.A.R.R.A.S. Fashion Show Tomorrow

For those of you in the Los Angeles area, if you're looking for an event to attend that also serves as a fundraiser, tomorrow night the TransLatina Coalition's G.A.R.R.A.S.  Fashion Show will take place starting at 6 PM PDT.

G.A.R.R.A.S. stands for Groundbreaking Activism Redirecting and Reforming All Systems.  The show is not only a fundraiser for the TransLatina Coalition, it is a fashion show in which all of the participants are trans women.

The G.A.R.R.A.S. Fashion Show is an event that provides visibility for the Los Angeles area trans community and supports the Center for Violence Prevention and Transgender Wellness, which is a program of the TransLatin@ Coalition.



There are some limited tickets available for the fashion show that transcends borders, with the ticket prices ranging from $15-$100.   You can click on this link to purchase those tickets.

The G.A.R.R.A.S. Show will take place at the Florentine Gardens, located at 5951 Hollywood Blvd. in  LOs Angeles, CA from 6-9 PM    If you need further information about it, you can check out the TransLatina Coalition website.

Hope that this year's edition of the G.A.R/R.A.S. show is once again a success, and please check out and support my Los Angeles area trans Latina sisters for a night of high fashion and fun for a great cause..

'Her Story' Emmy Disappointment

Was hoping along with everyone in the community that my girls Jen Richards and Angelica Ross would be making some more history at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmy Awards Sunday night, but alas, it didn't happen for them.

As y'all may be aware, Her Story was nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series category, but unfortunately  the show Children's Hospital on Adult Swim walked away with the Emmy in that category.

Said Richards on her Facebook page concerning the result:  "Her Story didn't win tonight, but it's hard not to celebrate when it was just a short while ago that Angelica Ross and I were just two unknown transgender women living together in Chicago, who found in each other reasons to dream big."
 
"We have pushed and challenged and cheered each other, have laughed and cried and strutted despaired and hope together every step of this.  And here we are at the Emmys because we had the audacity to believe our stories mattered," she added..

"Thanks to everyone for their unceasing love and support tonight:."  

But the Emmy nomination for Her Story was a win in itself, especially in light of Hollywood's continued annoying pattern of casting cis masculine actors to play trans feminine characters.

I hope that the Emmy nomination of Her Story not only leads to additional seasons of it, but also leads to Hollywood realizing once and for all that trans stories not only matter, but they best done and most authentic when you cast trans actors in trans roles.

IBetter luck next time ladies!  I have a feeling that one day one or both of you will someday be putting an Emmy in your trophy case.

LA Mayor Garcetti Announces Transgender Advisory Council Formation

More trans progress from the Left Coast.

Was excited to hear that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced this morning the formation of a Transgender Advisory Council in the City of Angels.  It is the largest city in the US to do so and only the second nationally  to create one after LA metro area neighbor West Hollywood, CA

"Today, the City of Los Angeles sends a clear message to transgender Angelenos:  your voices matter and your experiences count," said Mayor Garcetti. "The nine members of our Transgender Advisory Council will bring a new and important perspective to City Hall that will help empower trans Angelenos to lead stigma-free, productive and meaningful lives"

The stated purpose of the TAC once it finishes setting up it basic formation, is to advise the city on how best to serve trans Angelenos and it work under the auspices of the Human Relations Commission to do precisely that.   Advisory Council member Karina Samala stated at the press conference that the TAC would focus on city hiring policies and anti-trans hate crimes.

The LA Transgender Advisory Council will advise the Office of the Mayor, the LA City Council, city departments and various elected officials on projects and policies that affect the Los Angeles trans community like economic development, public safety, accessibility, and public awareness of LA's transgender citizens.

Congrats to Jazzmun Crayton, who was selected for the TAC from a blind application process based on criteria set by the Human Relations Commission and is one of the people I've had the pleasure of meeting at other national events.

Congrats also to other inaugural members of LA's Transgender Advisory Committee: Karina Samala, Diana Feliz Oliva,  Jaden Fields, James Wen, Justine Gonzalez, Talia Bettcher, Terri Jay and Zoey Luna

Yo, H-town, can we form something similar to the TAC here?

NFL Meeting In H-town To Decide Who Goes To LA

It has been 21 years since the NFL has had teams in Los Angeles, the second largest TV market in the United States and the largest metropolitan area without an NFL franchise.

The Rams and Raiders moved to St. Louis and Oakland in 1995, and the city's bid to get an NFL expansion franchise back in 1999 was thwarted by lack of a stadium plan and Bob McNair outworking them to secure the expansion franchise that became the Houston Texans and the league's 32nd team.

That two decade NFL drought may be about to come to an end, because three NFL franchises with a history in LA, the San Diego Chargers, the Oakland Raiders and the St. Louis Rams have put in bids to move, and two of them may be playing in Los Angeles in time for the 2016 NFL season.

The Chargers played one season in Los Angeles when the AFL kicked off in 1960 before they headed south to San Diego.  The Rams moved to LA from Cleveland in 1945 for fiscal reasons after winning the NFL title and because the Cleveland Browns were scheduled to begin play in the All-American Football Conference,  They played at the LA Coliseum and in Anaheim before bouncing to St Louis.

The Raiders moved to Los Angeles from Oakland in 1982 and headed back in 1995 after failure to get improvements made to the LA Coliseum and a proposed stadium deal in Irwindale collapsed.

And yep, out of the three teams in contention to move, the Raiders are a distant third for the affections of LA football fans and sports media pundits..

The NFL special owners meeting will be taking place here in Houston today and tomorrow, and we'll know by the end of it which two teams will be kicking off in LA this fall.

Unlike 1999, the LA area stadium proposals runneth over this time..

Rams owner Stan Kroenke has already broken ground on a new 80,000 seat transparent roofed stadium in Inglewood, near the old LA Forum arena with a construction completion date of 2019.  If it stays on that timetable and he is successful in relocating the Rams back to LA, it would make that new stadium eligible to host a Super Bowl starting in 2020.

Chargers owner Dean Spanos and Raiders Mark Davis are pushing a joint stadium project in Carson, but the city referendum hasn't happened yet, and it looks like consensus is building for a deal that would call for the Chargers and Rams to share the new Inglewood stadium that is already under construction.

The entertainment company AEG until March 2015 pitched a downtown stadium project near Staples Center, and the City of Industry has another proposed project not attached to any team.

There's support by various influential NFL owners like Bob McNair, Jim Irsay and Jerry Richardson for the Chargers to be one of the teams that moves, while Jerry Jones is part of the 'anybody move to LA' group of owners, especially in light of the fact it's almost time to renegotiate the NFL broadcasting rights contract and teams in LA would enhance the NFL's bargaining position.

Another issue that will be discussed at the meeting here in Houston is whether to move two teams to LA immediately, or stagger their entry into LA, with one team moving now and the other team moving in 2017.  As far as realignment goes, wouldn't be necessary because the Rams are already in the NFC West Division, and the Chargers and Raiders both play in the AFC West Division

The word right now is the Chargers are gone (and I feel your pain San Diego), with the Rams probably being the other team that will be allowed to move.  The Raiders look like they will be the odd team out, but if Davis does decide to move the team, their destination could be San Antonio unless Oakland or the league comes up with a plan that will keep the Raiders in northern California..

Davis held a meeting with San Antonio city officials in 2014 about moving the Raiders there and if they did so, would play in the Alamodome until a new stadium gets built.  

It will take securing 24 votes for the successful teams to get approval to move, and until the new NFL playpens are completed, the relocated NFL teams would play either in the Coliseum or the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

We'll find out how this all turns out soon.

Thailand's Apple Modeling Agency Opening All-Trans LA Branch

The Bangkok based Apple Modeling Agency back in November decided to open up a branch of their local office there dedicated specifically to promoting trans models.  

Business must be booming, because they are now opening up a trans specific branch office in Los Angeles.

While trans models have had a long distinguished history in the fashion world, we are at a moment in time in which people, designers and corporations are openly soliciting for their services.  

Jazz Jennings is the face for Clean and Clear.  Carmen Carrera has signed with Elite Models and has made clear her desire to become the first trans Victoria's Secret Angel.  . Lea T has signed a deal to become the global face of Redken beauty products, and trans models like Ines Rau, Arisce Wanzer, Geena Rocero, Isis King and Andreja Pejic are popping up on runways from New York to Milan in catalogs and elsewhere..

Apple Model Management LA is set to open under the guidance of Cecilio Asuncion and already has six transgender models on their initial roster and are looking for more. 

“We see trans individuals as beautiful,” says Apple's LA  agency director Cecilio Asuncion. “Our strong commitment to developing them as successful models is never about quantifying or qualifying their gender. It's never a question of if they are women or men, it's about their passion and commitment to being the best possible models they can be.”

So if you are a trans woman  5'8" or taller or a trans man who is 6’ or taller and are interested in being represented by them, you can apply by following the application guidelines at the Apple Model Management website.

 

Application materials and photos may be emailed directly to Apple Model Management L.A. Director Cecilio Asuncion at cecilio@applemodels.com.

H/T  The Advocate

Goodbye Marie Angel!

A few years ago I met this amazing and beautiful young Latina woman during a local event not long after I moved back to Houston from Louisville.

I watched her tell her story about growing up in Honduras as a young trans feminine woman who moved to the US to get her education and make her dreams come true, I was also impressed by her intellect. 

As I've gotten to know Marie Angel, I'm also been impressed by her determination and drive as she strove to balance her collegiate studies with her work and personal life.

She managed to at times add a little advocacy into her life equation.  She was part of the effort on the University of Houston Downtown campus to get gender neutral restrooms there last year, and was invaluable in explaining the issue to our local Spanish language media.

 I've also had the pleasure of doing a few panels at local schools here since that initial meeting, including last month's one of the TSU campus.   I've also had the pleasure of having some long conversations with her at times about a host of other issues.

Was experiencing mixed emotions when Marie told me after that TSU panel that she was now engaged, and will be getting married.  

While that is wonderful news and I'm deliriously happy for her. the bad news part of it is the man who was smart enough to put a ring on her finger lives in California, and she's moving there to be with him.

Thursday was the last day she spent here in H-town, and she's packed up the car and pointed it west toward California and a new chapter in her life.   While I'm going to miss being able to see her from time to time, I'm also happy that she has found someone to share her life with, even if it is on the West Coast.

Goodbye, Marie Angel!    All of us who love you in Houston will miss you, but wish you the best of luck and safe travels as you begin this new adventure and a new life

Kerry Washington To Receive GLAAD Vanguard Award Tonight

The 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, LA Division will kick off in a few hours at the Beverly Hilton and I'm pleased to hear that one of my fave actresses in Kerry Washington will be honored with this year's Vanguard Award.

The GLAAD Vanguard Award is presented to the media professional who have made a significant difference in promoting equality.

Some of the previous Vanguard Award recipients have been Janet Jackson, Charlize Theron, Kristen Chenoweth, drew Barrymore, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Taylor, Antonio Banderas and Sharon Stone.

In addition to appearing in LGBT-inclusive projects like Scandal, Peeples, She Hate Me, The Dead Girl, and Life is Hot in Cracktown (in which she played a trans woman),Washington has tirelessly spoken out in support of full equality and human rights for TBLGQ people. She has has participated in GLAAD's annual anti-bullying campaign, Spirit Day, by wearing purple to show her support for BTLGQ youth, and talked about the importance of stopping bullying on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Congrats to Kerry, and looking forward to seeing her later tonight along with her acceptance speech.

Updates In Two 2015 California Trans Murder Cases.

Have some updated information concerning the trans murder cases of Taja DeJesus and Michelle Yazmin Payne, who were murdered in northern and southern California within days of each other.
I'm happy to report there is good news in both of theses California cases in terms of bringing their killers to justice.

In the Michelle Payne case, 25 year Ezekiel Dear, who has been IDed as the boyfriend of Ms. Payne, turned himself into the LAPD 7th Division headquarters at 3:30 PM PST on February 1 accompanied by a pastor and confessed to killing her.

He was arraigned the next day at the Van Nuys courthouse on one felony count each of murder, with a knife-use allegation, and arson of an inhabited structure or property.

Will continue to keep you posted on this case.

Meanwhile, up I-5 in the Bay Area, the Taja DeJesus case has had a interesting twist.in the suspected perpetrator of the murder of our fallen sister being found dead himself.

49 year old James Hayes was found dead on February 2 hanging by the neck from a fence in the 4000 block of Third Street.  

The location was behind a warehouse a half mile from the crime scene where DeJesus was found stabbed to death, and Hayes was still wearing the clothing he wore when he allegedly stabbed Ms. DeJesus.

A die-in was held in front of San Francisco City Hall to protest the DeJesus killing and the murders of other trans women since June in California and elsewhere across the country.

After an operatic rendition of 'Amazing Grace' by Breanna Sinclaire, trans leaders in the San Francisco area called for an end to transphobia fueling these murders.

"We're still being murdered, harassed, and cast aside. We have to show that our lives matter," said Danielle Castro.

Yes they do, Danielle/   #TransLivesMatter.  #BlackTransLivesMatter   #LatinaTransLivesMatter  And let's hope that the people who have committed these heinous crimes aimed at us  are captured, tried and convicted for killing us.

LA Vigil For Michelle Yasmine Payne Tonight

New month, but the same old crap we have to deal with as we mourn the death of our 33 year old LA area trans sister Michelle Yasmine Payne.

Payne was found stabbed to death by firefighters called to put out a fire in the Van Nuys apartment she shared with her boyfriend in the 14600 block of Saticoy St yesterday morning.

A murder weapon was recovered at the scene, and there is a person of interest in this crime in Payne.s boyfriend.   He is described as being an African-American male that stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds.

If you have information that will result in the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator of this heinous crime , please call the Van Nuys detective desk at 818-374-0040. After-hours calls could be made to 818-374-1999.

If you also have a photo of our fallen sister, please get them to me ASAP.

In other news, LA based trans advocate Bamby Salcedo has organized a vigil for Ms. Payne that will start at 6 PM PST at the 14600 Saticoy St. location.   If you can be there tonight, please do so to honor our sister who was ripped away from us far too soon.

Rest in Power, Michelle Yasmine.   Your sisters will not rest until justice is served in your case.

Aniya Parker Case Update

In the latest news concerning the Aniya Parker murder in Los Angeles, a $50,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the three men who are believed to have committed it.

As the search for her killers continues, family and friends have launched a GoFundMe page to help raise money for Parker’s funeral expenses, describing her as a woman with “a heart of gold.”

The reward was announced during an emotional October 10 press conference. While the LAPD continues to investigate the case as a 'robbery gone wrong', the LA LGBT community continues to insist it was a hate crime.

Aniya Parker's distraught family members just want to know why she was killed.

“I don’t understand how you young people could do such a mean and cruel thing,” said Adrian Parker. “We just want to know why. We didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. … Our family is in deep emotional stress.”

As usual TransGriot readers, will keep you posted on the updates and developments in this case as I receive them.

Clippers Players Protest Racist Owner

Kudos to the Los Angeles Clipper players who in the midst of the firestorm of criticism headed their owner's way over his racist comments, are trying to handle this difficult situation the best way they can. 

Before yesterday's 118-97 playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors that deadlocked their series at 2-2,  the Clipper players held a meeting to decide if they were even going to play the game..

They decided to do so, but wore their warmup jersey shirts inside out to hide the Clipper logo.  They wore their normal game uniforms, but with black socks and armbands.  

They along with their NBA brethren have been vocal about the disgusting comments from serial bigot and longtime LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling that are threatening to overshadow the NBA playoffs.  They are also causing a major PR headache for the team, the league and new commissioner Adam Silver.

Tuesday Game 5 in LA should be very interesting.

2014 GLAAD Media Awards LA

Saturday night on the Left Coast the GLAAD Media Awards, LA Division were held in the Beverly Hilton Hotel.  My category will be announced May 3 in New York, and won't be done during the live event. 

Jennifer Lopez was presented with GLAAD's Vanguard Award by the legendary Rita Moreno. 

The Vanguard Award honors efforts to increase visibility and understanding of the TBLG community.   In addition to being an outspoken advocate for the community, Lopez serves as executive producer of the ABC Family series "The Fosters," which centers on a lesbian couple raising their children.

"The Fosters" also won the award for outstanding drama series.




Laverne Cox was presented with the Stephen J. Kolzak Award,  which is given to an openly trans, bi, lesbian or gay member of the entertainment community who have made a significant difference in promoting equality for the TBLG community.   The previous recipients of the Kolzak award have included Wanda Sykes, Rufus Wainwright, Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres and Ian McKellen, and Laverne's name has now joined that distinguished list..

LA Fitness Hates On A Transwoman

One of my not so fond memories of one of my frequent non-rev trips to Los Angeles in the late 90's was when I flew out there as soon as my gate shift was over at 9 PM on Wednesday to spend two of my three consecutive off days hanging out with my homegirl Seni.

But unfortunately on that particular trip my flight got delayed due to a cold front passing through the Houston area.  It not only cooled the temps off in the IAH area, it created dense fog that dropped visibility enough to create lengthy ATC delays into and out of IAH because at that time it only had four runways  

By the time we finally took off  to do the 3 plus hour flight to Los Angeles my 12 AM Pacific time arrival in LAX became a 2 AM one.   Me thinking I'd be able to make up that sleep I lost on the trip to the Left Coast was cruelly shattered when Seni woke my peacefully slumbering butt up to accompany her to her nearby LA Fitness gym for a workout.  

I was so pissed off that when I hit the Stairmaster in that near Beverly Hills area location I was stomping my pissivity out on it for 20 minutes before I realized it was set to be much harder than I normally liked and my legs reminded me of it a few minutes later when they cramped up. 

That trip down Moni Memory Lane was generated because of the story that TransGriot reader Jazmine Brockington sent me concerning transwoman Yanel Valenzuela.  

She was allegedly told after she revealed her trans status to an LA Fitness employee in an effort to get workout advice specific to her situation she could no longer use the women's locker room.  

The cis female manager at the Montclair, CA location  (located at 9385 Monte Vista Ave in case anybody in the LA area wants to organize a picket of it)  told a stunned Valenzuela she could no longer use the women's locker room.   The manager was also unmoved when Valenzuela produced her carry letter from her gender therapist and herCalifornia DL with the F in the gender code area. 



“It gave me emotional stress,” Valenzuela told reporters. “I don’t think it was fair... I felt hurt because I don’t understand why she did it. She had no reason. She had no complaints from anyone."

According to news reports in the area LA Fitness is aware of the situation but has no comment   And note to that transphobic cis female manager:  In California trans people are a protected class under the state's anti-discrimination laws.

"I hope this never happens to anybody again because it’s not fair for me to be disrespected in front of clients and members that come here,” Valenzuela said. 

So do I Ms. Valenzuela.  And hope you give Lambda Legal's LA office a call while you're at it. 

And it is because of situations like this why I go straight the hell off when some cis person, especially from the GLB community tries to suggest we pass half-assed trans human rights laws (Massachusetts) that don't have public accommodations language in them.