UMass Amherst Student Facing 30 Years For Defending Himself Against Hate Attack

Nope, that post headline is not a typo. University of Massachusetts Amherst student Jason Vassell is facing 30 years in jail for defending himself against two white men who attacked him on campus.

In the early morning hours of February 3, 2008 Jason was in his first floor dormitory room at Mackimmie Hall when he discovered two inebriated white males, Jonathan Bowes and Jonathan Bosse peering into it.

They weren't UMass students He told the two men to leave, and after declining their vitriolic invitation to fight, broke his dorm room window while repeatedly uttering 'nigger' and other racial slurs at him.

After calling an on-campus friend for help while the RA's called the UMass police, Bowers and Bosse bumrushed their way into the dormitory lobby and assaulted Vassell, breaking his nose in the process.

After warning his assailants, Vassell took out a pocketknife and defended himself from the unprovoked assault against the two assailants.

So, in light of the fact you have two inebriated white males with a history of racial attacks and associations with white supremacist groups who jumped this off against a person with no criminal record and an exemplary academic and personal reputation, several witness in the Mackimmie dormitory who corroborated Vassell's story, videotaped evidence blowing Mack truck sized holes in the stories Bowers and Bosse told the UMass po-po's that Vassell 'viciously attacked' them, and medical evidence of Vasser's injuries, who did Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel choose to press charges upon in this case?

Jason Vassell.

Thanks to ingrained racism in the UMass PD, whose officers on the scene repeatedly stated that Vassell was a 'drug dealer' and the prosecutors office, the decision on who to prosecute were made based on the race of the persons involved, not the evidence.

Incredibly, Vassell was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is facing thirty years in jail for defending himself against these racist thugs who sent him to the hospital with a broken nose and a concussion.

Meanwhile, the legal system turned a blind eye to the thugs in question and the serious felonies they committed, including the potential hate crime violations.

Bowes only received misdemeanor charges carrying a maximum sentence of 18 months in jail. On March 13, 2009 a jury acquitted John Bowes of a misdemeanor civil rights violation and found him guilty of misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

His punishment? A year of probation. John Bosse was never charged.

In the meantime, the court case against Vassell grinds on.

Sounds like the ugly echoes of the Jena 6 and the Jersey 4 cases.

White peeps start crap, then Black peeps get legal hammer thrown at them by white dominated justice system for daring to defend themselves against the white peeps who started the mess in the first place.

On December 31, 2008, Jason’s defense submitted a Motion to Dismiss his charges on the grounds of selective prosecution.

This 52-page document lays out in greater detail the events of that evening. It adds radio transcripts of the UMass Police responding to the incident, taped interviews between police investigators and Bowes and Bosse, eyewitness statements, the criminal histories of Bowes and Bosse, as well as the charges that could have been brought against Bowes and Bosse.

This document has demonstrated that both Bowes and Bosse have histories of violent racially motivated assaults; that the UMass Police Department’s investigation was racially biased by immediately assuming Jason’s guilt while treating Bowes and Bosse with care and respect; and that the prosecution has continued this bias through their selective prosecution of Jason Vassell.

There is racist and clueless BS being spouted by some commenters on the various Massachusetts area media sites covering this case. In addition to dissing Justice For Jason, they are futilely trying to rationalize the attack by Bosse and Bowes upon Vassell with specious logic.

It's time to wake up and smell the injustice and get a sobering dose of reality.

Whites have had a consistent centuries long history of initiating and visiting racist violence upon people of color, not the other way around.

We know the justice system is stacked in your favor, so POC aren't going to just start any crap unless we are provoked, attacked, or in fear of or defending our lives. But if we're put in that no win situation, we will end it.

So don't start none, won't be none.

Speaking of the Justice For Jason group, they are keeping track of the ongoing legal fight to get the charges dismissed and clear his name.

It would be a travesty of justice to have Jason Vassell's life ruined and society lose his potentially valuable contributions to it because he defended himself in an unprovoked attack perpetrated by drunken, racist thugs.

Law School Discussion Closes 2009 U of L Pride Week

U of L's 2009 Pride Week will conclude later today probably to the mixed sadness and relief of everyone involved in the planning of it.

But like all good things, they come to an end.

The successful ten day Pride Week run concludes with a noon panel discussion at U of L's Brandeis School of Law. It will take place in Room 275 was hosted by the Law School Diversity Committee and the Lambda Law Caucus.

One of the participants will be my roomie Dawn Wilson, or 'Number One' as me and Dr. Richmond call her. The discussion topic will be 'Keys to the Door: ENDA, Transgender Identity, and Community'.

So if you're interested in this closing event for U of L Pride Week, check it out.

UH Ranked Number 12!

I enjoyed the stress inducing 29-28 win over Texas Tech last night just like everybody else in Cougar Nation.

It pad off with another rise in the AP rankings

The University of Houston jumped from Number 17 to Number 12 in the latest AP Poll and moved to Number 15 on the USA Today College coaches poll.

The Coogs take their football act on the road during the month of October. They play their C-USA opener in El Paso October 3 versus UTEP. They follow that up with an October 10 game in Starkville, MS against Mississippi State from the SEC, and another C-USA road game in the Superdome against Tulane.

They end the month at the Rob playing SMU for homecoming on October 24 and Southern Mississippi on Halloween.

It's going to be the most important month for UH football in decades, and the stakes get higher with every win. But if they can get through it, a possible C-USA title and BCS bowl berth may be in sight.

Eat 'em up!

And by the way, can y'all sign Coach Sumlin to a long term contract ASAP?

29-28! Eat 'Em Up Coogs!

I said Texas Tech was going to be a big test for the Number 17 ranked Coogs, and they passed it with flying colors.

Tech fell to the Coogs 29-28 and the beautiful part was that we knocked off another Big 12 school. It they keep winning, I won't be able to go to Memphis to see the Coogs, it will be a BCS bowl game.

With a crowd of 32,113 looking on that included my classmates and Phi Slama Jama heroes Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler as honorary game captains, the 3-0 Coogs showed a national television audience that we are for real.

Tech gave us everything we wanted and then some. UH trailed Tech 21-10 at the half but kept chipping away at the Red Raiders.

After the defense came up big on a critical fourth and goal stop with 5:43 left in the game and Tech leading 28-23, Case Keenum led the Coogs on a drive that will live in Cougar fans hearts forever.

The 16 play, 95-yard game winning drive featured Keenum scrambling for a first down on a third-and-10 play and finding Patrick Edwards for 7 of his 443 passing yards on a critical fourth-and-3 play to keep the drive alive.

Keenum scored on a quarterback draw with 49 seconds left. A Hail Mary for Tech wasn't answered and the celebration was on at the Rob as the Cougars beat Texas Tech for the first time since 1990.

To all you haters who keep dissing the Cougars by sneering we play in a 'dinky little conference', not our fault UH was dissed and kept out of the Big 12.

But Big 12 schools are going to pay for that snub. Eat em up!

UH Climbs Up AP Poll Ladder

UH was playing Open Date yesterday but still climbed up the AP College football rankings.

The Cougars are now ranked at Number 17 in advance of Saturday's sold out game at The Rob with Texas Tech. The Coogs also cracked the USA Today Coaches Poll for the first time this season at Number 23.

This is the first time we've played Texas Tech since the breakup of the SWC 14 years ago. Yeah, I'm still bitter about UH getting frozen out of the Big 12 it along with every UH fan and alumnus because UT was tired of us kicking their behinds on the regular.

It's going to be a tough game against another Big 12 opponent, especially in light of Texas Tech's 34-24 loss to the Number 2 Wronghorns in Austin yesterday.

But back to my alma mater's football team. If they knock off the Red Raiders on national TV (ESPN 2) and in front of a sold out Robertson Stadium, it will set them up for a potentially very special season.

And more importantly, it will potentially set UH up for success in the best place in the Lone Star State for recruiting high school football talent.

Trying not to get ahead of myself and not even say 'BCS Buster'. But if they keep winning and taking it one game, one quarter and one play at a time, it could happen.

Eat 'em up!

Pride Week 2009 At The University Of Louisville

It's TBLG Pride Week at the University of Louisville!

Yes, I know Pride Week is usually celebrated in June or whenever a Black Pride event is scheduled for a particular locale, but on college campuses you either do it during the fall or spring semesters.

This Pride 2009 celebration on U of L's campus will start tomorrow and run through September 29. It's sponsored by the Commission on Diversity and Racial Equality, Information Technology, the Women's and Gender Studies Department, School of Medicine and the Vice Provost for Diversity.

I'm also participating in it this year. On Tuesday I'll be moderating a discussion on the topic of 'Why Gender Neutral Bathrooms Matter'.

For those of you who wish to see the TransGriot and our esteemed panel in action, it starts at noon at the Ekstrom Library. That event is sponsored by the Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice.

I sincerely thank them as well for allowing me to be a part of this event

While I'm busy at the Ekstrom Library, Number One', AKA Dawn Wilson will be participating in a September 29 event at U of L's Brandeis School of Law. It's a noon discussion entitled 'Keys to the Door: ENDA, Transgender Identity, and Community'.

It will take place in Room 275, Brandeis School of Law and is hosted by the Law School Diversity Committee and the Lambda Law Caucus.

We'll both be back on campus at 5 PM Thursday night. There's an LGBT Alumni Reception at the University Club that will be hosted by Kentucky Fairness Alliance and Mark England

The Pride Keynote Address will be given by Calpernia Addams and Andrea James in Humanities 100 at 7 PM.

I met Calpernia at the 2004 SCC, got into a long conversation with her about several subjects and have much love for her. I'm not sure if mine and Andrea's paths have crossed either at some SCC, Creating Change, IFGE Conference or another trans community event, but I'm looking forward to seeing both of them.

So if you're in the Louisville metro area, on or near the U of L campus this week, come out and support our GLBT brothers and sisters.

Kentucky Sports Hatefest-U of L vs UK

Today the University of Louisville Cardinals hit I-64 east and travel to Lexington to take on the University of Kentucky Wildcats. They are not only fighting for the Governor's Cup, but state bragging rights, football division.

One of the questions I consistently get asked since I moved here is whether I support U of L or UK.

Many Kentucky natives won't accept my answer that I'm neutral and like both teams. They'll spend whatever time I have in their presence extolling the virtues of the Cats or Cards while dissing the other team with the zeal of missionaries.

When U of L and UK get together to play any sport, people are passionate about it. Friends, families, co-workers and sometimes even spouses divide along Cardinal red or Wildcat blue lines.

No matter what the sport, it's a highly competitive rivalry played by two teams separated by 73 miles of interstate highway and no love lost on either side.

It's so competitive that Kentuckians have already circled Jan 2, 2010 on the calendar.

What's happening that day you ask? It's the date of the annual U of L-UK basketball clash at Rupp Arena.

The trash talking this year for this season's football clash has come mostly from the UK fans. U of L has slipped from its 2006 Big East championship and BCS bowl winning heights and Cardinal Nation is anxious about it.

Cards fans are even more anxiety ridden going into this noon showdown at Commonwealth Stadium. U of L is not only coming off a 5-7 season after going 6-6 the previous year, they have a lot of question marks on both sides of the ball.

They also watched the Cats spank Miami of Ohio 42-0 in their season opener in Cincinnati.

Cardinal Nation also knows the Cats had a bye week to rest and retool for this game.

The Cards briefly trailed 7-3 in their season opening game at 'The Pizzeria' with Indiana State. They had to fight tooth and nail with the Sycamores before eventually pulling away for the 30-10 win.

UK is a football team on the rise and coming off a third straight bowl appearance. They not only want to keep their two year winning streak alive against U of L, they see themselves as a Top 25 program that can compete and win in the tough SEC East Division and as BCS bowl material.

No matter who wins, both teams when this game is over will have tough challenges to overcome the next week. UK will take on Number 1 ranked Florida in Lexington while the Cards will travel to Salt Lake City to take on Utah.

But for those of us who are neutral, it sure is a lot of fun to watch, no matter what the sport.

UH Cougars Ranked Number 21 In AP Football Poll

Thanks to their 45-35 victory over the then number 5 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, my alma mater's football team is ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since since September 17, 1991.

That was during the run and shoot era of Cougar football. Our quarterback was David Klingler and we were ranked number 10 in the nation at the time with a huge nationally televised game against the Miami Hurricanes coming up.

We got blown out 40-10 in the Orange Bowl, tumbled to number 21 in the rankings, then got beat down the next week by Illinois 51-10 to fall out of the Top 25 and start what turned out to be an 18 year trip in football hell.

Through it all we were snubbed by the Big 12 (with much help from Texas), and suffered through some lousy Saturdays and an 0-11 season just eight years ago. There were agonizing losses and even calls from some people (probably Wronghorn fans) for the school to drop football or downgrade it to Division 1-AA.

But the Coogs are back on the prowl, starting the season 2-0, the first C-USA team to be ranked this year and we Cougar fans are deliriously happy about it.

I agree with the fans and alums calling for the university to give coach Sumlin a long term extension on his contract. We have the coach, let's do what it takes to keep him there hopefully as long as Bill Yeoman stayed.

We still have much football left to be played in this young 2009 season so I'm trying not to get overly enthused about how its started so far.

We're back in the AP football rankings, but as I'm painfully aware of, the hard part will be staying there.

Upset! Coogs Win!

I spent a very enjoyable afternoon watching my alma mater not only beat a Big 12 school to move to 2-0 in this young 2009 college football season, but win their first game against a top ranked opponent in 25 years.

We beat Oklahoma State 45-35 in Stillwater, OK for UH's first win against a Top 5 football program since we knocked off the hated Number 3 ranked Longhorns 29-15 in Austin on November 11, 1984.

When I was a UH student, we were a top 5 ranked program under coach Bill Yeoman. His Veer offense gobbled up yards at a prodigious rate along with wins and championships in the old Southwest Conference.

My school has fallen on hard football times since then, but may be finally turning it around under our second year coach Kevin Sumlin.

Sumlin is one of the few African-American collegiate head football coaches in what used to be known as Division 1. UH has won three consecutive encounters against ranked opponents since he arrived on campus.

The last time UH put together that long a winning streak against ranked opponents was in 1978.

Last year we won our first bowl game since 1980. This was a marquee win against a Big 12 school, a conference we feel as Cougar fans we should have been a part of from its formation.

It's already starting to get the attention of the various sports networks and college football pundits, and I'm hoping it also gets the attention of high school football players back home as well.

"For us as a program, this is a big win," UH coach Kevin Sumlin said. "It legitimizes our university and legitimizes our program. There's no doubt that one win does not make a season. But any time you can go on the road and beat a top-10 team, it really helps your confidence as a program and your pride as a university. That's more important to me than what's happened in the last 100 years."

This was a huge win, and after this bye week the competition gets even tougher as we play another Big 12 school, the Texas Tech Red Raiders September 29 at Robertson Stadium.

Congratulations Coogs, you've got this alum standing a little bit taller tonight, and I'm not using my heels to do it.

Next Year Mr. President, Do A Commencement Speech At An HBCU

TransGriot Note: My latest piece for Global Comment

If I could give any piece of advice to President Obama besides the obvious ones for any transperson lucky enough to get some face time with him would, it would be this:

Next year, give a commencement speech at an HBCU, which stands for Historically Black College and University.

Arizona State University invited him to speak at their May 14 commencement ceremony. It was the first commencement speech he has delivered since becoming president January 20. How does ASU thank him for that historical footnote and the increased media attention their commencement ceremony garnered from the media? By declining to give him an honorary degree.


ASU spokeswoman Sharon Keeler stated, "His body of work is yet to come. That's why we're not recognizing him with a degree at the beginning of his presidency."

Um, you gave former Canadian prime minister Kim Campbell one and she only served 143 days before she was ousted from office by Canadian voters.

Don't you think the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, the fourth elected African-American US senator, author of two best selling books and the first African-American president of the US rates one?

I, along with many other people see this as disrespect. Much of the Arizona State alumni base agrees with me as well, and they ain't happy about the presidential dissing either.

To President Obama's credit, he joked about the controversy, then flipped the script and used it as a talking point in his commencement speech.



Conservatives and conservative Catholics have their panties in knots because of the commencement speech President Obama is delivering at Notre Dame University. The invitation and the upcoming May 17 speech has also stirred controversy with right wing Catholics and some Notre Dame students who protested the invitation because his stances on abortion rights and stem-cell research don't jibe with the Roman Catholic Church's stance.

Read the rest at Global Comment

President Obama Giving Commencement Speech At Notre Dame

Later today President Obama is giving a commencement speech at Notre Dame University in which unlike the May 14 one at Arizona State University, he'll at least be getting an honorary degree for his trouble.

Here's the video of the Arizona State University commencement speech.

Transgeneration

Transgeneration is a 2005 documentary by filmmaker Jeremy Simmons that spent a year following the lives of transgender students Gabbi, Raci, Lucas and TJ. It was interesting to watch them define who they are and take control of their gender identity and their lives, and was a little bittersweet for me personally.

It was so popular they were reunited at in April 2006 for the GLAAD Media Awards in which thi film was nominated for Best Documentary
















I need to add this documentary to my own personal DVD collection.

The Great Debaters

I'm a huge Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker fan. Any time I have an opportunity to see a movie that has either one of these guys acting in it, I'm jumping at the opportunity to head to my favorite multiplex, chow down on some popcorn and watch these gentlemen work.

I get to double my pleasure in the movie that just opened yesterday called The Great Debaters.



Denzel plays Wiley College Professor Melvin B. Tolson. He inspired students in 1935 to form the school's first debate team, which in reality went on to challenge Southern Californa, but in the movie is depicted as debating Harvard in the national championship.

The movie has already been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and is produced by Oprah's Harpo Productions.

One little known tidbit about my hometown is that Houston is a city with a great debate tradition. Texas Southern University has a outstanding debate team that was founded in 1949 under the leadership of the legendary Dr. Thomas F. Freeman. The late US Rep. Barbara Jordan was a member and a national champion along with my former Texas state senator Rodney Ellis. The TSU debaters were also technical advisors for this film as well

Another little known fact about Houston's rich debate tradition is that Lyndon B. Johnson, before he became Texas' US senator in 1948 and a future president was briefly a teacher and an award-winning debate coach at San Jacinto High School.

I'm looking forward to checking out this movie this weekend and seeing another piece of my people's history portrayed by a great actor.

25 Things I Miss About Houston

I'm approaching six years of living in Kentucky. Moving here was the first time I'd lived more than 50 miles away from the Gulf of Mexico or in a city not on I-10. Even though Louisville and Kentucky has its charms and things I like about it, there are a lot of things I miss about home besides my family.

Fortunately one of the things I missed, Blue Bell ice cream is now sold up here and I have happily gotten reaquainted with it.

So without further ado, the twenty-five things I miss about Houston.

1A-The drive to New Orleans
Before Katrina, New Orleans was THE getaway spot for many Houstonians. It was only a five hour drive or one hour plane ride away. I lived on the West Bank in Marrero for two years as a toddler and my godsister still lives there so it was doubly special to me. I loved driving that scenic stretch of I-10 that cuts through the Atchafalaya Swamp between Lafayette and Baton Rouge.


1-Major league sports
Astros baseball, Texans football, Rockets and Comets basketball. I can drive to Cincinnati, Chicago or St Louis to see the 'Stros, Indianapolis or Chicago to see the Rockets or Comets and Indy to see the Texans. (I refuse to drive to Nashville to go see them while Bud Adams still owns the Tennessee Traitors) While it's fun to cheer my home teams to victory in hostile arenas it's not the same seeing my teams in their road uniforms. While Bats games are enjoyable and the price is right, there's a huge difference between a Triple A game and a MLB one.


2-TSU and the Ocean of Soul Marching Band
Grew up watching a lot of TSU games in the Astrodome. Spent a lot of time on TSU's campus for various reasons. Listening to the high stepping Ocean of Soul as they did musical battle with the other outstanding bands in the SWAC such as Grambling, Jackson State, Southern and Prairie View was the bomb as well.

3-Texas high school football
Arguably the best in the country. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights there's high quality games going on at stadium complexes all over the area from Class 2A to Class 5A. Houston area teams are usually in the mix for state championships. TV stations in the area have 30 minute shows devoted just to covering it and there's a syndicated show that covers Texas high school football on a weekly basis. One of the sure signs that fall was coming for me is when the latest issue of Dave Campbell's Texas Football hits the stands.

4-Frenchy's chicken
The Scott Street legend located between the TSU and UH campuses that's grown to five locations. Had many nights I rolled by Frenchy's at 3 AM to grab a three piece and those creole seasoned Frenchy fries or chow down on one of their po boys.

5-Katz's deli
Katz's is an Austin institution that opened up a store in Montrose. I went to the Austin location after the 1999 lobby day and fell in love with their sandwiches and the caramel cheesecake. I did the happy dance when they opened up their Houston location in 2000.

6-The nighttime pride parade
Because Houston can get rather toasty in late June, the pride parade became a nighttime event. Attendance and popularity skyrocketed as a result.

7-Hermann Park
The Houston equvalent to Central Park in NYC. The Zoo, the Burke Baker Planetarium, the statue of Houston's namesake Sam Houston, Miller Outdoor Theater and Hippie Hill, the reflecting pool and a mini railroad train that circles a portion of it are all there on its 445 acres. The Museum District and Montrose are nearby, Rice University borders it on the west and the Texas Medical Center to the south.

8-Montrose
Houston's eclectic gayborhood that also has St Thomas University, La Colombe d'Or hotel, the Chinese consulate, the Menil Collection and various bed and breakfast places in the area along with some of my fave restaraunts and shops.


9-The Galleria
So many childhood and transition memories there. It's one of my fave malls because of the ice rink, the high end designer shops and its international fame. Did a lot of walking, shopping, eating and window shopping there. My high school prom was at one of the hotels there. I also miss the Harwin Drive discount shopping strip as well.

10-Galveston and fresh seafood
It represented the beach in my youth and my transition in adulthood. My gender clinic is located there. Whether I got my seafood in Galveston, one of the restaurants like Gaido's, Pappas or at one of the local mom and pop seafood joints, it was plentiful and the bomb.


11-The amenities of large city living
It aggravates me when I have to drive to Cincy or Indianapolis to see my favorite acts or have to wait for traveling plays, movies or shows to come here after they do limited engagements in larger cities elsewhere.

12-Marrrrrrrrrvin Zindler, Eyyyyyyeewitness news
Rent the Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. Melvin P. Thorpe is modeled on Marvin Zindler, KTRK-TV's longtime pioneering crusading consumer affairs reporter who unfortunately died Sunday. Marvin's had more plastic surgery than many of the girls who dance at Rick's. The Friday Rat and Roach report of restaurants that failed city health inspections is punctuated by his 'sliiiiiiiiiiime in the ice machine' line.



13-Mattress Mack's Gallery Furniture commercials
Another Houston institution. Mattress Mack ends his commericals by jumping up and down, holding a dollar bill and reciting his tagline 'Gallery Furniture will save you money.'

14-The Ensemble Theater and Black culture
Houston's award winning Black theater company. Houston is also the epicenter of Black history and culture in Texas. If there was a African-American trailblazer in Texas, nine times out of ten they had a Houston address.

15-The downtown Houston skyline
No matter what angle I looked at it, whether it was from the stands at Minute Maid park, from IAH, my south side 'hood or the southwest side, I got to watch our world famous modernistic skyline grow as the city did.

16-Texas barbecue
Whether it was chowing down at Harlon's, Drexler's, Pappas, a street vendor in the parking lot of a nightclub or a neighborhood hole in the wall, it's all good no matter what 'hood I was eating it in.

17-UH
Eat 'em up, eat 'em up, rah rah rah! I miss walking around campus, checking out Cougar basketball, football and baseball games and reliving some memories from the time I was there.

18-Houston Splash
The Black gay pride weekend that includes a beach party in Galveston and events in Houston that usually happens the first weekend in May.

19-Majic 102
Houston's first R&B FM station that started broadcasting in 1977. Over my teen and young adult years our radios eventually were tuned to it. It's now owned by Cathy Hughes' Radio One.


20-Astroworld
Houston's amusement park that was opened by Judge Roy Hofheinz in 1968 and later bought by Six Flags. I was horrified to find out Six Flags not only closed it, but tore it down in early 2006. Another place that has fond memories for me.

21-Shipley's Donuts
Krispy Kreme only opened its first Houston location in 2000 and still got their butts kicked by Shipley's. It's a local doughnut chain that also offers stuffed kolaches and fresh coffee. Some of the locations, especially in the 'hood are 24 hour ones.

22-Charlie's Restaurant
When I wasn't feeling Denny's or was crossdressed, I used to roll up in this gay owned gay friendly 24 hour Montrose hangout, enjoy the food and the eclectic crowd that gathered there to boot.

23-Niko Niko's
A Greek place in Montrose that also serves dynamite seafood and burgers.

24-Driving to Austin and Dallas
The state capital was only a two hour drive away and I enjoyed rolling up state highway 71 and seeing the bluebonnets blooming along the highway. Most of my Texas relatives live in Dallas and we used make that four hour drive up I-45 nearly every summer to see them.

25-The Unity Banquet
One of the major events of the Houston transgender community. One of my first community award nominations was for the Dee McKellar in 2001 for what else, the most outspoken person in the community. Lost that one to Kat Rose. ;)