Stacey Blahnik Lee 3rd Anniversary Candlelight Vigil Tonight

Today marks the third anniversary of the death of Stacey Blahnik Lee.  Her boyfriend Malik Moorer found her strangled to death when he returned to the apartment they shared..

The case is still open, the Philadelphia Police Department is still trying to solve it and the perpetrator of this heinous deed has unfortunately yet to be brought to justice.

For people who may know something about this case, please call the Philadelphia PD and tell them whatever information you are aware of so the person who did this can rot in jail and all the people who loved Stacey inside and outside the trans community can have some closure.  .


Later tonight a memorial candlelight vigil being organized by Moorer will be held at the William Way LGBT Community Center from 7-8:30 PM EDT.

He's asked for people to come early, and for those who wish to speak at tonight's vigil to get in contact with him.

Moorer also put together this YouTube video expressing his thoughts during this difficult time.




The William Way Center is located at 1315 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA. 19107.   Hope you peeps who are in the Philadelphia metro area and have the ability to attend this event will do so and envelop Malik and Stacey's family and friends in the love they'll need to get through this day.  . 

3rd Annual Philly Trans* March Coming Soon

For those of you in or near the Philadelphia metro area, you may wish to circle October 12 on your calendar for the third annual Philly Trans* March.

It's being organized by Christian Axavier Lovehall and will take place at LOVE Park from 3-6 PM EDT after the march from Center City to the LOVE Park location. 

Here's the details courtesy of the Philly Trans* March Facebook page:

***

Join us October 12, 2013, for Philadelphia's 3rd annual Philly Trans* March. Philly Trans* March is not only a rally and demonstration, but rather a revolutionary movement. Open to people of all gender identities, expressions, and experiences, Philly Trans* March welcomes everyone to join in this MARCH TOWARDS EQUALITY and protest against the hate, social injustice, and inequality faced by trans*, gender variant, gender queer and gender non-conforming communities. Issues such as hate violence and the lack of official concern, healthcare policies, trans* media representation, financial and housing insecurity, police brutality, workplace policies and employment discrimination, and the lack of resources for T/GV/GQ/GNC youth are just a few of the concerns being voiced upon in this year's March.

PTM is also a CELEBRATION of the triumphs we have experienced in our city and the unique resources Philadelphia offers to our community. With an aim to increase Trans*, GV (gender variant), GQ (Genderqueer) and GNC (gender non conforming) visibility and to gain equality, Philly Trans* March is an affirmation of our beauty, strength, and diversity. Organized by members of Philly's trans*, gender variant, gender queer and gender non-conforming communities and our allies, this endeavor is committed to creating a safer, more inclusive environment for everyone.

Before we take it to the streets of Center City and march, this year we will be honoring those apart of Philly's Trans* community who have shown dedication to Trans* advocacy and increasing Trans* visibility. This October Philly Trans* March will host it's first PTM Advocacy Awards, giving much deserved recognition to those who have stood on the front lines in support of Philly's Trans* community and the fight towards equality. Below are the awards that will be given on that day. Congratulations to all of the recipients for this outstanding achievement!

PTM ADVOCACY AWARD CATEGORIES:
Leaders of Hope and Empowerment Award
Shining Pioneers Award
Rising Leaders Award
Artist Visibility Award
Ally Appreciation Award
Social Change Achievement Award

After we march, and return to LOVE Park some of our most creative local Trans* talent will rock the stage and help bring the event to a celebratory wrap-up!

Come One, Come All as EVERYONE is welcome to attend this monumental event! Bring your friends, your signs, drums and beautiful selves and rally in solidarity at PHILLY TRANS* MARCH 2013! LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD!

**this is an all ages event
***a van will be on site to transport those with disAbilities who wish to march but are unable to 

Diamond Williams Case Update: Sargent Hearing Delayed

In the latest news about the Diamond Williams case in Philadelphia, 43 year old Charles Sargent, the waste of DNA who was arrested July 20 and is accused of murdering her, was supposed to face an August 7 hearing in Municipal Court Judge Teresa Carr Deni's court.

But according to a Philadelphia Gay News article by Angela Thomas, the hearing was postponed until October 15 after a continuance for the preliminary hearing requested by Sargent's defense attorney J. Michael Farrell was granted.

In addition to the murder, possession of an instrument of crime and abuse of corpse charges he faces in the Williams case, he was also charged with making a terroristic threat when he threatened to kill his girlfriend 

 

That hearing will now take place at 9 AM EDT in Room 306 of the Criminal Justice Center located at 1301 Filbert St.   I hope the Philadelphia trans community and allies are there in remembrance of Diamond and pack the courtroom on that date. 

Philly Diamond Williams Vigil Remarks-Gloria Casarez

TransGriot Note: I had the sincere pleasure of meeting Gloria Casarez during the LGBT Media Convening in Philadelphia back in February.  We had a nice conversation about more than a few issues, including the Nizah Morris case.   Gloria is the director for the Office of LGBT Affairs for the City of Philadelphia, and she was at LOVE Park last night to give her remarks at the vigil for Diamond Williams.

DIAMOND VIGIL / RALLY REMARKS– JULY 23, 2013

I don’t want to be here today.

Less than a year ago at our LGBT community center, we gathered for Kyra Kruz – who was murdered.
Her murderer is still out there.

Two years before Kyra, we gathered right here at Love Park for Stacey Blahnik – who was murdered.
Her murderer is still out there.

And, almost 11 years ago, we gathered for Nizah Morris – who was murdered.
Her murderer is still out there.

Today, we’ve gathered for Diamond – who was brutally murdered over the weekend. The only consolation in Diamond’s death is that HER murderer has been captured. Her murder will see justice and I pledge that we will keep attention on Diamond’s brutal murder. We’ll keep attention on this case – for Diamond, Kyra, Stacey, Nizah, and all of us who have experienced violence because of who we are.

We will fight so that the coward who killed her pays for his crime. We will fight so that her killer can’t use “she tricked me” as a defense. We will fight, because Diamond, Kyra, Stacey, and Nizah can’t fight.
But, as we fight, there are witnesses who said nothing. Be mindful of this as much as you are mindful of your own safety. And in every one of these cases I believe there are witnesses who have said nothing. I don’t want to be here – for another murder.

Another act of violence. Another loss. Another death misreported by the press. Another “man in women’s clothing” piece from our local media. To anyone covering these stories, we can’t train you. You’re a journalist and we expect you to get the story right. The National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association and GLAAD have style guides for media that offer instruction on how to refer to LGBT people in reporting. USE it! If the police give you inaccurate or confusing information about a person, ASK clarifying questions! That’s what journalists are supposed to do and that’s what we need you to do.

When people are misidentified in the press, its hurtful. Hurtful to the people who knew and loved them and it dishonors their life. It also hinders investigations at the earliest point and contributes to these cases being unsolved. When initial news reports describe a victim as “a man in women’s clothing” to describe a transgender woman, it impacts witness reports. When Kyra was described in such a way it was stunning. Anyone who knew Kyra would describe her as a woman and any witness who may have seen her the night she was murdered, wouldn’t have “read” her as a “man in women’s clothing.”

We need to respect people in life and especially in death and that very much extends to a person’s gender identity and expression.

We’ve done a lot of work here in Philadelphia on LGBT issues and I’m proud to be a part of these positive changes in law, policy, and protections – but – we still have work to do. And by WE, I mean all of us.

No number of laws, policies and protections are going to keep you safe in a dangerous situation. We can’t be lulled in to a false sense of security. Especially when we’re in the Gayborhood, its easier for some of us to be “US”, but its important to note that none of these crimes took place in the gayborhood – these crimes took place in north Philly, northeast, southwest, and Center City.

Today, we gather for Diamond and we know that her murderer will see justice. All of us will see to that. And, we’ll follow this case on through to the end. For Diamond. For Kyra. For Stacey. For Nizah. For you and for me – we will not rest. JUSTICE FOR DIAMOND

Thanks Nefertiti!

Now this is what we're looking for when we see a media news report about a trans person, especially in the wake of their deaths.

Remember this one I wrote yesterday expressing my concerns about the weekend broadcast about Diamond's death?    Well, after people in the trans community reached out to NBC10 and Nefertiti, this is her report concerning the vigil.

 

Speak Out and Vigil For Diamond Williams In Philly Tonight

Don't forget Philadelphia metro area trans peeps, there will be a Speak Out and Vigil for Diamond Williams at LOVE Park starting at 5:30 PM EDT.

Speaking tonight at this vigil are: Aamina Morrison– TIP Co-Director
Samantha Jo Dato – Trans* Wellness Project
Christian Axavier Lovehall – Philly Trans* March
Sade Ali –Philadelphia Deputy Commissioner Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, Morris Home Founder
Gloria Casarez - Director of LGBT Affairs, Mayor's Office

LOVE Park is located at 1599 John F. Kennedy Blvd in Philadelphia, PA. and it will take place from 5:30-6:30 PM EDT. 

Hope you can attend it and pay your respects to the name and memory of Diamond Williams.

Speak Out and Vigil For Diamond Williams In Philly Tomorrow

For my trans family in Philadelphia and our allies, been advised by Nika Jewell, one of my Philly area TransGriot readers there will be a Speak Out and Vigil for Diamond Williams, the girl like us who was horribly murdered in the Strawberry Mansion section of the city by Charles Sargent.

There will be representatives from GALAEI’s TIP (Trans-health Information Program) and Mazzoni Center’s Trans* Wellness Project at this speak out and vigil designed to honor the name and life of our trans sister who was lost to violence, and issue a call for justice and respect.

Violence against trans women is unfortunately a harsh reality in the city of Brotherly Love as evidenced by the murders of Stacey Blahnik Lee and Kyra Cordova.

This speak out and vigil event is an opportunity for Philadelphia community members to gather, speak and organize against the violence that continues to claim and threaten the lives of transgender women in Philadelphia.

People who will be speaking at this vigil are:
Aamina Morrison– TIP Co-Director
Samantha Jo Dato – Trans* Wellness Project
Christian Axavier Lovehall – Philly Trans* March
Sade Ali –Philadelphia Deputy Commissioner Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, Morris Home Founder
Gloria Casarez - Director of LGBT Affairs, Mayor's Office

The event will take place at LOVE Park, 1599 John F. Kennedy Blvd in Philadelphia, PA from 5:30-6:30 PM EDT.  Hope you can attend it and pay your respects to the name and memory of Diamond Williams.

Nefertiti, Read Your AP Stylebook

Nefertiti Jaquez until January 2013 used to be an award winning reporter and part time anchor working for KPRC-TV, our local NBC affiliate here in H-town.

She now works for the NBC affiliate in Philadelphia, and it's why I'm majorly disappointed to hear that in this unfolding case in which Charles Sargent has been arrested for killing and dismembering a girl like us, the story about it misgendered the victim, the 'male prostitute' angle was highlighted, an old arrest record and mugshot was plastered all over it without any attempt at balance in terms of finding anyone in the trans community who knew the victim.

View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.

The How Not To Report On Black Transpeople playbook was followed once again to perfection..

But then again Nefertiti, if you'd taken the time to call the William Way Center to balance this story out or use the femme name once you discovered the person was trans, maybe you would have quickly found someone who knows Ms. Williams by her femme name. 

The reason you're getting pushback from trans community people all over the country and GLAAD is that we have this crap happen far too often.  It happens far too frequently with trans victims of color and were beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired of it..

BTW, here's what the AP Stylebook says about reporting on transgender people.

transgender-Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.

If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the individuals live publicly.

Translation.  If the transperson in question has acquired the outward physical appearance of a female regardless of the genitalia configuration between their legs, they are a transgender female and need to be referred to with feminine pronouns and a feminine name.   If the transperson in question has acquired the outward characteristic of a male regardless of the genitalia configuration between their legs, then that person is a transgender male and need to be referred to with masculine pronouns and a masculine name.

One of the reasons we're getting more combative about insisting on respectful media coverage for transpeople is because potential jurors that watch these misgendering and sensationalized reports are being poisoned with this slanted anti-trans coverage that could result in the murder victim at trial not getting justice and the alleged killer going free.

Granted we realize you were possibly on a deadline to get it out, or you possibly received incorrect gender info from the PPD about Ms. Williams, but whoever is doing the fact checking or research needs to be aware of that and ask that question, especially when the killer says he committed the deed because he discovered he 'slept with a man'.

That's a hint and a half that you're dealing with a trans woman, and questions you need to ask to get a story respectful to the victim need to change to fit this situation. 

TransGriot Update:  Been advised by several Philly activists Ms. Williams femme name is Diamond.  As soon as I get or can find femme pictures of her, I'll post them on subsequent posts about this case instead of that jacked up mugshot.

 

SEPTA Transit Passes No Longer Have Gender Stickers

On July 1 there were a few changes that went into effect for the riders of SEPTA, the Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority. 

The base fares on SEPTA went up from $2 to $2.25 for the first time in 12 years.  The Regional Rail zones were consolidated in preparation for the implementation of the New Payment Technology overhaul.  But the most important of the changes to the region's trans and gender variant SEPTA riders is that the 'M' and 'F' gender stickers are no longer on the weekly or monthly SEPTA transit passes.

"As part of the effort to simplify fares and introduce an 'open' fare payment and collection system under the New Payment Technology (NPT) program, extra-fare zone charges will be eliminated on dozens of transit routes, and there will be some consolidation of zones on Regional Rail," SEPTA said in a statement released Thursday. "In addition, gender stickers will be eliminated on all passes for transit and Regional Rail."

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/SEPTA_passes_no_longer_come_with_M_and_F_gender_stickers.html#53pBxAo1XjsDsbQK.99

"As part of the effort to simplify fares and introduce an 'open' fare payment and collection system under the New Payment Technology (NPT) program, extra-fare zone charges will be eliminated on dozens of transit routes, and there will be some consolidation of zones on Regional Rail," SEPTA said in a statement released Thursday. "In addition, gender stickers will be eliminated on all passes for transit and Regional Rail."
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/SEPTA_passes_no_longer_come_with_M_and_F_gender_stickers.html#53pBxAo1XjsDsbQK.99

It was a multi year battle to have the SEPTA gender stickers removed that started in 2007 when local activist Charlene Arcila was told she couldn't use her transpass because of a gender sticker that didn't match her presentation.

Arcila filed a successful complaint with the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations that led to several years of activism coordinated by a group called Riders Against Gender Exclusion (RAGE) around this gender sticker issue that sought to have SEPTA dump the gender stickers.

SEPTA stonewalled on the issue claiming they were in place since the 70's to prevent opposite gender spouses from using the same pass, but all those stickers were doing was setting the stage for the harassment of trans and gender variant SEPTA passengers.

The pressure kept building as the RAGE protests combined with support and resolutions calling on SEPTA to dump the stickers from several Philadelphia city council members led to an April 2012 SEPTA policy decision to eliminate the gender stickers in the second half of 2013. 

"We thank SEPTA for doing the right thing," RAGE co-founder Max Ray said in April last year. "New fare system delays may be unavoidable, but SEPTA realized that human rights can’t wait. I’m proud of the tremendous amount of work that the transgender community has put into this project and all we’ve accomplished during this campaign."
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/SEPTA_passes_no_longer_come_with_M_and_F_gender_stickers.html#xSAtdy2j68zm3FfP.99

So as of July 1 SEPTA's trans and gender variant riders no longer have to worry about the drama that used to get triggered when they boarded a bus or train with a trans pass that has a mismatched gender sticker because the gender marker stickers are gone from them.

And that's a good thing for the human rights of trans and gender variant people in the Philadelphia metro area and SEPTA transit zone who depend on the agency to take them where they need to go in the area. 

2013 Philadelphia Trans Health Conference

The 12th annual Philadelphia Trans Health Conference kicked off yesterday and runs through Saturday, June 15.

It is the largest trans themed conference in the United States (yep it's bigger than Southern Comfort in the ATL) with up to 2,500 attendees, and I'd hoped to finally get this off my conference bucket list this year.   I was scheduled to take part in a panel discussion, but once again my buzzard's luck with this conference continues. 

Unfortunately I'm not going to be at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to meet and greet you peeps or on that 5:40 PM Saturday panel I was scheduled for due to circumstances beyond my control. 

Yeah, I'm disappointed I'm not there.   But as much as I'd like to be at every major conference this community holds, sometimes the stars don't align for you to be able to attend it.

I can tell you one conference I will be there in full effect for in 2014, and it happens from January 29-February 2 in Houston at the Hilton Americas hotel.   

I'm really bummed about missing this edition of the PTHC because not only were Audrey Mbugua, Liesl Theron and Victor Mukasa scheduled to be there, so was Jazz and a long list of other people in the community I've been wanting to meet.   There were also a lot of my friends in the community I wanted to see who were attending the PTHC as well.  

I was also looking forward to destroying a few cheesesteaks and Slurpees while I was there.

But for those of you who are in Philly for this event, I hope you're having a wonderful time, you're getting your learn on with all the wonderful seminars and panel discussions that are part of this event, and you'll get the opportunity to check out the meet and greet event happening later tonight at the William Way Community Center at 1315 Spruce Street from 8-10 PM EDT sponsored by the Task Force, TPOCC, NBJC, NCLR  and The Transgender Law Center.  

Oh well, here's hoping I can make the 2014 PTHC. 

Landmark Philadelphia LGBT Equality Bill Signed

Had the pleasure of meeting Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter during the February LGBT Media Journalists Convening when he addressed our group, laid out his vision for an inclusive Philadelphia and asked us to consider returning the media convening to the City of Brotherly Love .
And nope, he wasn't kidding about that vision of an inclusive Philadelphia.  

Today Mayor Nutter signed a groundbreaking LGBT Equality Bill pushed by Philadelphia Councilman Jim Kenney.  With this bill now law, Philadelphia can now proudly claim it has the most expansive LGBT protections in the United States.

This omnibus bill includes first in the nation tax credits to support life partner and transgender health benefits in the private sector and removes anti-transgender discrimination from the City employee health plan. Philadelphia is now the largest city to remove trans health care discrimination from its workforce and the only city on the east coast to do so. The bill also includes provisions for partner hospital visitation rights, voluntary single user gender neutral rest rooms and strongly delineates standards for employment and public accommodations standards for transgender individuals.

Many of the employment and public accommodations standards were included in the 2002 Fair Practices Ordinance Philly activists worked hard with allies to get pass, but are often misunderstood by the public and are under attack in other jurisdictions like Arizona as we speak.

With Philadelphia's unique place in America’s history, it felt it needed to clarify these standards for the public and had a responsibility to speak to the country at large regarding fairness for all citizens 

“As a City employee, I’m relieved to no longer have to worry over being denied care for necessary services like mammograms or, God forbid, treatment for breast cancer that are routinely denied trans people," said Kathy Padilla.  "I’m relieved to no longer have to worry over hiding parts of my medical history from providers for fear of it being entered into my file and then leading to denial of other needed services or being an inducement to discrimination. I’m overjoyed that medically necessary trans specific treatment supported by the American Medical Association will be available to people like myself on the same basis as medically necessary treatment for other conditions is available to all my coworkers. This coverage is part of my compensation package, I pay for it with my payroll deductions – I shouldn't be treated differently from other employees based solely upon gender identity."

"The City loses money when transgender people are denied mammograms or pelvic exams and early treatment does not occur," she continued.  "The City loses money when people are afraid and hide their full medical histories from physicians and the City loses money when people simply give up and don’t seek needed medical care until it becomes a crisis over fear of interacting with a system that devalues them.”

"I originally drafted the language that eventually added "gender identity"/"gender expression" to Philadelphia's Fair Practice Ordinance," said Michael Williams   "From the time we started working on this issue (2002) until today, my beloved friend and colleague Kathy Padilla and I have not rested until ALL of Philadelphia's LGBT community received the protections they enjoy after today's bill became law.  Kathy and I have had brilliant, passionate and committed LGBT community members and colleagues, LGBT community allies, elected officials, their staffs, folks from the religious, labor, human rights and many other communities and individuals work with us for over a decade to achieve this monumental goal - equality for ALL of Philadelphia's citizens."

"For me personally, the protections in this bill for me and for my family (my husband Tony and I, officially married in Long Beach, CA in August 2008, will celebrate our 29-year anniversary on July 20th, 2013) are paramount.  We, our sons Kristopher and Robert, Robert's wife Jynea and Rob and Jynea's soon-to-be-delivered into this world baby girl (Miss Kaylee Rose Kneisler is expected to make her appearance in the next few weeks!) are a family that should and must be afforded protections that EACH and EVERY family in this City enjoys right now...and this bill makes this happen.."

Congratulations to the folks in Philadelphia.  Here's hoping the LGBT Equality Law that is now enacted there will become model legislation for the rest of the country to emulate.

Nizah Morris Tenth Anniversary

<sup>Today was the day ten years ago that 47 year old Nizah Morris stumbled out of a downtown Philadelphia bar, accepted a courtesy ride home from a PPD officer, and ended up at a local hospital with a fatal head injury that she died from on Christmas Eve

Ten years later there still hasn't been a satisfactory explanation as to what and how it happened.  The things that make you go hmm moments surrounding this case still have the Philadelphia LGBT community and Morris' family asking questions to this day.

We still haven't forgotten, and won't rest until the truth about December 22, 2002 comes to light.</sup>

Nizah Morris Case-Ten Years Later

One of the cases I've been tracking ever since I started the blog is the Nizah Morris case. 

In the pre-dawn hours of December 22, 2002 she was at the downtown Key West bar at 13th and Walnut streets attending a party being held there.  She was allegedly severely inebriated and collapsed in front of the bar around 2:00 AM.  Someone called the paramedics to take her to the hospital   While waiting at least 20 minutes for the paramedics to arrive a Philadelphia police officer arrived at the scene. 

The 47 year old Morris declined the police officer's offer of a courtesy ride to take her to the hospital but instead asked to be taken home.  She was helped by bar patrons into the back of the police cruiser and unfortunately never made it there.

Instead she was found lying on her back at 16th and Walnut by a passing motorist unconscious with a fractured skull and bleeding from the right side of her head.  She had a life threatening subdural hematoma that required immediate medical attention and Morris was taken to Philadelphia's Jefferson University Hospital in critical condition.   She was on life support for several days until she was taken off of it and died at 8:30 PM EST on Christmas Eve.

The next day Morris' death was declared by the medical examiner as a homicide.   And you knew there had to be a little transphobia lurking in this story as well.   On December 26 Nizah's mother Roslyn Wilkins was notified of her daughter's death by a police detective who said to her, "He's dead"   

After Wilkins complained about the misgendering way he broke the news of her child's death to her, that detective was removed from the case.   The family was even more disturbed after looking at photos taken at the medical examiner's office that showed Morris with what appeared to be defensive wounds on her hands.
  
And yes, what would a story about a murdered African-American trans woman be without a heaping helping of media disrespect and misgendering?   When the Philadelphia Inquirer published their initial account of the morris story on December 31 they referred to Nizah as a 'prostitute' and stuck the misgendering 'male prostitute' in the body of the story. 

On January 1 after a memorial service attended by over 300 people Nizah Morris' body was cremated.      

That was ten years ago, and to this day the Morris family nor the Philadelphia trans community has gotten a consistent story from the PPD about what exactly happened to Nizah Morris on that fateful night.   It also hasn't helped that information, tapes and evidence pertaining to the case has mysteriously disappeared

The Morris family and others in the Philadelphia rainbow community suspect that excessive force was used on Morris, the PPD knows more about what happened on that fateful December 22 night than they are acknowledging and are covering up what really happened.

The three officers involved in the Morris incident, Thomas Berry, Elizabeth DiDonato and Kenneth Novak remain on the Philadelphia police force and were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in December 2003.

In the latest intrigue surrounding this case it seems the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office refuses to confirm or deny whether it has a police log pertaining to the Nizah Morris case, even though such logs are considered public records under Pennsylvania state law.

The case has been investigated by the Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission for several years and neither the family or the Philadelphia LGBT community has gotten a satisfactory explanation of what happened.

The question i continue to ask in this case is the same as always.  What does the Philadelphia District Attorney's office and the Philadelphia PD know about what happened to Nizah Morris, when did they know it, and if the po-po's are involved, who did it? 

“Bring in the feds,” Wilkins said.  

I agree with the family in the call for federal authorities to get involved in this ongoing investigation.  It's sadly ten years later and we are still no closer to answering the simple question of what did happen to Nizah Morris in those predawn December 22 hours.

Stacey Blahnik Lee Case Still Open Two Years Later

October 11 marks two years since Stacey Blahnik Lee's boyfriend Malik Moorer found her lifeless body in the South Philadelphia home they shared.   While there was a person of interest in this case, the ongoing investigation has yet to lead to enough solid evidence to get an arrest.

Philadelphia Police Department Homicide Capt. James Clarke said in a Philadelphia Gay News interview last year that there was DNA evidence that placed the person of interest at the house, but it was not enough to warrant an arrest.

But that's of little comfort to the people who loved her, the members of the House of Blahnik and the Philadelphia LGBT community.   The recent death of Kyra Kruz Cordova has only heightened the sense of frustration and nervousness people feel in the community about the lack of resolution of the Lee murder.

Damon Humes, founder of House of Blahnik, said to PGN Blahnik’s survivors worry that the case could fall to the wayside because of the identity of the victim.

“We feel like had it not been a trans person, there would have been more attention to finding and capturing the person who did this to her,” Humes said. “It reminds us all how alive and kicking transphobia really is, as well as heterosexism and all the other ‘isms’ we fight against every day.”

Gloria Casarez, director of the city’s LGBT affairs, said the most alarming aspect of the unsolved murder is that the person responsible remains free.

“The biggest frustration is that there is still a killer on the loose,” she said, noting that the recent murder of transwoman Kyra Cordova reiterated that idea for many in the community. “Kyra’s case brought this all back for a lot of people. It was a reminder, and it wasn’t a pleasant reminder, that there are murderers out there and there are unsolved murders in our community. These cases need timely eyewitness participation, and I think when you don’t have that, you’re going to have a harder time.”

Police spokesperson Lt. Ray Evers told PGN that investigators “don’t have much new.”

“They have some folks at the house but that’s still where they’re at,” Evers said.

As Ms. Casarez and the PPD investigators have noted, in order for this case to get solved witnesses will need to come forward and provide information.  Bear in mind that information you provide may be the final piece in the puzzle that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who committed the crime.
  

More News In The Nizah Morris Case

Our late trans sister Nizah Morris in Philadelphia has been gone almost ten years.   The Philadelphia trans community and our allies have never gotten a satisfactory explanation of how she died from a fatal head wound on Christmas Eve after leaving a downtown area LGBT bar seriously inebriated.and receiving a courtesy ride on December 22, 2002 from the Philadelphia Police Department.

In the latest intrigue surrounding this case it seems the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office refuses to confirm or deny whether it has a police log pertaining to the Nizah Morris case, even though such logs are considered public records under Pennsylvania state law.

Something else to make you go hmm about the Morris case and the ongoing investigation into it.

It also leads me to ask the question I asked last year and add to it.   What does the Philadelphia District Attorney's office and the Philadelphia PD know about what happened to Nizah Morris, when did they know it, and if the po-po's are involved, who did it? 

Thanks to Kathleen Padilla for sending me this PGN link about the updated news in the Nizah Morris case

11th Annual Trans Health Conference This Weekend

Philadelphia welcomes what has become the largest trans-specific event in the world when the 11th annual Trans Health Conference returns to Philadelphia, PA from May 31-June 2

And I'm bummed because one of my fave transmen is the keynote speaker and I won't be there.

The PTHC is a program of Mazzoni Center and will take place once again at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. What began in 2002 as a one-day gathering of transgender activists, allies, and service providers, has grown in the decade since its inception to become the largest transgender-specific conference in the world. Last June this free event drew 2,000 attendees from throughout the U.S. and overseas to participate in three full days of educational and social activities, with offerings for family members, community allies, medical and social service providers as well.

It's also one of those major conferences I'd love to attend but haven't been able to make my schedule coincide with theirs so I can be in Philly for it.   And if and when I'm blessed enough to get that opportunity, there's some cheeseteaks with my name on them...

The 2012 conference schedule features some 200 workshops and panel discussions on a diverse range of subjects relating to health and well-being, including healthcare, safety, education, employment, housing, legal issues, and social support.

“From the beginning, the vision of the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference has been to address body, mind, spirit, community, and well-being,” Mazzoni Center Executive Director Nurit L. Shein said. “We are especially excited to be welcoming a number of international participants this year, as they can shed light on the particular experiences of transgender individuals and communities in their native countries, but also on the common ground we share in seeking to improve health care access and outcomes for trans people worldwide.”

As much as possible, PTHC strives to ensure that the conference addresses the diverse needs of all transgender communities: transgender men, transgender women, gender-queer, and gender- variant youth and adults, as well as their partners, families, and allies. In an effort to increase the availability of quality, culturally competent care for transgender communities, PTHC also provides workshops for medical, mental health, legal, and social service providers.

“The Trans-Health Conference Planning Committee has put a great deal of time and consideration into the selection of workshops and programs this year,” Conference Coordinator Jacsen Callanan explained. “Our goal is to provide a meaningful and educational experience both for veteran attendees of the conference, as well as for individuals who may be joining us for the first time.”

This year’s conference includes an increased emphasis on international issues, including panels on immigration and the challenges faced by refugees and asylees; transgender activism in Europe, as well as spotlight discussions on the state of trans communities in Latin America and South Asia. Funding from the Arcus Foundation and the Open Society Foundation has helped to make this programming possible.

As part of this year’s international focus, on Friday, June 1 at 8:00 PM, there will be a special presentation of “Tara’s Crossing,” an original play by Emmy-nominated writer Jeffrey Solomon, inspired by dozens of interviews with sexual minority asylum seekers from around the world. It will be held at the Arch Street United Methodist Church Main Sanctuary (55 N. Broad Street). The performance is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation with additional support from the United Church of Christ Office for Health and Wholeness Advocacy.

Trans Medicine Education Initiative

New at the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference this year will be the first annual Transgender Education Certificate Course a three-day intensive for medical providers designed for new as well as experienced medical providers (MD, DO, NP, PA, RN, ND, PharmD) interested in the primary care of adult and pediatric transgender patients. The certificate program will consist of lectures given by nationally known experts in the field of transgender primary care, mental health, pediatrics & adolescent medicine, and endocrinology.

In addition, Mazzoni Center’s Legal Services department has incorporated a significant number of programs in this year’s conference that are specifically dedicated to legal obstacles facing transgender communities, and aimed at practicing attorneys who wish to learn more about these issues, in order to provide culturally competent legal services to transgender clients. To that end, there will be as many as twelve hours of Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits offered free of charge during this year’s conference, on subjects including: legal identity documentation, immigration issues, employee and employer workplace questions, advocating for transgender equality, and more.

All three days of the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference are free, but registration is recommended. Visit http://www.trans-health.org for all the details.

Opening reception, keynote speakers and other conference highlights

Minister Louis “L.J.” Mitchell will kick off this year’s conference with a keynote address on Thursday, May 31 at 8:45 A.M. Mitchell is co-founder of Recovering the Promise Ministries, a Fellowship-affiliated ministry located in Chicopee, Massachusetts. He has served with various agencies and boards, including as the first “out” transgender-identified Board member of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and as a founding member of Lesbians and Gays of African Descent for Democratic Action.

The official PTHC 2012 welcoming reception will take place Thursday, May 31 from 7:30-8:30 PM at the William Way Community Center (1315 Spruce Street). Guests will enjoy refreshments and mingle with fellow attendees, and will also have an opportunity to view an exhibit celebrating the 10th anniversary of the addition of gender identity to Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance. The opening reception is free and open to all conference attendees.

Friday, June 1, at 4:00 PM, Mya L. Vazquez and Ryan Cassata will deliver the Youth Keynote address as part of the PTHC’s first ever “Youth Summit,” which includes workshops and that will take place throughout the day. Vazquez is a longtime activist and leader within the transgender and gender-non-conforming communities in New York City. She has helped to organize New York's third annual Trans day of action with TransJustice, an organizing working group, in which she is currently the Program coordinator of TransJustice at The Audre Lorde Project. Cassata is a 19-year-old transgender identified singer-songwriter and motivational speaker from Long Island, New York. The founder of Artemendous Records, LLC, Cassata has recorded two albums, toured the U.S., made numerous television appearances, and won the Harvey Milk Memorial Award.

More information on the 2012 Trans-Health Conference and a full schedule of workshops and activities is available at: http://www.trans-health.org

 About Mazzoni Center Established in 1979, Mazzoni Center provides quality comprehensive health and wellness services and is the only health care provider in the Philadelphia region specifically targeting the unique health care needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities. Mazzoni Center offers a full array of outreach, prevention, education, direct medical and care services, psychosocial services, legal services, and support groups, reaching more than 30,000 people annually. It is the oldest AIDS service organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the fourth-oldest in the U.S. Mazzoni Center is dedicated to preserving the dignity and improving the quality of life of the individuals it serves. More information at :http://www.mazzonicenter.org

Windslowe Arrested For Botched Pumping Procedure

Padge Victoria Windslowe, the 42 year old transwoman who is a person of interest in the Aderotimi pumping death, was busted by the Philadelphia Police recently in the wake of a 23 year old woman nearly dying and being hospitalized for complications after she underwent pumping treatments allegedly administered by Windslowe.

Windslowe had needles, paper towels, cotton wool balls, super glue and a water bottle containing an unknown substance on her person when she was arrested according to a Philadelphia Police spokesperson.

Widnslowe is also known in the hip-hop world as 'Black Madam', and a warrant was sworn out for her arrest after the 23 year old got her buttocks pumped a few weeks ago by Windslowe.  A vein was hit and the silicone traveled through the hospitalized woman's bloodstream. 

She has not been charged in the Aderotimi case because the Philadelphia Police are still waiting for the results of the toxicology test.

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Transpass Is Still A Trans Problem In Philly

When I had the honor and pleasure of speaking on the Bryn Mawr campus back in October 2009 I took a SEPTA train from the airport to downtown Philly and kicked it with Dionne Stallworth for a few hours before heading to the campus.

After finishing my speech and spending some quality time afterwards with my Bryn Mawr hosts I rode the  train back to the airport to catch my flight back to Da Ville with no fuss, no muss and no problems short of falling asleep on the train and riding past my stop on the way to Bryn Mawr.

I also had a SEPTA day pass to do it with.

But for transpeeps in the Philadelphia area, they are still locking horns with SEPTA over their policy of putting 'M' or 'F' stickers on monthly transit passes in order to stem the tide the transit agency claims of $4.9 million in annual revenue losses from people allegedly sharing passes.    But opponents and even SEPTA admits there is no way of determining if the alleged fraud is actually occurring, much less have any way of tracking it.

The sticker system that was put in place to combat it has led to gender policing by SEPTA personnel and Philadelphia area transpeople such as Charlene Arcila being affected by it.

Four years ago Charlene was prevented by a SEPTA driver from using a weekly Transpass because of a gender sticker that didn't match her presentation.

She has used tokens ever since that incident and filed a complaint against SEPTA with the Philadelphia Human Rights Commission.   Because SEPTA is considered a quasi state agency and not subject to local regulations, the complaint hasn't been heard

In addition, when you ask the PHRC about it, all you get is either a 'no comment' or 'they can't discuss pending cases'.

The sticker system doesn't do what SEPTA officials claim it's supposed to do because the agency's antiquated fare collection system is only capable of tracking how often a card is used.   It doesn't track the gender of its user, or whether the card is being shared by same gender riders as the agency alleges.

In the meantime, the SEPTA gender policing issue hasn't gone away in Philadelphia.   It not only has a deleterious effect on trans patrons of the system, but affects cis people who have ambiguous gender presentations as well.   It's not only humiliating to the person who gets questioned, but could put them in a situation in which they could face abuse or bodily harm.


Philadelphia Councilman Bill Greenlee is among those voices who question the need for SEPTA gender policing. “It just seems to me it’s causing problems for people I’m sure are already having enough problems,” he said. “Unless they can really show or prove they’d lose [millions of dollars], why do this?”

SEPTA Chief Financial Officer Richard Burnfield stated, “I look at it as one of the tools that is in our toolbox to help the authority prevent fraud and misuse of our passes.” .

Interestingly enough, since January 2010 SEPTA reported receiving eight complaints about gender stickers, with two complaints regarding to specific instances of discrimination.   

SEPTA also keeps pointing out the problem will go away when they implement their new smart card system in three years, but that's not good enough for Arcila or transpeople in the area who continue to protest and speak out about the issue.

"I feel like they’re trying to sweep it under the rug,” Arcila said. “Once they put the smart card [system] into effect that would close the door on this case.”

A photo ID pass would have done the trick if they were serious about stopping the sharing of SEPTA passes. Since the smart card system is still three years from implementation, that's a moot point now.

The gender policing problem will persist until SEPTA shows some leadership and stops it. 
But unfortunately  until they do, you'll have some SEPTA employees implementing and enforcing the policy in ways that will be problematic in people's lives.