Moni's In The Middle of #LGBTMedia15

Another week. another event as the TransGriot reps Houston and all the communities she intersects and interacts with once again at  the 6th annual LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

This year it returns to Philadelphia, and as I've mentioned in other posts you can follow the action on Twitter at #LGBTMedia15.

So looking forward to seeing everyone there, and yes, the annual post of me breaking #LGBTMedia15 down from my vantage point will be forthcoming.

And yeas, one thing I absolutely love about the Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel is the free WiFi so I can write , tweet to my hearts content.

But first I need some food.  Sleep can come later.

And judging from my perusal of  some of the tweets and Facebook posts, I'm not the only one excited to see everyone at #LGBTMedia15.

We actually will have one of our attendees in BiNet USA's Faith Cheltenham celebrating her birthday on Saturday. Will find out from her what birthday anniversary she is celebrating after she gets her birthday hug.

Now it's time for me to get ready for the welcoming reception.  At least I won't be locked out of the host hotel in the cold for at least an hour  like I was last year....

But stay tuned to this TransGriot station for the latest news and 411 buzz concerning this 2015 edition of the LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

Air Marshal Takes Flight To Philadelphia Again

Last week I was in our nation's capital handling TPOCC board business, and this week it's a flight via Chicago Midway to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.

The Air Marshal's final destination is  Philadelphia to take part in the 2015 edition of the LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

I'm so looking forward to spending some quality time with my friends in the LGBT media world and getting my learn on at this 6th annual event that builds capacity in our media ranks and gives us an opportunity to get a much deeper understanding about issues that affect the LGBT community..

 I also owe John Becker a milestone birthday hug and one to Faith Cheltenham on Saturday after  I arrive after .  I also love the fact our hotel has complementary WiFi.

Another thing on the agenda for this trip is finding some time while I'm there to get a good cheesesteak, and I'm not talking about Pat's or Geno's either.

I go get mine where native Philadelphians tread.

If it  doesn't happen this time, I might get the opportunity to do so when the Philly Trans Health Conference happens this June.

If you wish to follow the action, many of us will be blogging or live tweeting it.  #LGBTMedia15 is our hashtag for this year's event

See y'all in a few hours Philly,

Silicone Pumper Padge Windslowe Guilty

Padge Victoria Windslowe, the self proclaimed  'Michelangelo of butt injections', was found guilty by a jury Monday of third degree murder for causing the 2011 death of London resident Claudia Aderotimi after two days of deliberation.

The 45 year old so-called “Black Madam” bragged openly during the trial about her supposed talents for black-market “body sculpting,” claiming curvy model Amber Rose was a “walking billboard” for her artistry.

“I was the best, and I don’t mean that to be cocky,” Windslowe said.

Well, her pumping days are over, and she's now facing  20 to 40 years in prison when she is sentenced in June.

Windslowe Takes Stand In Her Silicone Pumping Trial

Padge Victoria Windslowe has taken the stand in her own defense in her pumping trial in Philadelphia started February 19.  

She is accused third degree murder for causing the death of Claudia Aderotimi of London and aggravated assault against Melissa Lisath of New York for a pumping procedure that nearly killed her..

Windslowe is facing up to 40 years in prison if she is convicted.
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Countdown To The 2015 LGBT Media Journalists Convening

March is going to be chock full of events for me, and one of my favorites I'm looking forward to attending is the upcoming 6th annual edition of the LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

It's sponsored by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr, Fund and hosted by the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association,

We're headed back to Philadelphia for this one that will take place March 13-15.

What happens during the convening is that me and all my fellow LGBT media peeps, bloggers and journalists come together to get a deeper understanding of and more effectively communicate critical issues facing the LGBT community.    The event also has the goal of assisting and increasing the presence and diversity of LGBT bloggers in the national blogging community.

We'll also be building our journalism skills as we report, blog, tweet and livestream the panels and the happenings at this year's event.  You can also follow what's going on via the #LGBTMedia15 hashtag.

So definitely looking forward to returning to Philly for this year's convening and seeing everyone that will attend this year.

PTHC 2015 Workshop Deadline Is Friday

The 2015 edition of the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference will be happening June 4-6, and the deadline for submitting proposed workshops and panels is fast approaching.

The Philadelphia Trans Health Conference is considered the largest trans themed conference in the United States, and draws international attendees as well as trans people from across the country.

If you want to present a workshop at PTHC, need to get it in to them by Friday January 30.

The PTHC team is also interested in proposals that target the African-American and Latino/a trans communities, trans masculine people, and Professional Development tracks just to name a few areas they are interesting in having programming and workshops for.

I attended my first ever PHTC last year and really enjoyed the experience and the people I met there including Jazz, and hope that I can return for the 14th annual edition of the event this year.   I also encourage those of you in range of Philadelphia and our trans community allies to consider attending this free conference that will be housed at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.   You just need to register for it.

If you have any other questions about the PTHC that are not answered on their website, please contact PTHC coordinator Samantha Dato at sdato@mazzonicenter.org

And you have until Friday to get those workshop proposals into the PTHC organizing team

Philly, Are You Planning To Recognize The 50th Anniversary Of The Dewey's Sit In?

Ever since I was first sent notice of it by Dr. Susan Stryker, I was excited to learn and talk about the Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit In and Protest that involved African-American gender variant kids in April- May 1965.

Every since this came to light, there have been attempt to whitewash and gaywash the protest and erase the African-American gender variant kids completely out of the story,.

And I'm not having it.

This is one of the first instances of a protest centered around gender identity issues that involved people of color  

And that is worth celebrating, especially with the 50th anniversary of this event looming

I hope that on April 25, 2015 that we will see at that site where  Dewey's once existed members of the Philadelphia LGBT community coming together to commemorate this event in trans history

That's right I said trans history.  The protest was driven by Dewey's refusal to serve young patrons dressed in  'non-conformist clothing.'   This was a first ever protest that was sparked by gender variant issues and an ultimately successful one.

So Philly, hope you're planning a nice event on that date.

Diamond Williams Case Update: Preliminary Hearing Tomorrow

In our last update on what was happening in the search for justice for Diamond Williams, there was a mental competency hearing held for Diamond's alleged killer Charles Sargent in which he was found competent to stand trial.

Tomorrow at 9AM EDT in room #306 of the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center,  there will be a preliminary hearing for Sargent, who is charged with the heinous July 2013 murder and dismemberment of Williams.   Municipal Court Judge Marsha H. Neufield, as she did for the mental competency hearing, will be the presiding judge.
    

Hope those of you in the Philadelphia area who can do so will join the TransHealth Information Project and the family and loved ones of Diamond Williams in helping pack that courtroom to show solidarity and support.

The Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center is located at 1301 Filbert Street in Center City.   TIP is making and distributing buttons to wear during the hearing to show solidarity.

If you can attend, by doing so you'll also be sending the message that Diamond's and other trans lives lost in Philadelphia matter.

The second anniversary of Kyra Cordova's 2012 murder passed on September 3 with no arrest in the case, and October 11 will mark four years since Stacey Blahnik Lee was murdered.  While there is a person of interest in that case, there hasn't been an arrest made yet.  . 

And yes, you can be assured that my Philadelphia sources will keep me apprised of the developments in the Williams case (and other Philly trans cases) until justice has been served.

If you need more information, you can contact Andrew Spiers, the TransHealth Information Project Co-Coordinator of GALAEI – a queer Latin@ social justice organization at (215) 851-1822, ext 1763.

Please pack that room for our fallen sister.   

TransGriot Update:  Looks like the next court date for Sargent is October 8 according to Court records.

Windslowe Pumping Case Update

Been a while since I had any news concerning the Padge Victoria Windslowe pumping case in Philly.

Windslowe was arrested in 2012 and charged in July 2012 with third degree murder in the February 7, 2011 death of 20 year old Claudia Aderotimi. 

The British citizen flew from London to Philadelphia to get a buttocks injection at a pumping party in a nearby airport hotel and subsequently died hours later from a pulmonary embolism caused by the injection administered by Windslowe.

Windslowe is also facing aggravated assault charges for a February 2012 silicone butt injection that gravely injured a 23 year old Philadelphia woman.  

Windslowe's bail was initially set at an excessively high $10 million but was subsequently reduced to $750,000.  She has been confined to her parents' Philadelphia home and wears an electronic-monitoring device.  She has been in that situation for 2.5 years because she can't pay the bond, and awaits her trial date scheduled to start February 17, 2015. 

After a long silence, the 42 year old Windslowe was back in the news in June after she wrote letters to the Philadelphia Daily News that were subsequently published. 

Common Pleas Court Judge Rose Marie DeFino-Nastasi warned her in a hearing, it could have resulted in her being found in contempt of court because they violated the gag order placed on the case. 

Another hearing held August 14 barred defense attorney David Rudenstein from calling for testimony from Windslowe's satisfied pumping customers.  The defense attorney wanted to call those witnesses in order to prove that she did not act with malice in the Aderotimi case, which Assistant District attorney Bridget Kim opposed.

Malice is a key element in this third degree murder case.  A conviction carries a 20-40 year state prison sentence. If Rudenstein is able to convince the jury that Windslowe did not act with malice, the most serious charge she could be convicted of is involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 2.5 to five years.

Stay tuned for the latest info in this pumping case as I receive it.

Diamond Williams Case Update: Sargent Mental Competency Hearing

Here's the latest update in the Diamond Williams case.

I was advised by Gloria Casarez about an upcoming Wednesday July 16 mental competency hearing in the case of Charles N. Sargent, Diamond's accused killer. 

The 44 year old Sargent was arrested for murdering and dismembering Williams last July after luring her to his Strawberry Mansion home. 

He faces charges of murder, abuse of a corpse and other related charges to this case.  Due to concerns about his mental state, he has not had a preliminary hearing


For those of you in the Philadelphia metro area wishing to attend this hearing in a show of support to for Diamond, her family and the local trans community, it will be held at 9 AM EDT on July 16 in Courtroom 1103 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. in Philadelphia.   Municipal Court Judge Marsha H. Neifield will preside over the hearing. 

Here's hoping that this is the first step to Sargent being held accountable for his heinous crime and our fallen sister receives justice.

TransGriot Update:  Sargent was found COMPETENT to stand trial!

PTHC 2014 Diary-Day Three Recap

It's the last day of the 2014 Philadelphia Trans Health Conference, and my body told me it was time to get more sleep than I have been getting the last two nights.

So after I did some writing and had breakfast, decided to take a little nap before heading to the convention center.  That little nap lasted until 10 AM, so guess my body needed the sleep. 


After shaking off the cobwebs, I spent some time after I arrived at the convention center hanging out with my Houston peeps Jay, Robin, Koomah and the rest of the gang at The Gender Book table.  Did the same with Jeanette and family at their foundation table, and the BTMI-Philly chapter table

I spent more quality time with Dr Lobdell.  I talked to some of my TransGriot fans and with others plotting the Black Trans Revolution that won't be televised.   Even saw Kye Allums for a moment before he headed back to New York and Kylar Broadus.

And I popped my head in for a few moments at the Justice For Jane event in room 109A.

The first seminar I attended on this final day was a 2:20 PM Simaya Fogle moderated one entitled "Transitioning In The Black Family'   The panel with Lisa, Ebonee, Destiny, Christian, Leo and cis man Tierre told transition stories from a black perspective.   Tierre was on the panel to discuss the issues of being in a dating relationship with a trans woman.

Hmm, sounds like a panel topic that needs to happen for next year

It led to some commenters revealing some deeply personal secrets which will remain off the record for this post.

During the 4:05 PM block I attended Ebonee's seminar in Room 104A entitled 'Get Your Tens And Make Me Know It!!!'    The seminar discussed the ballroom and pageant worlds and how both can be used as tools of empowerment and self growth for trans women of color.

In between those seminars, the sidebar meetings kept happening, people continued to connect with each other, and information was disseminated in the scheduled sessions until the last ones wrapped up at 7:00 PM.

And when that last seminar closed, so did the 2014 edition of the Philly Trans Health Conference. 

I had a wonderful first timer experience at the PTHC.  It was a blast getting to meet many of the people I've been talking to online for years and in one or two cases over a decade.

And yes, was nice to get out of Houston's warm, humid weather for three days.


But all good things must come to an end, and that is the case for this PTHC conference.  While I'm sad it has come to a close, the memories of this event and hopefully the friendships and working partnerships started here will last for a lifetime.

It's also time to take what we learned during these three days here back to our various hometowns and countries.  Once we arrive back home, let's put into practice what was discussed in those sessions and in the conversations away from the conference venue.

And hopefully I'll get to see everyone next year for the 2015 edition of PTHC.

   

PTHC 2014-Day 3 Preview

The final day of the Philly Trans Health Conference is another one jam packed full of seminars. 

As to which ones I'll attend today?   Depends on what piques my interest since I'll be in reporter mode today.

Then again, I presumed I'd be in reporter mode yesterday, too but fate had other ideas.

That's also a nice segue into my reminder for you TransGriot readers that if you wish to keep up with the PTHC on Twitter, the hashtag is #TransHealth2014

There's a free legal clinic sponsored by the Mazzoni Center Legal department starting at 8:45 AM.

And it'll also be WWMS time:    WWMS= Who Will Moni See in the PTHC convention halls today as this conference winds down and we prepare to head back home to use what we learned at this event.

As you probably guessed, you know I'll be breaking it down later as to what transpired on this last day of the 2014 Philly Trans Health Conference and all the activity surrounding it. 

PTHC 2014 Diary-Day Two Recap

It's the middle day of the 2014 Philadelphia Trans Health Conference.  After a nap I arose at 4 AM to do some writing, get breakfast when the hotel started serving it at 6 AM and take a nap before heading over to the convention center for another day of PTHC seminars and fun.

The seminar action started at 8 AM, so I didn't get there until after 9:30 AM after receiving a call from Koko Jones, who was prepping to leave for the drive down to Philly for a concert that she, KOKUMO and Liz Clair were going to perform later in the afternoon .

One of the first people I ran into was the lovely Geena Rocero, whose regal supermodel presence and bubbly personality lit up the hallway.  As we chatted people began to recognize her and started asking to take pictures.   One of the people doing so was another one of my longtime Facebook friends in Karen Kendra Holmes.   I also got to see Fredrikka Maxwell again, and finally got to meet Nadia Belinda Roberts. 

Not sure if were related yet.  That's a discussion we'll have to have at some point for today.

Moments later I ran into my homegirl Samantha Master as I was standing by the check-in desk entrance so that I could see who was coming and going.  We also saw something for the first time we hadn't seen over the last two days: the sun.

PTHC Conference Coordinator Samantha Jo Dato joined me and Samantha Prime for a moment as Sammi Jo contined to do her job of making sure things ran smoothly.  She had us cracking up laughing about some of the humorous things that had occurred so far and how she was handling the challenge of making the country's largest trans confrence run smoothly while looking flawless.

This is the first year this #girllikeus has coordinated the massive undertaking the PTHC is and she and the volunteers have done a wonderful job along with the friendly staffers of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

I left to check out some of the other PTHC vendors and organizational info tables on the other side of the massive section of the Pennsylvania Convention Center housing our conference.

I stopped at the Lambda Legal one to talk the the folks manning it and Dru Levasseur stepped up.  We caught up on old business as he congratulated me for helping get the HERO passed.  I told him some of the funny things that happened during that HERO fight as I gave him the update on how the Decline to Sign campaign in defense of our hard won May 28 Houston human rightts victory was transpiring.

I chatted with Sue Fulton, and one of our topics was about the effort to get open trans military service done.   Since it was approaching noon and lunchtime, I headed back to the entrance.

I was surprised by my elegantly dressed homegirl Dr. Ayana Elliott, who advised me about an upcoming event she is planning.   I will keep you TransGriot readers in the loop about when it happens once I receive the details from her.   I ran into Sean Coleman, who came down from NYC and told me he owes me a spades butt kicking  (yeah, right)

You have my cell number, so let the games begin. 

I went to Reading Market to fulfill my mission of destroying a cheesesteak, and after consulting with my Philly peeps, settled on grabbing it from Carmen's.  And yes, it was worth it.   But because I was waiting so long to get that cheesesteak, I missed Harper Jean's keynote.

So I decided to take that time to peruse the afternoon session schedule and decide which one of them I would grace with my presence.  I ran into my homegirl Denise Norris, and that jumpstarted a nice sidebar conversation about messaging that Lourdes Hunter joined before I headed to Room 107B to check out a 2:20 PM seminar entitled 'Translatinas. Are We There Yet?' presented by Cristina Herrera and Rachel Mark.

It chronicled the issues that trans Latinas deal with in their transitions and some of the work the NY based Gender Identity Project has done to help people overcome some of those obstacles.  It was a fascinating discussion that was eventually opened up to the audience for Q&A before time ran out.

When the 4:05 PM seminar slot arrived I had a dilemma.  I wanted to see the performance of KOKOMO, Liz and Koko, but there was also a seminar called 'Transmen and Transwomen of Color Come Together' that I also wanted to be in Room 106A for.  

So after chatting with Martina Downey, I decided to exit room 103C, head to the other seminar, watch half of it, then depart to come back to the room to watch the conclusion of 'KOKUMO and Friends In Concert.'

But fate had other plans for me.   I thought my 2014 PTHC presenting days were done after yesterday's Trans Pioneers panel.   When I arrived in Room 106A it was a full house with no presenter in sight.   The volunteer in charge of monitoring the room asked me to pinch hit.  

So after waiting another five minutes for that person to arrive, I facilitated the conversation in that room that touched on issues of relationships between transmen and transwomen, visibility of transmen, the 'T-Word', race relations, and disclosure. 

I had fun doing it, and got thank you's from the participants and the grateful room monitor when it was over.   But because I was occupied with my unexpected facilitator duties, I missed the concert.

Unfortunately so did Koko.   Her car broke down enroute to Philly from her northern New Jersey home base.  She's okay, but she was upset and disappointed she missed the PTHC jam session.

There will be another day.  What's more important is that you're safe and we will meet each other soon.

The final panel of the day was a 5:40 PM Kylar Broadus moderated one sponsored by TPOCC that was focused on Intergenerational POC Work.

After an icebreaker in which the capacity room was asked what is their favorite guilty pleasure (mine Blue Bell homemade vanilla ice cream and giving right wingers hell), panelists BT, Milan, Lourdes and Kim answered questions from Kylar before the floor was opened to powerful testimonies from Tela Love, Precious Davis and others before we ran out of time at 7:00 PM to close Day 2 of the conference.

I headed back to the hotel after taking more photos with my girls, telling Katrina Goodlett some of my humorous airline stories (and yeah, y'all need to check out her Kitty Bella radio podcast on Tuesdays) and heading downstairs to the annual Transkids pool party Jeanette was throwing for all the transkids and parents.

I got as chance to meet more of the parents with trans kids and have conversations with them before i stepped out for a few moments to attend a SPART*A reception that started in the hotel pub area at 8:30 PM.  

At that reception I had the chance to chat with Brynn Tannehill and friends about some community issues and other news of the day before I retreated to attempt to compose some posts and check on e-mail.

But the combination of quiet, a full stomach and a day that started at 4 AM had me nodding off and surrendering to my body telling me it was time to crash and conclude Day 2 of my PTHC 2014 experience.
    

PTHC 2014-Day 2 Preview

It's Day 2 of the Philly Trans Health Conference, and in addition to more exciting seminars, we have another keynote speech today being delivered at 1 PM by Harper Jean Tobin.

Remember #TransHealth2014 is the Twitter hashtag if you wish to keep up with what's happening at PTHC.

And contrary to what my haters say, I don't bite.  Hugs cheerfully accepted except from TERF's.   If  I have time in my day and I'm not headed to a panel or seminar I'll be happy to sit down somewhere in the halls of the convention center and chat with you.  

And yeah, definitely planning to destroy a cheesesteak today.   Any recommendations Philly folks on the best place in the area to do that?

PTHC 2014 Diary-Busy First Day

The first day of the 2014 edition of the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference dawned overcast and cool,  but it didn't dampen my excitement over this being a first time attendee of the event.

I knew I was going to see a lot of people here, but even I was surprised at just how many people showed up and are showing out in the halls of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

I walked into the massive building and less than 30 seconds into my PTHC day ran in Jazz, who pointed me in the right direction toward the registration desk with all its helpful volunteers.   Neither did it take me long to start running into the long list of friends in the community and peeps I've known for years on Facebook but were finally seeing in the flesh.  

I started seeing people like Sharron Cooks, Simaya Fogle, Katrina Goodlett, Precious Davis, Geena Rocero, Christian Axavier Lovehall, Jevon Martin, Jabriel Williamson, Martina Downey, Nika Jewell, Kristen Parker, Sirena Rivera and Maria Roman.    Ran into Dr Bambi Lobdell, who I last saw when she was my gracious host at SUNY-Onenonta.     
 
Ran in Jos Truitt, who is looking good and sporting a new blonde haircolor since the last time I saw her in DC.  We took a few moments to talk about current events community wise before I started running into other people who wanted to say hi to me.  

I started running into my Philly based activist friends like Dionne Stallworth, Sade Ali and Charlene Arcila.  

The last time I'd seen Toni-Michelle Williams as at the 2011 OUT on the Hill event when she was a student at Norfolk State.   Now my collegiate homegirl is looking fabulous and in the PTHC house.

You know a conference is a good one when you have a multitude of seminars that you can attend but can only choose one or have to split time in order to support someone.

When the 10:20 AM block started I settled on attending the one featuring Jazz and Jeanette and transteen Jessica an her mother  It was a fast paced multimedia presentation in which Jessica and Jazz discussed their very different transition experiences, discussed medical opitions, their lives and future plans. 

Jazz continues to amaze me as someone who is wise beyond her 13 years and is an icon to many trans youth.  Her mother is also looked to as a leader in the trans parenting ranks.

We had a scheduled lunch break before we moved into the highly anticipated keynote speech of Janet Mock.  After what happened to me at CC14 in which I was standing for much of Laverne's Creating Change keynote, I made sure to get my behind to the rooms where the speech was scheduled to take place because it was going to be standing room only.

I ran into Ruby Corado and her man enroute to 108A/B and I sat next to them and Lourdes Hunter for Janet's Mock's riveting speech.   One of the lines I loved from it among many of them was "We are our own saviors."  Janet quoted Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston during the speech before closing with a reading from Redefining Realness and answering a few questions from the audience.

After that concluded, I gave her a quick hug before I left her to her task of signing autographs for the long line of people eagerly waiting for her to sign their copies of her book and me Ruby and her boyfreind grabbing lunch at Reading Market across the street.  .  .

As I exited the room ran into L'lerret Ailith and some of the trans sisters to take a few photos, converse with Geena and Bianca who I met at the hotel yesterday.  

After lunch ran into Elizabeth Clair, who arrived from Denver after enduring the cross country bus trip from Hades.  I was seeing for the first time since 2008 and she is part of an music event featuring herself, KOKUMO and Koko Jones.

I continued to run into Facebook friends, people and fans of the blog as the clocked ticked down to my panel discussion which I discovered after perusing the scheduling grid was Thursday evening and NOT today.

The Trans Pioneers of Color one at 5:40 PM led to me finally meeting my longtime friend BT, who was part of the panel with myself, Christine, Dionne, Janis, and Kim Watson moderated by Leo Watts.

The panel in room 104B was to an overflow crowd.  It also ran over due to all of us having a lot to say about what it was like back in the day for us trans elders on a range of subjects from lack of trans POC visibility to race and class differences in a transition.  We asnwered questions from the audience before ending it

That also closed out Day One of the Thursday seminars.

After going back to the hotel, chilled out with roomie Jennifer and Liz, grabbed some dinner and happily destroyed another Slurpee.  Cheesesteak is on the agenda for today.

I found myself on the patio having a long conversation until 2 AM with Lourdes and several transwomen of color in which we talked about a wide variety of issues.  Some of them fall under the Trans Revolution Will Not Be Televised territory, while others ranged from talking about our personal lives to discussing trans politics.   The t-word controversy came up and had us discussing the latest white transwoman gay males have trotted out to justify their continued use of a word we've told them and the world is offensive in Candis Cayne.

You know I'm going to comment on that later, but the bed is calling me right now.

Don't need bags under my eyes for all the photos I'll be taking in a few hours .

Leaving On A Jet Plane- Back To Philly Again

It's been 14 months since I last took a flight which had Philadelphia as its final destination, but once again I'm piling up the frequent flyer miles as I head to the City of Brotherly Love for the 13th annual Philadelphia Trans Health Conference.

It's my first ever one, and I'm deliriously happy to finally be attending one after so many near misses and last minute obstacles that canceled previous planned PTHC sojourns.

I'll be on Delta this time flying through the ATL up and back, and this time instead of those cursed regional jets the last time I flew on DL from Hobby to the ATL, this time I'll be on a Boeing 717 on the HOU-ATL legs of the flight.

Thank you Our Lady of Blessed Airplane Legroom.

Assuming things stay on schedule, I'm scheduled to arrive in Philly at 4 PM EDT and might be able to attend the PTHC  pre-conference event. 

If you wish to keep up with everything that happening at PTHC on Twitter, check out the hashtag #TransHealth2014

See y'all in a few hours.
 
.   

Finally Going To PTHC!

I was supposed to attend and take part in a panel discussion at the 2013 PTHC event.  Circumstances beyond my control kept it from happening and I was bitterly disappointed about that. 

But this is a new year and I can make this official announcement now the details have been finalized.  I'm jetting back up to Philly for the first time since my last trip up there for the 13th annual Philadelphia Trans Health Conference .

Moni will be in the PTHC house for the entire event when it starts June 12-14.  I'm excited because it is the largest trans themed conference in the United States and arguably the world with over 3000 attendees.  

Nope it won't be as a keynote speaker (this time).   The keynote speaker duties for the 2014 PTHC will be ably handled by Janet Mock on Thursday and Harper Jean Tobin on Friday.   If you have copies of Janet's New York Times bestselling book Redefining Realness, bring 'em so she can autograph them.   I'll just be looking for another hug from her.  

It's not on the schedule yet, but I'll be participating in a Trans Pioneers of Color panel at 4 PM EDT on Friday.   

So for the first time ever I'll be in the PTHC 2014 house in reporter and first timer attendee mode.  I'll be there not only for that panel, but roaming around the Pennsylvania Convention Center checking out other panels over those days that interest me.

I'll also chronicle what happens at PTHC 2014 for my TransGriot electronic pages.

There are a lot of people I'm so looking forward to seeing in the community again at PTHC 2014 and connecting with I'm up there.  Some of those peeps include many of my brothers in the BTMI-Philly chapter I didn't get to see at BTAC in Dallas.  I'm also looking forward to meeting people I've only connected with through Facebook or online, but have known for years like Koko Jones.  There are others I've admired for a long time but will be meeting for the first time like our activist trans teen Jazz.   

Yes, even award winning activist me has people that she admires, is inspired and motivated by and goes into fangirl mode when she's around them. 


I'm also pondering the irony that I finally get to go to this conference mere months after Jaci Adams' passing in February.  She was a longtime PTHC planning committee board member and will be missed by everyone whose lives she touched. 

To our trans younglings and others who happen to see legendary me wandering in the Pennsylvania Convention Center halls, don't be shy, just stop me and say hello.  Contrary to what my haters tell you, I don't bite and I accept hugs.  If I have time, I'll be more than willing to sit down, chat with you and take photos during my time at PTHC.

That's what these conferences are ultimately for.  We get the opportunity to meet and greet each other, network and build working relationships with each other.   It's also time to share experiences, tactics and life stories to lift up each other and advance the entire trans human rights movement.

And you can bet I'm looking forward to destroying some cheesesteaks, Tastykakes, water ice and Slurpees while I'm up there. 

For those of you who are going to PTHC 2014, see you in Philly.

Jaci Adams (1957-2014)

For many of you who didn't know Jaci Adams, she was typical of many of the #girlslikeus who do the activist work in our community. 

They are not only wonderful people, but fierce advocates known and beloved locally.  They do their work not only on behalf of the trans community they represent, but to make the city, state and the region they love better.

Sadly, they don't get much national recognition for it, but thanks to the The Trans 100, that paradigm is starting to change a bit so that people like her get their recognition and deserved accolades while they are still around to hear it.   

Speaking of accolades, they are still pouring in for our sister Jaci on her Facebook page which is still up at this time.  Please take the opportunity to leave a condolence message on it.   

The Philadelphia TBLG community is still saddened concerning the loss of one of their iconic personalities, and a team of people is planning a memorial service for her.   The memorial service date, time and location is still being arranged, an as soon as I get the details, I will pass them on to you.
 
Thanks to Gloria Casarez for sending me the link to the Philly.com obituary article that ran yesterday about Jaci that I will share with you in this post..

Jaci was loved by a lot of people inside and outside the Philadelphia metro area, and she will be missed.  

Jaci Adams Passes Away

Per several sources in Philadelphia, I have been advised that longtime Philadelphia trans activist Jaci Adams is now with the ancestors after losing her valiant fight against cancer.  

The 56 year old Adams passed away this afternoon at 3:15 PM Eastern time.

Jaci rose from trying circumstances and hardships to become a beloved and award winning leader in the Philadelphia metro area.  She was a founding member of the Temple University Community Advisory Board, served on the planning committee for the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference and the Morris County Planning Committee.   Jaci was a long term volunteer with the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, a member of the Philly Police Department LGBT Liaison Committee Team and was a founder of the 2004 People With Hope Trans Conference. 


As soon as I get the information concerning the funeral arrangements or memorial service, I will pass them on via these electronic pages for those of you who wish to attend. 

You can also leave a comment on her Facebook page.

When that memorial service happens, as a final tribute to the work Jaci did on behalf of the community she loved and spent her life working to make Philadelphia a better place for all, please fill up whatever venue that service is held at to show your appreciation. 

We'd also like you to be there filling up the venue and representing those of us from the national trans community who loved her and would like to be in the room but won't be able to.

Rest in power and in peace, Jaci.    

Longtime Philly Activist Jaci Adams Battling Cancer

When I picked up my IFGE Trinity award back in 2006 in Philadelphia, after the ceremony I was taken by Dionne Stallworth and Jordana LeSesne who was living there at the time to get my celebratory cheesesteak and meet some of the local activists.

One of the people I met that day was Jaci Adams, who in the Philly area is one of their amazing and beloved activists.

She is a founding member of the Temple University Community Advisory Board, served on the planning committee for the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference, and the Morris County Planning Committee, a long term volunteer with the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, a member of the Philly Police Department LGBT Liaison Committee Team and was a founder of the 2004 People With Hope Trans Conference.

Adams was also honored at OutFest last year with the first annual Jaci Adams OutProud Transgender Award

She also made the POZ 100 List, an annual compilation of the 100 HIV-positive unsung heroes and sheroes from around the country who are committed to ending the epidemic. 

Jaci is battling Stage IV cancer as I write this, and she is fighting it with every fiber of her being.

Ever the activist, she recently sold AIDS :Law Project raffle tickets to her chemotherapy team. 

I'm hearing the news from my Philadelphia sources that Jaci is in a hospice right now and even though she been doing everything possible to beat it, she will need the added assistance of your warm thoughts and prayers.  

If you live in the Philly metro area, may be a good idea if you have time in your busy schedules to swing by Keystone Hospice and see this valiant trans human rights warrior as well.