TPOCC 2013 New Year's Message

And we're off!!! Just weeks ago we stood with LGBT leaders at the White House and vowed to make 2012 the last year in U.S. history where our Trans & Gender Non-Conforming brothers and sisters would be treated like second class citizens. We meant it! This year, with your help we plan to continue our fight for justice in every area disproportionately affecting our black and brown people. Now, we can't do it alone. Just as I testified before the Senate & asked for the passing of ENDA, I'm asking you for your continued support and donations to the Trans People of Color Coalition. You can stand in solidarity with us today by pledging a monthly donation of either $20.13 or $13 to ring in the new year. And of course, if you can give more, we appreciate every penny. Warmest Regards, Kylar W. Broadus, Esq. Executive Director Trans People of Color Coalition

©2013 Trans People Of Color Coalition | National Headquarters, Washington, DC 20012

TransGriot Note: Photo is of TPOCC Executive Director Kylar Broadus and Steering Committee member Cecilia Chung attending the 2012  LGBT Reception at the White House. (Courtesy Photo) TPOCC wishes you unity & prosperity & look forward to working with you in this new year!

Cheryl Courtney-Evans Needs Some Help

I've posted some of my Atlanta based trans elder Cheryl Courtney-Evans' writing from her abitchforjustice blog here and had the pleasure of meeting her at last year's TransFaith In Color Conference in Charlotte.

Cheryl just received some bad news concerning her only brother passing that she just relayed to me and others.  Her family is still finalizing the details for the homegoing service, and Cheryl needs some help getting to Kansas City for it since her funds are limited at this time.

I hope you TransGriot readers or anyone you forward this to can help Cheryl get there and back to the ATL so she can say goodbye to him. 

Nominations Open For The Trans 100 List

TransGriot Note:  From Antonia D'orsay the Executive Director of This is H.O.W. announcing the compiling of a Trans 100 List   


Hello, everyone!

The excitement and interest in the Trans 100 has led me to link up with Jen Richards and so the Trans 100 is officially a joint effort of WeHappyTrans.com and This Is H.O.W..
We've decided to focus the first year's list on the US, and we encourage other countries to start their own local lists, but we will be highlighting specific individuals from other countries.
We have developed a website form for you to use in adding your nominations to the list, and we are now starting to add those already given into the list itself.

Guidelines:
- Nominees must be living and currently working to improve the lives of trans people.
- Nominees can be working at any scale, locally, regionally, or nationally.
- We would like to see all parts of the country represented, and especially the otherwise unsung or only locally known workers.
- We particularly encourage the addition of persons of color.
- Nominees must identify as trans.
Think of this like the Forbes list.

Notes:
- Voting is anonymous.
- The list will not be ranked, and the tally will not be publicized.
- Nominees will be contacted by the editors for permission before the list is published.

Here is the link to nominate someone: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGhjS2pseWNCbGJCVnNMN2dfYXZ2bkE6MQ
Please be sure to share this widely and let people know about it!

Houston Remembering Our Own TDOR Event Tomorrow

I was not a happy camper after Saturday's Houston Transgender Day of Remembrance Event concluded.

An incident happened to moi during that event that incensed me to the point I almost left (and I'm still pissed off about)  but was talked out of leaving the UH TDOR event by a friend who was also there.  

Needless to say I was not happy with another HRC rep getting to speak at a Houston TDOR once again (and frankly I'm tired of that)   I believe that since it is one of the few trans centered events that the community created and one of the few that does get media attention, we need to spotlighting trans leaders and transpeople at it in addition to having trans voice front and center in running thangs. 

I was also not happy that we had no African-American transperson out of the eight selected to do so reading the list of 173 names that were predominately survey says Black and Latina

That vanillacentric Houston TDOR once again reminded me that the trans (and GLB one) community in this town is far too vanillacentric and too eager to kiss up to HRC.  The lack of non-white transpeople in attendance Saturday night at the AD Bruce Religion Center was telling in terms of the racial divide that is ominously opening up between the non-white and white trans community.  

I want to help bridge that divide and have done so in multiple ways since 1993 such as serving on the board of TATS and participating in several Texas lobby days in 1999 and 2001.  I'm contemplating participating in a Texas Lobby Day in 2013.   

But if I keep getting disrespected like I was Saturday night, I'm eventually going to have to say frack it and work towards building Houston POC transpeople and our SGL community the same level of community support and infrastructure that they desperately need and white transpeople in the Houston area currently enjoy.  That includes doing our own POC oriented TDOR ceremony in Houston to honor our fallen sisters.

Enough venting.  Time to discuss what this post is about. 

I was contemplating organizing one as I stewed this weekend and was glad to hear that a local group of African-American transpeople did precisely that and organized a TDOR event that will be taking place tomorrow 

The 'Remembering Our Own' TDOR event will happen starting at 6 PM CST and will take place at the MSociety building, 1116 Jackson St.  Houston TX,  77006.  

Hope people come and show their support for it.   I know I'm definitely planning on attending this one to compare and contrast the observances.    

Upcoming Event: Creating Transgender Workplace Inclusion

For those of you in the Baltimore, MD area, if you have the time and the ability to do so, you may wish to check out this event that will be happening November 2.

Denise Norris, who is the Global Lead for Transgender Workplace Inclusion at Accenture will discuss how large corporations are approaching Inclusion and Diversity for Transgender, Gender Dysphoria and people with non-conforming gender expression and or identity.

It will take place from 7:30-9:30 PM EDT at the Sheraton Inner Harbor hotel.  Address is 300 South Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201

This will be a fascinating and informative discussion on the issue of trans workplace inclusion that you probably don't want to miss if you live the area.  

It would also be nice Baltimore area trans community if you show our sis Denise some support as well.  
 

2012 Trans Faith In Color Conference- I'll Be There

Been in the works for a few weeks, but now I can officially tell you TransGriot readers that I'll not only be in the house for the upcoming Trans Faith In Color Conference, I've honored with the opportunity to give the keynote speech at it.

Been wanting to attending this August 17-19 event in Charlotte, NC for a while, and now I get to fulfill that wish with the added bonus of the speech.

It'll be at the Hilton University Place in Charlotte, and it's sponsored by the Freedom Center For Social Justice, Southerners On New Ground (SONG), and the Arcus Foundation just to name a few of the groups that are assisting with helping put on this event.  

I'll be revealing more details as the event draws closer to happening, and I'm looking forward to seeing you folks when I get to the Tarheel State.

2012 TTNS At UH-Clear Lake Approaching

Just another reminder that we are exactly four weeks from the start of the 2012 edition of the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit that will take place on the picturesque UH-Clear Lake campus July 20-21

The TTNS will start at 9 AM CDT and the University of Houston-Clear Lake campus is located at 2700 Bay Area Blvd in Clear Lake, near NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

The keynote speakers for TTNS 2012 will be on July 20; Dr. Jean Latting, author of Reframing Change and on July 21 Dr. Genny Beemyn, Director Stonewall Center, University of Massachusetts.

Registration is $10 for students and $20 for all other attendees.

As you TransGriot readers know, I covered the 2010 TTNS event and the 2011 TTNS event and plan to do the same for this one.  

I enjoy reporting on the proceedings and being with folks from the activist, professional and academic worlds around the Houston area and the state to talk about the best practices for making trans human rights and equality happen in the educational setting in Texas.

And yes, I do actually get my learn on at the same time.

This is the 4th annual edition of the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit.   It is a joint effort of the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit (TTNS) and the Transgender Foundation of America (TFA) that will have as its gracious hosts the UHCL International Intercultural Student Services (IISS)-Women’s and GLBT Resource Center at the University Of Houston-Clear Lake.

If you wish to attend, time is passing quickly.  The deadlines to lock in you meal choices (yes, they feed you) and get you info in are approaching.  You can E-mail txtgsummit@gmail.com or call 832-409-3363 for info and registration information.  .  

Their snail mail correspondence address is.

TTNS
P. O. Box 1095
Baytown, Texas 77522

Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible there at UH-Clear Lake July 20-21

TPOCC Needs Your Story

Calling all transmen of color, TPOCC, the Trans People Of Color Coalition needs you.

If you have a compelling story to tell please contact my friend and colleague, Kylar Broadus as soon as possible.  He's working on several projects of human rights importance to the community and needs your story.   You may e-mail him at  kylar@transpoc.org 

I know the last time I posted about TPOCC happenings they had been engaged in conducting a series of town hall meetings to talk about the issues of importance to trans persons of color in those areas..

And while you are doing your part to help advance the case of trans human rights in our community (and I thank you for that) you can hit the TPOCC website or follow them on Twitter and check out what's going on as this organization continues to build the critical mass we need to become the representative organization for the issues of trans people of color.