Moni's Leaving On A Jet Plane -To Philadelphia

This is my first trip of 2017, and I'll be heading to a place that I've gone to since 2012 almost as much as Washington DC in Philadelphia.

This time I'll be headed back to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection for this year's edition of Creating Change, and as I talked about in last week's post about me going to #CC17, I was actually looking at not going this year after having attended three straight ones since we hosted Creating Change in Houston  in 2014.  

But here I am once again getting ready to board a plane bound for a Creating Change host city for the fourth straight year.  This time I'm on Delta, and will be going through Atlanta to get there.

So while I'm at #CC17, as always I'll be tweeting and writing about what I see, hear and experience while I'm in the #CC17 host hotel.

See y'all in a few hours.

Thanks Tucson For A Wonderful TDOR 2016 Weekend!

TDOR 2016 is now one for the history books, and enjoyed my weekend here in Baja Arizona as they call the Tucson-Pima County area.

I hope they enjoyed the speech as much as i was told today they enjoyed my TransGriot TDOR 2016 blog post. 

I enjoyed while i was here on this end of I-10 meeting and talking to people in the Tucson area TBLGQ community, SAGA, GENDERowdy, various trans parents and on the University of Arizona campus, and deeply appreciate y'all rolling out the red carpet for me.

I even ran into people this weekend that used to live in Houston who now call Tucson home.

Megathanks for the gift of the knitted trans flag color scarf.  Will definitely come in handy in the cold weather cities I get to visit and the next time we get a cold front that rolls through Houston.   I even enjoyed the pool table on the first floor at the ALoft Hotel that i called home for the weekend..

Now comes the words that the folks in Houston are happy for me to write.  It's time to head back home to the Lone Star State and my end of I-10 via Denver.

See y'all in a few hours, Houston.  

Tucson, thanks once again for an amazing visit and a well done TDOR , and I hope it doesn't take me another four years before I get the opportunity to return to southern Arizona.

The Air Marshal Takes Flight To Tucson

I didn't get an invite to go to what will probably be the last trans themed event at the White House for at least the next four years yesterday, but probably just as well I didn't because I would have had to leave DC after it and immediately fly back to Houston so I could catch my flight to Tucson and speak at their TDOR on Sunday.

Assuming my Southwest bird leaves on time, I face the irony on this leg of flying at 35,000 over Tucson to get to San Diego for my connecting flight back to Tucson.   I'm also chuckling at the irony that 1-10, one of the interstate highways that runs through Houston and much of Texas, also runs through Tucson.

My first trip to Tuscon since 2012 is thanks to the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance, which has been in existence since 1998.  They are one of the groups that sponsors their local TDOR event that happens on the University of Arizona campus and I'll be speaking at on Sunday. .

It's also special to me because the late Alexander John Goodrum was a major leader here in the Tucson area until his untimely death in September 2002.    .

Looking forward to seeing everyone in the Tuscon and southern Arizona community

Leaving On A Jet Plane -To Boston

Once again the Air Marshal is sitting at Hobby International Airport waiting to board a Southwest 737 headed to Boston.   This one is a nonstop going up there, but coming back I will be running through Dallas Love Field before I finally get back home..

May need to roll through the Whataburger in that terminal on the return trip if I have enough time to do so.  What's even cooler is I'm leaving out of the new international wing of Hobby gates on Gate 1

As mentioned in an earlier post, I'm headed there to receive the Robert Coles Call of Service Award from the Harvard based Phillips Brooks House Association on the 28th.

May also if I have time try to knock out another visit off my Presidential library bucket list and go to the JFK Presidential Library and Museum there.

Well, here;s hoping this plane leaves on schedule so I can get there a little after noon local time, get to the hotel and get settled.

The Air Marshal Is Headed To Da Ville!

If you're thinking, "Didn't you just fly off to San Francisco a week ago?" yes I sure did.  But this trip isn't for business, it's a vacation

Yep, I can actually spell that word, and I'm going to spend a week with my homies and homettes in Louisville.   Hey I did promise after my last visit to the city in 2014 that it wouldn't take me four years to come back,

I also think it's apropos that I come back to the city where ten years ago, I founded TransGriot and spent nearly nine years of my life that was critical to my development as an advocate and a person.
And frankly, I wanted to see some of my friends and chosen family here in Da Ville.

Assuming my Southwest bird leaves on time out of Hobby and from Midway, I should be stepping off the plane at 3;00 PM EDT, and hopefully will be destroying some Impellizzeri's Pizza before the week is over.,

Looking forward to seeing everyone when I get there

Moni's Arrived in San Francisco!

The Air Marshal has landed in San Francisco after another cross country flight, this time on Southwest to the Left Coast via Orange County.  

Was a  little bumpy over the El Paso area.  We were flying through the remnants of Hurricane Newton, which made landfall near Los Cabos the other day.  

The other drama I was facing was whether my bag made it.   Due to heavy traffic got to Hobby 40 minutes before my flight departed.   Fortunately I had TSA Pre and I was leaving out of Gate 20.

I exhaled when I saw my bag plop down on the baggage carrousel.   Let's just say that Moni won't be cutting it so close on the return trip home Friday.  

We got to SFO a little early, and after my BART train ride to the Montgomery St. Station found the hotel.   Had to wait a few moments before my room was ready, but that 19th floor suite was worth the wait.

The Park Central is my homebase until Friday morning, and as you readers know, I'm here for the now sold out GLAAD Gala San Francisco that happens tomorrow to receive an award..

The gala started at 5:30 PM PDT, which means the only way I'll be seeing the Panthers-Broncos game is tby watching the highlights on ESPN's SportsCenter.

After I get a nap in because I've been up since 5 AM CDT to catch my flight out of Hobby, I'll probably explore the area around my hotel.   I can see the City View at Metreon venue for tomorrow night's gala from my 19th floor hotel room and already happily discovered there's a 7 Eleven around the corner.

I'm also hoping to get a chance while I'm here to see some peeps while I'm in the Bay Area.

We'll see how successful that effort is.

The Air Marshal Is Headed To San Francisco!

In what has become a familiar theme for me this year, once again I'm taking it to the sky and flying to another event.

This time it will be for the GLAAD Gala in San Francisco, and it will be the first time I've actually flown into SFO since 1999.   I'm sure there will be many changes to the airport since the last time I flew into it was for the 1999 Creating Change Conference that was held in Oakland and the Air Marshal was a CAL employee.

I already know what one of the biggest changes from 1999 is, and that is BART rail service (hallelujah) to and from the airport.

It will be a short trip.  I'm out here just long enough to enjoy Wednesday on the Left Coast and for the Thursday night gala, and return back to my H-town life on Friday morning.

In addition to the Thursday night gala, looking forward to seeing some of the San Francisco based TBLGQ family out here in the Bay Area and destroying some Ghirardelli's chocolate while I'm there

And oh yeah, rumor has it that I'm getting a Special Recognition Award tomorrow night.

Moni's At Chautauqua

After my flight from Hobby through Baltimore to Buffalo and my ride down I-90 through western New York wine country and the Seneca Nation to Chautauqua, I've been since yesterday afternoon chilling in my nice digs here on this picturesque campus that since 1874 has been dedicated to ongoing education and learning.

Only glitch I had was my 737-500 on the HOU-BWI leg had no wifi..

Just great.  The 3 hour flight leg has no wifi, but the short hop from BWI-BUF did.   Go figure the logic in that one.  Oh well, still getting my frequent flyer miles for it.

I'm in the Hagen-Wensley House, just across the street from the Athenaeum Hotel and down the hill from the open air auditorium when Janet Mock and I will be the featured talk tomorrow.  It's the place where performers and speakers stay then they are on the 750 acre Chautauqua Institute campus next to the lake bearing the same name.

Speaking of Janet, she's on her way here, and I'm looking forward to being in the same space with her for the first time in several years..

Chautauqua Institute is a place for ongoing education and learning about not only the current issues of the day, but subjects that include science, technology and the arts.

That point was driven home when I got a chance last night to have dinner on the Athenaeum's patio overlooking Lake Chautauqua with today's featured speaker in Dr. Randy Schekman, a Nobel prize winning molecular and cellular biologist

The conversation was even better than the meal, which was quite tasty

One of the subjects that Chautauqua Institution wishes to discuss and learn more about is trans issues, which is why Janet and I are here.

The Hagen-Wensley House has the feel of home, and I'm on the third floor of it.  I along with the other guests have snacks, drinks and munchies we can nibble on until we get our breakfast, lunch and dinner, and there's other spots in the town square just a short walk away

I said walk because you get around by walking or biking here, and there's not much vehicle traffic on the streets except for the Chautauqua Institution vehicles, carts and scooters.   Hey, not complaining because I am getting my exercise.

Got up early to do a 9 AM EDT radio interview this morning on WJTN-AM about the upcoming chat with Janet, and may do another one before I leave for Houston.   It has been nice chatting with Rachel, our hostess here at Hagen-Wesley House, the staff and getting to meet various members of the Chautauqua education department who are sponsoring this event.

Well, later peeps.  Need to take a walk along this lakefront and enjoy the cooler summer temperatures in comparison to the triple digit heat I left back in Houston Tuesday,.

The Air Marshal Is Headed To Chautauqua, NY

The third of my three consecutive trips to three different events in three weeks is finally happening as I take to the friendly skies once again to go to Chautauqua. NY via Baltimore and Buffalo, then the road trip to southwest New York state and the Chautauqua, Institution grounds..

I'm headed to Chautauqua Institute to do a historic talk on Thursday with Janet Mock that takes place at 10:45 AM from their Amphitheatre Stage as part of their Pushing Our Bodies Limits Summer Lecture Series.

It is a venue that has seen a president, a Supreme Court justice, senators, poets and scientists wander its grounds dedicated to learned discussion, and now two Black girls like us will be on that hallowed ground.

And one again I'll have the blessing of TSA Pre, which means I won't have to nearly strip down to clear security

Well. time to start this latest road trip.    Hope it's a drama free one.

Moni's In The TTNS 2016 House!

Well people, after a 200 mile one way bus trip that was scheduled to start at 8:15 AM CDT from Houston's Greyhound station through Austin with a bus transfer, I've finally arrived at my hotel in Killeen, called Mom and Dee Dee, and settled into my hotel room to do some prep for my speech tomorrow

It wouldn't be one of my road trips without some issue or drama.  The bus from Austin to Killeen had no working air conditioning.  Hello, this is Texas in the summer.  Ac is a basic requirement for travel satisfaction.   Wasn't Greyhound's fault, it was a regional carrier.

Called myself trying to get some sleep before this trip, but that didn't happen especially since I had to get up and this was one of those my butt needs to be at the Greyhound terminal on time and early to catch that 8:15 AM bus out of here.

The Texas A&M University-Central Texas is one of the newer schools in the Texas A&M University system, and the campus is in the shadow of Fort Hood, one of the largest military bases in the US.

One of the interesting tidbits I discovered while doing some research for my speech is that Tia and Tamera Mowry spent some time here in Killeen because their Army parents were stationed here for several years  Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III also lived near here and went to high school in Copperas Cove, TX before heading off to Baylor.   Elvis Presley was also stationed here at Fort Hood during his time in the Army along with major league ballplayer and humanitarian Jackie Robinson.

Will probably take a break to watch Hillary Clinton's historic Democratic presidential nomination acceptance speech and the one by Sarah McBride for #DNCinPhilly, but really looking forward to once again being at the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit.

For those of you in Central Texas, you still have time to join us tomorrow on the Texas A&M Central Texas campus for not only my Friday keynote and Judge Phyllis Frye's keynote on Saturday, but for all the informative seminars that will be taking place both days,


 

Headed To Killeen, TX For The TTNS

Today begins three consecutive weeks of travel for events that will see me going to Killeen, TX for the 8th annual Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit as its  keynote speaker and to teach a Texas Trans 101 seminar, Washington DC for the joint NABJ-NAHJ convention, August 3-7 and to Chautauqua, NY for an August 11 interview with Janet Mock from their historic amphitheater stage as part of their Pushing Our Bodies Limits summer lecture series.

But before I pile up the frequent flyer miles, it's off to central Texas by Greyhound via Austin to my final destination of Killeen and the Texas A&M -Central Texas campus in the shadow of Fort Hood for the TTNS.

And yep, already enrolled in Greyhound's frequent mileage program.

This is the eighth annual edition of the TTNS, and when i step on campus it will officially be the  seventh consecutive TTNS I have attended.   This one is special because it will be my first TTNS I get the honor and opportunity to deliver a keynote address for it, and I'm excited about that.

I'm also looking forward to seeing old and new friends on the Texas A&M Central Texas campus for this growing  conference, and see y'all in a few hours..

Leaving On A Jet Plane To St Louis!

It's ironic than in the nearly nine years I lived in Louisville, I was only a mere 3.5 hour drive away from St. Louis, but the closest I ever got to hitting I-64 west toward it was Evansville, IN for the wedding of a friend.

The next closest opportunity was in 2012 when I was headed to New York for my GLAAD POC media training, and my through flight to LGA stopped in St. Louis on the way there.  It was the same aircraft, so I happily moved myself and my bags closer to the front of the plane before we boarded the passengers waiting to get on in St Louis.

Well, I'm finally going to get the opportunity to not only see the St Louis airport terminal from the inside, but also see the city.  I'll also get the opportunity to meet some people in St Louis as I attend Netroots Nation for the first time since I was on that historic all-trans panel at #NN12 in Providence.

Yep, people, I'll be at the 2016 Netroots Nation through Sunday, and my jet plane takes me through Dallas Love Field on the way to St. Louis.   Hopefully I have a chance and time to hit the Whataburger at Love Field while I'm laying over there for my connecting flight at 12:30 PM and both are on time.

That depends on how badly the arrival of President Obama and Air Force One in Dallas impacts the flight schedule

You TransGriot readers know the convention drill.  Sometimes I may be deep in thought as I'm wandering the convention halls and may not recognize you right away, or I may be engaged in conversation with a lot of people.  In either scenario, don't be shy, just say hi when you see me.

I'm also taking part in a leadership meeting on Wednesday and a panel discussion on Saturday

On that note, time for me to get some beauty sleep for this travel day   My alarm is set for 6 AM, and it will be here before you know it.
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Finally Headed Home From The East Coast

I said before I embarked on this trip on Wednesday it would be an interesting and emotional one, and it was.

The White House Pride Reception in Washington  DC was amazing and even more fun than Imagined it would be.   It was also amazing seeing President Obama speak and being that close to the podium to do so.

The mini crab cakes were also delicious, and trust me when I say I ate enough for everyone who wasn't  in the East Room with me.

Then there was the ride up I-95 to Philadelphia for my second Philly Trans Health Conference, the Brynn Tannehill moderated media panel that included Mari Brighe, Joanna Cifredo and moi.

It was also wonderful getting to see a long list of old friends, meet new ones and spend some quality time with Dionne Stallworth and our trans kids.   And it made my trip to get hugs from two of our amazing trans youth advocates in Jazz Jennings and Nicole Maines.

Then it was back down I-95 from Philly via Megabus to go back to DC and an unplanned trip to Capital Pride and spending the night near BWI before my flight back to Texas.

While I enjoyed the empowering trip, the Orlando mass shooting was an exclamation point reminder that there's still work to do back here in Houston, and it's time to get busy making human rights coverage via a HERO 2.0 or whatever we call it law.

So Houston, the Air Marshal is enroute back home.  Get the Pappa's barbecue ready.

Interesting East Coast Trip For The Air Marshal

After scrambling for the last few days to make the logistics of this trip work, my departure day has finally arrived.  I'm at my old Houston Intercontinental stomping grounds for the first time in two years to take a flight once again on United to the East Coast.

But this one will be a little more emotional for me.  In addition to getting to see some of the CAL airline peeps who haven't retired yet that I used to work with, Terminal C is where my very public physical transition began back in 1994.

I then add to that emotion by traveling to Washington DC for tomorrow's White House LGBT Pride Reception and the first time ever I get to attend..

After seven years of frustratingly not being invited to it, I finally got the nod, and most importantly to me is I got to go when President Obama is still in office.  This will be the last LGBT Pride Reception he will host, and I'm so looking forward to being at the White House, seeing who else got invited to attend, and trying not to cry as I observe the event.

Then it's heading up I-95 when that event concludes for the drive up to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection for the 15th annual Philadelphia Trans Health Conference.

I have a panel discussion on June 10 I'll be participating in with Mari Brighe, Joanna Cifredo and Brynn Tannehill.   Should be an interesting one and i hope those of you in attendance at PTHC come check it out.

It's the second one for me, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone once I get to DC and Philly..

This will be an interesting trip in which I get to fly to one city and drive to another one.

Getting On The Bus-To BTAC 2016

Well, if my Megabus pulled out of the station on time, Dee Dee Watters and I should be speeding up I-45 north to Dallas for the fifth annual Black Trans Advocacy Conference and what I jokingly call; 'Moni's Extended Birthday Week Celebration'

The last two years, BTAC has ended either on or near my Cuatro de Mayo birthday, but this year it's going to end three days short of it on May 1.

Still won't stop me from enjoying this 2016 edition of the Black Trans Advocacy Conference and taking in everything this unique conference in Dallas has to offer.it.

See y'all in four hours Dallas, give or take the traffic.  

In Austin For The Women's Empowerment Conference

There's good news and bad news to start off this Saturday.post.

The good news part of it is that I received the opportunity yesterday afternoon thanks to Crystal Solares and my trans fam in the Organization de Trans Latinas en Texas (OLTT)  to do a day trip to Austin to check out the third annual Women's Empowerment Conference happening on the Austin Community College Eastview campus.

And y'all know how much I love road trips.

The bad news part of that was it meant that in order to be there on time for the start of the opening WE Con 2016 sessions at 10 AM,  those of us in Houston would have to get up at 5 AM in order to get on the road by 7 AM for the 180 plus mile drive to Austin so we can get there by 10 AM for the start of the initial session block..

We Con 2016 is a bilingual event sponsored by the Women's Community Center of Central Texas, and is open to women, girls, femmes, trans women, genderqueer and non-binary people and everyone else who is interested in learning about the issues affecting those communities in the Austin and surrounding areas.

Yesterday was the opening night of it, but the business end of WE Con 2016 is happening today starting as you read this post.   Registration opened at 9 AM, and it's still not too late for you peeps in the ATX area to join us.

The ACC Eastview campus is located at 3401 Webberville Rd, and hope I get to see and meet some of my ATX TransGriot readers in the house.   

Later Baltimore, Headed Back To H-town!

As with any event that is a yearly one, you wait 365 days (366 days this year)  for it to happen, it arrives, you enjoy being in the same space and time zone with people that you know, love and admire, say your goodbyes when its conclusion day comes, and go home to start the countdown cycle until next year.

It's been a wonderful two days up here in Baltimore chilling near the Inner Harbor and hanging out with my friends and colleagues in the LGBT media world old and new, getting my crabcake during brunch at Gertrude's.   But as always, the bittersweet time to say goodbye to everyone has come.   It's now time to check out of the hotel and head back to my H-town life.

I enjoyed getting my learn on during the sessions yesterday, enjoying the panelists dropping knowledge, and honing my journalistic skills at #LGBTMedia16 so I can continue evolving to become a better journalist than when I arrived here Friday afternoon.

But Hobby Airport and Pappas Barbecue awaits.  And I do have a nonstop on the return leg home.

Hopefully the flight home won't be as bumpy as the one coming up here to Charm City.
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Moni's in the #LGBT16 Media Journalists Convening House!

After getting up at 5 AM Houston time to start a several hour travel day, I've finally arrived in the eastern time zone and Charm City, AKA Baltimore for the 7th annual LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

It wasn't a non-stop darn it, so I had to go through Pittsburgh before I got here, but as long as I got the frequent flyer miles for it and arrived here in one piece with all my luggage, than everything is okay.

At the moment I'm attending the opening #LGBTMedia16 reception, and the keynote speech is going on the American Visionary Arts Museum as you peruse this post.

They usually keep the keynoter a surprise, and last year it was the Rev. Dr William Barber II.   Should be interesting to discover who it is this year.

The main business day is tomorrow, and after we get back from the reception, I'm hanging out for a little while and then taking my behind to bed because I will have a long day tomorrow.

Moni's Leaving On A Jet Plane-To Baltimore

Been a few weeks since my last flight to Chicago and Creating Change, and now it's time for the Air Marshal to jet off to her latest community event in the 2016 LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

It's one of my fave events, and this 7th annual edition of it will feature LGBT journalists from 16 states and the District of Columbia will be gathering in Baltimore to get our learn on, network and get a better grasp about the issues impacting our community..

While I have driven through Baltimore on the way to and from Philadelphia twice and have flown into BWI a few times on my way to our nation's capital, it's actually the first time I've had a chance to spend some quality time inside the Baltimore city limits.   The best part of this trip is I get to reconnect with some amazing people while I'm there.

The game plan as usual is to tweet, post to my Facebook page and write about what happens, and you can follow the action at #LGBTMedia16 and my TransGriot twitter feed.

But I have a few hours before I have to get up, get to Hobby and prepare for a 8:40 AM departure.  Hopefully TSA won't stand for Transsexuals Searched Always, because I'm getting a little tired of getting felt up without Luther Vandross playing in the background t every time I roll through an airport

We'll see what happens in a few hours.

Coming Back From Creating Change 2016

And now it's time to say the words that everyone in Harris County loves to hear.

Time for me to come back home from #CC16 Chicago style.

After some morning panels and a closing brunch we'll be gathering for the final plenary session as the Chicago Host Committee gets to the bittersweet moment of passing the hosting torch to the #CC17 host city, Philadelphia..

I won`t get to see the end of it because I have to catch my flight back to Texas at ORD.

Our Creating Change in Houston was two years ago, and all of us who were involved in putting it together still have fond memories of doing so.  We want another opportunity to host it again and want to top what we pulled off in our maiden attempt..  

Hey, Dallas has held it twice , we've only hosted it once.

But thanks Chicago for handling your #CC16 business.  It's been an amazing and drama filled at times four days here, but I'm more than ready to get back to the warmth of Houston and scarf up some barbecue when I get back home.

To my old friends I had a chance to spend time with at #CC16, enjoyed it immensely and looking forward to the next time we get to share some space together.   To my new friends and all of our youth I got a chance to talk to and take pics with, it was my sincere pleasure to do so.

And to the peeps who live for stirring up mess and drama (and they know who they are), time for you petulant children to grow up and chill with that mess because we have far more important work to do on behalf of our entire community.

Later, Chicago.