Named To The 2019 OUT100!

As those of you who have been keeping up with moi know, been getting honored with a lot of awards this year, and in some cases, like the Barbara Jordan Breaking Barriers one I received from the Harris County Democratic Party back in May, I was the first out trans person ever to win it. 

This is another huge honor for me in terms of being named to the 2019 edition of the OUT100.

Since its founding in 1992, OUT Magazine has created a list of 100 TBLGQ celebrities, activists, and personalities to celebrate and honor the most influential TBLGQIA people in our community. 

We have had trans people make this list before, but I am beyond thrilled to be named as one of the OUT100 honorees for 2019!
Congratulations to every one of the 2019 OUT100 honorees, and I wish us all continued success in the collective work we all do to make this community better than when we first encountered it. 

The OUT100 issue will be available for purchase at your fave local newsstand around December 2 and has been available to be downloaded since November 21.
 
I'm old school, so I want a print copy
 

Angelica Ross Honored With 2016 HRC Visibility Award

Congratulations to my amazing sis Angelica Ross, who was given a well deserved 2016 HRC Visibility Award at the Human Rights Campaign's Chicago Gala on November 12.

For those of you who don't know my amazing sis, she is the founding CEO of TransTech Social Services,  an actress who had a starring role in the Emmy nominated Her Story web series and award winning human rights warrior for our community.

She's also an amazing person as well that I'm immensely proud of.

Here's her acceptance speech from that event, and congratulations sis!  

Janet and Laverne Make The 2015 Root 100 List!

They both made the list last year, but it's a year later and the 2015 edition of  The Root 100 List has been released with Janet Mock and Laverne Cox's names on it.

The Root 100 List celebrates those peeps 25-45 who are forging a new direction in social justice, politics, entertainment, business the arts, science and sports.  While this list has many well known names on it, The Root 100 List also seeks to recognize people whose accomplishments have yet to be recognized on a national level.

Janet is at number 31 this year and Laverne occupies the number 43 spot,  but once again it is a huge accomplishment for Black girls like us to be acknowledged for their work to not only advocate for our human rights as trans people, but uplift the Black community at the same time.  
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They are also concrete examples of what I'm talking about when I say in my posts imploring the Black cis community to stop hating on Black trans people that we too are part of the kente cloth fabric of Black America.

And when the nomination process for 2016 starts, I'd like to see some of our trans brothers in that 25-45 range get nominated and hopefully make the list along with other trans sisters in that 25-45 age group

That's next year's project trans fam, but until then, congratulations Janet and Laverne for making this years The Root 100 list.

Jordana LeSesne Named As One Of 20 Women Who Shaped Dance Music

Y'all know how much I love my little sis by another mother Jordana LeSesne, my amazing music producing sis with the mad DJ skills to pay her bills.  She's also responsible for pushing and gently prodding yours truly into making TransGriot a reality 10 years ago.

Will tell that story about how it happened as we get closer to my TransGriot 10th anniversary on January 1, but this post is about an amazing honor she has received.

Jordana was recently named by MixMag, the Bible of the dance music industry as one of 20 Women Who Shaped the History Of Dance Music

Just in case you don't know who Jordana LeSesne is, quick trans history moment.   In 1998 Jordana not only transitioned, but subsequently blew up as a African-American dance music producer and DJ to the point where her music was featured on VH1  She survived a 2000 transphobic hate attack and has become an advocate and possibility model for many people inside and outside of the dance music world.

Of course,  Jordana was excited about this honor that was bestowed upon her. 

"I feel SO HONORED right now to be mentioned along legends like Missy Elliot, Kemistry; Storm, Miss DJAX and Heather Heart! All of whom I was either influenced by or looked up to!"  Jordana wrote on her Facebook page.  "Just goes to show that if we believe in ourselves, ‪#‎girlslikeus‬ can do anything!"

Yes ma'am we can!  And to echo what you said Sis, if we are given the chance to do what we love, we girls like us will handle our business and excel at it. She's currently working on a few music projects to be announced soon.

Congrats Jordana on being named one of 20 Women Who Shaped Dance Music.   It is a well deserved honor.

Andrea Jenkins Gets Added To The Congressional Record!

You know I have much love and respect for my sis Andrea Jenkins, who I met and roomed with during the TransFaith in Color Conference in Charlotte back in 2012 and is a trailblazing girl like us and advocate in her own right up in Minneapolis.

Jenkins recently received two honors that need and deserve to be signal boosted.   She was named as the Grand Marshal for the upcoming Twin Cities Pride Parade.  She is the second trans person to receive that honor.(Debbie Davis in 2000) third African-American after Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus and her fiance LaTaya Varner in 2012 and first ever African-American trans person to do so.

Andrea on May 20 had her name added to the Congressional Record for the 114th Congress by Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), whose 5th Congressional District covers that area.

So what's the Congressional Record you ask?  It is the official record of proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, and from time to time congressmembers will take a moment to use some of their time to do floor speech that recognizes people and organizations in their home districts.

Those speeches, because they happen on the House floor, get recorded, published and at the end of the 114th Congress in 2017 will be placed in bound volumes enshrined permanently in the Library of Congress and online via THOMAS.

Translation, this is a Big Fracking Deal, and so proud of Andrea for getting this well deserved recognition for the work she's done in the Twin Cities.  

She was a longtime policy aide for 12 years on the Minneapolis City Council for Minneapolis City Council Member Elizabeth Glidden where she initiated and helped develop the the Minneapolis Transgender Issues Work Group and produced the first Transgender Summit in the city.

Jenkins also a published poet, serves on numerous boards and is now with the University of Minnesota as the curator for their Transgender Oral History Project

I hear Andrea plays a mean game of tennis, so I'll have to remember to bring my racquet when I get the opportunity to visit her and the rest of the Twin Cities trans fam.

Congratulations Andrea for a well deserved honor!

Kim Coco Iwamoto Being Honored As A Harvey Milk Champion Of Change

The White House will honor ten TBLG officials on Harvey Milk Day and one of them will be a girl like us.

Kim Coco Iwamoto, who is serving her first term on the state of Hawaii's Civil Rights Commission and previously served the state as an elected member of the Hawaii State Board of Education, is one of the people being honored on Wednesday, Harvey Milk's birthday as a Harvey Milk Champion of Change

The White House Champions of Change program was established in 2011 to spotlight ordinary citizens who are doing extraordinary things for to their community, their country, and their fellow citizens.  In that tradition, the Harvey Milk Champions of Change highlights a small group of TBLG state and local elected and appointed officials who have demonstrated a strong commitment to both equality and public service.

In addition to Kim Coco Iwamoto, the other Harvey Milk Champions of Change for 2013 are:

• Simone Bell – Georgia State Representative, Atlanta, GA
• Angie Buhl O’Donnell – South Dakota State Senator, Sioux Falls, SD
• Karen Clark – Minnesota State Representative, South Minneapolis, MN
• Michael A. Gin – Mayor of Redondo Beach, Redondo Beach, CA
• John Laird – California Secretary of Natural Resources, Santa Cruz, CA
• Ricardo Lara – California State Senator, Long Beach, CA
• Kim Painter – Johnson Country Recorder, Iowa City, IA
• Chris Seelbach – Cincinnati City Council Member, Cincinnati, OH
• Pat Steadman – Colorado State Senator, Denver,

Congratulations to Kim Coco and the other 2013 Harvey Milk Champions of Change for receiving this high honor. 

Dr. Ben Barres Elected To National Academy of Sciences!

It's one huge honor for him and one giant leap for transkind.

Meet neurobiologist Dr. Ben Barres, a professor and chair of the department of neurobiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.   He is one of 84 new members elected to the 150 year old National Academy of Sciences.

It is a major accomplishment and one of the highest honors a scientist can achieve. There are 220 NAS members who have won Nobel prizes and potential NAS members are nominated and extensively vetted by their peers, “in recognition of distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.”

Dr. Barres joins a distinguished group of 2,200 American NAS members and 400 NAS members from other nations. While he was humbled and thrilled about his election to the NAS, he also recognized the significance of his achievement to the trans community.

“This was a total surprise,” Barres said. “I had heard last year that I was nominated but had no idea I had actually been elected.”  Barres said that personally, his election to the Academy was a “nice honor.”

“But the primary significance to me is that it matters for young people. It sends a strong message to them that our country really values science and that they should consider becoming scientists. And of particular importance to me is that this matters to young trans kids. I am the first transgendered person to be elected to the NAS. This helps them to have confidence that they can feel comfortable being who they are, including changing sex, and still be successful in their career, in this case science. They don't have to choose between the two (identity and career).

“Young people should never let anyone make them feel bad about who they are--their differences are often their greatest advantages in life! I have been contacted by so many talented young trans kids (and I meet with them at every Society for Neuroscience meeting and hear their personal stories) who tell me their parents strongly resist their changing sex because they will lose their careers. That they can point to me as an example that this is not true really matters.

“When I decided to change sex 15 years ago I didn't have role models to point to. I thought that I had to decide between identify and career. I changed sex thinking my career might be over. The alternative choice I seriously contemplated at the time was suicide, as I could not go on as Barbara. Very fortunately, my academic colleagues have been incredibly supportive and my fears were far worse than reality. I hope that my election to the academy will help young trans scientists (and LGBT folks in general) to see this.”

Congratulations Dr. Barres for your groundbreaking National Academy of Sciences election.  Thank you for being a strong voice criticizing the gender divide in science and being a role model to our kids who may be considering careers in science, education and technology fields.

Thank you for proving once again to our naysayers that transpeople, if given the opportunity, can excel in any field.

Congratulations Angela!

Monica Helms sent me the word a few days ago, but I need to take a moment to congratulate an old friend who was named Q-Notes Person of the Year.

I've served with Angela Brightfeather on the NTAC board, have walked the halls of Congress with her, hung out at various conventions with her, and she was one of the people in the room when I picked up my Trinity in 2006.

She also beat my behind soundly on the pool table in the Philly hotel's sports lounge during that same 2006 IFGE convention.

Nevertheless, she's a role model to myself and many of us. She serves as the vice president of TAVA, the Transgender American Veteran's Assn and is a tireless advocate for transgender veterans issues. She also excels at keeping HRC 'ejumacated' and fighting for the civil rights of transpeople in North Carolina and around the nation.

She keeps us focused on the bigger prize of equality for all, and it's nice to see one of the good peeps in the community win a well deserved honor.

Congratulations Angela!