Happy Milestone Birthday, Lauren!

"i'm not a fetish.  I'm not a sideshow. I'm not a trend. I'm none of those things.  I feel like I have a target on my head now   But I don't reside in my trans-ness; I don't live there.  I'm just another woman:
-Lauren Foster

Today is the milestone birthday of South African born and Miami resident, advocate, model and just another girl Lauren Foster who I have mad love and respect for.   We talk and chat from time to time and I'm looking forward to the day that we can FINALLY meet in person.

When she's not being her fabulous self, her day job is being the Director Concierge and LGBTQ Coordinator at the University of Miami Hospital where she helps folks navigate the gender confirmation surgery process with Dr. Chris Salgado.

And yeah, she is one amazing person that I hope to finally get to spend some quality time with in 2018.

Happy milestone birthday Lauren!   May you celebrate many more of them

Happy 80th Birthday Diahann Carroll!

Today is the 80th birthday of trailblazing singer and iconic Broadway and television actress Diahann Carroll, who was born on this date in New York City in 1935.

She appeared in Carmen Jones (1954) and Porgy and Bess (1959) two of the first major studio films to feature predominately African-American casts. 


As the star of Julia, in 1968 she became the first Black woman to star in a network television series in a non-stereotypical role.  She played Dominique Deveraux on Dynasty and Marion Gilbert on A Different World.

She has been nominated for numerous awards in her career that has spanned six decades including a groundbreaking Tony Award win in 1962 , a 1968 Golden Globe win for Julia and a 1974 Best Actress Academy Award nomination for Claudine. 

In 2011 she was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.

I have much love for Ms. Carroll as one of my style role models, a timeless beauty and a trailblazing actress.

Happy milestone birthday!

Happy Anniversary Of Your 49th Birthday Miss Major!

Today is the birthday of one of our iconic history making trans women in Miss Major Griffin-Gracy.

When I had my most recent conversation with her last Monday she told me that she was feeling under the weather when I was in Oakland and apologized for not be able to see me while I was there.

Apologize?  I'm the one that needs to be apologizing to Miss Major for not carving out some quality time with her while I was in Oakland. 
 

I was disappointed I didn't get a chance to see her while I was out on the Left Coast for Trans* H4CK and had I known she was ill, I would have redoubled my efforts to do so. 

Anyway, our iconic trans woman and Stonewall Vet is celebrating another anniversary of her 49th birthday, and I couldn't be happier.she's still around to tell her story.

We also get the blessings of her passing down her wisdom to me and all of us fortunate enough to bask in her majestic presence.  I'm looking forward to seeing the MAJOR! documentary when it's finally done.

Happy birthday Miss Major!  And hopefully the next time I'm in the area I'll get to ride in that Lincoln of yours.