Louisville High School Has Trans Drama

Back when I lived in Louisville as a Texan in exile, one of the fights I was involved in was a 2007 battle with the JCPS school board to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the JCPS nondiscrimination school board policies for students and employees.

To my dismay gender identity was stripped out of it in committee.   After some contentious public hearings the gender identity free policy passed on a 4-3 vote. 

I warned at the time the issue of transpeople in JCPS was not going to go away and it was better to be proactive about it than reactive.   JCPS superintendent Sheldon Berman claimed during the committee hearing in which gender identity was stripped out of the proposed additions to the JCPS non discrimination policy, that gender identity issues were 'too new' despite the presence of moi and a newly out trans teacher present to suggest otherwise..   

Now that lack of forward vision by the JCPS board is popping up seven years later.

A freshman Atherton High School trans feminine student recently asked AHS Principal Thomas Aberli for permission to use the girls facilities.   He granted permission for the trans student to do so, and seven cis feminine students immediately complained along with their parents at the Highlands area school.

Atherton was named to US News and World Reports list of Best High Schools in the US in 2013 and is the only public HS in Louisville with an International Baccalaureate program.

This has now blown up into a kerfluffle that will involve the Atherton Site Based Decision Making Committee with a meeting being held later today at 2:45 PM EDT to discuss adding gender identity to the school's non discrimination policy.  

It also makes crystal clear just how shortsighted the 2007 JCPS board decision to not address gender identity and be proactive in creating policies to cover thedistrict's trans students and JCPS employees was. 

"I have a responsibility to ensure that all of our students and staff are treated fairly and justly," Aberli said in a recent interview with the Louisville Courier-Journal. "At the same time, I also have a responsibility to educate our community on an issue that many are not familiar with and inform them about the rights of transgender individuals."

Chris Hartman, the director of Louisville's Fairness Campaign, said allowing a transgender student access to gender-specific restrooms is important not only for basic civil rights, but also for the safety of the trans student.

“A great deal of violence and sexual assault against transgender people, in general, and transgender youth occurs in restrooms,” he said.  “When we are talking about restroom accommodations being important it is about safety of all students and in particular the trans students.”

Dawn Wilson, member of the Metro Louisville Human Relations Committee had this to say in a statement. "As Education Chair of the Metro Louisville Human Relations Commission, I find it important that we show support for the students and the school; while urging the school board to adopt all aspects of the Metro anti-discrimination ordinances as a system wide policy rather than have school based decisions. This is the path we must tread."

Atherton High School's motto is Scholarship, Service and Self Respect.   Hope they, the AHS community and other interested parties keep that motto in mind when they conduct the SBDMC meeting later today.

TransGriot Update:  The meeting had several hundred people in attendance pro and con, and the policy passed.  

Edenside's Last Service Statement

At this moment the last service is taking place at Edenside Christian Church, my church home during the nearly nine years I lived in Louisville.   I'm sad to see the 106 year old church go. 

Since I'm going to be in Houston when that service happens, I submitted a statement that is going to be read during the service, and here it is.

***

I was saddened to learn that after over a century of service to the community, Edenside Christian Church is permanently closing its doors, and I won't get another opportunity to 'sliiiiide into Edenside' the next time I'm blessed to visit Louisville. 

Since I wanted to say a few words during this service and will be 1000 miles away from you in the Lone Star State when it happens, I hope this will suffice. 

When I first encountered Edenside Christian Church, it was a mere 48 hours after I arrived in Louisville after moving from Houston in late September 2001.  I was still depressed, homesick  and not dealing well with the ripple effects of losing an airline job I'd held for 14 years and dearly loved.   Dawn just basically told me to get up and get dressed because we were going for a ride.

Our destination was here, and I got to meet the gregarious Rev. Sally McClain that day.   You have to love a pastor with a formidable intellect and such a sense of humor she has a stuffed Cartman doll on her bookshelf. I'd also arrived just in time for the Louisville AIDS Walk, and that sunny, clear and cool fall weekend I got to participate in it with her and other member of the Edenside family.     

And yes, that's what you were to me during the eight and a half wonderful years that Edenside became my church home because my blood family was back in Texas.  You were some of the first people I met in town and before I even officially became an Edensider you made me feel welcomed, loved and included in the life of this church.   
 
That helped me get over my homesickness and eventually settle into my life in Louisville.  Whether it was spinning Christmas tunes with soul during our Bardstown Aglow events, playing softball on the coed team. having the honor of being the DJ at Derek's wedding, the times I was able to be a worship leader that I wish I could have done more often, and conversations with all the wonderful people who are and have ever been part of this church, some of the fondest memories I have of my time in Kentucky are centered on Edenside.   

Those times as a worship leader and Edenside's social justice leanings also reawakened my own desire to get back into social justice advocacy, which had taken a severe hit during that 2001-2003 period.  

And as the native Texan in this congregation, you know I got a kick out of listening to all the shady comments being thrown back and forth between you Cats, Cards and Hoosier fans during basketball season.
  
But the best thing about Edenside is that when I finally did head back to Houston in 2010, I left a better, more confident, spiritually grounded person than when I first arrived thanks in large part to Sally and many of you Edensiders. 

So while I'm saddened that the doors of Edenside will be closing forever and I won't get the opportunity to hear Rev. Beaumer deliver a sermon inside its hallowed 100 year old walls, the church and its memories will live on in the hearts and minds of all who walked through its doors.

****

The Kentucky Basketball Hatetrix Reloaded

When I lived in Kentucky from 2001-2010, one of the more entertaining events for me next to Derby Week was watching the annual December basketball hatefest between the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals.

From the time I moved there in September 2001 until I left in May 2010 to come back to Texas I had the rabid fanbases of Cats and Cards Nations trying to get me to publicly declare whether I was a UK or Louisville fan.

They wanted me to choose to take either the blue Wildcat pill or the red Cardinal pill, but I managed to stay neutral during that time.

To be honest, the wall to wall coverage of that annual rivalry game is one of the things about the state I miss.

When I was setting up my 2014 NCAA men's tourney brackets, I noted the way they were set up, if both teams won their opening round games it would lead to a potential Sweet 16 clash between the current (Louisville) and last (Kentucky) NCAA champions to be played in Indianapolis. 

After the Wildcats narrow 78-76 tournament win yesterday over previously unbeaten Wichita State and defending NCAA champ Louisville knocking St. Louis out of the tournament with their 66-51 win to advance, we can take the word 'potential' out of that last paragraph and deal with the reality that the Kentucky basketball hatetrix has been reloaded.

It's Battle of the Bluegrass, Part II at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.  This time they are playing for higher stakes than just bragging rights as they did December 28 at Rupp Arena.  The Cats fans are already reminding the Cards fans of the 73-66 result of that December game, while the Cards fans are firing back it's all about what happens this Friday.   

And what it's all about is a trip to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight at their bitter basketball rival's expense. 

The bitterly disappointed loser will have a hour and a half long lament filled drive down I-65 south from Indianapolis back to Kentucky while the winner stays in Circle City and plays for a possible trip to the Jerrydome and the Final Four.

The Kentucky Basketball Hatetrix will ensure this is not going to be a quiet week along I-64 or at any job locations, homes, sports bars or churches in Louisville, Lexington or anywhere else in Kentucky this week.  

Not Everyone Is Happy About This Louisville Billboard

TransGriot Note: In the interest of journalistic integrity, I served on the boards of the Fairness Campaign and its C-FAIR PAC for several years  

Got an interesting link to a LEO Weekly story from peeps in my old stomping grounds in Louisville about a billboard that causing some controversy there. 

During first three years I lived in Louisville, I lived in the militantly liberal Highlands neighborhood that is one of the most densely populated gayborhoods in the city.   I lived in a house in the s-curve by Cave Hill Cemetery which when it snowed was highly entertaining to watch cars try to navigate it. 

The next most heavily populated gayborhood is the one I spent the rest of my Louisville years in down Grinstead Dr. on the other side of I-64 near the Southern Baptist Seminary in nearby Crescent Hill.

But moving on to the story du jour. 

Seems like the wingers are still desperately trying to get some return out of their investment in the debunked 'ex-gay' ministries that seek to convert gay people to a heterosexual orientation. 

One recently popped up in Da Ville called (no joke) Abba's Delight founded by Daniel Mingo who claims he walked away from homosexuality 20 years ago.  The LEO Weekly did an expose about ex gay conversion therapy last June that featured Mingo's ministry.  

Yeah, think somebody needs to e-mail the Swedish group and their management about the problematic intellectual property issues on that one.   But I digress again.     

A billboard ad advertising Abba's Delight's controversial services popped up recently at the heavily traveled Bardstown Rd and Grinstead Dr. intersection in the heart of the Highlands.  Mingo is trying to claim he had no say in having the ad placed there, but the location is near three gay bars, so peeps in the Louisville TBLG community ain't buying that story.. 

There are also multiple TARC bus lines that also converge at that  intersection as well, so peddle that bull feces somewhere else. 

The Fairness Campaign's director Chris Hartman had this to say to the LEO Weekly about the specious billboard and the failed conversion services Mingo's org is offering.

It is sad and shameful that Abba’s Delight, an ex-gay ministry, is still trying to peddle their harmful, failed wares in Louisville. And to do so across from a successful, open, accepting, and diverse establishment, like Nowhere Bar, hints of a particularly degenerate desperation.

With more than 90% of people who have been through ministries like Abba’s claiming they have been harmed by the program, and nearly 85% of participants saying that harm still affects them today, it’s time to shut the program down.

No business I know that sells increased depression and suicide rates among its participants and leaves many with PTSD experiences is successful. Abba’s Delight and programs like it are a straight up sham–don’t buy the snake oil.

Since I have plenty of sources in Da Ville to keep me updated about this developing story, will let you TransGriot readers know what's transpired.and if the billboard came down.

Still Miss Y'all, Louisville!

Ever since I accompanied by Polar back in May 2010 drove the moving van onto that I-65 south entrance ramp to eventually end up 1000 miles later back here in Houston to close that chapter of my life, I have yet to return to the Louisville metro area.   Had a few nibbles of interest in the area concerning some speaking engagements in the area or attempts to bring me back for visits that fizzed out,but for the most part it's been close but no quality time in Louisville.

If or when it does happen, I know I'm going to be busy just squeezing in visits with all the people who want to see me when I do return

But every now and then thoughts, events, Facebook photos, UK or U of L games or comments form people in the area trigger memories of the overall pleasant nearly nine years I was a resident of the state. 

I was watching the Louisville-UCF game and thinking about the numerous times I was on the U of L  campus to participate in various events.  I think about those lobby events in Louisville and Frankfort I got to participate in and some of the funny and not so funny moments that happened during those times.

I ponder the many runs up and down I-64 to Lexington and back or up and down I-65 to Indianapolis and Nashville.  I think about the long list of people I met there who became and I still call my friends along with my chosen family that still lives inside I-265.

And this picture Dawn sent me jogged even more memories and this post as we get closer to Halloween   

Grinstead Ave where I used to live is just a few short blocks away from Hillcrest Ave.  Every Halloween for over 20 years the homeowners on that street between Frankfort Avenue and Brownsboro Rd in the Crescent Hill neighborhood would decorate their houses for the occasion.   Some of the decorations were political, others fit the Halloween theme and it drew people from all over the Louisville area to come see them..

One of my favorite houses on that stretch was Dante's Disco Inferno, in which the homeowner installs a working lighted disco dance floor, has mirrored disco balls in the trees and played 70's disco music with tombstones and half buried records surrounding it as people dance to their favorite disco tunes.

That picture rekindled some fond memories of walking up and down the street with all the costumed kids happily in search of candy or happy they get to be their fave character for the night.

There were others on the Trans National Holiday also dressing up for the night, but that's another story.  

Yeah Louisville, just in case you're wondering, I still miss y'all too.   

Strange Fruit-Janet Mock Interview

I've talked about the WFPL-FM radio show that Niece and Nephew (Dr Kaila Story and Jaison Gardner to y'all) do in Louisville entitled Strange Fruit: Musings on Politics, Pop Culture and Black Gay Life that is produced by Laura Ellis and has been on 89.3 FM for a year now.

And yes, I've been on it twice.  By the way, congratulations and Happy 1st Anniversary for the show Niece and Nephew!  

They have had some interesting guests and discussed some thought provoking topics in the year they have graced the radio waves of Da Ville and I expect there will more of the same to come in Year Two of Strange Fruit.

For those of you who don't live in the Louisville metro area, Strange Fruit is also available via podcast. 

Speaking of interesting guests, last Saturday's Strange Fruit broadcast featured Janet Mock, who was on her way to Louisville as a keynote speaker for U of L's annual on campus Pride Festival event.

Janet's keynote speech happened Thursday night, and I heard from my friends in the area she rocked it per usual.  Heard there were some cheers for yours truly who was part of Janet's presentation when I popped up in it.

Aww, miss y'all too Louisville.  If there's video of Janet's keynote floating around I'll put it up in a future post.   

Here's Janet's Strange Fruit interview with Kaila and Jaison. 

.

Janet Mock Keynote Speaker For U of L Pride Tonight

It's one of the things I didn't get to do when I lived in Da Ville, but so happy to hear that Janet Mock will be delivering the keynote address for the University of Louisville's Pride Week tonight.

It's scheduled for 7 PM EDT in the Student Activities Center, Multipurpose Room and is open to the public, so come on out Louisville and check out my sis. 

She has her book Redefining Realness coming out in February, and she'll probably have some very interesting things to say about our LGBT community that you may want to be in the room for.

Rev Sally McClain Retires

Those of you who have been long time readers of TransGriot know that the blog not only started in Louisville, but through May 2010 chronicled some of my Bluegrass State life as a Texan in exile.

One of the people that I talked about in various blog posts who was a big part of my Louisville life and  my evolving faith journey was my pastor at Edenside Christian Church, the Rev. Sally McClain.  

I first met her approximately 48 hours after arriving in Louisville in late September 2001.  I was still reeling emotionally and depressed about my move from Houston, the series of seismic level events in my life starting that February which precipitated my relocation.  I was also spending a lot of my time in my new locale pondering my future and my 40th birthday that was a mere 8 months away.  

Dawn had me hop in her car and took me to meet the pastor of her church and at the time I didn't know anybody yet in Da Ville besides the Fairness peeps, my housemates, and my new next door neighbors.

When I walked into Sally's office, it did wonders for my mood that day.   You gotta love a pastor that has a stuffed Cartman doll on her bookshelf and who Dawn nicknamed 'Mustang Sally' because at the time she took over the leadership of Edenside she was driving a Ford Mustang.  

A few days later after visiting her Edenside office the Louisville AIDS Walk happened, and I joined the Edenside crew as we walked from the Belvedere starting point in downtown Louisville across the Clark Bridge to Indiana and back.  

I had so much fun that day with the folks there I started attending Sunday services at Edenside since the Highlands neighborhood in Da Ville that surrounded the church reminded me a lot of Montrose.

Edenside eventually grew on me until I joined the church a few months later in 2002.  You have to love a church like Edenside that in addition to being actively involved in the Highlands neighborhood and the Louisville community, hosted art shows in its building, hosted a concert by one of our members who was a jazz vocalist, had an HIV/AIDS memorial service and has the Louisville Scottish Association Bagpipe band pop in from time to time.

And oh yeah, did I forget to mention a certain DJ spinning Christmas tunes with soul as part of our church's contribution to the Bardstown Road Aglow event the first Saturday in December that kicks off the holiday season in the Highlands? 

She also led by example.  She's on the advisory board for the WHAS-TV Crusade For Children, one of the major charity fundraising events in the area.  Before I left for Texas she'd become a regular panelist on WHAS-TV's The Moral Side Of The News. 

As the Cartman doll on her bottom bookshelf demonstrated, Rev. Sally also has a wicked sense of humor she''d unleash at times. As a proud UK alum during basketball season no Louisville and Indiana fan in our congregation was safe whenever they lost their annual games to the Cats.

I loved the fact she could say in a 20-30 minute sermon what it would take most Black minsters 45 minutes to an hour to dramatically pontificate on.  I also loved the fact my Louisville church later officially became an open and affirming one.

I also loved the fact Edenside services started at 10:40 AM, included weekly communion and we were done by 11:45 AM.  Most times I was back home by noon unless we were having a post service church dinner or event.  

Yesterday the retirement service was held for Rev. Sally at Edenside.  We tried to arrange it so I could come to Louisville and 'sliiiiide into Edenside' for this event as a surprise for her but it didn't work out. 

Then again, the news of me being back in Jefferson County wouldn't have stayed a surprise long either.

With all the stuff I been juggling lately I didn't think about simply writing a statement about what my time at Edenside meant to me that pretty much coincided with Sally's tenure at the church for Dawn to read until it was way too late to do so.. 

She not only helped me start to get over being depressed about being there but helped me get acclimated to life in Kentuckiana as a member of Edenside.   I got the chance to find my speaking voice again as a worship leader and meet some new people who became my friends during the what turned out to be eight years I lived there.  Her sermons got me thinking about a lot of social justice issues that fueled my activism while I was there and sometimes fueled my social justice during my Texan in exile days.

And it was a two way street.  I was the DJ for her son Derek's wedding.  I also gave her the advice after she asked my opinion about her first Moral Side of The News telecast to be fearless in making her points.  As the only female panelist on the show at the time, the boys ganged up on her during her first appearance.    

Just as things changed and time moved on after I left Houston, the same is true for my 105 year old church.   Some of the members I met when I arrived in 2001 and later joined the church have either moved on, moved out of state like I did or are not in this plane of existence.  Edenside's building is unfortunately for sale as well and Sally is retiring.

But the 1000 miles between me and Edenside didn't keep her from checking on me from time to time or sending me her and the Edenside family's condolences when my father was gravely ill last March and eventually passed away.

Congratulations on your retirement, you've earned it.  While I'm sure the Edenside church family will miss you doing those weekly thought provoking sermons, spending quality time with the grandkids and getting to travel for stuff other than church related events will be a bonus.
 
And I'll not only stay in touch, but give you at least 48 hours warning the next time I'm headed to the Louisville area.

Louisville Landmark Lynn's Paradise Cafe Closes

I've talked about the wonderfully quirky Lynn's Paradise Cafe in a previous 'I miss da Ville' post.

But was shocked to read via a post on Angie Fenton's FB's page and commentary from my other Louisville friend's pages that after 22 years in business, the legendary independent restaurant that is Lynn's Paradise Cafe has closed its doors.

I had the pleasure of eating there when I lived in Da Ville and even experienced the tradition of a New Year's pajama breakfast there.  

It's so well known nationally that during Derby it's tough to get a table in it.  Then Senator Hillary Clinton is one of the long list of notable people who have visited Lynn's.  She did so during the May 2008 Democratic presidential primary in Kentucky.

The details are still coming out and the accusations are still flying as to exactly why the doors have closed on this Louisville institution.  But I'll probably be finding out from all my Louisville friends what's up in the ensuing days as more info becomes available.

Whatever the reason, still sad to hear it happened.

Happy Birthday Niece!

For you regular readers of TransGriot, you've seen me write posts from time to time about the exploits of Dr. Kaila A. Story, also known to moi as Niece.  

I had the pleasure of meeting one of the rising intellectual stars in academia back when I lived in Louisville in 2008. 

She's the Assistant Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at the University of Louisville, with a joint appointment in the Department of Pan-African Studies. She also holds the Audre Lorde Chair in Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

I've had the honor of doing some trans related panel discussions for her classes when I lived there and when she's not teaching her lucky U of L students, she's the co-hostess of the WFPL-FM radio show Strange Fruit along with Jaison Gardner, AKA Nephew.

But it's all about Niece in this post because today is her birthday!

Happy Birthday Niece!    May it be a day as beautiful as you are.  May it also be one that is chock full of abundant blessings.   And yes, may you celebrate many more of them!   

Bardstown Road Aglow 2012

Today is not only December 1, it's also the first Saturday in the month.   That means that later on tonight in Da Ville will be the 27th annual edition of another event that signals the arrival of the Christmas season in Louisville in Bardstown Road Aglow.

Since this blog started while I was living there, writing a post about it is one of my holiday traditions. It's also the day besides Thanksgiving and Christmas I miss my friends, chosen family and church family in Louisville the most and glad you'll have a nice night and perfect weather for it.

At dusk many of the business and churches along a several mile section of Bardstown Road in the Highlands neighborhood open their doors until 10 PM and greet revelers with sales and holiday music .

There are street vendors up and down that stretch of road, carolers and even bagpipers playing or singing Christmas carols.

My old church used to have yours truly spinning Christmas music with soul in the entry narthex of the over a century old church exhorting the people walking by to "slillllde into Edenside" as other members served hot coffee, wassail, lemonade, apple cider, baked goods and had our choir or other local groups perform in the sanctuary.

So know that when it hits sunset here, I'll definitely be thinking about y'all enjoying the latest edition of Bardstown Rpoad Aglow while i'm dealing with some unseasonably warm weather here in H-town.

Strange Fruit-Racial Divisions & The TDOR

As a former Louisville resident I've been keeping up with WFPL-FM's latest show Strange Fruit, hosted by Niece and Nephew. (AKA Dr. Kaila Story and Jaison Gardner to the rest of y'all).

They were discussing on this latest show their experience of attending the local Louisville TDOR, noting that the names of the people being memorialized were Black and Latina, but having an event that was overwhelmingly white.  

All thirteen of the US transwomen killed in the November 2011 to  November 2012 period that we tracked for TDOR were Black or Latina.

So guess who they called to discuss the nature of race and class in the trans community and who was happy to discuss it, especially in the wake of my own not so pleasant experience at this year's Houston TDOR?

Yep, the podcast is up for the latest edition of Strange Fruit and y'all can hear it by clicking on this link. 

WFPL-FM 'Strange Fruit' Show Premieres

I'd heard this show was in the works, but WFPL-FM 89.3, Louisville's public access radio station is kicking off a brand new podcast radio show dedicated to the issues facing the local community.

It's entitled Strange Fruit: Musings on Politics, Pop Culture and Black Gay Life  (after the Billie Holiday song) and features as its hosts two of my fave people in my other hometown in Dr. Kaila A Story and Jaison Gardner.  And yes, in the interest of journalistic integrity 'Nephew' Jaison refers to me as Auntie Monica..

But back to the post. 

The first episode is entitled, "Does Your Mama Know?" and looks at the coming out process for LGBT people of color.  They started a roundtable discussion with young people who have come out to their families, talked to some mamas about their reactions to their children coming out, then had a conversation with Lisa C. Moore, editor of Does Your Mama Know?: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories.   

You can keep up with what's happening on Strange Fruit via Facebook and Twitter, and the show's hosts  enthusiastically welcome your feedback.  They post a new podcast episode each Saturday; so stay tuned.

I know I definitely plan on doing so, and congratulations Dr. K and 'Nephew'.   May your show be a major success.

Anniversary Vigil For Nakhia Today

I recently wrote about justice finally being served in my friend Nakhia Williams' case in Louisville with the wastes of DNA who committed the crime being punished for doing so .

Today is the fourth anniversary of  Nikki's death and there is a vigil being planned for her at 10:30 AM EDT.  She was a good friend that I miss and I wish I could be there for it.  

Here's the press reease from the Fairness Campaign for the vigil

***.  

Nakhia "Nikki" Williams was a proud transgender woman, a writer and painter, who was deeply involved in her community. She was brutally murdered in Louisville on August 20, 2008, a few days shy of her 30th birthday. This Monday, August 20--the anniversary of Nikki's murder--the Fairness Campaign will join her family to remember Nikki, and all victims of bias-motivated violent crime, at the site of her murder, 15th and Market Streets, 10:30 a.m.

Pinwheels will be distributed at the gathering symbolizing hope of ending all bias-motivated violent crime.

"With the recent Sikh temple shooting, the assault on a young lesbian girl in Louisville, and the brutal attack of a Nebraska lesbian, it is necessary to further the discussion of ending prejudice and bias-based violent crime in America," shared Fairness Campaign co-coordinator Keith Brooks.

WHAT: Pinwheels of Hope--A Remembrance of All Victims of Bias-Motivated Violent Crime

WHEN: Monday, August 20, 10:30 a.m. (anniversary of Nakhia's murder)

WHERE: 15th & Market Streets in Downtown Louisville (site of Nakhia's murder)

2nd Annual Kentuckiana Black Gay Pride

TransGriot Note: The second annual edition of Kentuckiana Gay Black Pride kicked off yesterday and will continue with events all around the Louisville area through Sunday    So if you folks in the area or in driving range of Louisville are looking for something to do this weekend , check out the various events.

Thursday, 8/9/12:

8:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. at Purrswaytions (2235 South Preston St): Open Mixer

Friday, 8/10/12:

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church (318 W. Kentucky St): "Can't Take My Greatest" -- Summit helping teens deal with the issues of bullying and coming out.
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church (318 W. Kentucky St): "Love, Sex, and Protection" -- Educational Conference to teach new and old couples how to protect themselves. On site testing will be available.
8:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. at the Rudyard Kipling (422 W. Oak St): KGBPA 2nd Annual Pageant
2:00 a.m. at 1203 South 12th Street: Rainbow Licks Ent. After Hours (Black Pride Edition)
Saturday, 8/11/12

Noon till 9:00 p.m. in Central Park (1340 S. 4th St): 2nd Annual KGBPA Pride Festival

Sunday, 8/12/12

5:00 p.m. at Christ Hope Church Louisville (2231 Payne Street): Sunday Worship & Fellowship Dinner
10:30 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. at Norm's Club 21 (1481 South Shelby Street): Serve Me Sundays (Black Pride Edition)

Justice For Nakhia!

When I was living in Louisville, I got to know and become friends in 2005 with Nakhia Williams.   I was shocked and angry to find out less than a few days after I had a conversation with her in August 2008 she was found shot near her west Louisville apartment after a home invasion robbery August 20 and died from it ten days later.   

I was even more pissed off when I saw the initial misgendering headline about that 2008 case and reported WDRB-TV to GLAAD over their misgendering report that violated AP Stylebook guidelines on reporting about trans people.   I wasn't the only one pissed about it.  So were local trans people and other persons who attended her funeral. 

Was happy to find out that the wastes of DNA who committed the crime, Reginald Grider and Damon Malone were caught by LMPD and recently brought to justice. 

And WDRB-TV respectfully reported it on their site.

Grider received 15 years for the robbery and burglary of Nakhia's apartment.  Just before the trial was scheduled to start, Malone accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 35 years for Nakhia's murder..

No, the punishments don't bring her back, but it does provide closure to the family and all of us who loved Nakhia and miss her in our lives.

,

Kentucky Basketball Hatefest Squared

Well, well, well.   This Final Four in New Orleans will have a lot of folks from Kentucky in town for it since half the teams playing are from the Bluegrass State.

It'll be Kentucky and Louisville playing each other in one of the national semifinals, and boy would I love to be in Da Ville this week observing the jousting between Wildcat and Cardinal fans.   Then again I spent eight years being recruited by Cards and Cats fans trying the swell the ranks of their fanbases by one.

So yep the house Divided will be even more intense this week, and as the tipoff to the battle in the Superdome gets closer, the hate will flow on the Net, in workplaces, and even amongst friends and family.

Should be a fun game to watch.    As for who I'm rooting for?   I'm neutral on this one.

Bardstown Road Aglow 2011

Last year was not only the 25th Anniversary edition of Bardstown Road Aglow in Louisville, it was the first time I really felt the sting of missing my chosen family, friends, and church family up there in Kentucky..

And DJ Moni wasn't there to spin Christmas tunes with soul and exhorting the festive holiday crowd traipsing up and down Bardstown Road to "Sliiiiide into Edenside" and take advantage of scarfing up my church's delicious holiday snacks, our hospitality and get the opportunity to meet our pastor Rev. Sally McClain and the members of the Edenside Christian Church family.

Well, with December finally here and the first Saturday weekend rapidly approaching, it's time for the 26th Annual edition of Bardstown Aglow.

Like the Light Up Louisville ceremony downtown, it's a traditional kickoff to the holiday season for the businesses and organizations in the Highlands neighborhood. 

The businesses along that Bardstown Road corridor break out the holiday decorations and stay open with extended Saturday hours until 11 PM as holiday revelers enjoy the bargains, the music and the street vendors set up along that several mile stretch between Grinstead Dr and Highland Ave 

Being that Bardstown Aglow happens the first weekend in December, the weather can vary wildly for it from a t-shirt and tennis shoes late fall day to having to be bundled up against the cold and gingerly tiptoeing along the freshly snow cleared sidewalks.

I got to actually walk the streets during the 2009 edition of it because the church decided to try something different that year and I had fun bouncing up and down Bardstown Road and soaking up the Christmas magic of that event.  

But to tell the truth I would have had more fun behind my turntables and a mic.  

The 26th annual Bardstown Aglow kicks off on December 3 this year, and if y'all TransGriot readers in the Louisville area "Sliiiide into Edenside", tell them Moni sent you.

Transgender Week Of Awareness Events In Da Ville

TransGriot Note: Yeah, I'm still on the activist e-mail lists for a lot of what goes on in Louisville, and they made sure I got this one since I used to help plan some of these events while I lived there.
To any media peeps in the Louisville area who happen to be reading TransGriot, you are invited to attend these events.

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TRANSGENDER WEEK OF AWARENESS EVENTS

Trans Student Speakout, Tuesday, Nov 15, 7:00 p.m., Shumaker Research Building at UofL, Room 137 - A panel of transgender students discuss their lives.

TransView, Tuesday, Nov 15, 9:30 p.m., Starbase Q, 921 West Main Street  - A discussion on the trans community from six different viewpoints. Panelists include: Holly Knight, Alana Montgomery, AJ Jones, Bejon St. James, Daiyu Hurst, and Lucian Grey (21+ event)

Transgender Health Discussion, Wednesday, Nov 16, 3:30 p.m., Multipurpose Room, Campus Health Services at UofL - A panel of trans people and other health professionals will discuss health care, body image, and other issues; hosted by Campus Health Services and the LGBT Service Health Liaison.

"Fairness Campaign: 20 Years of Making It Better" History Panel on Trans Inclusion, Wednesday, Nov 16, 6:30 p.m., McAtee Room in the Winn Center, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1044 Alta Vista Rd -  Panelists include Fairness Campaign co-founders, straight and queer allies, and early transgender community leaders: Lisa Gunterman, Beth Harrison Prado, K.A. Owens, David Williams, and Dawn Wilson moderated by Chris Hartman.

Pastoring Transgender-Inclusive Congregations, Friday, Nov 18, 12:30 p.m., McAtee Room in the Winn Center, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1044 Alta Vista Rd - Sponsored by the Women's Center at Louisville Seminary, this free clergy panel discussion focuses on the blessings and challenges of ministry in a setting that openly welcomes transgender worshippers and members.

Transgender Week of Awareness Afterparty, Friday, Nov 18, 10:00 p.m., Starbase Q, 921 West Main Street - 21+ party in celebration of the transgender community.

Movie Showing - Gun Hill Road, Saturday, Nov 19, 1:00 p.m., UofL's Chao Auditorium, Ekstrom Library - The story of a teen exploring gender identity and sexuality in an intolerant and judgmental world and his exploration's impact on his relationship with his parents and himself. Sponsored by PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbian and Gays) and UofL's trans-activist student group, T2.

Transgender Day of Remembrance Service, Sunday, Nov 20, 7:00 p.m., Outside the Red Barn in the center of UofL's campus - Memorial service recognizing transgender individuals whose lives were lost to anti-trans violence.

Rep. Yarmuth Salutes 20th Anniversary Of Fairness Campaign

Y'all know I have have much love for Rep. John Yarmuth from my time in Da Ville.   When he wrote a column for the LEO, the alternative paper there he called out Republican Rep Anne Northup every chance he got during her ten years occupying that seat in a predominately Democratic district.

Yarmuth ran and beat her in 2006, then beat her in the rematch by a larger margin in 2008.

He salutes the Fairness Campaign for 20 years of work fighting for TBLG rights in the city of Louisville and the state of Kentucky from the floor of the House.