Moni's Headed To San Diego

You Cali folks and other Left Coasters keep asking me when will I start showing up in your state.  Well, the Air Marshal is about to be in Southern California soon.   

Looking forward to making my first trip to San Diego since 2017 for this event.

I'll be joining Tracie Jada O'Brien, Libra Audacious Valentino,  Jelecia King,  Amber St James,  Samsara, Pamuela Halliwell, Savion Cooper and Kenya Trahan for this Black History Month event fousing on honoring and protetcing the lives of Black trans women.   

Deeply appreciate the opportunity to spend some quality time with my San Diego fam and my trans elder Mama Tracie. thanks to the Gender Phluid Collective.

Always love to talk to my trans elders about what it was like back in the day to transition, and honor peeps like her who paved the way for my generation of trans peeps

And yes, always down to talk to the new generation of trans and GNC peeps as well

It will be taking place next Saturday, February 22, at the San Diego History Center from 11 AM-4 PM PST.   I hope to see many of you peeps in the San Diego area either there at the event or while I'm in town. 

Houston Stands With The Trans Community Rally Happening Today

We have seen this Trump Misadministration ever since they gained power gleefully attempt to roll back and eviscerate the human rights of trans Americans.

While their initial actions such as attempting to ban trans people from serving in the military have been bogged down in the courts, others they have executed have been successful such as the Department of Education not taking student discrimination complaints. 

In addition to wiping all mention of trans people off US government websites, the Sessions controlled Department of (In)Justice is tying to push a legislative interpretation that claims trans people aren't covered under Title VII and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. and open us up to discrimination.

The persecution of trans people not only extends to our trans kids and their parents, but also extends to our trans immigrant population.

Since trans people are under attack by this government, we are doing what we must do in terms of standing up and fighting back against the oppression. 

The Organization Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT) is organizing a rally starting at 7 PM that will give our allies and accomplices a chance to show support to our local trans and gender nonconforming community. 

It will also send the message that we're here, we're part of the Houston community and we won;t be erased.

Houston City Hall is located at 901 Bagby Street, and the rally will take place on the steps near the reflecting pool side of the building.     Hope to see you there!

Moni's Getting On The Bus To- San Antonio

Didn't realize until i was asked by SAGA and TENT to come to the Alamo City for their Justice for Kenne rally tomorrow that it had been nearly five years since I last spent time in Bexar County.

The last time I was there was to speak at a TDOR back in November 2013, and got to spend some quality time not only with Lauryn Farris, but also Rev. Carmarion Anderson as well. 

Once again it's for activism, but it will be nice to see some folks while I'm there calling crap out. 

See you in a few hours San Antonio. 

March For Black Women Happening Saturday

This week in Houston the first ever March For Black Women is taking place on Saturday at Emancipation Park from 10 AM-1 PM .   And yes, I've been asked to be a speaker for it.

Unlike the Houston Women's March, this one is centering Black cis and trans women, which is why I was asked to participate in it and stood in solidarity with my Black cis sisters in boycotting the Houston women's march after their concerns in the organizing runup to it were dismissed or flat out ignored. 

As to why we are marching, the statement from the March For Black Women website:

Why We March

Angela Davis once said,  "I AM NO LONGER ACCEPTING THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE.  I AN CHANGING THE THINGS I CANNOT ACCEPT."

In that spirit, we are calling on every Black woman in the Houston area and our allies to change a system that is no longer acceptable or viable for Black women. We strive to unite Black women from every walk of life and demographic to rise together in all our diversity, face our common oppressors, and denounce the systems and communities that deny us our civil and human rights and relegate us to political backseats.

We are also coming together to celebrate the sisterhood, struggles, and accomplishments of the unique space that Black women hold in society. We affirm the position of Black women in politics and ensure our representation is rightfully increased.AA

We are a power like no other when we are joined together. We have suffered the most heinous maltreatment in this country, and we are still here. Standing. Proudly. Let us gather together to celebrate one another. There is no one that understands us like us. We will celebrate the African Diaspora of womanhood in all the ways it exists. We will experience the music and poetry of sisters from different perspectives and engage in the advancement of Black lives.

This event is Black woman-centered, but we welcome all allies in support of Black women. Be mindful that this is for us.

***

Fundraising is still happening for this even, and the march is still seeking volunteers


So looking forward to being a part of this historic event, and I'm still working on putting the final touches on my speech.   As to what I'll say, stay tuned i'll post the text of it on that March 3 date to the blog .

But if you're in the Houston area on March 3, I hope you'll join us on that date to support and march with us     

ATX Here To Slay Capitol Rally

I got to take a quick trip to Austin yesterday to speak at the Here To Slay Austin Capital Takeover a mere 24 hours after the hate ministers desecrated the South Steps and express myself about Texas GOP legislative oppression..

Too bad we didn't bring any holy water or sage to cleanse them.  Neither did I get my Slurpee.

It was put together by several organizations, including the Houston based Organization de Latina Trans en Texas (OLTT) , Aqui Estamos RGV,  Familia and the Transgender Law Center.

It was also an honor to be asked to be the lead speaker for it, and ended up getting quoted in the San Antonio Express-News article about the event.  I also enjoyed the conversations I had with many of the attendees.

So it was nice getting to see Raquel Willis, Isa Noyola and Jennicet Gutierrez again, see the ladies of OLTT,  hang out for a moment with Danielle Skidmore  and enjoy spending the quality time on the ride up to and back from the ATX with Alice Serna-McDougald.   Also got to meet more trans and BLG younglings and talk to them about our Texas trans history.

I was also proud to be part of an event that is building ties and working partnerships between the Texas Black and Latinx community since the Texas Republican Party over the last decade has been hellbent on curbing the growing political power of our communities.  

They are also deeply aware of the fact that since 2009 the Texas demographics are against them

For five hours they not only heard our voices, but three lobbying teams visited key House legislators and senate legislators.

And what did I have to say about Texas legislative oppression?

“When you have people like the trans community who have had to fight tooth and nail just to exist, we’re not going to roll over for legislative repression."

Nope, we're going to fight it with every fiber of our being.  And yeah, we'll be back when you have those hearings on Rep. Ron Simmons' unjust bills..

Here To Slay Capitol Takeover On Friday

Been a busy week of events at our state capitol now that we're deep into the Special Oppression Session that is slated to end on August 18.    Yesterday the progressive pastors held a lobby day, press conference and rally on the South Capitol steps, and the hate ministers will be desecrating the capitol tomorrow.

But on Friday, Texas TBLGQ people of color will be headed to Austin to show our legislators that we're here and aren't going away.

The Here to Slay event is sponsored by Aqui Estamos RGV, other Texas based orgs, Familia, the Trans Queer Liberation Movement and the Transgender Law Center and will run from 10-3 PM CDT.

The Here To Slay Capitol takeover will feature music, performers, food, community and speakers who will have a strong message to send to Gov. Abbott, Lt Gov Dan 'Potty Man' Patrick, and our Texas GOP oppressors and their DINO enablers.  

And as you probably guessed, I've been asked to be one of the speakers.

So looking forward to getting a Slurpee and seeing as many of you peeps in the ATX area as I can.on Friday August 4.for the Here to Slay Capitol Takeover.  

Headed To Austin To Fight Back Against SB 4

Well, looks like I'm going to be making another trip to Austin in a  few hours.

I was asked to be a speaker at this Memorial Day event to loudly proclaim to the world that we are not down with the actions our oppressive Texas Republican controlled government took in passing the unjust SB 4.

Since 2009, the combined non-white population of Texas outnumbers white people, which is probably why the Texas RepubliKKKans were hellbent on passing this unjust and racist legislation.

They are failing to heed the lessons from the previous times Republican controlled state legislatures passed unjust anti-immigration laws like California's Prop 187 and Arizona's SB 1070.

In California, it incensed and galvanized the state's Latinx population to get involved politically, and that mobilized Latinx population helped flip the state blue in less than a decade.   And FYI Texas Republicans, California, like Texas is another state in which brown folks outnumber white ones.

The Texas GOP oppressors know it too, which is why they passed the unconstitutional voter suppression laws that target Black and Latinx voters and gerrymandered the state to negatively impact non-white Texans.    It's why we need to #FireTheTexasGOP in 2018

Looking forward to spending Memorial Day with my Latinx siblings and expressing my disgust about SB 4.  

Trans Latinx Leadership Institute in Houston This Weekend

Been a while since I got to spend some quality time with Jennicet Gutierrez, and when she let me know she was in Houston for a few days, I carved some time out yesterday to reconnect and hang out with her.

That three hours I was planning to hang out with her turned into ten because what I discovered after I met Jenni at her Galleria area hotel is that she was here along with the Transgender Law Center to help facilitate a Latinx Leadership Institute that started this morning at 9 AM CDT..

I also got reminders of my quasi celebrity status while I was hanging out at the Doubletree Galleria. Discovered that someone I'd done a panel discussion with at HCC Southeast a few years ago was now working as the manager at the hotel, and he thanked me for all the work I'd been doing on behalf of the community.

I also ended up demolishing a few of those delicious Doubletree chocolate chip cookies as Jennicet and I caught up about what we'd been doing since #CC15 and a few other subjects as we waited for the other people flying into Houston for the Institute arrived at the hotel and ensure they had no issues checking in while doing so.

I ended up going to the Argentine Cafe with them for dinner and chatting with many of the participants, some of who are my Facebook friends like Alexa Rodriguez, Isa Noyola and Flor Bermudez   Houston's own Ana Andrea Molina was also in the house to hang out and reconnect with the folks arriving for the Institute and to also welcome them to H-town   

I also ended with a few new friends like Reyna Ortiz, Mia Lozado Navarro, and Diego Barrera.

The Instituto Nacional de Capacitación kicked off this morning and will last through Saturday,

It has over 20 Latinx trans participants from across the United States with a focus not only on discussing the issues impacting immigrant trans Latinx people, but also building their leadership skills so they can be more effective at their grassroots level work when they return home.

Welcome to H-town Latinx Trans Fam!  Hope you have a successful and informative conference. Hope you also get to enjoy what my hometown has to offer while you're here inside Harris County.

I also hope that lifelong friendships and working relationships are being formed during your time here, and looking forward to see what amazing work you all do post conference.

   

Handling Texas Trans Community Business At The TLI

As you loyal TransGriot readers know, Mama Moni has been in Dallas getting her learn on at the Transgender Leadership Institute sponsored by Equality Texas and Freedom For All Americans

In light of what going on down I-35 south in terms of our 85th Texas Legislative session in Austin and the repressive Republican regime in Washington DC, this TLI gathering in the Dallas suburban city of Irving was taking place at a crucial time in our history as 60 of us gathered at the DoubleTree DFW North for the all day training yesterday.

Friday night was a networking event in which we got to meet and greet our fellow TLI participants from across the Lone Star State. While many of us have come from Houston, the host city of Dallas and the Austin-San Antonio area, one person has come from El Paso, and another drove six hours from Corpus Christi to be here,

I had the pleasure of finally meeting Rev. Angie Shannon and having that long in person conversation we've both been looking forward to having that was joined by Gail Barnett and a few other attendees from time to time.   It was also nice getting to meet some more of my Black trans fam from Houston,

I also enjoyed my conversations with Gail and the other Mama Bears in attendance at the TLI.
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Saturday we got down to TLI business after breakfast at 7:30 AM and the welcome at 8:30 AM by Lou, Chuck and Katie.

The initial TLI segment was an intersectionality conversation moderated by Lou Weaver and Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen.    After a break, we moved into talking about racial justice and the issue of immigration with many of us in the room keenly aware that ICE raids were taking place in much of the state.

During lunch we received a briefing from Chuck Smith on the current state of the Texas Legislative session that because it discussed some confidential things like the response strategy around SB 6, The Transgender Oppression Bill and other anti-TBLGQ bills I can't divulge because the right wing haters read TransGriot just like y'all do.

After lunch came a discussion about messaging that started at 1:30 PM and sparked some lively conversations and commentary until our next break came at 2:30 PM.

We segued into Rebecca Kling's conversation about storytelling and its importance to our movement.
In her presentation she pointed out how being able to tell your personal story and doing it consistently can not only move legislators, but move persuadable people in your everyday life that you have one on one conversations with about our trans lives.

After some activities focused on developing the skills necessary to do so and honing telling your story in two minutes or less, several people volunteered to read the two minute stories they wrote and get feedback on it, we ended the first day of training.

Photos were taken of the allies and trans parents, trans peeps in attendance and a group picture of all the TLI attendees before we retired to our rooms for a break before dinner.at 6 PM

The hour break also gave me an opportunity to recharge the electronic devices, chuck those 4 inch heels and business attire I was rocking and change into my flats for the rest of the evening.

The dinner conversations that had their genesis in the TLI training sessions continued in the bar and lobby areas and various people's rooms until the wee hours of the morning.

I ended up in a long one with Rodrigo and several other attendees, got a chance to talk to Carter, JB and Trey from my BTAC Dallas fam before they bounced from the hotel to continue the planning for the upcoming BTAC 2017 conference in April.  

I got to shift into Secretary of Education (Monica Helms' new nickname for me) mode, do some mentoring and passing down of some history to the next generation of trans peeps until I finally called it a night.    

Hey, it IS Black History Month.   Trans folks made some of that history, too and are STILL making it.

We will have the concluding group activity of the TLI starting at 9:30 AM before we adjourn and head back to our various corners of the Lone Star State better informed and better prepared to fight for our Texas Values of inclusion, intersectionality and human rights for all.

I'm In Dallas For The Transgender Leadership Institute!

After a quick drama free flight on American Eagle up to DFW, I'm  at my hotel in the DFW area suburb of Irving, Texas near DFW Airport and destroying the chocolate chip cookie I received during at check in.

If that city name sounds vaguely familiar to you, it's where that NFL franchise north of Houston used to play until they moved to their bigger playpen in Arlington and demolished Texas Stadium.

So why am I here?  Equality Texas in conjunction with the Transgender Law Center and Freedom For All Americans is conducting a Transgender Leadership Institute.

In a few hours we'll have a welcome networking reception from 5-7 PM in which I'll get to meet other Texans from across the state and then we're on our own until the TLI starts tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM.

The TLI will be an intense all day training that runs from 8-5 PM CST with a lunch break and Texas Lege briefing at 12:30 PM, then we get right back into it Sunday morning until 11:30 AM before we head back to our various corners of the Lone Star State.

It's timely in light of the fact that the Republican controlled Texas Legislature is now in session and we're fighting the Texas Transgender Oppression Act (what the rest of the world calls SB 6) and other unjust legislation or Texas GOP majority is trying oppress us with.

So yep, I'm here to learn, meet some other advocates from around the state and once the training is over for the day, chill.   I do need to find out after I destroy these DoubleTree cookies where the nearest 7 Eleven is to the hotel.

But looking forward to the Transgender Leadership Institute, and seeing everyone who is participating in it.

Another Busy H-town Saturday

This Saturday was a busy one, but in a good way for me.

I was invited to take part in a panel discussion for the New Leaders Council with Lura Groen and Judge Steven Kirkland about being a progressive leader in diverse communities on the fourth floor of the Legacy Health Services building in Montrose. .

The panel started a little after 11 PM, and it was a lively two way one and a half hour conversation that I hope the NLC fellows not only enjoyed but gleaned some lessons out of it.

I then went home and attempted to rest for a few hours, then get freshened up and dressed for the 19th annual Houston HRC Gala at the Hilton Americas Hotel in the downtown Convention Center District at the invitation of Lou Weaver.  .

Dee Dee was headed to Spring High School to support their GSA for an on campus event they were having that started at 7 PM, so the game plan was to bounce out of the crib at 6 PM, she drop me off, and she would continue to Spring High on the far north side.

But we ran into bumper to bumper traffic on I-45 that started past Loop 610 and was creeping along a such a snails pace that we eventually jumped ff I-45 and took side streets to the Hilton Americas.  the end result was I didn't get to the hotel until 6:50 PM, and got to the second floor ballroom moments later

Despite me not getting enough time to my liking to say hello to everyone there for what we call locally 'Houston Gay Prom', I did get to sit at Lou's table with my activist mentor Judge Phyllis Frye and her lovely wife Trish, and Mike Webb, who moderated the NLC panel I'd done that morning

The Houston human rights warriors were in the house in full effect   Got to see Januari Leo for the first time in months, Melissa Vivanco was looking fab along with Fran and Kim Watson, Crystal Solares, Jeffry Faircloth and a long list of people I managed to get conversations in with along with getting a chance to eat before i had to leave.  .  

I also got to see in the two and a half hours I was there everyone from City Councilmember Robert Gallegos to Rep Sheila Jackson-Lee to our former mayor Annise Parker.   I missed the speech that Houston homegirl Loretta Devine gave, but I was in the room for HRC president Chad Griffin's speech where i once again got an unexpected shout out along with Dee Dee Watters and Judge Frye.  

It was a busy H-town Saturday for me, but enjoyable.

The New Black H-Town Panel Discussion

Thursday was a busy day for me.   I spent a few hours at the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council January meeting that afternoon as their guest speaker talking to the cross section of women in that room about how domestic violence issues impact the trans community.

I spent Thursday evening at 14 Pews NOT watching the latest GOP presidential debate and being part of a panel discussion focused on the Black LGBT community organized by the Infamous Iota chapter of Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Inc. and moderated by Brandon Mack and Januari Leo.  

Before we dove into that moderated discussion that featured a cross section of Houston feminine leaders that included newly elected Houston LGBT Caucus president Fran Watson, Shekira Dennis, Christina Gorczynski, and some blogger nobody reads, we spent a few moments getting to socialize and chat about a few things before we started watching at 7 PM the Yoruba Richen documentary The New Black.
Just in case y'all wish to view it, it is currently on Netflix.

The New Black is a movie that should have been required viewing for Houston Unites before they tried and massively failed to defend HERO.

Yeah, still pissed about that HERO defeat and the piss poor Prop 8 2.0 campaign that led to its repeal along with a lot of peeps in Houston Black TBLG World.

But back to the post.

Once that screening was over, after Brandon's remarks, he turned over the program to Januari for the panel discussion that lasted until 9:15 PM because there was just a lot of subjects to unpack.

Thanks again Iota Chapter of Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Inc.for the invitation to be a part of this amazing evening, and continued success in fulfilling your ongoing mission to inform and educate our community.

HERO Grassroots Training Kickoff

On Saturday morning a sizable number of enthusiastic, civic minded Houstonians gathered at the Montrose Center for a HERO Grassroots Day Of Action event to defend our city's equal rights ordinance.  

It's a high stakes battle against the Forces of Intolerance that we must win on November 3 that we in H-town are aware that Texas, the nation and the world is watching.  

And as we've been warned by the chair of the Houston Sports Association, the NCAA and NFL are watching this human rights fight play out as well.

What transpired there starting at 10 AM was training to prepare for canvassing that happened later that afternoon, and discussing why our diverse city needs the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance

The volunteers, knowing this November 3 election is a pivotal point in our city's future, were laser beam focused on the training coordinated by the Houston Unites coalition group in conjunction with their HOUEquality coalition partners.

I along with Houston Unites and HOUEquality deeply appreciate all the folks who gave up their Saturday afternoon to take the time to be human rights superheroes.

If you missed last Saturday's event, there will be more upcoming HERO defense events that you can take part in with a canvass on August 22 and an upcoming phone bank on August 29.

TTNS 2015 Accepting Workshop Proposals

Another one of my fave instate events will be happening soon and for the second straight year will be on the road with Jenifer Rene Pool serving as the Mistress of Ceremonies .

The 7th Annual Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit will take place July 31 to August 1, 2015 at the University of Texas at Dallas with the keynote speakers being Dr. Stephen Sutton, Ph.D., Assistant Vice Chancellor University of California at Berkley and Heather Snow, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at The University of Texas at Arlington.

The Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit is currently accepting workshop proposals and poster session proposals. Our website is www.txtns.org    It's also a 501(c)3 organization, so if you feel inclined to donate to TTNS, your donation is tax deductible.

So what's the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit?  It's an event in which over its two days we are gathered onsite, the TTNS teaches and provide resources to people on how to effectively engage administrations on Texas colleges, universities, and public schools campuses to advocate for inclusive policies for transgender faculty, staff, and students.

And it's coming to the DFW area for the first time.  Hope you will join us at UT-Dallas for this event  this summer, and if you need further information about the TTNS you can also reach them at info@txtns.org ,on Facebook and Twitter.. 

Headed To HCC Southeast Again!

Later this  morning I'll be on the HCC Southeast campus for another panel discussion.

Y'all know how much I enjoy bouncing to the colleges in this area  and beyond talking about trans issues, and this latest panel will happen at 11:15 AM.

The HCC Southeast campus is located at 6815 Rustic St just off I-45 near the Gulf Freeway and it will be in the Angela Morales Building's first floor lecture hall.

Looking forward to seeing the students, HCC Southeast faculty and whatever allies can attend the event and having a fun and informative discussion..

Houston Intersectional Justice Rally Tonight

Another day, another event for Moni.

To drive home the points that #WeExist, #LGBTLivesMatter,  #BlackLivesMatter , #BlackTransLivesMatter, and #LatinaTransLivesMatter, in Houston later tonight we'll be having an Intersectional Justice Rally at Hermann Park tonight.

I will have the honor of representing the trans community, and Pastor Lura N. Groen will kick this off with an interfaith prayer and a moment of silence for those community members who are non believers.

This rally is designed to honor women and the LGBT community, because we are continually left out of tit and give us a chance to speak on our own behalf! We will meet at the new Lake Picnic area which is located between Miller Outdoor Theater and Lake Plaza.

The speakers slated to  talk about how their lives intersect in different communities:

L - Fran Watson
G - Ashton P. Woods
B - Heather Strange
T - Monica Roberts
& Yung Mozart one of our great allies

Following the speeches we will read from a list of names of those lost in our communities (like TDOR). Finally, we will allow those who wish to speak to come up and share a few words.

It starts at 7 PM, and hope to see a nice crowd gathered there.

An Empowering Day Discussing Trans Media

I spent much of today at the NBC Universal building's 16th floor to attend an Arcus Foundation and USA Network's sponsored Media Think Session.

The room had a nice view of the nearby St. Patrick's Cathedral, but we had more important things to discuss in terms of the state of trans media 

One of the cool things about these events is you get to see some folks you have been to other events with and others that you are aware of because of their work or they are your Facebook friends.

I finally got to meet at this event Kimberly Reed, Eden Lane and Tracee McDaniel. I got to see some of my fave trans men in Tiq Milan, Diego Sanchez, Dr. Kortney Ziegler and Gunner Scott.  It was wonderful getting to see Janet Mock, Cheryl Courtney-Evans, Angelica Ross, Rebecca Juro, Amos Mac, Jen Richards, Autumn Sandeen and Christina Kahrl again.

And one other person I finally got to meet after all these years was Andy Marra.

We knew there wasn't going to be any shortage of thoughtful commentary about the state of trans media with this group of trans writers, bloggers, filmmakers  activists and media personnel. While we were gathered for a serious purpose, we did manage to have a little fun

Some of the things we talked about are in 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' territory, which is why you didn't see many tweets about this.

In the end, it was a wonderful day discussing the importance of media to the trans community and once again getting the opportunity to spend some quality time with some amazing trans community leaders courtesy of our Arcus Foundation hosts.

Arcus Foundation Trans Media Think Session

Despite all the drama that greeted me upon my arrival into New York, I do have some business to attend to before I can go back to observing all the protests going on here over the Garner case non indictment.

I'm here along with several other peeps from New York and across the country to take part in an Arcus Foundation sponsored Trans Media Think Session that kicks off at 8 AM EST and will run until 4 PM.

I already am aware that Cheryl Courtney-Evans, Christina Kahrl, Rebecca Juro, Dr. Kortney Ziegler and Eden Lane are some of the participants here from out of town like moi.  I know that Andy Marra is one of the local participants.

So definitely looking forward to seeing everyone and having a productive day.

As to what happens after that, we'll see.  My flight doesn't leave from NYC until 3:35 PM EST tomorrow.

Representing Trans* Symposium In Chicago Soon

This one was in the works before all the unexpected drama started popping up in my life, but I'm still going  to be there.

The there is the Representing Trans* Symposium in Chicago at the Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry on the University of Chicago campus November 8.

So yes people, that means I'll be coming to the Windy City, and when I arrive I'll have destroying a Giordano's deep dish pizza on my mind.  Something else I'll have on my mind is seeing as many of you wonderful folks in the Chicagoland area as possible

The symposium starts at 1:30 PM CST with a 'Sociological Approaches to Trans Representation' Panel  moderated by Dr. Kristen Schilt of the University of Chicago.

The panelists will be Vivian Namaste,  Tey Meadow, and Salvador Ortiz-Cruz.

Then it will move to the panel I'm a part of that will start at 3:30 PM, entitled ''Artistic and Activist Approaches To Trans Representation.'  moderated by Chase Joynt..
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The panelists will be Amos Mac, Tiq Milan, Jen Richards, and Ariel Schrag and should be a fascinating discussion that is scheduled to run until 5:00 PM..

Both of those panels will take place in the Gray Center Lab Midway Studios, and the address is 929 E 60th St.

Then at 6:30 PM we move the symposium action to the Logan Center For the Arts and an Evening with Kate Bornstein.  

If you are in the Chicagoland area and wish to attend  Logan Center is located at 915 E. 60th St.

I hope to see you peeps there.

Safe Bathrooms DC To Launch Today

As you've noticed, with all the 'bathroom predator' lies and shade throw by TERF and our right wing opponents in their morally bankrupt attempts to stop trans inclusive laws and hate on us, it has had the result of causing more drama for trans people of color when we simply go to the bathroom to relieve ourselves as the Andraya Williams case is the most recent example of.

Later this evening at Casa Ruby LGBT Community will be launching in conjunction with the DC Office of Human Rights the Safe Bathrooms DC campaign in order to remind everyone in the District that single stall restrooms must be gender neutral by law.

Public bathrooms are never enjoyable, but for transgender people and many others, using a public bathroom can be a highly stressful and even dangerous experience. In the District of Columbia, we are attempting to reduce that stress by making every single-stall public bathroom in the District gender-neutral. It’s the law, but currently many businesses are unaware of the requirement, and we need your help to let them know. Join us on Thursday, April 3, 2014 to find out what you can do, and to see the unveiling of our new ads.

For those of you who live in the District and wish to attend, the kickoff event with free food starts at 5:30 PM EDT at Casa Ruby, located at 2822 Georgia Av, NW.   RSVP isn't required but would be appreciated and I know they will be happy to see you there for the launch of the #safebathroomsDC campaign..