Netroots Nation Post Trans Panel Thoughts

Autumn, Jennifer, Jillian, Jos and I only had an hour and thirty minutes to discuss Blogging For Transgender Equality and the wide variety of issues, challenges and triumphs that have resulted in us engaging in this new media medium.

And yes, we started on time at 10:30 AM EDT in doing so and still the hour concluded with us not being able to talk about a long list of issues I would have liked to have addressed.

But in the wake of this historic panel and the discussions it generated at Netroots Nation and hopefully will continue across the liberal progressive political sphere, y'all know the TransGriot has some things to say that I didn't get to articulate during that panel and in the two radio interviews I was a part of during that event.

One of the things that was glaringly clear to me even before I arrived in Providence was that we needed a Latin@ trans blogger on that panel and a trans man.   GLAD did a wonderful job in putting it together and even they recognize that point.

We also need at future Netroots Nation events (and any other liberal progressive conferences) several trans panels dealing with a wide range of subjects.   I would also submit a trans POC panel is desperately needed to highlight and give exposure to our emerging and long time trans leaders of color, touch on and explore those issues that deleteriously affect us and highlight the intersectional overlaps with the other communities we are part of.

I was honored to be part of that historic Friday discussion, the LGBT pre-conference event on Wednesday and the Netroots Nation Black Caucus on Thursday.  Only thing that prevented my participation in the LGBT caucus was me flying back to Houston. 

Netroots Nation 2012 helped me make some contacts, meet some people and drive home the point that yes, trans African-Americans exist and yes we are capable of speaking on behalf of this community and many others.   The question remains that will the people I made contact with follow up and how serious are they about their commitments?  

I certainly plan on doing so and letting you know how successful those efforts are as I attempt to honor the commitments I made on behalf of myself and the African-American trans community.   I want to do my part to ensure that the conversation, policies and political strategies that result from these conversation include input from us and benefit our community as well.   

NBJC ED Sharon-Lettman Hicks' 'Own Our Power' words were ringing in my ears when I stepped off the plane at TG Green Airport Tuesday night along with a conversation I recently had with Leslye Huff when we were talking about out Out On The Hill and ALC 2011 experiences.  I decided I wasn't just going to hang out in my LGBT comfort zone, but also make my voice heard in African-American spaces as well.  

When I walked into that Black caucus meeting Wednesday afternoon and made my statement that the Black community needs to stop treating the Black TBLG one as a separate entity, pointed out politically astute down with the Black community's uplift and progress trans people exist, and Black BTLG people were part of the kente cloth fabric of the community little did I realize that two hours later that would get me on Elon James White and L. Joy Williams 'Blacking It Up radio podcast.

They  moderated that Black Caucus event, and my interview with Elon and Joy also got the attention of Michaelangelo Signorile's producers because he was hearing and watching it as well.

Note to my haters (and you know who you are), and still I rise despite your best efforts.

It also for the remainder of the event got me much love from African American LGBT peeps of all ages and our allies who were thinking the same thing but Moni was bold enough to state the obvious.

The point is that trans human rights coverage not only benefits me personally, it expands your human rights and is good for you and all the communities trans people intersect and interact with. 

Headed Back To H-Town

One of the things that happens when I travel to and from H-town for these speaking engagements or panel discussions is they are planned well in advance of the actual date of the event. 

I have several months to hash out the details, get excited about it while doing so and conduct my research to ensure what I confidently say while I'm on that stage during that event is on point. 

Then that moment arrives and is gone faster than the months it took for me to impatiently get to and prepare for this day.

Well, I'm about to leave Providence after a very interesting and educational multiple day stay here at my first Netroots Nation event and this historic panel discussion.   I enjoyed spending some quality time with my fellow panelists, the wonderful people at GLAD, the radio interviews on Blacking It Up and Michaelangelo Signorile's Sirius XM show  and everyone I met during Netroots Nation 2012.

But not it has come to an end and I have to pack my Houston Comets bag, check out of my room and head back to my Lone Star State life.


Will get to fly through Newark and see many of my former co workers on the journey back home, and it'll be the first time I've been through that airport since 2000 as well.

It'll also have time on the long flight home to ponder everything that took place during my time at Netroots Nation and plot a way forward with allies new and old as I contemplate what my shero Barbara Jordan once said.  

'It is a burden of Black people that we have to do more than talk

And that is also true of Black trans people as well.  

Netroots Nation Blogging For Transgender Equality Panel Today

After a nearly two month wait, the day and the moment has arrived.  At 10:30 AM EDT I will be taking part in the first ever trans themed panel discussion at Netroots Nation along with GLAD's Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi; bloggers Autumn Sandeen, and Jos Truitt; and moderator Dr. Jillian T. Weiss for a look at the role of blogging and online advocacy in the movement for transgender equality.

Transgender advocacy has exploded in recent years. Online organizing has been crucial to creating a visible transgender community. It's also been crucial to creating offline change on the ground. One example is the outcry against the 2007 stripping of gender identity protections from the federal Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA), which was reversed in 2009, demonstrating this community's online power.

The panel will talk about the role of online activism in securing a place at the table for the transgender community, despite the prejudices, and how trans bloggers and activists translated their online efforts into offline political and policy results, despite the political forces in opposition. We will also explain why political allies should connect with trans issues in their blogging and activism.

Presenters will share examples of the powerful role this online community plays in moving progressive rights forward, while also examining what is missing from the conversation.If you're at Netroots Nation, hope you'll check us out.

Live From Providence-It's Moni

After a travel day that started for me at 6 AM CDT and ended with me falling asleep in my hotel room a little after midnight on the 6th to the somewhat depressing news that Scott Walker survived his recall election, I finally arrived in Providence ready to partake in the Netroots Nations happenings starting officially tomorrow.

While I had an enjoyable and emotional at times transit through IAH and got reacquainted with some of my former co-workers on my initial United flight out of Houston yesterday afternoon, was a bumpy ride up to Cleveland.  I was early getting there, but  was delayed on that next leg out of Cleveland to Providence because the commuter plane hadn't left Kansas City yet.

It eventually arrived and I had a wonderful conversation with my seatmate on the CLE-PVD leg that made me forget I didn't get to my hotel until 11:25 PM EDT.   My room also made up for the anxiety that built up in catching the last bus from the airport to downtown by mere seconds. 

It has a fantastic view of the Rhode Island state capitol building, I'm across the street from a mall and the Rhode Island Convention Center.  It's also up the street from a 7-11 which I'll be visiting later to destroy a Slurpee or two before I head back to H-town.

But today is about me registering for the conference, getting the lay of the land in the hotel area, attending the LGBT Connect event I'm looking forward to and eagerly awaiting the meeting with myself and my fellow panelists.

And yes, TransGriot readers, I'll be chronicling the happenings on these electronic pages as well.

TPOCC's In The House At The PHTC

I won't be in Philadelphia for the Trans Health Conference mainly because of my impending trip to Netroots Nation, but TPOCC, the Trans People Of Color Coalition will be there in full effect.

The PHTC got the convention party started yesterday with a keynote speech by Minister Louis Mitchell and TPOCC will be having two events during the 2012 run of the world's largest trans event that ends June 2.

So what's TPOCC?   It's the now two year old organization founded by Kylar Broadus in 2010 that advocates for the rights of trans persons of color.  

So for those of you at the PTHC, you may wish to check out those TPOCC sponsored events and show the organization some love.   If I were there in Philly, I'd damned sure be standing in solidarity with them. 

In addition to that, I'd be asking what I can do to help build them up and letting them know what they can do to be an effective voice for our POC trans community .

11th Annual Trans Health Conference This Weekend

Philadelphia welcomes what has become the largest trans-specific event in the world when the 11th annual Trans Health Conference returns to Philadelphia, PA from May 31-June 2

And I'm bummed because one of my fave transmen is the keynote speaker and I won't be there.

The PTHC is a program of Mazzoni Center and will take place once again at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. What began in 2002 as a one-day gathering of transgender activists, allies, and service providers, has grown in the decade since its inception to become the largest transgender-specific conference in the world. Last June this free event drew 2,000 attendees from throughout the U.S. and overseas to participate in three full days of educational and social activities, with offerings for family members, community allies, medical and social service providers as well.

It's also one of those major conferences I'd love to attend but haven't been able to make my schedule coincide with theirs so I can be in Philly for it.   And if and when I'm blessed enough to get that opportunity, there's some cheeseteaks with my name on them...

The 2012 conference schedule features some 200 workshops and panel discussions on a diverse range of subjects relating to health and well-being, including healthcare, safety, education, employment, housing, legal issues, and social support.

“From the beginning, the vision of the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference has been to address body, mind, spirit, community, and well-being,” Mazzoni Center Executive Director Nurit L. Shein said. “We are especially excited to be welcoming a number of international participants this year, as they can shed light on the particular experiences of transgender individuals and communities in their native countries, but also on the common ground we share in seeking to improve health care access and outcomes for trans people worldwide.”

As much as possible, PTHC strives to ensure that the conference addresses the diverse needs of all transgender communities: transgender men, transgender women, gender-queer, and gender- variant youth and adults, as well as their partners, families, and allies. In an effort to increase the availability of quality, culturally competent care for transgender communities, PTHC also provides workshops for medical, mental health, legal, and social service providers.

“The Trans-Health Conference Planning Committee has put a great deal of time and consideration into the selection of workshops and programs this year,” Conference Coordinator Jacsen Callanan explained. “Our goal is to provide a meaningful and educational experience both for veteran attendees of the conference, as well as for individuals who may be joining us for the first time.”

This year’s conference includes an increased emphasis on international issues, including panels on immigration and the challenges faced by refugees and asylees; transgender activism in Europe, as well as spotlight discussions on the state of trans communities in Latin America and South Asia. Funding from the Arcus Foundation and the Open Society Foundation has helped to make this programming possible.

As part of this year’s international focus, on Friday, June 1 at 8:00 PM, there will be a special presentation of “Tara’s Crossing,” an original play by Emmy-nominated writer Jeffrey Solomon, inspired by dozens of interviews with sexual minority asylum seekers from around the world. It will be held at the Arch Street United Methodist Church Main Sanctuary (55 N. Broad Street). The performance is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation with additional support from the United Church of Christ Office for Health and Wholeness Advocacy.

Trans Medicine Education Initiative

New at the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference this year will be the first annual Transgender Education Certificate Course a three-day intensive for medical providers designed for new as well as experienced medical providers (MD, DO, NP, PA, RN, ND, PharmD) interested in the primary care of adult and pediatric transgender patients. The certificate program will consist of lectures given by nationally known experts in the field of transgender primary care, mental health, pediatrics & adolescent medicine, and endocrinology.

In addition, Mazzoni Center’s Legal Services department has incorporated a significant number of programs in this year’s conference that are specifically dedicated to legal obstacles facing transgender communities, and aimed at practicing attorneys who wish to learn more about these issues, in order to provide culturally competent legal services to transgender clients. To that end, there will be as many as twelve hours of Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits offered free of charge during this year’s conference, on subjects including: legal identity documentation, immigration issues, employee and employer workplace questions, advocating for transgender equality, and more.

All three days of the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference are free, but registration is recommended. Visit http://www.trans-health.org for all the details.

Opening reception, keynote speakers and other conference highlights

Minister Louis “L.J.” Mitchell will kick off this year’s conference with a keynote address on Thursday, May 31 at 8:45 A.M. Mitchell is co-founder of Recovering the Promise Ministries, a Fellowship-affiliated ministry located in Chicopee, Massachusetts. He has served with various agencies and boards, including as the first “out” transgender-identified Board member of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and as a founding member of Lesbians and Gays of African Descent for Democratic Action.

The official PTHC 2012 welcoming reception will take place Thursday, May 31 from 7:30-8:30 PM at the William Way Community Center (1315 Spruce Street). Guests will enjoy refreshments and mingle with fellow attendees, and will also have an opportunity to view an exhibit celebrating the 10th anniversary of the addition of gender identity to Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance. The opening reception is free and open to all conference attendees.

Friday, June 1, at 4:00 PM, Mya L. Vazquez and Ryan Cassata will deliver the Youth Keynote address as part of the PTHC’s first ever “Youth Summit,” which includes workshops and that will take place throughout the day. Vazquez is a longtime activist and leader within the transgender and gender-non-conforming communities in New York City. She has helped to organize New York's third annual Trans day of action with TransJustice, an organizing working group, in which she is currently the Program coordinator of TransJustice at The Audre Lorde Project. Cassata is a 19-year-old transgender identified singer-songwriter and motivational speaker from Long Island, New York. The founder of Artemendous Records, LLC, Cassata has recorded two albums, toured the U.S., made numerous television appearances, and won the Harvey Milk Memorial Award.

More information on the 2012 Trans-Health Conference and a full schedule of workshops and activities is available at: http://www.trans-health.org

 About Mazzoni Center Established in 1979, Mazzoni Center provides quality comprehensive health and wellness services and is the only health care provider in the Philadelphia region specifically targeting the unique health care needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities. Mazzoni Center offers a full array of outreach, prevention, education, direct medical and care services, psychosocial services, legal services, and support groups, reaching more than 30,000 people annually. It is the oldest AIDS service organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the fourth-oldest in the U.S. Mazzoni Center is dedicated to preserving the dignity and improving the quality of life of the individuals it serves. More information at :http://www.mazzonicenter.org

Moni's Headed To Netroots Nation 2012

It's been in the works for two months, but now I can make it official.  Moni will be in the house in Providence, RI for the 2012 edition of Netroots Nation.

So what's Netroots Nation?    Each year, thousands of bloggers, newsmakers, social justice advocates, labor and organizational leaders, grassroots organizers and online activists come together to make new connections, hone their organizing skills, share best practices and build stronger relationships with others working on the issues they care most about. And each year, some of the brightest minds in progressive politics come to Netroots Nation to speak with and hear from our community.

If you're a political junkie like moi you've probably watched C-SPAN cover some of the Netroots Nation events, keynote speeches and panel discussions from this conference.  Like the Congressional Black Caucus' ALC and the National Black Justice Coalition's Out On the Hill that I finally got to attend last year, it's an event that I've always wanted to attend but could never make it compatible with my work schedule. 

The seventh annual Netroots gathering will be held from June 7–10 and Netroots Nation 2012 will include 70 panels, 30 training sessions, and inspiring keynote speeches.  Keith Olbermann is the first confirmed speaker for this edition of Netroots Nation.   In addition there are film screenings and other engaging sessions designed to educate, stimulate and inspire the nation’s next generation of progressive leaders and introduce some new ideas and concepts to those of us grizzled veterans who have been in the liberal-progressive trenches for a while..

The best part is I'll finally get to meet in the flesh and speak to many of the people in liberal-progressive world I only get to talk to on the phone or online.  So yeah, it's a Big Fracking Deal that I'm going.

The reason I'll be at Netroots Nation 2012 is because I'm participating in a panel discussion that will be moderated by fellow Bilerico Project blogger Dr. Jillian Weiss. 

My fellow panelists are Autumn Sandeen of Pam's House Blend, Jennifer Levi of GLAD, and Jos Truitt of Feministing.


It's entitled Blogging for Transgender Equality: History, Challenges and Progress and I'm looking forward to being in the house, representing the African-American trans community, talking about our issues and injecting our perspectives into this conversation to the best of my ability. 

See y'all in Providence.  And oh yeah, for those of you who can't be there and my TransGriot readers, you know I'm planning to do posts about the happenings there and my take on what's going on.

First Black Transmen Conference Fading Into History

I was bummed that some issues here in H-town kept me from traveling up I-45 north to check out the first annual Black Transmen Empowerment Retreat Conference & Dinner that just concluded up in Dallas last weekend.

The post event reports I'm getting is that Rev. Louis Mitchell's keynote speech was a powerful and inspiring one, the workshops were informative and the people who were witnesses and participants in this March 29-April1 historic event felt inspired, empowered, had a blast and were sad when it concluded.

But as several participants and attendees told me, start saving your money because there will be another one next year.  If I get any information about the dates and location for the 2013 event, I'll post it on TransGriot as soon as I receive that information.

Congrats transbrothers for making history and for what I'm hearing was a two thumbs up event.

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My Unexpected Participation In HCC Southeast's Gender Conference

Wanted to write this post earlier, but took a nap after I got home.

Had an interesting day that started early for me at the HCC Southeast campus.  I was there at the invite of Professor Antrece Baggett to witness the first annual Women of Color Conference that started at 8 AM in the Angela V. Morales building.   I had every intention of chilling out for the next several hours and being an interested spectator.

But you know what has been said about intentions.

The format for this first annual event was rather interesting.   The organizers asked for student submitted papers and Power Point presentations on various subjects.   Nine students eventually did so on subjects ranging from the challenges of .single motherhood to Madam CJ Walker, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and Dr. Angela Davis.

Because the organizers were concerned about the lack of trans content in this conference, since I was in the house I was asked to do a Trans 101 speech.  I was honored and willing to do so, however I only had a 20 minute window to fit the potential speech in.   Since I'd just come back from doing a presentation at the University of Arizona only two weeks ago, what I said then was still relatively fresh on my mind and this was a college environment I felt confident I could successfully handle that challenge.  

I basically did a 15 minute extemporaneous speech in which I hit the necessary Trans 101 informational points I wanted to leave with my audience, left five minutes to ask questions and had some fun while doing so.  

I also ended up picking up business cards from an attorney specializing in employment law and an EEOC rep who were in attendance to do their own presentation.    I was also approached by several students when the conference concluded a little after 2 PM  who asked me more questions about trans issues and shared their own stories, observations and concerns with me.

Just another day at the office for Moni.

Thanks to all the students who stood up in front of their fellow classmates and guests to do their presentations.  You did a wonderful job and that took some courage to do so.   I also thank the faculty of HCC Southeast for the opportunity to speak about trans issues and looking forward to doing so once again. 

Message From Black Transmen Conference

Black Transmen, Inc Founder-Director Carter Brown has a YouTube video welcome message for folks who are coming to (or considering coming to) the first annual Black Transmen Advocacy Retreat Conference & Dinner being held in Dallas, TX March 29-April 1.  

One of the keynote speakers will be Minister Louis Mitchell and the TransGriot may have to make that run up I-45 for this event.to support her transbrothers at this historic conference. 

     

NAACP President Ben Jealous' Creating Change Keynote Speech

The 2012 edition of Creating Change kicked off on the 25th.    Since Creating Change is happening in Baltimore this year, the headquarters city of the NAACP, last night NAACP President and CEO Benjamin T. Jealous was on hand to give the keynote speech for Friday's evening plenary session.



If and when I find a transcript of it or a full video for his plenary speech, I'll post it to the blog.

27th International Gay and Lesbian Leadership Conference Starts Today

The 27th annual International Gay and Lesbian Leadership Conference starts today and runs through December 4 and is in Houston this year.

It's at the downtown Hilton Americas Hotel next door to the George R. Brown Convention Center and brings together hundreds of openly LGBT leaders in government, politics, advocacy, business and community organizations.  It's also an opportunity for out TBLG leaders and attendees of this event to experience three days of training, skills building, networking and discussion of key issues facing leaders and their communities. 

It's here probably because of our mayor Annise Parker, one of those out LGBT governmental leaders who was reelected to her second term as Houston's mayor. 

Hmm, sounds like something I'd enjoy hanging around the Hilton Americas hotel for based on some of the events and seminars I see on the schedule , but is a conference that is out of my price range to attend. 

Maybe it'll happen for me someday.