Moni's Thoughts On The Root 8 Trans Women Of Color Doing More Than Being Visible Article

I had three major goals when I began my transition in 1994. On of them was wanting to be a visible role model for other girls like me.

The other was I wanted to be considered a complimentary to Black womanhood and not seen as a detriment to it.

The third was wanting to be the best Moni I could be to the point that my trans and cis sisters would be proud of me and whatever I accomplished.

I've been honored with a lot of awards, profiled in articles and added to some lists, but was not expecting to be part of this Samantha Master article in The Root that profiled 8 Trans Women Of Color Doing More Than Being Visible.

Speaks to how long I've been in the movement when I've met or personally know the other seven amazing women who were profiled in this article.

While I'm honored to be one of the people in this article, and I thank everyone for the kudos on my FB page, I can't nor will I let you peeps forget we have some amazing trans women of color leaders across this country and beyond our borders.

Let's not forget we have some powerhouse Latina sisters like Bamby Salcedo, Jennicet Eva Gutiérrez, Arianna Lint, Maria Roman, Joanna Maria Cifredo, Ruby Corado, Johanna Saavedra, and Elizabeth Marie Rivera. just to name a few of them.   

My native Hawaiian sisters like Cathy Taffy, Ashilana Hawelu-Fulgoni, Stacia Ohira, Hina Wong-Kalu, and Maddalyn Ashton Sesepasara and Asian sisters like Kim Coco Iwamoto, Cecilia Chung, Tita Aida, Geena Rocero and Andy Marra.  

Native sisters Mattee Jim, Stella Johnson, Michelle Enfield and Trudie Jackson.

And a shoutout goes to all trans women of color who are yet unknown on a local, statewide or national stage, but are doing their part to lead in their communities and advance our just trans human rights cause.

All trans women of color are representing our overall community not only as leaders, but as leaders role modeling a transition experience formed by their cultural experiences.

Women of Color means more than just a default way to write Black or African-American.

While the media focus may be on Caitlyn Jenner, Trans World, our trans men and allies know who the people are who have been doing the heavy lifting to make it easier for Caitlyn and other to have a community to come out to.and who would have her back when the haters started coming out of the closet.

Updates In Two 2015 California Trans Murder Cases.

Have some updated information concerning the trans murder cases of Taja DeJesus and Michelle Yazmin Payne, who were murdered in northern and southern California within days of each other.
I'm happy to report there is good news in both of theses California cases in terms of bringing their killers to justice.

In the Michelle Payne case, 25 year Ezekiel Dear, who has been IDed as the boyfriend of Ms. Payne, turned himself into the LAPD 7th Division headquarters at 3:30 PM PST on February 1 accompanied by a pastor and confessed to killing her.

He was arraigned the next day at the Van Nuys courthouse on one felony count each of murder, with a knife-use allegation, and arson of an inhabited structure or property.

Will continue to keep you posted on this case.

Meanwhile, up I-5 in the Bay Area, the Taja DeJesus case has had a interesting twist.in the suspected perpetrator of the murder of our fallen sister being found dead himself.

49 year old James Hayes was found dead on February 2 hanging by the neck from a fence in the 4000 block of Third Street.  

The location was behind a warehouse a half mile from the crime scene where DeJesus was found stabbed to death, and Hayes was still wearing the clothing he wore when he allegedly stabbed Ms. DeJesus.

A die-in was held in front of San Francisco City Hall to protest the DeJesus killing and the murders of other trans women since June in California and elsewhere across the country.

After an operatic rendition of 'Amazing Grace' by Breanna Sinclaire, trans leaders in the San Francisco area called for an end to transphobia fueling these murders.

"We're still being murdered, harassed, and cast aside. We have to show that our lives matter," said Danielle Castro.

Yes they do, Danielle/   #TransLivesMatter.  #BlackTransLivesMatter   #LatinaTransLivesMatter  And let's hope that the people who have committed these heinous crimes aimed at us  are captured, tried and convicted for killing us.

Have Much Love For My Trans Latina Sisters

One of the things I got to do during the just concluded 27th edition of Creating Change in Denver that I really didn't get a chance to do much of during #CC14 in Houston because of host committee duties was hanging out with my trans sisters at the convention hotel.

The cool part about this conference was not only getting to once again share the same space with the legendary Bamby Salcedo, Isa Noyola and my amazing sis Arianna Lint, but getting to meet other trans Latinas like Johanna Saavedra and Jennicet Gutierrez.  It was also nice getting to know fellow blogger Johanna Cifredo a little better after meeting her in Washington back in July at the Innovation Summit.

Diego and Yosenio, you know I have mad love for both of you handsome brothers, but this post is about the trans Latina sisters

And yes Ruby Corado-Walker, you were missed in Denver.   Somehow I know that the next time I go to DC, you will find a way to ensure that some portion of my trip inside I-495 is spent in your presence..   Alexis Martinez I'll get to see the next time I'm blessed to be in Chicago.

We owe much of our trans rights movement to a trans Latina by the name of Sylvia Rivera who jumped off the Stonewall Riots in 1969 and I had the pleasure of meeting in 2000.  She also fought tooth and nail to her deathbed to ensure we were heard and we had a seat at the table so our policy concerns could be dealt with.



Trans Latinas continue that proud trans movement leadership legacy thanks to the TransLatina Coalition ,the fearless leadership of the members of it ,and other trans Latinas toiling locally across the USA and the world

Ruby Corado-Walker in just three years has built Casa Ruby into the go to service organization in the Washington DC metro area.  Mariah Lopez, who was Sylvia's mentee and daughter, is increasingly stepping out to fight for trans issues in the New York area

While some of the trans issues that I and my trans Latina sisters face are different such as the immigration one, there are others we have in common.  

Trans Latinas and African-American trans women both suffer unacceptable levels of anti-trans hate and violence aimed at us, faith-based demonizing of our lives, unemployment number double the rate of Latin@ and African-American cis people, lack of representation in the community leadership ranks, silicone pumping, HIV/AIDS and lack of visibility in our respective cultures and the TBLGQ community..

While that last one is starting to change thanks to the Spanish language media efforts of Arianna Lint, my fellow alum of the 2012 GLAAD POC Media training and the Transvisible documentary featuring Bamby., we still have a long way to go in terms of the visibility of trans Latinas.

And the voices of trans Latinas need to be heard at the policy tables inside and outside our TBLGQ community and in their legacy orgs such as LULAC.

One of my missions in 2015 in addition to raising the voices of trans Latinas and be a better ally to them on the issues that matter to the trans Latina community, is also raising the voices of trans women of color period including my Asian-Pacific Islander and my Native American sisters.  

As for my trans Latina sisters, I would like to see better coordination and cooperation on the issues we share between the trans Latina community and other trans women of color.   I'm looking forward to meeting other trans Latinas like my San Antonio homegirl Nicole Ramos.   I'd love to someday meet chef Monica Barros-Greene and talk to her about her Dallas city council run back in 2005 among other subjects and Harmony Santana about her Gun Hill Road role.

I'm also looking forward to meeting and conversing with every trans Latina on my Facebook page about the trans issues of the day and other subjects.

And in my 713 backyard, I want to do a better job of connecting to and working with Houston trans Latinas on all of our issue concerns. .

I have much love for you, trans Latinas, and it only grows with time.  We also have the common goal of ensuring that trans people are treated with dignity and respect, and our human rights are also ensconced into our nation's laws.

Let's get busy doing the work in 2015 and beyond we are called and need to do, build sisterhood and make some lifelong friendships while doing so.

RIP Penny Proud

New Orleans is another place I call home because I lived in Marrero for two years as a toddler and my god sister still lives there.

I am saddened to report the murder of another trans woman of color courtesy of ELIXHER,

Meet 21 year old Penny Proud of New Orleans. 

She was found dead in the 1100 block of North Claiborne Avenue in the Treme neighborhood at 1:30 AM yesterday (February 10) shot multiple times

And yes, Times-Picayune, read your AP Stylebook.  Every time you misgender a trans feminine murder victim, you send a message that Black Trans Lives Don't Matter to you and the people who wish to kill us..

She makes the fifth transperson killed across this this country in what is starting to take shape as a bloody year for trans murders.   For those of you in the New Orleans area, if you have information that will lead to the capture of the waste of DNA who killed Penny, you can call the New Orleans PD

They are asking anyone with information on this crime to contact Homicide Detective Robert Barrere at 504-658-5300 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.

You could receive a cash reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the responsible person(s). You do not have to give your name nor testify to receive the reward. Citizens can also submit an anonymous tip online to Crimestoppers at www.crimestoppersgno.orgThere will also be a candlelight vigil tonight at the Treme corner where Penny was murdered.  Hope there is a large crowd for it.

Rest in Power Penny.   Know that your NOLA area trans sisters and the rest of us around the country will not rest until justice is served in your case.

Anyone with information about Proud’s murder is asked to contact Homicide Detective Robert Barrere at 504-658-5300, or contact Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or www.crimestoppersgno.org. - See more at: http://elixher.com/state-of-emergency-black-trans-woman-murdered-in-new-orleans/#sthash.UkqSaDxH.dpuf

Janet's Got A Talk Show!

If you're wondering what Janet Mock has been up to lately, it's being a talk show host.

Janet's So Popular show is on the recently launched MSNBC Shift online network that was launched in December and is designed to appeal to the 16-34 demo in which television viewing has been dropping.

So Popular as you probably guessed is about popular culture, which Ms. Mock cut her teeth on as a former People.com editor.

The goal of her show as stated in the inaugural show broadcast?  

"To cover all things culture, from art and entertainment to literature and anything trending in the zeitgeist. Our goal is to discuss the things you pretend you're too smart to like, in an effort to expand the idea of what is considered political and worthy of analysis. Every Friday, we will have fun, we will be cheeky, we will mine the nuggets of truth from the cultural topics and experiences that consume our time and I will mess up the teleprompter often."

Knowing you Janet, I doubt that will happen very often, but I'll definitely be checking out So Popular and wish you much success with it.

Another Trans Woman Beaten In New York City

Back in October a trans woman was attacked by four men in Brooklyn.  She survived the assault, but may have been left with permanent brain damage.

Meanwhile, the perpetrators o the Islan Nettles assault that led to her death are still walking the streets of New York City, with a DA that has been reluctant to bring that perpetrator to justice.

And now comes word of another trans woman that has been attacked on the mean trans streets of New York City.

It happened January 18 in the Bronx's University Heights neighborhood at the corner of Davidson and W 192nd Streets.   Jocelyn Diaz was approached by a man in a group asking her for a cigarette before attacking her with a bat and using derogatory slurs about her gender.  
She ended up with a broken arm in the attack.




The streets of New York are not safe for trans New Yorkers, and especially trans New Yorkers of color.. New York State has not passed GENDA and added gender identity in the hate crimes laws, and neither have they thrown the legal book at the waste of DNA who killed Islan Nettles.   

By failing to do those simple things, you have sent the message for those who wish to do harm to us it's okay to do so.with impunity and you'll look the other way.

LA Vigil For Michelle Yasmine Payne Tonight

New month, but the same old crap we have to deal with as we mourn the death of our 33 year old LA area trans sister Michelle Yasmine Payne.

Payne was found stabbed to death by firefighters called to put out a fire in the Van Nuys apartment she shared with her boyfriend in the 14600 block of Saticoy St yesterday morning.

A murder weapon was recovered at the scene, and there is a person of interest in this crime in Payne.s boyfriend.   He is described as being an African-American male that stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds.

If you have information that will result in the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator of this heinous crime , please call the Van Nuys detective desk at 818-374-0040. After-hours calls could be made to 818-374-1999.

If you also have a photo of our fallen sister, please get them to me ASAP.

In other news, LA based trans advocate Bamby Salcedo has organized a vigil for Ms. Payne that will start at 6 PM PST at the 14600 Saticoy St. location.   If you can be there tonight, please do so to honor our sister who was ripped away from us far too soon.

Rest in Power, Michelle Yasmine.   Your sisters will not rest until justice is served in your case.

Fix Society, Not Trans People!

Lourdes Hunter last Saturday cut loose a powerful speech during a Washington DC rally attended by over 200 people organized to call for justice for Leelah Alcorn. 

She laid out the problems that trans people face in a society hostile to us, and issued an impassioned call to fix the problems now that ail trans kind.

"I am here to tell you that we don't need to be fixed," she said in the speech. . "What is wrong is society's depraved indifference, willful ignorance, complicity, and inactive engagement with the systems that deny trans people our humanity and our right to life."

Amen, sis.   Here's the speech.

Call For The Ballroom Community And Allies To Boycott Saks

Saks Fifth Avenue is facing a discrimination lawsuit filed by trans woman Leyth O. Jamal, that occurred when she was an employee of the location here in Houston. 

Yep, the same anti-trans discrimination our lying anti-HERO opponents claimed wasn't happening in H-town. 

Yeah, it is, and if y'all hadn't fought HERO's implementation after it passed May 28 this Saks trans discrimination BS wouldn't have happened.

Saks is now attempting a disgusting legal defense strategy asserting they have a 'right to discriminate' against trans people.

Attorney General Eric Holder, the EEOC, several federal courts and the trans community have dissenting opinions, but if y'all wanna be that stupid and waste that money fighting this, that's on y'all. 

Saks, y'all need to admit you were wrong, pay the trans lady and move on.  

Trans activist Mariah Lopez, a member of the House of Ebony, is calling on the Ballroom Community and their allies to boycott Saks.    Thanks Mariah for giving me permission to post it.

And here's Mariah Lopez Ebony's Saks boycott call to all the communities she intersects and interacts with..

• To My Communities. ...especially the Ballroom Community,
  
  It is important that we stand behind Ms. Jamal and going forward, demonstrate that support by indefinitely boycotting Saks Fifth Ave.
  
  There are two reasons for this call to boycott Saks.
  
  Number one. Economic pressure is one sure way to declare our community's buying power.  Ballroom members and allies undoubtedly shop at Saks ("Labels Labels Labels!!!").
  
  Although we clearly do not have the numbers to hurt Saks financially, Ballroom's choice to finally get involved in the Trans Rights Movement through an all out boycott of Saks stores and affiliates nationwide may be just what we need to demonstrate Ballroom's huge following and support. The press may even take note.
  
  The second reason:  Ballroom without a doubt has infiltrated all levels of mainstream pop culture and contemporary media from Beyonce and Tamar's Glam Squad, to the voguing and other NYC Black/Latino GLBTQ art which is now common in both Europe and Asia.
  It's time for the so called friends and admirers of GLBTQ Of Color Culture to use their platforms, wallets and voices to do more than copy and spread our art and vernacular.
  
  But in order for everyone from Madonna to Nicki Minaj to stand with us, our Ballroom  community members who have access to these artists need to call in favors!
  "If you support the ballroom scene and its trans members, BOYCOTT SAKS!"
  
  Then and only then we will be able to see if their  (celebrity) dollars and shunning of Saks will be enough to catapult Trans issues into the mainstream conversation about GLBTQ equality and bring justice in the Jamal discrimination case.
  
  For any of us in the Ballroom Community or our allies to shop at Saks Fifth Ave would stink of weakness and complacency!
  
  Ballroom and its friends are not weak or powerless!   Let's prove it with this Saks boycott.

It's Important For Trans Women Of Color To See Peeps Like Themselves

Ever since Christine Jorgensen stepped off the plane at what is now JFK Airport from Denmark in February 1953, the discussions about trans femininity have been predominately focused on our white counterparts

While that has been wonderful for white trans women, and how wonderful is up for debate, that six decades of focus on white trans women has been detrimental to trans women of color.

Yeah,we all know that Sylvia Rivera is the mother of the trans rights movement, are getting to know about Miss Major's contributions, and every now and then a Roberta Close, Harisu, Ai Haruna and various Thai trans women would pop up in the media radar when they wanted to briefly focus on transgender issues.  

But the dominant focus stayed on white transfeminine women.   Trans women of color were only seen and heard about when it came to negative issues in the community like anti-trans violence, silicone pumping or HIV/AIDS.

Now that script is starting to flip, and a new generation of trans women of color are getting positive media coverage.   In addition to our lost history being unearthed and talked about, we are starting to get credit for being trailblazing leaders in this trans human rights movement.   We are being discussed as beauty icons, or seen making history and looking good while doing so.

Sadly, elements of the trans feminine  community ain't liking it.

Too bad, because it's been a long overdue development that needed to happen.  The voices of transfeminine women of color needed to be heard not only by Middle America, but by our own people as well.   A blow needed to be struck to take down the 'tragic  trans victim' meme that disproportionately centered trams women of color in it.

While trans women of color have disproportionately taken the brunt of the anti-trans violence casualties, those stories needed to be balanced out by trans women of color leading and doing positive things for our community.

It's also important that trans women of color also be seen as beautiful as well, vis a vis a beauty standard that idealizes white womanhood be you cis or trans 24/7/365.

Black trans women have to struggle with the same 'unwoman' meme that our cis Black sisters have dealt with for four centuries and battling a beauty paradigm not designed with us in mind..   

So yes, we African-American trans women and our cis feminine allies are reveling in the fact that we are seeing beautiful women like Janet Mock, Angelica Ross, Precious Davis, Tona Brown  and  Laverne Cox among others lead, intelligently discuss trans issues and look good doing so.

It has been wonderful to see trans Latinas like Bamby Salcedo, Arianna Lint, Maria Roman and others around the country also step up and take leadership roles in their community as well as inspiring others to do so.

The more diverse our trans human rights movement leadership is, the better.

As this country gets more diverse, the trans feminine leadership in this movement must diversify as well.   The ongoing discussions we have about trans femininity also need to add the perspectives of trans women of color.  

And with trans kids transitioning at earlier ages, it is important for those kids and trans kids of color to see peeps like themselves.

It's also important for their parents, grandparents, our overall society and the communities that trans women of color inhabit to see positive instances of trans women of color contributing to the betterment of our communities as well
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Since When Is Featuring Glamorous TWOC On A Magazine Cover A Trans Activism Problem?

Once again, we trans women of color have to point out the freaking obvious in terms of these salient points.  

*Our trans feminine transitions are not like our white counterparts.  
*Race matters, even in the trans community.
*Black trans women fight the same demonization of Black beauty that our cis counterparts have dealt with for four centuries.

Elle Boatman wrote an op-ed published in Advocate.com entitled Trans Glamour vs. Trans Activism that critiqued a Candy magazine cover that featured Janet Mock, Laverne Cox, Geena Rocero and Carmen Carrera that seemed to presume that trans glamour and trans activism are mutually exclusive.

Since when?  I found the timing of this argument interesting, especially when the women on that Candy cover are predominately trans women of color.

Who says that trans glamour and trans activism aren't complementary?   Why is glamour and activism an issue in this case when it wasn't for trans women with less melanin in their skin like the late Christine Jorgensen, April Ashley, Caroline Cossey and most recently Jenna Talackova?
And with trans kids transitioning at younger ages, there's a high probability some of those young trans feminine activists are going to grow up to be very attractive trans women when they hit adulthood.

I'm amazed and perplexed to see a magazine cover of glammed up trans women of color elicit such a response and I have to ask the question why.   Is that Candy cover of glamorous trans women of color perceived as that much of a threat to white trans women?  Do you not realize that broadening the conversation also helps our trans human rights struggle?  Are elements of the white trans feminine community still mad because the trans feminine narrative for the first time since 1953 is not all about white women?

L'lerret Jazelle Ailith wrote a response to the Advocate.com op-ed on her blog  in which she said:

"It’s odd that a white woman is critiquing the ways in which trans women of color perform gender and how they “conform to the norms” seeing that norms and everything having to do with beauty and gender and acceptability are meant to keep non white folks out. Elle says that these women ‘blend in’ and are ‘conventionally beautiful’ when that just isn’t the case. Being black in the first place automatically knocks one out of this country’s historical colonialists and white imperialist convention."

Ailith continues to say in her brilliant response to the op-ed  post:  "Activism cannot be quantified and I think operating under the idea that it can can have people feeling super uncomfortable. As a white woman, you may not understand this but the simple act of getting up and being in the public eye and proclaiming your transness unapologetically is an act of revolution for every trans person of color and in that right, they are doing the work.

How dare you demean the existence of women who didn’t have to speak on their identity but chose to do so in order to work towards a more inclusive and visible society where young black and brown persons felt value and could imagine dreaming up more than trying to blend in and get “normal jobs” and be respectable; A society where they could finally feel beautiful and in charge of their own destinies. How dare you label the work of fellowshipping to the younger folks looking up to these possibility models as insignificant."

So yes, I'm pleased and proud to see a generation of young trans feminine activists of color who not only have no problem looking fly, but handling their activist business either like Precious Davis, Katrina Goodlett, Angelica Ross, Channyn Parker, L'lerret Ailith and Arianna Lint just to name a few.

That is vitally important as we trans activists of color seek to work with, advance the trans human rights cause  and 'ejumacate' communities that are even more rigidly invested in the gender binary. 

One of the negative memes that has historically been deployed against trans women by our oppressors is the 'linebacker in a dress' one. It is one that is doubly problematic when it is aimed at African-American trans women, because we also have to deal with society's four century old 'unwoman' attacks on Black womanhood

You also have the reverse situation of any Black woman who doesn't fit societal expectations of what feminine beauty is having 'that's a man' shade hurled at her or worse.

If you think I'm kidding about that, when the tennis season cranks up in a few weeks and Serena Williams starts beating the European tennis glamazons again, check out what is said about her in the comment sections.
It is a problem when our white trans feminine counterparts don't understand or are clueless about  those salient points I highlighted earlier in the opening paragraph, but fail to understand until recently the trans societal beauty standard and discussion around trans femininity was very much being all about them until we point it out.   

And don't get huffy or mad because we trans women of color did so.

Laverne Is A 2014 Glamour Woman Of The Year!

This has been one amazing year for Laverne Cox in which she has broken ground for transkind on one level or another.  She was the first transperson to appear on the cover of Time magazine.   She was  the first out transperson to be nominated for an Emmy thanks to her groundbreaking Sophia Burset role on Orange Is The New Black.   She's produced a documentary on the unjust incarceration of CeCe McDonald for defending herself from a transphobic attack.

And now you can add one more first to an amazing list of them for Cox.   The first out trans person to be named a Glamour Woman Of The Year.

Yep, there's a girl like us along with other 2014 winners Chelsea Clinton, Robin Roberts, Lupita Nyong'o, and Mindy Kaling just to name a few of the other honorees

Megacongrats on another trailblazing first, Laverne.  

And Now There Are Ten-RIP Ashley Sherman

We have lost another transsister to anti-trans violence.

Location this time was Indianapolis, IN, in the Tudor Park Condominiums on the eastern side of the city, and sadly it's another trans woman of color.. 

25 year old Ashley Sherman was found at that location early Monday morning by a patrolling police officer. 

She had been shot in the head, and police are trying to ascertain whether she was killed there or was brought there from another location.  While police are saying this was a homicide, as usual they are not investigating it as a hate crime.
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A vigil was held on Wednesday at that location attended by 100 people, including Sherman's family and friends in which her mother implored the killer come forward.

Will be keeping track of this latest instance of one of our sisters being murdered until the case is satisfactorily resolved.

Rest in power and peace Ashley.   As with the rest of  our fallen sisters, we will not rest until justice is served.

Loving Myself Unapologetically

Guest Post by L'lerrét Jazelle Ailith

Marc Lamont Hill asked me once whether or not I ever felt like the burden of being trans was too much and I wanted to give up. I thought about it for a second and then proceeded to tell him that I love my being unapologetically.

What was the pause for, though? I paused because for so long, I internalized hate from the folks around me who couldn't see the beauty in my unique identity. For years, I would take off my makeup and look into the mirror and cry because I wasn't proud of what stared back at me. I thought that seeing this being that wasn't what society ideally thought to be a woman was to be abhorred. I felt that I didn't deserve happiness or love because I looked like an atrocious blend of man and woman. But once I met my chosen family amongst the #blacktransrevolution and realized my worth and worthiness, those thoughts and feelings began to slowly fade away.

Yesterday was such a weighted, stressful day for me and to practice self care, I hopped in the shower and cleansed myself thoroughly for an hour - head to toe. When I stepped out, I took a look in the mirror and cried. I cried not because of shame. I cried not because of disgust. I cried because I was able to look into my own eyes and feel beautiful. I was able to admire the rawness of my face. I saw the happiness and joy oozing out of every orifice. My mouth couldn't stop smiling. My skin was glowing. My eyes were apparent. I cried because never in a million years did I think I would find myself in a place where even without my beauty routine having been implemented, I would take pride in my being. I cried because I have been through SO FUCKING MUCH to get to a place where I feel worthy and content and to finally feel that being actualized was so overwhelming.

F**k beauty norms or ideals.... this is about loving the brown skin that I'm in! I didn't pick away at my features like I normally would. I looked at myself and I told her how much I loved her. She smiled and blew me a kiss. She thanked me for releasing her from her prison of shame and insecurity. She was free. I am free. And with this freedom - this pride - I was provided with a voice to announce my existence and honor my journey. Terrell and L'lerrét's voices have intertwined to produce something so fantastic.... something so unstoppable. I fought and fought and now look at her! All vivacious and unapologetic and whatnot! haha

And I thank my #blacktransrevolution family for helping to see that happen; for fostering and nurturing this blossoming security. Y'all so cute! I can only wish to continue building community and loving on you all so that more and more girls and boys and anyone in between can feel the same joy that I feel in this moment. This is infectious and I want every single one of my revolutionary comrades to catch this too. I can't wait to go into the house of worship in late November and fellowship with my people at #TransVoices! We are the revolution.

Koko's Album 'Who's That Lady?' Drops November 18

I've talked about Koko Jones,  my seriously talented musical sis from time to time on the blog and had the pleasure of doing one of my TransGriot Ten Questions interviews with her.

How talented is she?  Talented enough for this Jersey girl over her four decades in the music biz to have performed with some of the most recognizable names in the pop, R&B, jazz, house and African music worlds.

Jones has either performed or recorded as a first call musician with the Isley Brothers, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana, Angela Winbush, Raul Midon, Marcus Miller, Randy Weston,  Jose Feliciano, Buddy Miles, Clarence Burke, Louie Vega, Luisito Quintero, Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child, DJ Kenny Dope, Archie Shepp, and Reggie Workman.

And now you'll have something to look forward to during TDOR Week in terms of her 'Who's That Lady' LP dropping on that date..

The timing of the release of the album near that date is not an accident.  As a girl like us who happens to be a  musician, several of the tracks on this upcoming album release on Motema Music reflect either personal or universal issues facing the trans community:







“Why” honors those trans individuals who have lost their lives due to violence or suicide and “Turn It” pays tribute to the heroes, past and present, who strive for civil rights, justice and equality. “I’m Free” celebrates the joy of reveling in who you really are despite societal norms and constraints. And “Xtravaganzas” pays homage to the House of Xtravaganza, one of the most important cultural institutions in the trans community.

While she has always handled her business as a musician first and foremost, she has had an ongoing parallel role as an activist and a voice in the trans community. In addition to Koko’s ground-breaking work as an interventionist at the Center for HIV Education Studies and Training (CHEST) at Hunter College, where she is a part of T-Talk, a project delivered by trans women for trans women that seeks to reduce sexual health risk, substance use, and internalized stigma affecting the community.

Koko frequently speaks at events, and recently gave a TEDx talk at Seton Hall University and delivered a lecture on Current Issues in the Trans Community at Columbia University Teachers College. She is also an active member of Trans Women of Color Collective (TWOCC)

But it's time for peeps to get to know Koko Jones in her primary role as an extraordinary musician

Those of you in the New York area can check her out on December 1 at her CD release show that will start at 8 PM EST at Sub Culture. The venue is located at 45 Bleeker St, and if you're looking for more info hit the link or call 212-533-5470.

And yeah, Christmas and Hanukkah are coming up, so why not purchase 'Who's That Lady?' and kill two birds with one stone at the same time?  You buy a gift for someone (or keep it for your own music collection), keep our T-bills circulating in our community, and support a fantastic musician at the same time.

Is The Media Disrespect Of Deceased African-American Trans Women Ever Going To End?

We have lost four transwomen of color this month to anti-trans violence in 40 year old Kandy Hall, 28 year old Zoraida Reyes, 31 year old Yaz'min Shancez and now as of Thursday 28 year old Tiffany Edwards.  

One has been buried in Ms Reyes, with the funeral arrangements pending on the others.  

And sadly, Ms Reyes is the only one of the four who has had respectful media coverage of her life and death.

When it comes to reporting about murdered African-American trans women, it seems as though the operative pattern of media outlets is to dehumanize, disrespect and follow the How Not To Respectfully Cover Black Transwomen playbook to the letter.    

*Misgender them at every opportunity?                         Check.
*Use their old male name in the story?                           Check.
*Use a mugshot if discovered?                                      Check. 
*Add criminal record to the story?                                Check.
*Salaciously suggest she was engaged in prostitution?    Check.

I have repeatedly seen this racist pattern when it comes to fallen African-American trans women and I'm tired of it.  I'm beyond sick and tired of media outlets across the country disrespecting African-American trans women in death by not only misgendering them, but if they happen to discover a criminal record, injecting that into the story and publishing a mugshot if available.

It's even more infuriating when an influential gay paper like the Washington Blade does so as in Michael K Lavers' June 8 article about our fallen Baltimore sister Kandy Hall.

Guess I should be thankful for the small favor of them not publicizing a mugshot in the article.

But if we can't get gay media outlets like the Washington Blade to respect our trans lives, what chance are we African-American trans people going to have to get television stations, magazines, and newspapers to do so? 


Publishing a person's criminal history is not germane to the fact that a transwoman was murdered and is problematic.  We transwomen of color already have enough racist stereotypes to overcome while inhabiting Black female bodies like the 'unwoman' meme in addition to the other transphobic baggage we have to deal with.

The last thing we need is media outlets unnecessarily injecting a criminal record into a news story about the untimely demise of an African-American trans woman, much less posting a mugshot pic of her when it is not germane to the narrative and unnecessary to do. 

Once again media professionals, we don't want to be fighting with you about this.  All we are asking is that you simply do your jobs and respectfully tell our stories, even in death. A murder has been committed in which this person tragically lost their life.  Focus on that, not demonizing and postmortem disrespect of the trans murder victim.  .

Tona Brown As Principessa

Time for a little culture, TransGriot readers!. 

I mentioned Tona Brown was performing in the DC metro area last weekend in the Puccini one act opera Suor Angelica as Principessa and lamented the fact I couldn't be there to see the performance and support her. 

Well, through the magic of YouTube, now I can, thanks to one of Tona's students who shot the short video from the audience from her cell phone.   Megathanks to her for doing so. 

In this concert version of Suor Angelica, Tona is playing La Principessa, the mean aunt who is asking Angelica on the left to give away her family inheritance so her sister can have a dowry for marriage.  Her character is reminding her how much she has shamed the family name by getting pregnant without marriage. 

Opera, the soaps before TV and the movies.

And now, here's Tona in the role of Principessa.

 

Islan Nettles Rally And The Lingering Questions After It

Something else that was happening while I was busy hosting 4000 of our TBLG family and allies in H-town last week was a January 30 New York rally demanding action on the Islan Nettles case.

When we last checked in on the case the Manhattan DA dropped misdemeanor assault charges against Paris Wilson, the person who was pulled off of Nettles by the police. because the speedy trial prosecution clock had run out and to ostensibly pursue more serious charges in this case. 

Well, the New York trans community isn't staying silent about this, they want justice for Islan like all of us do.  There was a December 20 meeting of New York City trans leaders headed by Laverne Cox and Brooke Cerda Guzman and various organizations facilitated by the New York Anti-Violence Project with the Manhattan DA.. 

Over 100 people including Janet Mock showed up for a January 30 rally at One Police Plaza organized by the Trans Women of Color Collective of New York (TWOCC) to keep the public pressure on NYPD and the Manhattan DA's office, keep the case in the public eye, and prod them into speedier action to solve the Nettles case. 

“Having survived a violent assault, I know what a struggle it can be to get justice in NY. Not one of my attackers was charged - and I was almost treated by the police as though I deserved to be assaulted,” says Madison St. Claire, Co-Chair of Membership for TWOCC. “Now, the same thing is happening in the Islan Nettles case - and that sends the wrong message: that trans women of color are disposable - that our lives don’t matter.” says St Claire. “Today, we send our own message NYPD and the DA’s office: TRANS LIVES MATTER!”

TWOCC activists have pointed out some troubling issues and things that make you go hmm concerns surrounding the Nettles case.  TWOCC has accused the NYPD and the Manhattan District Attorney's office of negligence and mishandling of this investigation that is leading to fear in the NY transfeminine community that a perpetrator of violence against us will get away with it.

It was revealed by TWOCC that no DNA evidence was collected from Paris Wilson at the scene of the crime, nor were witnesses rigorously questioned. Nor has it been satisfactorily explained why Simone Wilson, the suspect’s mother, was never held accountable or charged for hindering prosecution or falsifying evidence when she persuaded a friend of her son to make a false confession which was later recanted.

And perhaps in a statement that strains credibility, the DA’s office is claiming that all 10 surveillance cameras in the vicinity of the beating that lead to Islan Nettles’ death on that August 17 night were broken.

There have also been questions raised by transpeople in the NY area and nationally about what exactly is the Rev Al Sharpton's and the National Action Network's stance concerning the Nettles case and trans human rights in general.  

NAN held a December 7 panel discussion moderated by Dominique Sharpton entitled 'My Brothers Keeper' at NAN's Harlem headquarters that included trans panelists Sean Coleman, Arisce Wanzer and Kimberly Howard.  But the forum has not quieted the trans community asking this legitimate question in light of the fact the vicious attack on Islan occurred mere blocks from NAN's Harlem headquarters.

So will keep you TransGriot readers posted on the latest developments in the Nettles case as I receive them.