Moni's Going To DC In February

A month from today it'll be my turn to hop on an airplane and jet off somewhere for a conference.

On February 28 I get to chill out in DC (and I hope chill out isn't the operative weather word that weekend) and take part in the 2014 edition of the LGBT Media Journalists Convening

It'll be the second one I've been blessed to take part in, and the theme for this edition of it is "Honing Our Game," and I'll get to be inside the Beltway from Friday, February 28 to Sunday, March 2, 2014. 

The goal of this fifth annual LGBT forum is to strengthen the capacity of TBLG  members of the media and blogosphere to more deeply understand and more effectively communicate critical issues facing the BTLG community, as well as assist in increasing the presence and diversity of GLBT bloggers in the national blogging community.

I'm looking forward to taking my first road trip of 2014 back to DC again, and I hope to see many of my blogging and media peers on what should be a n informative and fun weekend.

Creating Change 2014-Program

It's T minus eight days and counting until Creating Change Houston style happens, and as we get closer to January 29 the excitement is building for those of us who spent the last nine months putting together this conference. 

The only thing that would have made us happier is if the Texans were playing football in January, but oh well we couldn't get everything we wanted.    

In addition to this year's conference schedule, it also contains welcome letters from our co-chairs, Mayor Parker, Councilmember Mike Laster, one from HISD jointly signed by school board President Anna Eastman and Vice President Juliet Stipeche, Texas State Senator John Whitmire,  Texas State Reps Jessica Farrar, Gene Wu and Mary Gonzalez, Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia and Harris County Democratic Party Chair Lane Lewis. 

The program for Creating Change 2014 is up and here's the link to it here.

Those of you who are attending our event January 29-February 2 may wish to use it to figure out what events, seminars and sessions you wish to participate in..

Road To Creating Change Houston 2014 Diary -Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Back in May I started writing a series of posts on the blog that sought to capture my thoughts as I watched the process of putting together the Task Force's Creating Change conference unfold.

It seems like it was eons ago that we had our first Host Committee meeting at the Montrose Center on May7 and began that process by filling out the subcommittees that would do the bulk of the organizing work

Now we are an anxious two weeks away from having the conference happen and having to execute all the plans we have spent months putting together and laying out..

Speaking of having things happen, I missed the December 3 meeting because I wasn't feeling well, and that killed my chances of attending every one of the meetings from start to finish.   But I didn't need to be sharing my cold with my fellow Host Committee members either.    

But I made sure I was there for our last Host Committee meeting on January 7.   As the meeting started at the Montrose Center and we gave our respective reports, there were mixed emotions in the room.   We are excited that January 29 is rapidly approaching and we're about to host our first ever Creating Change, but sad that this was the last Host Committee meeting.   .

While I was sad that it was the last time we'd be gathering together for Host Committee meeting purposes, the work still isn't over. .  

We are still on our various committee fine tuning our programming in the hospitality suites, still promoting our conference to the people in the Houston metro area, and doing our best to get the word out that Creating Change is coming to town January 29-February 2. 

Christina had a article published earlier this month in OutSmart magazine as part of those efforts, and I don't doubt that our media team has reached out to our local media to cover CC14 when it happens


Lou was delayed getting to that final Host Committee meeting due to travel issues related to the polar vortex deep freeze gripping the nation, (and Houston was in the low 40s for a high that day) but our other co-chairs Christina, Bryan and Augie were there in full effect ticking off the reasons why this conference was poised to be the most successful ever.

Speaking of weather, we're wanting Chamber of Commerce weather for it, (sunny, 45-60 degrees) so you CC14 attendees can get the opportunity to enjoy the ice rink at Discovery Green across the street.

The temps have been all over the map this month.  It was cold earlier that Host Committee meeting week but was up to 70 degrees by the weekend. 

Just an FYI, January is our coldest month in Houston with the average temp at 53.1 degrees.  I'm not going to mention what our average rainfall is for January.   Don't want to jinx us. 

I'm getting increasing e-mail and chat messages from people who are headed here asking if I'm going to be in the house for it and other general information related questions about my hometown. 

As for the conference programming, I'm part of two panel discussions on Friday afternoon and Sunday morning during Creating Change along with handling my Racial Diversity Suite supervisory shifts on Wednesday and Thursday.   

We set a goal of 4000 attendees for it, and have already sold out not only the host hotel, but two overflow hotels.  A third overflow hotel is rapidly approaching that status.  We're still getting volunteers and know the mandatory training session is happening January 26.   So for those of you coming to Houston, you are going to be part of a record breaking all time attendance for a Creating Change Conference  
 
We smashed the all time fundraising record by raising $33,000 for this event . We have Laverne Cox coming to Houston to give the plenary speech and Nona Hendryx performing at our closing concert and I'm looking forward to seeing both of them. 

You may even see a former Creating Change attendee who happens to work at City Hall in Mayor Annise Parker.

And speaking of City Hall, it will be floodlit in rainbow colors during the conference.    

But the best thing that has come out of this experience for me in addition to the new friendships and the opportunity to see the peeps in the national and international LGBT community again, is being able to work with people who I might not have gotten a chance to meet otherwise or it may have taken a while to do so. 

That's also true of the people who I've been chatting with online for years and will finally get the opportunity to meet during Creating Change.  

Those of us who have embarked on the project of putting together Creating Change Houston style have established working partnerships that will last long after we pass the Creating Change torch to Denver and their Host Committee has the task of trying to top in 2015 what we accomplished in H-town.

Those partnerships will serve us in the local and statewide TBLG human rights battles to come..

But can't wait for January 29-February 2 to finally get here so we can roll out the rainbow carpet for you.

Moni's CC14 Interview

In the runup to our upcoming Creating Change conference in Houston January 29-February 2, in addition to yours truly writing the series of TransGriot diary posts about our Host Committee putting together the CC14 event, we have different members of our Houston Host Committee like myself who have attended past Creating Change conferences being interviewed about our experiences at this major LGBT community event.

The interview that I recently did was posted on the CC14 website today.  Here's a taste of it.

***

Creating Change: What are the 3 biggest learnings/discoveries/takeaways you have gleaned from the Creating Change Conference(s) you’ve attended?

Monica Roberts: The first discovery is that Creating Change is an amazingly diverse event with people there from 18-80.

It is the place to be if you want to meet people in the LGBT movement and acquire the knowledge base and skills necessary to become an effective activist.

The worst time to commit a discriminatory act against a member of the LGBT community is when Creating Change is in town.   The transphobic disrespecting of a transfeminine Creating Change attendee and her friends by the Oakland Police Department  in front of our convention hotel led to a protest march and use of the advocacy tactics we’d been learning in a real world situation.

Creating Change: What motivated you to volunteer to serve on the Creating Change Organizing committee?

Monica Roberts: I’m very proud of my hometown and wanted to be part of the team organizing the first Creating Change to take place in Houston.   I also believed it was important for me to do so as a past attendee and a longtime African-American trans leader from this city.

***

You can read the rest of what I had to say by following this link to the Creating Change 2014 website.

Countdown To BTAC 2014 Has Begun!

It's official people, the countdown to the BTAC 2014 event April 29-May 4 in Dallas has officially begun.

It's going to be bigger, badder and better than last year, and I;m not saying that because me and Kylar Broadus were the keynote speakers for it and  got awards named for us along with Minister Louis Mitchell and Dr Kortney Ryan Ziegler.

BTAC 2014 is quickly becoming a must attend event in our community, and with the hotel reservations now opening up the block of rooms reserved for it will quickly sell out so get busy reserving them now at the Double Tree Campbell Center

BTAC will help facilitate Room Share again this year and as I've already mentioned in a previous post about it, the last day of it is my birthday.  .

Stay tuned for more details about BTAC 2014 as I receive them and hope to see you in Dallas this spring..  

2014 BTMI/BTWI Conference Dates

We knew when the 2013 edition of this conference came to a close that the location of the 2014 BTMI/BTWI Conference would be in Dallas and it would be held sometime in the spring.

But what we didn't know was which DFW area hotel would earn BTMI/BTWI's 2014 convention business much less the date for next year's event.

Have been advised that the dates for the third annual BTMI/BTWI conference that I had the pleasure of keynoting last year have been determined.

Start making your plans to "Become The Change You Want To See In The World" by heading to the Dallas-Ft Worth area for the third annual BTMI/BTWI conference from April 30-May 4, 2014.

Hmm, that's around my birthday.   As soon as I get the hotel and other details as to when the convention site goes live I'll pass on that information as soon as I receive it.

We had a wonderful time at the 2013 event and BTMI/BTWI promises to be even bigger and better

TransGriot Update:  Been confirmed that the hotel will be the same one as well, the Doubletree Campbell Center. 

Netroots Nation 2014 Is Headed To Detroit

I couldn't make it to Netroots Nation 2013 in San Jose, CA to my sorrow after being part of the fun last year in Providence and a historic first ever all trans panel discussion..  

I was busy with my own stuff during the June 20-23 period of Netroots Nation's San Jose run so I didn't get a chance to check out the news from the just concluded convention to see if what I wrote at the end of the Providence 2012 Netroots Nation event as to what I would like to see at #NN13 actually came to pass. 


They announced the city that will be hosting Netroots Nation 2014 a few moments ago and it will be in Detroit

It will take place July 17-20 at Cobo Hall in the Motor City and will be coming at a critical time.  The crucial 2014 midterms will be taking place a few months later on November 6 and the citizens of Michigan will be striving to throw off the yoke of Republifool oppression and toss Rick Snyder and their Tea Klux Klan dominated legislature out of power in addition to selecting a replacement for retiring US Senator Carl Levin (D).

So the peeps in Detroit are excited about this opportunity to show a different side of Detroit than the one that has been depicted on the national news lately and will be wanting to roll out the red carpet for the over 3000 progressive activists headed there next July.

And with a little luck, hope I'm one of them.

Road To Creating Change Houston 2014 Diary

Ever wondered what it was like or what goes on to not only plan a convention, but make them run smoothly?   Well, it takes a lot of work from dozens of committed people to plan it in the year before the event date and hundreds of volunteers during the event to make it happen.

In the world of large conventions, especially in the GLBT community, one of the largest is Creating Change.   I think you've read in these electronic pages how excited and thrilled I am along with the Houston LGBT community to have the premiere TBLG conference coming to Houston in 2014 for the first time on our end of I-45. 

Some little city on the northern end of I-45 has held it twice.  Gratuitous civic rivalry shade thrown at Dallas over, back to post.

I'm excited that many of you will be coming to my hometown and the Hilton Americas Hotel because it'll be the first Creating Change I've been able to attend since 1999.  That's way too long. 

I've been to several interest meetings since the rumors started flying that we were going to possibly get Creating Change last June.   But now the reality is sinking in that we are a mere nine months away from the January 29-February 2 dates we have scheduled for it. 

At 7 PM CDT in the Montrose Center the work began to organize the massive task of putting together Creating Change 2014, Houston style.

Our co-chairs for the 2014 event have already been selected.  They are Bryan Hlavinka, Christina Gorczynski, Augie Augustine and Lou Weaver.  They are not only the faces of our convention,  they have the task of overseeing the 15 subcommittees that are going to do the nuts and bolts work of helping to assemble CC14.

Those subcommittees are Development and Fundraising, Local Promotion and Outreach, Volunteers, Programming, Youth Support, Elders Support, Disability Hospitality, Bisexual Hospitality, Community Housing, Local Hospitality and Information, 12-Step Recovery, Spiritual Needs, People of Color Hospitality, Transgender Hospitality, and Media/Public Relations.  

The four subcommittees I was interested in were People of Color Hospitality, Transgender Hospitality, Media/Public Relations, and Programming.  

However out of the four that appealed to me, I could only pick one to focus my primary efforts on.  I was concerned about what would happen when my fall speaking schedule cranked up.  I didn't want to spread myself too thin or take leadership in one and my speaking schedule started pulling me all over the country to the point that the subcommittee's work would suffer.   So I decided to focus on People of Color Hospitality and I'd offer my help to the others I was interested in if it was wanted or needed.  

Of course, Media and Programming filled up fast along with.Transgender Hospitality.   I decided to join People of Color Hospitality as the one I'd focus my efforts on and signed up for that one.   

After a few minutes I met the people who I would be spending the next several months ensuring that our piece of Creating Change 2014 is well organized and run.   We're responsible for ensuring the People of Color Hospitality suite would have the Houston flavor we're all seeking to project to the world when y'all come here and ensuring that it and CC14 reflects our diverse community. 

After we selected our chair (Melissa) and co-chair (Ryan) (nope, was too slow on the draw so I'm the admin for it) we didn't waste any time trading contact information, setting up a meeting date and agreeing to a time that fits all our schedules for our subcommittee meetings.   We got started bouncing initial ideas and visions off each other as to the collective result we wanted to achieve.

The same thing was happening with the other 14 subcommittees the people in attendance at last night's meeting were committing themselves to in that room and the one next door. 

You can follow our efforts on Twitter @CC14Houston, we have a Facebook and Google groups set up. And yeah people, the $25,000 record fundraising target for a Creating Change is in serious danger of falling.  We ain't playing about obliterating that record.   We're also shooting for 4000 conference attendees for CC14.

For those of you in the Houston area who missed last night's meeting, it's not too late for you to join in the fun of planning this event.  The next meeting is happening on June 4 at the Montrose Center starting at 6:30 PM CDT and we have them scheduled through January 2014.   You can also get in contact with the co-chairs and they can plug you into one of the committees they oversee.

And I'll be keeping y'all posted through my window on the process.

Whose Beloved Community? Black Civil And LGBT Right Movements

TransGriot Note: This Call for Proposals was forwarded to me by Ovid Amorson and looks like it's right in my activist wheelhouse.   This will be one tremendous conference at Emory University in the ATL on March 27-29 focused on the Black Civil and LGBT Rights Movements and I'm definitely interested in going or participating in it.

An international conference at Emory University, March 27-29, 2014

Call for Proposals: Review of proposals begins June 17, 2013. Notification of acceptance will be no later than September 15, 2013.

The role of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in both race-based and sexuality-based civil rights movements is frequently rendered invisible as a result of prevailing national narratives that present (presumed white) LGBT communities and (presumed straight) Black communities as opposing forces.  In recent years, however, an increasing number of scholars and activists have produced work seeking to make visible the vital points of intersection and contention among the U.S. Civil Rights movement, the LGBT equality movement, and Black LGBT communities.  This work is shaped by questions related to identity formation, intersectionality, tokenism, marriage equality, the role of religion and “respectability” in African American communities, the emergence of the South as a center of Black LGBT life in the U.S., HIV/AIDS and its continuing effect on African American communities, the proliferation of a prison-industrial complex unprepared for its LGBT population, and the appropriation of the civil rights movement by the right.  This conference seeks to make visible and critically engage the points of convergence and divergence between these two historic, overlapping, yet distinct social movements that continue to transform civil society, law, and the academy.

We encourage paper and panel proposals on a wide range of topics including, but not exclusively encompassing, the following:         

• The legacy of the Civil Rights Movement
• Identifications and disidentifications with “movements”
• Black LGBT leaders and popular figures, historical and contemporary
• Literary, artistic and popular culture engagements with Black LGBT identities
• Inclusion and marginalization of transgender and bisexual identities in Black LGBT communities/politics
• Intersections with other post-1960s civil rights movements (other racial groups, people with disabilities, women, etc.)
• Black LGBT activism in relation to work in other LGBT communities of color
• Racial diversity in White-led LGBT organizations
• Law and politics
• Black queer politics of space
• Public health
• Memory, mourning, trauma, and resilience
• Black LGBT families
• Marriage equality movements
• Sexuality and respectability
• Class and elitism
• Sexism, classism, and other “isms” in the Black LGBT movement
• Black masculinity in LGBT communities
• Black feminism in LGBT communities
• Intergenerational issues
• Intersections between public advocacy/policy and academia
• Intersections of U.S. Civil Rights with Black queer Atlantic political movements
• The future of Black queer studies
• Teaching Black LGBT history, Black queer studies, etc.
• Black LGBT university populations
• LGBT issues and Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Each submission must include a cover page with paper titles, presenters, their affiliations, and a current email contact, along with a maximum two-page c.v. of each presenter.  For individual papers, please submit an abstract of no more than 250 words. For panels, submit an overall abstract of no more than 500 words and individual paper descriptions of no more than 250 words each. Please submit materials via email to Whose.beloved.community@emory.edu.

This conference is generously supported by the Arcus Foundation and Emory University

2013 LGBT Media Journalists Convening-Moni's Whirlwind Philly Weekend

Was a lot of things going on this weekend at the 2013 LGBT Media Convening.   It was wonderful being in the room and finally getting to either meet many of the people in the LGBT blogging realm I know already from prior events or connect with them for the first time ever. 

While that was the highlight of the trip, we were actually there to do more than just hang out at the hotel bar.   We were there in the Loews Philadelphia Hotel to get our learn on about several issues so that we could have a better information base on which to write about these issues and how they impact our community. 

Well, it wouldn't be a Moni TBLG event trip without me having some kind of airline drama story to tell you

After a relatively smooth, quick and cramped ride on a commuter American Eagle jet to DFW, I went from my Terminal B-15 arrival gate to C-16 via the Skytrain connector to my PHL connecting flight.   Plane finally arrives about 30 minutes before departure, it's a full flight inbound and after everyone is off we're still sitting there clicking past our original 11:25 AM CST departure time with no gate announcement.

Just I get up and saunter to the podium to ask the gate agent what's up with that, they announce that maintenance has discovered an antenna problem on our Super 80 that will take the plane out of service and we're moving to C-10.

Note to AA DFW gate agent working Friday's flight:.  Making announcements will keep customers from being PO'ed at you.   Nobody likes sitting there without info and not everything can be found out on  a smartphone that is related to our specific flight.  The folks that give us a call still have to get the info from you and the peeps at the airport.  You also have to presume that not everyone has a phone or the up to the moment information you have (or don't have).   Even saying a short "maintenance is investigating a problem and as soon at they advise me I'll pass that info on to you" spiel will help.alleviate anxiety.

They quickly swap us out to another aircraft, and projected departure time is now an hour later    That plane gets to DFW at 12:05 PM, it's full, we eventually board it, but Catering didn't get the memo we'd moved..

So as we're sitting on the plane we're advised by the captain that we're waiting for catering to handle their business since they didn't get the memo about the PHL gate change.  To make it worse only one person is on the truck, the driver of it who can't back it off the coach galley without a wingman.

After that issue gets resolved and they cater first class we finally push off the gate around 12:50 PM and get airborne a few moments later.   While the flight was delayed the captain advised us he could make up the unexpected delay time because we had a tailwind.

He wasn't kidding.  My original arrival time into PHL was supposed to be 3:40 PM EST.and we pulled into gate A-7 at 4:35 PM   But by the time I got off the plane and got to the Terminal A SEPTA train station I just missed the 4:43 train with the next one not leaving the from the airport back to Philadelphia until 5:13 PM.   

The next one arrives,  I head to the hotel from the Market East station and arrive at the desk just as a few other attendees are in line or just arriving as well from their train rides to check into their rooms.   First persons I see are Andres Duque from Blabbeando, Jamillah King from Colorlines and Faith Cheltanham from BiNet USA.  I'm still amazed at times just how much love I get from bloggers other peeps in the community, and this event was no different as word quickly spread the TransGriot was in the LGBT Media Journalists house. 

After dashing upstairs to my 19th floor room to shower and change for the welcome reception dinner at Comcast Center, I come back downstairs to run into Rebecca Juro, Bamby Salcedo and Kelli Busey.  We had an animated conversation on the short bus ride over to the 40 plus story headquarters building of Comcast and  its cavernous main lobby with a state of the art video board.

The reception was on the 44th floor of the building and after a few moments we headed to our assigned seating to eat.   I was seated next to Sean Bugg of Metroweekly, and when he discovered I'd lived in Louisville for almost nine years that triggered some discussion between us and our other dinner companions about Kentucky politics before we moved to the welcomes from Bil Browning, Ruben Mendiola and Matt Foreman and the remarks from David Mixner and Cleve Jones to close out the event.  

I got into an interesting discussion with Cleve Jones about the transgender term (he doesn't like it) and why it's necessary before picking up my Tastykakes and heading back to the hotel..

Saturday morning dawned cloudy and gray, but I wasn't going outside.  Most of this day for me and the other 70 plus attendees of the 2013 LGBT Media Journalists Convening would be spent in the Washington Room.  In addition to the conversations we'd have with each other during breakfast and the breaks, we'd be soaking up the knowledge from the five scheduled sessions on topics ranging from immigration and how it affects the LGBT community, labor issues, getting beyond Trans 101, and thinking internationally about LGBT issues.we were scheduled for.

I was seated next to Ileana Jimenez of Feminist Teacher and had some interesting conversations with her and the people surrounding me like Buzzfeed's Chris Geidner and EJ Graff of American Prospect until the first session got ready to start. 

After the welcome from Bil, at 9 AM as we ate breakfast, we dove right into to the first session moderated by Matt Foreman entitled LGBT Issues in the Age Of Immigration Reform.   The participants were via Skype Shuya Ohno of the National Immigration Forum, Bamby Salcedo from the Trans-Latina Coalition and Lavi Soloway of The DOMA Project.  

When it was Bamby's turn to speak, she recounted her story about how she ended up in ICE detention days after she went to court to get her name legally changed and some of the horrific crap our trans Latina sisters deal with in that situation form being locked up with male detainees to verbal and sexual harassment and assault.

That ran until our 10:30 AM break followed by our second session of the day entitled Thinking Global: LGBT Action On International Issues moderated by Matthew Rose and presented by Andrew Park and Mark Bromley of the Council for Global Equality

It gave us a more accurate picture of what was happening with the Ugandan 'kill The gays' bill, where it was in the law making process, and the anti-LGBT sentiment being deliberately stirred up in Eastern Europe because the North American based anti-gay groups are losing the Culture war they started here and want victories to pint to for their funders.

It also touched on the looming battle over the World Health Organization review of its ICD manual that insurance companies use for their diagnostic coding info for billing purposes..

Lunch came along with a visit from Philadelphia mayor Michael A. Nutter.   Mayor Nutter took some time out of his schedule as Houston mayor Annise Parker did last year to address the group and ask that Philadelphia be considered for future LGBT Media convenings..

Once he concluded his remarks he took some time to answer questions concerning his political future, the Nizah Morris case and where SEPTA was on the TransPass gender marker issue.

I had a conversation moments later with Philadelphia Director of LGBT affairs Gloria Casarez about the SEPTA trans pass developments, the Nizah Morris case, the Kyra Cordova one and getting police departments to follow the AP Stylebook rules when they give press conferences in trans murder cases. 

A Generation On The Move LGBT Aging discussion moderated by Mark Segal was happening while I was having the conversation with Gloria.   I did get to witness the last 15 minutes of it before we moved on to another break at 2:25 and the Rod McCollum moderated one entitled Moving Beyond Trans 101  that featured Mara Keisling and Allyson Robinson of OutserveSLDN.

It talked about the lack of diversity in the trans leadership ranks and how integrated the 'T' community is with the rest of the LGBT community and other issues.  Rod also called on me, Rebecca, Jos, Kelli and Bamby for our commentary as well on this topic

Our final session of the afternoon was moderated by Adele Starr covered LGBT Workers and the Labor Movement and featured presentations by Shane Larson of the Communications Workers of America and Lauree Hayden of the Service Employees International Union

It talked about the ways that unions through their collective bargaining laid the groundwork for marriage equality and other issues before that fascinating discussion wrapped up at 5:10 PM..

After some photos, I was going to join the trans contingent for dinner, but while on my way to my room to get my coat ran into Jan Christensen, the new president of the NGLJA.  The conversation we started I got so engrossed in forgot I was supposed to be headed to dinner with the trans fam.

Sorry about that ladies.   Next time.

I did show up at the other event at the Tavern on Camac for an hour before heading back to the hotel, getting my Slurpee at the 7-Eleven on my way back to the hotel and packing for my return travel to Texas.

Since I had an 11:25 AM departure from PHL, was bummed I missed the 9:45 AM brunch and the tour of rainbow Philly and a last chance to spend some quality time with my fellow journalists.

But I did enjoy my first trip to this LGBT journalist convening, and hope I get the opportunity next year to meet with everyone again..   

Goodbye Philly-Hello Houston

Well, I'm headed back home after spending a wonderful weekend..here at the 2013 LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

It was my first one, and the cool part was being in the same space with fellow bloggers whose work I've long admired for the first time. 

I got a chance to make some new friends and see old ones.   Talking to Cleve Jones, one of our history makers Friday night at the welcoming reception was priceless.

It was nice to see Philadelphia mayor Michael Nuitter, and have the opportunity to talk to Gloria Casarez, the director of the Philadelphia office of LGBT Affairs.  

Our tweets at #LGBTmedia13  were the number one trending topic of Twitter for a few hours on Saturday, so you my wish o check out what different peeps were saying.   

It was a wonderful experience that I hope I'm blessed the be in the position to take advantage of once again.

But it's time to head back home better able to talk about the issues of immigration, again, labor, and international issues and incorporate that knowledge into the blog posts I write.   It will hopefully lead to some opportunities to  collaborate with other fellow journalists

But it's time to reluctantly say goodbye to Philadelphia and come back home to Houston.

2013 LGBT Media Journalists Convening- Moni's Arrived!

Well, after my flight from the Lone Star State via Dallas got me here, riding the train to the hotel, checking into my room, getting a feel for the hotel layout, its amenities and the surrounding area finally taking a few moments to exhale.

I'm also getting adjusted to being back on Eastern standard time and preparing to enjoy this 2013 LGBT Media Journalist Convening.  

Moni's in the City of Brotherly Love again for the first time since 2008.  Philadelphia will always be special to me because it's where I received my IFGE Trinity Award back in 2006.

I'm excited to be here for this fourth annual event, head to the dinner and see which old friends in the blogging and LGBT media world are here and what new ones I can finally meet.

Meeting some Philadelphia area friends in the hotel lobby before I head back to the room and get ready for our 8 PM dinner and icebreaker event.

Will check with you peeps later.

Leaving On A Jet Plane-To Philly

This is my first trip of the new year for a community event, but it's to a destination that is familiar to me. 

Unless my flight is delayed, I'm should be airborne at this point and headed to Philadelphia via DFW for the 2013 LGBT Writers Convening.  

I'll see you peeps in Dallas in a few weeks for the second Black Transmen, Inc Conference.

Really looking forward to this return trip to Philly and this chance to talk to and meet other LGBT writers, bloggers and social justice people.   Some I'm familiar with, others I'll be meeting for the first time

If I get some down time (or create some), I'll post my observations about it. 

If not, I'll take good notes and write it up in a post when I get back to Houston

14th Annual Center For Black Equity Conference In Houston

It would be just my luck that this conference is hitting town the same weekend I'm heading to Philly for the LGBT writers convening, but for those of you in the Houston area that want to check out this event and the conference, they would be glad to have you there..  

The Center For Black Equity (CBE) will be having their 14th Annual Meeting in Houston, TX from February 22-24, 2013 at the Crown Plaza Houston Downtown Hotel.

The hotel is located at 1700 Smith Street.


The CBE was formerly known as the International Federation of Black Prides, and they and our local Black Pride event Houston Splash will be co-hosting a reception honoring Jason Black, Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis and the Emerging Leaders Program graduates.

It's a free event and there will be wine, soft drinks and food.   The CBE and Houston Splash would love for you to join them and Black LGBT activists from all over the United States and abroad to celebrate 14 years of building Black LGBT communities around the globe.

The reception will be held at the Houston Ballet building at 601 Preston St, Houston, Texas 77002.

For those of you in the Houston metro area, if you can stop by and give a warm Texas welcome to our out of town visitors here or the CBE conference and the Houston Splash folks, please do so. 

It's an opportunity for you to talk to them and the CBE international board members, and if you've ever attended Houston Splash, you get a chance to commend them on the job they are doing hosting our local Black pride event or give them suggestions. 

They would love to have your face in the place and at the conference. .

President Obama's Message To Creating Change 2013

President Obama sent his taped greetings to the 3500 attendees of Creating Change down in the ATL.

 

NBJC And TPOCC Are In The Creating Change ATL House!

For those of you in the ATL attending Creating Change 2013, my family members at the National Black Justice Coalition and the Trans Persons Of Color Coalition are part of the over 3500 people in the Hilton Atlanta house taking part in this 25th annual gathering nd skills building conference. 

NBJC and TPOCC staff and leadership are there to present some exciting seminars and panel discussions that will take place on Friday and Saturday.   If you wish to see and participate in the events sponsored by these stellar organizations, you can head to the host hotel which is located at 255 Courtland Street NE  Atlanta, GA 30303 and register for Creating Change. .

You can also follow on Facebook and Twitter  ' Like" NBJC on Facebook to check out photos of NBJC at this year's Creating Change. Follow us on Twitter @NBJContheMove and the hash tags #NBJContheMove #CC13 for the NBJC live tweets and photos!

For TPOCC, you can also like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter @TransPOCC and follow their hash tags #CC13 and #TPOCCatCC13.

A Morning With NBJC:
LGBT Emerging Leaders Briefing

Friday, January 25

9:00am - 10:30am

As an introduction to the work of the National Black Justice Coalition, this presentation is an opportunity for LGBT emerging leaders and stakeholders to meet, network and engage. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with the NBJC staff and leadership, learn about NBJC's overall mission and strategy, and become acquainted with our specific programs for Black LGBT youth including the Emerging Leaders Council, the White House Policy Briefing for Black LGBT Emerging Leaders, and the NBJC Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) LGBT-Equality Initiative.

National Mobilization Meeting for 50th Anniversary
of 1963 March Washington

Friday, January 25

3:00pm - 6:15pm 

Join the NBJC Bayard Rustin 2013 Commemoration Project as we mobilize and engage LGBTA campuses and communities to take part in 2013 year-long series of international events to mark the 50th anniversary year of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom, held August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC and coordinated by black gay activist Bayard Rustin. In addition to strategy brainstorming sessions in preparation for the anniversary, this workshop will include a 2013 master calendar of activities, a presentation of film clips of the 1963 March, a list of Bayard Rustin resources, and an organizing kit.

  

Presenter: Mandy Carter, National Coordinator

    NBJC Bayard Rustin 2013 Commemoration Project

 

Beyond 2012: Crafting an Agenda for the Black LGBT Community 

Saturday, January 26

10:45am - 12:15pm  

This past administration has made historic accomplishments as it pertains to the advancement of equality for LGBT people in this nation.

From the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, to the signing of the Affordable Care Act, and the President publicly expressing his support for same-sex marriage, it cannot be denied that there were significant political gains on behalf of the LGBT community. As we enter into a new presidential administration and congressional make-up, what are our political goals? What adjustments need to be made to our strategy and messaging? How do we maintain the political gains of the last administration?

 

Trans Women of Color: The Sisterhood

Saturday, January 26

3:00pm - 4:30pm

  

Trans women of color are targets for hate violence and murder on the streets in this country. While the violence happens worldwide the focus will be on the hate experienced in the United States. What can we do to prevent these hate attacks and murders? Please join us as we work together to come up with solutions and share ideas to prevent the hate violence within and from outside of the community.

Moderator: Kylar Broadus, Founder, Trans People of Color Coalition (TPOCC)

'The New Black' Documentary Screening

Saturday, January 26

4:45pm - 6:15pm

Excerpts from The New Black -- a forthcoming documentary that uncovers the complicated and often combative histories of the African-American and LGBT civil-rights movements -- will be screened at this year's Creating Change conference. Specifically, the film examines homophobia in the black community's institutional pillar - the black church and reveals the Christian right wing's strategy of exploiting this phenomenon in order to pursue an anti-gay political agenda.

   

Creating Change 2013 Starts Today In The ATL

In a few hours the 2013 edition of Creating Change will kick off in the ATL (and nope, won't be there for it.) at the Hilton Atlanta hotel.  

This latest edition of the conference will start later today and run until January 27.  If you are in the Atlanta metro area and can attend, I highly recommend you do so.

The 1999 Creating Change conference I attended in Oakland that year jump started my development as an activist. It was a great place to meet many of the people inside and outside the rainbow community human rights rights movement that I collaborated with for various projects over the years.


And it was a lot of fun, too. 

It's also one of those TBLG conferences in which you will see a cross section of people from 18-80 all in one spot.  Creating Change is so packed full of amazing seminars, workshops and panel discussions your toughest decision will be which ones to attend.

One workshop you may consider attending will be conducted by the National Black Justice Coalition, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary year . NBJC will be conducting two workshops on January 25 and 26. 

The ATL also has some amazing attractions away from the hotel to visit such as the MLK Center, the Carter Presidential Center, CNN headquarters, and the World of Coca-Cola just to name a few.

Wish the Task Force and the local organizing committee much success.    

NBJC Will Get 10th Anniversary Year Started At Upcoming Creating Change Conference

2013 marks the tenth anniversary year since the National Black Justice Coalition was founded back in 2003.

This anniversary year of Black LGBT people Owning Our Power gets off to a flying start with presentations at the upcoming 2013 National Conference on LGBT Equality AKA Creating Change in the ATL. 

You'll have to register for Creating Change when it happens from January 23-27 at the Hilton Atlanta, but it will be worth it to see these NBJC presented workshops.    

The two NBJC workshops will happen on January 25 and January 26.

A Morning With NBJC: LGBT Emerging Leaders Briefing
Friday, January 25
9:00am – 10:30am
Hilton Atlanta
255 Courtland Street NE
Atlanta, GA

As an introduction to the work of the National Black Justice Coalition, this presentation is an opportunity for LGBT emerging leaders and stakeholders to meet, network and engage. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with the NBJC staff and leadership, learn about NBJC’s overall mission and strategy, and become acquainted with our specific programs for Black LGBT youth including the Emerging Leaders Council, the White House Policy Briefing for Black LGBT Emerging Leaders, the NBJC Historically Black College University (HBCU) LGBT-Equality Initiative, and the launch of the NBJC HBCU Affiliates Program for student organizations.

Beyond 2012: Crafting an Agenda for the Black LGBT Community  
Saturday, January 26
10:45am – 12:15pm
Hilton Atlanta
255 Courtland Street NE
Atlanta, GA

This past administration has made historic accomplishments as it pertains to the advancement of equality for LGBT people in this nation. From the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, to the signing of the Affordable Care Act, and the President publicly expressing his support for same-sex marriage, it cannot be denied that there were significant political gains on behalf of the LGBT community. As we enter into a new presidential administration and congressional make-up, what are our political goals? What adjustments need to be made to our strategy and messaging? How do we maintain the political gains of the last administration?

You may also want to consider attending NBJC's fourth annual OUT on the Hill Black LGBT Leadership Summit in Washington DC this September.  I've had the pleasure of being at the last two OUT on the Hill Summits to cover and participate in them.

You'll also have the opportunity to attend events at the CBCF-ALC and there is always an NBJC sponsored panel discussion or event during the CBCF-ALC as well.  


The fourth annual one since it is occurring during this anniversary year for NBJC will be a highly anticipated one that will include the first ever all Black transmen's town hall meeting 

I will be keeping you updated as the OUT on the Hill date gets announced and the seminars and workshop schedule gets fleshed out, but you'll definitely want to be there when it happens. 

There are not many events you get to meet and hang out with Black LGBT leaders from around the country, and this is the one you want to be in the room for.



Happy 10th anniversary NBJC, and may this be a fantastic year of growth for you. 
    

2nd Annual Black Transmen,Inc Conference Coming Soon

I was pleased to hear about the first one when it occurred earlier this year in Dallas with Rev. Louis Mitchell doing an inspiring keynote address for it.  The 2013 event not only has a date but a bigger hotel close to the DART light rail lines to help you get around Big D and experience what the city has to offer.  

Save the date because the transbrothers are getting together on the other end of I-45 for their 2nd Annual Black Transmen,.Inc Transgender Advocacy Conference and Dinner in Dallas.  

For the second year in a row the transbrothers are planning a conference as big as the Lone Star State from March 13-March 18 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dallas - Campbell Centre .   Had some scheduling conflicts that kept me from attending the initial one (and was pissed about it)  but will do my best to keep the calendar open and clear for that weekend.

But I'll let my transbrothers toot their own horns about this fast growing and sure to be well attended event.

***.
 
Welcome to Our 2nd Annual Black Transmen, Inc Transgender Advocacy Conference! We are anxious to meet you in Dallas, Texas once again for an amazing and life changing experience. We would like to extend a special invitation and welcome to our sister group Black Transwomen and look forward to building with you as well. This is our time to meet, unite, discuss, learn and celebrate.

Plan for an event of a life time for couples, youth, singles, families and allies to transmen and the SLGBTQIH community worldwide. "Become the change you want to see in the world"

General Conference Information:

(4) Day Empowerment Event Schedule. Featured Topics on: Identity, Culture, Religion, Family, Health, Wealth, Careers, Education, Business, Legal, Community and Youth Services
Registration: http://blacktransadvocacy2013.eventbrite.com/

Conference Tracks:

Black Transmen, Inc Leadership Training (staff only)
SLGBTQHI Alliance & Community Training
Trans Health Fair & HIV/AIDS Education, Prevention and Testing
Trans Career Services & Job Fair
Trans Youth Seminar
Transmen Seminar
Transwomen Seminar
Trans Aging Adult Seminar
Spouses Seminar

Conference Events:

Annual Black Transmen, Inc Awards Dinner Ball (Formal Attire)
For Men: www.menswearhouse.com
TransManifest- Live! Performances from the SLGBTQ community.
Black Transmen, Inc Mini Ball featuring* All Trans Categories*
Pre & Post Conference Events will also be scheduled
More Events Will Be Posted!

Travel Discount Information:

Our Host Hotel $89 Night! Double Tree: Code BTA
http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/D/DFWCNDT-BTA-20130313/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG
American Airlines: Code A6733DE www.aa.com
Avis: Code D256983 www.avis.com
Amtrak: Code X79L-957 www.amtrak.com
Get on the Bus: Enjoy A Bus ride from your local area! Contact us to be added to the list.

4th European Transgender Council Happening Next Week

As I've pointed out a few times, we North Americans aren't the only trans people on the planet who get together, form organizations and travel to conferences inside and outside our nations.

Transpeople in various parts of the world are having to do so like us for the same reasons we do here in the States and Europe is no exception.

While Europe may seem like a paradise to those of us deep in red-state America, trans human rights coverage varies depending on the nation you live in. 

There are some European nations in which we red-state Americans would instantly recognize the hostile faith-based negativity and repression aimed at transgender people that makes being trans just as challenging here as it can be on our side of the Atlantic.

Every two years Transgender Europe (TGEU), the umbrella organization founded in 2005 in Vienna, Austria with the mission of achieving trans equality and inclusion across Europe has been convening a Transgender European Council focused on issues specific to the European continent. 

Previous TGEU Councils were held in Berlin,Germany in 2008 and Malmo, Sweden in 2010,   It is the first and largest gathering of political transgender activists in Europe that draws upwards of 200 delegates, has well known keynote speakers and panelists, workshops and a diverse cultural program. 

The TGEU Councils serve as a forum setting the agenda for transgender politics in Europe, a celebration of a lively continental; transgender community and handle their political business. It is during this event the General Assembly of TGEU elects its board and steering committee that formulates policy for the organization.  

The 4th Annual European Transgender Council will be taking place September 7-9 in Dublin, Ireland.at Dublin City University.with the theme of 'Realizing Recognition, Respect and Equality.'  

For my European TransGriot readers across the Pond (yes I have international readers, people) interested in or thinking about attending, heres a guide put together by TENI, Transgender Equality Network Ireland.

To my transbrothers and transsisters in Europe, hope you have a wonderful and productive time in Dublin next week.