GLAAD National POC Media Institute-Day 2

After a wonderful first day and night hanging out with my Media Institute classmates and Janet Mock, 8:00 AM came way too soon this morning.   It was time for us to start Day 2 of the GLAAD National POC Media Institute.

We were going to spend the day at a television studio getting professional makeovers and putting into practice what we learned yesterday in front of the unblinking eye of a HD camera.

Since I took the plunge and went first in class yesterday, I earned the opportunity to chill out,  get made up by our makeup artist DeAngelo and his assistant, watch everybody else go through our individual interviews, and be constructively critiqued by Joel and our GLAAD team.

Note TransGriot readers, sometimes volunteering to go first pays off.

It was after lunch before I finally got my turn in front of the camera for my individual interview, and there was major improvement from yesterday.   I also had the opportunity to do a second round of 'Meet The Press' style interviews while being paired with a classmate. 

You know what they say about what happens when you're having fun, and the clock hitting 4 PM meant that Day 2 was over along with the GLAAD National POC Media Institute.

While I'm a little sad it's over, I did get to meet a few of my goals that I'd set before I came to this training.  I wanted to get not only some experinece doing on-camera interviews, I also wanted to get as comfortable in front of a camera as I am in front of a radio microphone.  I made some steps and progress in getting to that comfort level and I'm confident with time and repetition I'll eventually get there.  

One of the other things that happened is I'm headed back to Texas with more friends and allies than I arrived with.

So to my 2012 GLAAD POC Media Institute classmates (New York Division) Pierre, Ardranae, Arianna, Thomas, Shawn, Jonathan, Joseph,  Pamela, Tiq, Maya, Je-Shawna, and Vincent, our media trainer Joel and the GLAAD team of Daryl, Monica, Marcus, Brian and Geoff, thank you for a wonderful and informative weekend and looking forward to working with y'all in future projects and endeavors    

I also thank you New York rainbow community for showing me some love.  That means a lot to me to know how much y'all appreciate what I do and my role as an elder statewoman in our trans community.


To you folks who are about to go through the LA Division of the GLAAD National POC Media Institute, you're about to have a wonderful experience.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did in New York.

GLAAD National POC Media Institute-Day 1

There's a reason I'm writing this post live from New York and endured that drama filled travel day.  It was to attend the 2012 edition of the GLAAD National POC Media Institute.

Today was the day I would discover who the other people were in my training class   I exited my sixth floor hotel room and headed to the hotel lobby around 8:15 AM and was ecstatic to find out when the elevator door opened that one of the people involved was NBJC's Je-Shawna Wholley.  I also discovered there were other familiar faces in my group such as Maya Rupert, who I met at the 2011 Out On The Hill, Vincent Villano from NCTE that I met at the 2012 edition of Netroots Nation earlier this summer and Tiq Milan.  


So as Je-Shawna and I greeted each other, I was also introduced to my classmates I hadn't had the pleasure of meeting before today who were also here for the 2012 edition of the POC Media Institute New York Division.   Introductions were made before we were met by GLAAD's Monica Trasandes and Brian Pacheco and escorted to the nearby 4th floor offices of GLAAD for the day.

In addition to spending an enjoyable and informative day with GLAAD team members Monica, Brian Marcus Brock,  Darryl Hannah and super fellow Geoff Montes we were introduced to our media trainer Joel Silberman.  My POC Institute classmates and I on our first day got to participate in mock interviews (I took the plunge and went first), learn some concepts in terms of being more effective media messengers for our rainbow community, learn some of GLAAD's history and past and current campaigns to increase the media visibility of POC rainbow people and have a lot of fun while doing so.


We wrapped up Day One a little after 6 PM EDT before heading to a nearby restaurant about 7:30 PM to eat dinner, enjoy each others company and discuss our first day. 

That dinner also had two special guests.   One of the special guests was GLAAD's director Herndon Graddick, and the other was Janet Mock.

Yep.  I finally got to give her that hug I promised her in addition to us talking for most of the evening about a wide variety of subjects including her ongoing projects.  

My dinner companions and I also broke into a sometimes humorous discussion about Paris Is Burning in which we all started reciting lines from that iconic movie

Tomorrow is Day Two in which we'll be heading to a local TV studio, getting made up and taking what we learned from Day 1 and building on those concepts.

That means it's going to be another early day tomorrow, so I'd better get some beauty sleep.   Don't need the makeup artists having to erase bags from under my eyes.

I'm In NY (Finally)

It took me a little longer than I anticipated, but I'm finally in the Big Apple city limits for the first time since May 2000.

But not without some travel drama I'm going to break down for you in this post.

Due to thunderstorms building around the Hobby airport area my airplane for my Southwest flight to LGA was delayed from Austin and didn't get to my gate until close to the12:30 PM CDT scheduled departure time.  We boarded the aircraft and pushed off the gate only to experience an ATC delay that had us getting airborne one hour late

And thanks to that local weather, it was a slightly bumpy ride for most of the initial leg to St Louis.  I also had the woman in the seat behind me on that initial leg annoyingly sticking her knees into my seat to where I felt them in my lower back.   Thankfully she got off in St Louis, but we didn't make up much time on that leg or the subsequent STL-LGA one either. 

So we were an hour late when I got to LGA, buit what made up for it was on final appraach we flew over the still under consturction Freedom Tower and the World Trade Center Memorial and up the Hudson side of Manhattan before we made the sweeping right turn over the Westchester County burbs and into LGA. 

After picking up the bag I checked, next task was to call my friend who was supposed to pick me up, but my phone call to her rolled over to her voicemail box.  No problem, so I go to Plan B and decide to get a MetroPass to catch the bus and subway to my hotel.

I get to my station on 28th Street from the 6 train, but discover I made a wrong turn that had me walking in the opposite direction from my hotel on W 28th Street.   By the time I discover my error, I've burned another twenty minutes and had to double back from whence I came.  

I finally get to the hotel at 9 PM EDT tired, frustrated and a little embarassed, and find out I just missed Melissa Sklarz who intended to surprise me.   

So I finally get a stress relieving and well deserved hot shower after checking into my 6th floor hotel room and get a call from my expat Houston homegirl Stacey Langley literally moments after I get out of the shower.

She picks me up twenty minutes later and as I get a late night bite to eat nearby I recount my travel day in addition to filling her in on all the latest back home political news and happening before I head back to the hotel to get some sleep.

And yep, sleep is the operative word, because I'm writing this post after midnight New York time, I have a busy day tomorrow and I don't want to be doing so with bags under my eyes.

I also get to find out in afew short hours who else is taking this GLAAD National POC Media Instiutute training class with me .        

Leaving On A Jet Plane-To New York

Seems like I just wrote one of these posts last week at the start of my weekend trip to Charlotte for the just concluded TransFaith In Color Conference.

This time I'm headed to New York for the GLAAD National POC Media Institute that will start tomorrow and runs through August 26. 

Thinking about keeping a diary for this one, even though this is going to be a whirlwind trip and as of yet much of my writing in it might be in the HOU and MDW airports and on the flights up to New York and back to Houston..

It's the first time I've been in New York City since May 2000.  That vacation trip ended up with me having an unexpected but pleasant meeting with Sylvia Rivera. .  

And Mayhem, if you're reading this post, I discovered my New York hotel is within walking distance of several Tim Horton's locations so I'll finally get a chance to sample Timmy's fare and see if it's all that as several bags of ketchup flavored chips.

While I'm there I'm going to try and catch up with my New York area homegirls.once I'm finished with my GLAAD business.  

Well New Yorkers, you've wanted Moni to come to the Big Apple for awhile now.   You're about to get your wish.  See y'all in a few hours.

Eagerly Awaiting The GLAAD National POC Media Institute

In a little over 48 hours I'll be in the Big Apple eagerly awaiting the first session of the 2012 Edition of the GLAAD National POC Media Institute.   The LA edition of it will occur September 7-9..

You TransGriot readers are probably wondering with my demonstrated writing, radio interview and speaking skills why I would be taking part in this event. 

One of the reasons is that we need more trans POC spokespeople with media training speaking about the issues that impact our community for starters.  

It's something I've complained about for years and by attending this institute, to paraphrase the words of my shero the late Barbara Jordan, who was an award winning debater and speaker herself, I'm doing more than just talk about it.  I want to be in a better position to act as a spokesperson for the trans community.

They also cover television interviews as well.  I haven't done as many of those as I have the radio and print variety and definitely could use the practice.  If I make mistakes in a TV interview I'd rather do so in a learning environment rather than in a moment critical to our community's media advocacy strategy

And frankly, I'm attending the GLAAD National POC Media Institute because I want to get better at what I do media communications wise and this is a wonderful opportunity I've been blessed with.

See y'all this weekend.

Shut Up Fool Awards-TransFaith In Color Conference Edition

Assuming my flights are on time, according to my schedule I should be in Charlotte as you read this and preparing to do my keynote for the TransFaith In Color Conference that starts today.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at this event which has long been on my 'must attend' conference list.   The TFIC folks wanted me to speak at their inaugural 2010 conference in Los Angeles but had a scheduling conflict that kept me from doing so.

I'm here now, fired up anxious to see some old friends and meet new ones. I'm also ready to participate in some of the seminars and panel discussions in addition to deliver my keynote speech at noon EDT tomorrow.  For those of you who can't be here, the text of my speech will pop up here on the blog at that time.

If I happen to get some video of it, I'lll post it to the blog later.   .

It's also Friday, and that means I have to handle some of my usual Friday TransGriot business in terms of the weekly Shut Up Fool awards.  

As always, I had a bumper crop of fools his week.   Group nods to Fox Noise, the Log Cabin Republicans, the Tea Klux Klan, and the Republican Party.   Individual nods this week to Chad Johnson, R. Clarke Cooper, Reince Priebus, John Sununu, Eric Fehrnstrom, Rep Paul Ryan, Gretchen Carlson, 

This week's SUF winner is.one of our contenders for the Shut Up Fool of the Year Award in Mitt Romney

So what did he do to earn this week's award?  Lie about the fact that the $718 billion the ACA takes from Medicare is waste and fraud, not from benefits of current recipients and extends the life of the program by eight years.  Lied when he claimed the POTUS is running a 'racist and divisive' campaign, and them made a racist dog whistle 'go back to Chicago' remark while doing so.  Sent his wife Ann to do his dirty work about not releasing more tax returns.  Lied that president Obama is trying to eliminate military voting rights in Ohio...

Oh yeah, did forget to point out that Mittbot lies on a daily basis? 

On that note.  This one deserves a special Mr T appearance.  Mitt Romney, shut the HELL up, fool!
 

Leaving On A Jet Plane-For Charlotte

Well if everything is on time and there is no ATC drama, I should be airborne as you read this out of Hobby Airport and on my way via Atlanta to my final destination of Charlotte and the TransFaith In Color Conference

I had to get up early to make this 6 AM CDT departure but I'm looking forward to giving my keynote speech and attending my first ever TFIC conference.,

For those of you who can't be in Charlotte for it, I'll post the speech on the blog tomorrow.   If someone videotapes it, I'll post that video on TransGriot as soon as I receive it.  

This begins another set of interesting back to back trips because next week I fly to New York to participate in GLAAD's POC Media Institute.   So yeah New Yorkers, I'm headed your way for a few days

First up is Charlotte, and see y'all in a few hours.

Moni's Going To The 2012 GLAAD POC Media Institute

Well, looks like I'll be piling up more frequent flyer miles in late August

Was deliriously happy to discover that I've been accepted to participate in the 2nd annual GLAAD National People of Color Media Institute that will be taking place in New York August 24-27.

I'd heard about last year's inaugural POC media institute too late to apply for it, and when the opportunity presented itself this year, I made sure I got the application done and sent it in before the June 1 deadline.

And why did I consider this a priority to do so?  Because you long time TransGriot readers know lack of media visibility for non-white TBLG people is a issue that I have griped about for years on these electronic pages.   To borrow the words of Eldridge Cleaver, "If you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem."  This was an opportunity to do something about it.

“While there have been major strides to increase visibility around the stories and issues LGBT people face, far too often the voices, views and faces of LGBT and allied people of color are underrepresented, if represented at all,” said Herndon Graddick, President of GLAAD. “Our community needs to work together to change this. We are extremely proud to host this program which will help our community elevate more voices and celebrate the rich diversity of the community and our allies."

This program is created specifically for people of color who are LGBT or LGBT allies.  .In its first year, GLAAD worked with 30 LGBT and ally advocates through the National People of Color Media Institute. As a result, their stories and views reached millions through national media outlets including National Public Radio (NPR), Black Enterprise, Ebony, as well as community and ethnic media outlets such as El Diario, The Afro and New York Amsterdam News. 

The Institute is basically a two-day, training program in New York (August 24-26) and Los Angeles (September 7-9), where GLAAD staff, leading journalists and talking heads and key media trainers will develop Institute participants with best practices for on-camera and radio interviews.

It's also limited to 20-25 people, so as one of the people accepted for the New York one I'll get to meet my fellow 2012 POC Media Institute attendees and be part of it.  I'm also looking forward to being inside the New York city limits for the first time since 2000 even though this is primarily going to be a business trip. 

See y'all in a few weeks, Big Apple.

Home Sweet Humidity

Well peeps, I'm back in H-town after my double secret Washington DC trip in which I spent this weekend handling some activism business I can't talk about. 

And don't ask because I signed a confidentiality agreement to ensure I can't talk about it.  

Yeah, what I experienced this weekend was that serious 

But what I can talk about is how we did so on a well-fed stomach, I saw another one of my blogs avid fans and readers Saturday night (Hi, Karen!) and got to see the MLK Jr. Memorial all lit up in nighttime mode.

Was a little bummed I had to leave before it was over, but got a nice surprise when I arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in the ATL.  When I arrived at gate C-4 from DCA discovered my Hobby departure gate changed to C-2 from C-21.   I had to use the restroom, and when I emerged from it Kylar Broadus was standing near that spot waiting for his connecting flight back home checking his e-mail on his cell phone.

I stopped when I heard his voice say, 'You look familiar."  We both laughed, then had an impromptu meeting at my gate while I killed time waiting from my Houston flight to board.

I was also greeted by something else when I arrived back in Houston I haven't experienced there in a few days:. sunshine and humidity.   My departure flight on the Thursday Houston-ATL leg was delayed, and then ATC ground stopped after we pushed off the gate due to an early morning thunderstorm that snarled air traffic.

Thank to Jeri and her wonderful roomie Robin for letting me crash at their place Thursday evening and for the invite to the double secret event.

At any rate, I'm home in one piece.  Had a wonderful time seeing everyone in DC I was collaborating with on the double secret stuff.  For you DC folks who missed me this go round, you''ll get another chance soon, probably when the 2012 edition of Out On The Hill kicks off in September.

 

Headed To Washington DC Again!

Moni's headed to Washington DC as you read this post to handle some weekend business can't really talk about until it's over.

Leaving out of Hobby (sorry IAH airline family) and traveling through the ATL to get to Washington National (I refuse to call that airport Reagan International).  Every time I connect through Atlanta I think about this old airline joke and chuckle when I arrive there.

If you're going to heaven or hell, you'll have to change planes in Atlanta.  

And yes, I wrote a few posts for you TransGriot readers to persuse and enjoy while I'm flying the friendly skies.  I'm also planning on making a beeline for Five Guys when I get to DCA. .     

But I'm going to enjoy getting out of Houston for a moment even though it's been cooler this week than it usually is in July thanks to the rain and cloudy conditions we've had for the last few days.   I submit the NAACP delegates are happy they're here in H-town while we're getting a break from our usual blast furnace heat and humidity.

I get to chill for a minute when I get to DC Thursday night before I enter the Cone of Silence Friday through Sunday about the reason for my trip.

At any rate, those of you I get to see inside I-495, looking forward to hanging out with you and I'll see you when I get there.

Live From Providence-It's Moni

After a travel day that started for me at 6 AM CDT and ended with me falling asleep in my hotel room a little after midnight on the 6th to the somewhat depressing news that Scott Walker survived his recall election, I finally arrived in Providence ready to partake in the Netroots Nations happenings starting officially tomorrow.

While I had an enjoyable and emotional at times transit through IAH and got reacquainted with some of my former co-workers on my initial United flight out of Houston yesterday afternoon, was a bumpy ride up to Cleveland.  I was early getting there, but  was delayed on that next leg out of Cleveland to Providence because the commuter plane hadn't left Kansas City yet.

It eventually arrived and I had a wonderful conversation with my seatmate on the CLE-PVD leg that made me forget I didn't get to my hotel until 11:25 PM EDT.   My room also made up for the anxiety that built up in catching the last bus from the airport to downtown by mere seconds. 

It has a fantastic view of the Rhode Island state capitol building, I'm across the street from a mall and the Rhode Island Convention Center.  It's also up the street from a 7-11 which I'll be visiting later to destroy a Slurpee or two before I head back to H-town.

But today is about me registering for the conference, getting the lay of the land in the hotel area, attending the LGBT Connect event I'm looking forward to and eagerly awaiting the meeting with myself and my fellow panelists.

And yes, TransGriot readers, I'll be chronicling the happenings on these electronic pages as well.