3rd Annual NBJC The Black Institute Features Groundbreaking Panel Discussion

One of the highlights of any Creating Change event is the daylong institutes that are eagerly anticipated parts of the conference programming.

Since the 2014 Creating Change hosted in Houston, The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) has organized The Black Institute, which focuses on the issues impacting the Black TBLG/SGL community and also functions as a space to foster policy discussions on a national and local level.

I've been blessed to be part of the conversations at the Houston and Denver events in 2014 and 2015, and the daylong The Black Institutes have been informative and needed substantive family conversations about the various issues that ail the Black gay, lesbian, bi, trans and SGL community

The #CC16 edition of the Black Institute once again in coordination with the Trans Persons of Color Coalition (TPOCC) will have the theme of Healing, Healthy and WHOLE and features another one of those groundbreaking panel discussions it is renowned for.

This year at 11 AM will be a discussion moderated by trailblazing musician and trans advocate Tona Brown that discusses the men who love trans women with a panel of trans attracted men.

One of the men taking part in that panel is one you TransGriot readers are familiar with from his Trans Attracted man videos in Troy.

In addition to discussing the dearth of visibility, support and resources from trans attracted men, it will also discuss the role that cisgender trans attracted men have had in perpetrating the intimate partner violence that has lead to the deaths of Black trans women when those secretive relationships are discovered.


The Black Institute will also discuss what holistic health looks like for the Black SGL/ LGBT community among other subjects they can squeeze in during that programming day  .

The NBJC The Black Institute will take place on January 21 from 9 AM-6 PM  CST at the host hotel for this year's Creating Change Conference, the Hilton Chicago.

Hope those of you headed to the Windy City will check it out.

OUT on the Hill-Saturday Preview

Seems like it was just a few days ago OUT on the Hill was kicking off on Tuesday with a pre conference event, and now we have reached the last full day of plenary sessions and seminars for the 6th annual edition of OUT on the Hill

At 9:00 AM EDT will be the first of two The State of the Black LGBTQ/SGL Community sessions.   The first of two sessions is entitled  A Focus on the Wellness of our Community and will run for a scheduled two hours.

We will then move to the final concurrent sessions for #OOTH2015 starting at 11;15 AM before we go into the second State of the Black LGBTQ/SGL Community event focusing on faith and spirituality starting at 1:00 PM and scheduled for three hours..

OOTH 2015-Thursday Recap

The first full day of OUT on the Hill activity
found me battling DC traffic in order to get to HRC headquarters for the opening plenary session scheduled to kick off at 9 AM

I got there about 9:15, but because there were so many people checking in to pick up their registration packets, the start got delayed a bit.

But we did get the OUT on the Hill party started at 10 AM as NBJC ED and CEO Sharon Lettman-Hicks and Venton Jones stepped to the podium began a fast paced opening plenary that focused on the health and wellness issues facing our Black TBLGQ/SGL ranks that covered the issues and the NBJC responses to them that got us back on schedule for our first workshop sessions of the day that commenced at 10:45 AM.

Since I`d seen Brandon`s excellent effemiphobia presentation, I checked out the one entitled Somewhere Over The Rainbow:  Can We Talk About Bullying?

Noelle Adams and Margaret Conley launched into their presentation that talked about the causes, led us through an exercise demonstrating bullying, strategies for combating it, and triggered an interactive discussion by the session attendees and our facilitators.

12:15 PM came too quickly, and we reassembled for lunch and the start of the 12:30 lunchtime plenary discussion focusing on the health and wellness of Black bi and lesbian cis women of color.

That was also another informative discussion that pointed out the lack of research and data focused on bisexual and lesbian women, and also the dearth of information and research concerning masculine presenting women.

That segued into the second plenary session of the day that discussed the just introduced by Congress Equality Act moderated by Stacey Long Simmons.   The panelists discussed the proposed law, gave us a snapshot of where we are in the legislative process  (170 House co-sponsors, 40 senate co-sponsors) and how it impacts our Black SGL, trans and bi community.

We also has the pleasure of having one of the sponsors of the legislation in Rep. Ted Liu (D-CA) visit us, talk about some of the issues facing BTLGQ people, and then take questions.

And yes, your fave blogger asked one about getting trans as an identifier option on the  upcoming 2020 census.  His response?   He likes the idea, and I`m going to have some discussions with his legislative staff about it.

There was also some discussion by Sandy James about the US Trans Survey, which is closing in a few days before the floor was opened to questions from the audience before it ended at 4:30 PM.

At 5:00 PM we made our way to the 8th floor of the building for the OUT on the Hill welcoming reception HRC sponsored.   We enjoyed taking time to meet of and new friends, network and have some conversations about various subjects before it ended.

This first full day of the sixth annual OUT on the Hill is done.   So looking forward to tomorrow and my own lunchtime plenary discussion.

OUT On The Hill-Friday Preview

Day two for me at the sixth annual NBJC  OUT on the Hill in DC and I couldn't be happier to be inside 1-495 again for #OOTH2015.

What's on the #OOTH2015 agenda for today?  Going to be an interesting one in which we have the morning events at HRC headquarters, and then after the plenary I'm participating in at 12:30 PM EDT, we shift to our venue for the rest of the conference in The Beacon Hotel for the afternoon and evening events.

It'll also be moving day for me because I'll be shifting from hanging out with Joanna Cifredo to the conference hotel.   Still nice to have trans sisters all over the country to hang out with.

After today's  9 AM EDT opening plenary session , which will be a policy discussion on the topic of Reigniting the Fight Against HIV/AIDS in the Black LGBTQ/SGL Community, the second set of three concurrent workshops  takes place before  my other business of the day.

I'll be taking part in the 12:30 PM luncheon plenary session entitled The Plight of Trans Women of Color In America.   Yeah, it's a subject I know a little something-something about.

And yes loyal TransGriot readers, I'll have the Friday Shut Up Fool post going up on schedule at noon CDT.

After we move to The Beacon Hotel, two sets of concurrent workshops before the OOTH 2015 Sponsors and Partners Reception.

And once again as a reminder. you can check out the #OOTH2015 hashtag on Twitter to catch up with what people are tweeting about this sixth annual edition of the event.

OUT On The Hill- Thursday Preview

My first full day waking up in DC and being in the NBJC OUT on the Hill house for the first time since 2012.  .Am I excited about that and seeing my NBJC family for the first time since #CC15?   Does Beyonce have curves?

Also felt good being able to get some sleep as I try to get my body adjusted to East coast time.

My plenary isn't until Friday, so I get to spend today in reporter mode.


So what's happening today?    Hmm let's check the schedule.   The opening #OOTH2015 plenary kicks off at 9 AM EDT and is entitled A Focus on the Health and Wellness of our Community.

That's followed by the first concurrent OOTH 2015 sessions starting at 10:45 AM, two general plenary sessions at 12:30 PM and 2;45 PM followed by the welcome reception starting at 5;00 PM

All of today's OOTH 2015 plenaries, panel discussions and the welcome reception will take place at the Human Rights Campaign Headquarters   I(f you're in the DC area still not too late to get a day pass and join us.

Looking forward to spending the day getting my learn on, tweeting and writing about today's events You can check out the #OOTH2015 hashtag to follow the action.