Skip The Salvation Army Kettles In 2018

This is another TransGriot remident for you when you see the Salvation Transphobic Army kettles out to ignore them for their continued anti-trans attitudes.

They have a long, ugly history of hating on the TBLGQ community, which is why I laughed my butt off during an episode of POSE in which Elektra Abundance and the House of Abundance jacked a Salvation Army kettle.   

While the Salvation Army is claiming on their website they have changed their tune and evolved, we still don't have clear evidence they have ended their historic antipathy toward the TBLGIQ + community.

It was also quite disturbing to see white supremacists ringing the Salvation Army kettle bells at an Indiana location.

While I don't recommend y'all do an Elektra Abundance stunt, you can decline to drop your change in those Salvation Army kettles popping up at stores near you.

Instead donate to trans and SGL led organizations doing proven work in our community during this holiday season and beyond or trans advocates directly via their PayPal or Cash Apps.

In case you're wondering, here's mine if you're feeling generous. 

CASN Birthday Brunch Coming Soon!

I'm getting another award for a locally based org soon along with another group of amazing Houston activists from the Clinic Access Support Network.

The Clinic Access Support Network is a Houston based non profit that provides free transportation, accommodations, and emotion support for people seeking abortion services.

And they are celebrating their fifth anniversary with a birthday brunch.

CASN Birthday Brunch is happening on October 14 from 11:00 AM - 2 PM CDT, and is a fundraising event for the organization. 

The wonderful Houston area activists being honored for their work along with moi at the historic Whitehall Hotel are Daniel Cohen, Maximo Cortez, Kandice Webber, Nisha Randle, Hannah Thalenberg, Kenya Martin< Fran Watson, Jessica DeFeo and Katya Strinka.

Our keynote speaker for the CASN Birthday Brunch is one of my sheroes I've been dying to meet in former Texas senator and 2014 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Wendy Davis

FYI, CASN is already taking nominations for next year's class of Houston area activist heroes and sheroes.   You can nominate the Houston area peeps doing outstanding local work at the following link here: http://bit.ly/ActivistHero

What’s Houston Justice Doing?

The Houston Justice Coalition has been around since 2014.  It was founded in the wake of the egregious failure to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the murder of MIke Brown in Ferguson, MO that triggered protests across the nation, including here in Houston.

It also jump started conversations about what law enforcement looks like in the Houston area.     

The organization’s founders decided to focus on things they could demonstrably measure such as local Grand Jury Reform, Body Camera Policy for local law enforcement and Community Policing and started those efforts with an event at the El Dorado Ballroom.     

The launch event drew a overflow crowd of over 300 people.  From that crowd, Houston Justice signed people up to apply for grand jury service and registered them to vote.

After a brief hiatus taken after the 2015 Texas Legislative session in which grand jury legislation favored by Houston Justice was passed,  Houston Justice is now focusing its efforts on three initiatives just in time for the critical 2018 midterm election.

One of the initiatives is #Project Orange, which started in 2017.  It is a nonpartisan effort to register eligible incarcerated persons in the Harris County Jail to vote in addition to staffing voter registration tables in the jail visitation areas.

Those 2017 efforts conducted on four consecutive September Sundays led to over 600 new registered voters who participated in the 2018 Democratic and Republican primary elections.    

Another one of the initiatives being tackled by Houston Justice is the Black Census being organized by the Alicia Garza founded Black Futures Lab.

The Black Census is an online questionnaire with the goal of giving us an opportunity to speak for ourselves and get a detailed informational portrait of Black America.   

The goal is to survey 200,000 people nationally, and Houston Justice wants to get 1000 people in our area to participate in it so that we can have solid data about the Houston Black community to show to legislators, discuss with the media, and other interested parties    

We also wish to get responses from the Black Census from all segments of the Black community, including the LGBTQ segment of it, and our formerly incarcerated people

The third initiative is #HOUVotes.   Texas had an abysmal 28.5% voter turnout in the 2014 midterms.  For the 2016 presidential election it was 51.6%, which ranked it 49th out of 50 states. We must do better than that in November 2018.

The #HOUVotes campaign seeks to reach out to former felons, the formerly incarcerated and their families to get them registered to vote in this critical election cycle, and empower them to go to the polls and do so.

The #HouVotes campaign seeks to achieve the following goals:

*Register 5,000 new voters,
*Communicate with the newly registered voters at least three times
*Increase voter turnout in our target audience     

The push started August 24, as several organizers went through training in preparation for an initial August 26 voter registration at St John’s Church Downtown.  While that was happening, Houston Justice’s Durrel Douglas was interviewed during Majic 102’s Sunday Morning Live show to talk about the initiatives.

Over the next few weeks Houston Justice organizers will also be busy getting the word out about the Black Census, registering voters, and doing their part to ensure that those newly registered voters participate in the November election.

Sharif Durhams Elected NLGJA President

Lost in all the drama that took place on  Saturday night is the historic and groundbreaking news that NLGJA has elected its first Black president. 

He is Sharif Durhams, who is the senior editor for news and alerting at CNN Digital.  His two year term at the helm of NLGJA started September 9.   Durhams has been a lifetime member of NLGJA since 2000, has co-chaired a previous NLGJA convention, and has served for several years on the organization's board of directors.

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), of which Durhams is also a lifetime member, hailed his election. 

"NABJ is proud of members Sharif Durhams and Cheryl W. Thompson for their recent elections as presidents of NLGJA and IRE respectively," NABJ President Sarah Glover said. "As the country's demographics continue to become increasingly more diverse, it's noteworthy that NABJ members are stepping forward to take on organizational leadership roles that shape media discourse and the future of journalism."
"My goal is to improve the diversity of this organization as well as it's outreach," said Durhams, who also has a lifetime memberships in the NABJ. "I definitely want both organizations to work more together. In some ways, our issues mirror each other, such as making sure there is support in our newsrooms for diversity and getting people from diverse backgrounds into leadership positions. 

"There are ways we can back each other up to make sure all of our voices are heard." 

One of Durham's goals is to not only build on the efforts of outgoing president Jen Christensen build diversity within NLGJA, he also seeks to grow the 28 year old organization's membership ranks and its financial coffers to ensure stability and its long term staying power. 

Durhams also wants NLGJA to become a more vocal thought leader in the journalism world in addition to train newsrooms in how to better cover transgender people and LGBTQ communities of color. 

And I'm looking forward to working with him over the next two years to make that happen. 

Congratulations on your new position in the NLGJA ranks, Sharif!   Congratulations on also making history!    .

 

Help Trans United Fund Elect More Trans People To Office

TransGriot Note: In the interests of journalistic integrity, I sit on the board of the Trans United Fund.


As you know, I do a lot of writing through my blog, TransGriot (which just won a GLAAD Media Award, making history as the first time a trans person has won for Best Blog!) But what you may not know is that I'm a Board Member and key leader in Trans United Fund, a trans-led organization working to build political power for trans and nonbinary people across the country.

One of the main ways we build this power is electing transformative trans leaders. We are decisive in electing trans leaders because when we do that, there are more trans people who see ourselves reflected in leadership, and more people of our communities who believe they can run. When they do run, they come to Trans United Fund as the go-to organization for help in their races, and we need the resources to help them win.

Will you stand up and help build political power that our communities need with me and Trans United Fund? Whether it's in your budget to give $15 or $150, every dollar makes a difference in the lives of trans people like me, and our ability to join the decision making tables where decisions about us are made. Nothing about us, without us!

In this environment, with a presidential administration which is actively hostile towards trans people, it is crucial that we elect trans folks to public office at all levels of government. It is critical to elect trans people to office not only to defend against the attacks of the opposition but to advance our interests, rights, and needs in decision making bodies at the local, state and national level.. As a trans-led, trans-run organization, run by a majority of trans people of color like myself, Trans United Fund has proven that we have the best interests of trans people at heart. We are actively working to build political power across the country by building a diverse coalition of leaders across different identities, experiences, and backgrounds.

And that's exactly the group we need leading this charge to make change right now.

Join us and our work and pitch in now: we can go so much farther together.

Please Consider Donations To Trans Led Orgs On Give OUT Day

Give OUT Day is a 24 hour effort focused on fundraising for LGBT non profit organizations.

One of the things I hope will happen today is that trans led organizations get some of that fiscal love today because our organizations have historically not gotten the kind of consistent funding love that allowed LG orgs to grow and get to the point where they are not fundraising just to keep the lights on, but to build permanent capacity.

Frankly, it's one of the things our trans rights movement needs to have happen, and our underserved trans community could definitely use and deeply appreciates the cash infusion to help fund the work we do.

The Trans United Fund is one of those organizations that could use your help.   There's also a need to donate to organizations that focus on the Black LGBT community like the National Black Justice Coalition  and the Dallas based Black Trans Advocacy  that hosts the annual BTAC conference along with the Trans Persons of Color Coalition  (TPOCC)

They would love to clock some of those Give OUT Day dollars you wish to give today to help build their capacity and funding streams for their programs.

There's also a critical need for funding to go to LGBT human rights groups in the Southern US and trans groups based in the region now that our right wing opponents are focusing their efforts on attacking trans people.   Republican led state legislatures across this region and politicians are gleefully peddling anti-trans hatred for their nefarious political gain, and Southern based LGBT orgs would love for some of those donations to come their way.

So while the clock is ticking on this Give OUT Day, how about showing some love to national trans led organizations like the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit (TTNS), the Organizacion Latina Trans en Texas (OLTT) , Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT)  Gender Infinity and others who will definitely not only appreciate your contributions but use them wisely.

So if you can give $5, $10, $20 or whatever amount you can spare, consider doing it with a trans led organization.

Trans United Fund Launches

As many of you longtime TransGriot readers know, I have been preaching about the need to build, grow and sustain the political power of trans people and lost count about the number of TransGriot posts I have written over the ten years of this blog's operation concerning this subject.

There is no reason why we can't get trans people like us elected to public office at the local, state and federal levels. We need to be sitting at the nice conference tables in various LGBT orgs making the policy decisions that our blood, sweat equity and tears have paid for.

We are tired of being the mules and tragic figures for this movement, and with our community being the ones attacked to roll back everyone's human rights,  we can't wait for our allies to do the right thing and give us the support we have wanted and needed since Stonewall.

And with the conservative movement going on a post-Obergefell political temper tantrum and attacking trans people for their own nefarious political gains, it needs to happen immediately.  .

It also needs to happen to take our trans human rights movement  to the next level.

A major step in building that political power I envisioned is happening today with the launch of the Trans United Fund.   It's a 501(c)4 political advocacy group that is committed to building the political power of trans* people and our allies to advocate for trans equality.

“The transgender community is no stranger to adversity but what we face today is a new challenge, a coordinated, national and vicious attack from the far right at   municipal, school district and legislative levels. Trans United Fund will fill a crucial gap in our movement, creating a space for transgender people and our allies,” said Hayden Mora, a founding member of the Trans United Fund. “We can not only fight these vicious political attacks that cater to fear and division, we must build a proactive politics to address other issues that impact our community - from HIV to homelessness to immigration and the horrific epidemic of violence,” continued Mora.

“We need candidates to understand that being supportive of trans equality begins with supporting non- discrimination but also must proactively address the issues that impact the most vulnerable in our community. I'm exhausted and profoundly saddened every day I hear about another young trans person that has taken their life because the bullying and discrimination was too much, another trans woman of color murdered senselessly and the myriad other forms of discrimination we face. Education is crucial but so is action, there is simply too much at stake,” concluded Mora.

 “I'm part of Trans United because trans people need a strong political voice to support the activism, legal, policy and direct service work already happening. I fight every day to address the consequences of inhuman immigration policies, the disproportionate impact of HIV on our community, violence and disenfranchisement particularly of the most vulnerable in our community - young people, black and brown people- particularly women- and immigrants. We save lives every day but we can't reach everyone with direct services. We need to move from being primarily reactive to ore proactive, going to the root of institutionalized transphobia. And that requires a stronger political voice,“ added Bamby Salcedo, Executive Director of the Trans Latin@ Coalition .

And how will Trans United Fund build the political power we need?   Trans United Fund will accomplish this mission by engaging trans people and our allies in the political process at the federal and state level, building the political leadership and capacity of trans people and allies, and endorsing candidates with a platform and proven track record that reflects a meaningful commitment to fight for human rights for our community.

Trans United Fund is also putting together the first ever trans focused Presidential Candidate Questionnaire.  It will be distributed to all potential candidates as part of the 2016 election cycle, in addition to a legislative scorecard program.   Trans United Fund is also looking at key races in the 2016 election cycle in which its efforts and resources can be strategically targeted for maximum effect

A petition has also been drafted in order to demonstrate to our haters that we have far more people who love, support and stand with us than you trans oppressors.

Candidates seeking the support of Trans United Fund must go above and beyond support for basic issues of LGBTQ equality, such as supporting inclusive non-discrimination measures. Candidates must demonstrate a strong and proactive commitment to tackling issues like HIV/AIDS, immigration reform, violence, unemployment, and healthcare disparities, which all disproportionately impact trans people.

"Trans United Fund's launch is the next example of sophistication within this movement,” said Robert Raben, political consultant and former assistant attorney general under President Bill Clinton. “As long as we have a privately raised finance system, participating in it is crucial to achieve the progress we need.  Few in the nation have faced the challenges transgender Americans face; kudos that despite the discrimination, they are still willing to engage in the political process to make this country stronger," concluded Raben.

If you wish to earn the votes of transgender Americans, they must be earned, and just like any other group, when we give you our precious votes, we expect action on the issue concerns of our community

For more information concerning the Trans United Fund, in addition to clicking on this link to go to the petition, you can also access the organization's Twitter feed at @transunitedfund and Facebook page at Trans United Fund.  You can also follow the hashtags #TransUnited #TransUnidxs .    

ESPA Sells Out NY Trans Community One Last Time

I have not been a fan of the Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA), and my dislike of the organization goes back to them throwing the New York trans community under the human rights bus and lying to Sylvia Rivera on her deathbed in 2002 when gender identity language was cut out of SONDA.

ESPA made the usual 'we'll come back for you' incremental progress promises lies in 2002 to bust their behinds to get human rights coverage in New York State for trans people that were once again broken and put on the back burner in 2011 when they raised their appletini glasses and pushed gay marriage through the NY senate as GENDA, the proposed trans rights bill that has passed the NY Assembly for multiple consecutive sessions was stalled in the NY Senate.

In a shocking except to the trans community move, ESPA announced they are shutting down, claiming that with the signing by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) of the trans rights executive orders, they have accomplished their mission.

No boo boo kitties, you haven't.  Until GENDA is passed, you HAVEN'T accomplished your human rights mission because trans rights executive orders do not equal passed legislation with teeth on the NY legal books as you New York gay and lesbian peeps have enjoyed since 2002. And all it takes as we have observed repeatedly at the federal level and around the country since 1992 is a change in governors or a POTUS to erase those executive orders.

I find it interesting that ESPA felt like their job was done in a time when trans New Yorkers are still being beaten and killed for living their trans truth and an anti-trans flavored right wing backlash is building that will be relentless in attempting to roll back and eviscerate everything that was painstakingly accomplished.

I also found it ironic that the guy responsible for throwing the trans community under the bus in 2002, then ESPA ED Matt Foreman, blasted the move

As for the assertion that organizations have a life cycle, the NAACP has been around for over a century because the missions of the NAACP have changed since their founding, and once they accomplish one goal, they adapt to the times.

As for trans New Yorkers?   Well, looks like you've been sold out by ESPA for the last time as they make the moves to shutter the doors of the organization after the ball drops in Times Square to usher in 2016.  .

Well trans New Yorkers, looks like you're on your own in getting GENDA and other community organizing priorities done.

But I have no doubts that once y'all figure out your options and come up with a solid multi year plan to make it happen, you'll get it done.

$20 Million To Be Donated For Trans Causes

As someone who once upon a time was political director for NTAC from its founding until 2002 and died  currently sits on the boards of several trans oriented organizations, I can tell you from painful experience that one of the problems that we face as a community with many problems that cry out for help is lack of funding to tackle those challenges and sustain our organizations, or having to do so much on shoestring budgets.

And with the increased media attention we transgender people are getting, we in Trans World are also getting attacked politically by right wing organizations with far deeper pockets than we have to combat them.

That fiscal funding problem for trans organizations may mercifully be coming to an end.

I was happy to hear the announcement by two funding organizations that over the next five years starting in 2016. they plan an unprecedented increase in their funding contributions for trans organizations here in the US and around the globe to $20 million to improve the quality of life for trans people around the world.

The Arcus Foundation, which gives to social justice and human rights causes, is pledging the bulk of this increase at $15 million.  The NoVo Foundation, which focuses on girls and women's issues is pledging $1 million, with a coalition of funding organizations contributing the other $4 million.    

The money will initially go to US groups that focus on transgender issues or led by trans people, instead of established organizations that include transgender issues as part of a broader agenda.  It will then expand globally in the subsequent five year period, and target poorer and developing nations.  Much of the money will go to organizations with budgets of $100,000 or less while increasing the capacity of larger groups to ensure their long term stability.

The ground breaking news was hailed by Trans Persons of Color Coalition (TPOCC) Executive Director Kylar Broadus. "We applaud Arcus, NoVo and the othe foundations participating in this trans funding initiative for realizing the need of transgender groups to lead their own cause and own our power," said Broadus. "Funding Trans groups should help to allow Trans people to lead the work and have the resources to do the work," he added.
And in light of us now having the undivided attention of the right wing orgs and being under attack by them, it is timely, needed by the various trans organizations doing the work of uplifting our community, and necessary.

The goals for this funding boost are to increase understanding of trans people, expanding the pathways for economic sufficiency for trans people, put a dent in the off the charts levels of anti-trans violence, provide job opportunities, boost the long-term societal inclusion of trans people, and encouraging long term philanthropy for the trans human rights movement,

The funders will begin accepting applications for proposals by mid-2016 with the first disbursements of this transformational funding to happen by the end of 2016.  .

 

NBJC Endorses Equality Act

The National Black Justice Coalition upon today's introduction in Congress of the Equality Act, has endorsed this sweeping and unprecedented piece of federal legislation.

If enacted, the Equality Act would expand basic human rights protections for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender) and gender nonconforming Americans based on their actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation. 

The Equality Act adds key LGBT rights protections to existing civil rights laws including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 to ensure like other protected classes (race, religion, national origin) LGBT people cannot be legally discriminated against in the United States. 

The Equality Act also provides federal protections on the basis of sex and sex-based stereotypes in both public accommodations and federally funded programs..

"Without a federal non-discrimination measure like the Equality Act in law, the current framework of LGBT civil protections--or lack thereof-- within states and local jurisdictions provides a majority of LGBT Americans with no clear legal defense from discrimination," said Sharon Lettman-Hicks, NBJC Executive Director & CEO in a statement.. "When a person is both Black and LGBT, discrimination--and the evils of blatant and systemic racism--is too common place  and faced on a number of levels that are fundamentally unacceptable in a democracy.   As such, NBJC supports the Equality Act, which would provide vital legal protections to so many in the Black LGBT community who are particularly vulnerable to discrimination in our nation."

According to a UCLA Williams Institute study, 3.7% of all adult African-Americans identify as LGBT people, representing more than 1 millions Black LGBT Americans. Significant populations of Black LGBT people like in southern states that in many cases have no local or statewide non-discrimination protections that cover LGBT people.  The Equality Act's passage would ensure that the most vulnerable LGBT citizens--which includes Black LGBT ones, would have recourse when they are treated unfairly because of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

'The heightened attention we have seen in recent years, months, and days about the mistreatment of black people in regards to policing, racial profiling and senseless violence demonstrates that the fight for true equality continues.  Even with key civil rights laws on the books meant to prohibit discriminatory treatment, we continue to live in a nation grappling with the plight of racial justice,"  added Lettman-Hicks.

"The movement for equal justice under the law calls for us to continue to place pressure on those in power to make and enforce laws that protect us all--no matter our background.   That is why NBJC will continue to fight to see an end to all forms of racism in our nation and world, while simultaneously working to see the day when measures like the Equality Act are signed into law."

Aisha Moodie-Mills To Become Victory Fund President and CEO!

Y'all know I have much love for the fabulous Aisha Moodie-Mills, her spouse Danielle, and all her fabulousness as one of the  amazing human rights leaders that I admire in this community.

I was thrilled to learn that she will become the new president and CEO of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.

She is well suited for this job.  She was previously at the Center for American Progress, where she served as a senior fellow and director of the FIRE Initiative that explores the intersections of race, class, and sexuality. She has worked as a political advisor, private-sector liaison, and fundraiser to more than 50 members of Congress, including six senators and the Congressional Black Caucus. Before joining American Progress, she was the president of Synergy Strategy Group, a boutique fundraising and political consulting firm where she raised millions of dollars for candidates and advocacy organizations.

“We believe that Aisha is exactly the person Victory needs to usher in an innovative and holistic approach to creating a pipeline for exceptional LGBT leadership and public officials," said Kim Hoover, chair of the Victory Fund board. "To us, Aisha represents the future of the LGBT movement. We are at a pivotal moment and in order to continue our momentum we need the insight and energy that Aisha brings to the job."

“The National Black Justice Coalition is overjoyed that one of our own community members has been elevated to lead the important work of the Victory Fund. Aisha Moodie-Mills will be a phenomenal addition to one of our nation’s premier LGBT organizations, working to ensure broader representation of LGBT people in elected office. As a black lesbian, Aisha will bring new hope to women, African Americans and other people of color who seek greater opportunities within the LGBT community with her vast talents and dynamic leadership style. NBJC looks forward to continuing to partner with the Victory Fund as Mrs. Moodie-Mills takes the helm as their new president and chief executive officer.”  

--Sharon Lettman-Hicks, Executive Director & CEO, National Black Justice Coalition

Congratulations to Aisha, and to the Victory Fund for recognizing that the talents were a fit for what they needed as an organization.

The Task Force Is FINALLY Changing Its Name

When I began my advocacy work on behalf of the trans community in 1998, one of the few national organizations that supported us was the Task Force.

I was introduced to then executive director Kerry Lobel, and what I observed of her I liked, and not just because our birthdays were a week apart.

The Task Force at the time was one of the few national organizations that supported trans people, and that trans inclusion was evident at the Creating Change Conference I attended in Oakland a year later.

When I became the Political Director of a neophyte trans rights organization called the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition, one of the first national policy event tables I got the opportunity to sit at with other LGBT organizations was a February 2000 National Transgender Policy one held at the Task Force's DC headquarters.

And over a decade later, I was a proud member of the Houston Host Committee and conference participant for our wildly successful 2014 Creating Change Conference in my hometown.

I have a long personal connection with the Task Force, and I was extremely pleased to hear that yesterday the organization changed its name to the National LGBTQ Task Force.

The Task Force name only including gay and lesbian has been an at times contentious issue with elements of the bi and trans communities, and even reared its head during one of the plenary speeches during CC14.

The organization’s new tagline to go with the new name and logo is “Be you.”  The vision is a society that values and respects the diversity of human expression and identity and achieves freedom and equity for all.

It's past time that the B, T and Q letters were added to the name, since the Task Force as one of the oldest national LGBTQ orgs has long been doing work around trans issues.

It's just now we're included in the name of the organization.

Last Day Of Gender Proud Indiegogo Campaign

I did want to take some time to highlight today is the last day to donate to the indiegogo campaign to help raise funds for Gender Proud, the international organization model and girl like us Geena Rocero founded.

Gender Proud's mission is to pass laws that make it easier for trans people in our various nations to change documentation and gender markers to match their gender presentation 

This inaugural Gender Proud campaign's goal is to raise $15,000 in order to cover expenses for legal aid, transportation, and stipends for front line activists doing the work and they have already raised as of this writing $13,875.     Gender Proud is just $1,125 short of its goal, so if you can drop $1, $5, $10, $20 or more if you can, it will help the org get closer to reaching it on the last day of this campaign.

Here's the link to Gender Proud's website to do that 

TransGriot Update:  Gender Proud reached its fundraising goal and surpassed it, raising $16,025 as of 1 AM CDT on May 17.    Congratulations!


 

BTMI/BTWI Wants You!

I've been in an advisory role for BTMI/BTWI since the convention in Dallas last March and love the direction it's trying to go as an organization.  But let me let them tell you what's happening with them.

***

Black Transmen, Inc. has really made a great impact in the global transgender community over the past few years. Emerging as the leading first national non-profit organization for Black Transmen, BTMI continues forging onward with the support of Black Transwomen in leadership advocacy, education and performing outreach in the community about challenges facing the transgender community as well as building bridges with allies.

Espoused sister group Black Transwomen, Inc has been visible within the community this year with the help of trailblazing women, Minister Carmarion Anderson, Ms Monica Roberts, Ms Diamond Stylz and Ms Nekidra Brown. At this time, Black Transmen, Inc. is delighted to announce the formation of the first board of directors for Black Transwomen, Inc. this fall.

Black Transmen, Inc. is thrilled to announce:
2013-14 BTMI State Chapters and Leader/Board Members

Maryland/D.C - Mr. Vann Millhouse – BTMI Board
http://www.facebook.com/btmimd

Michigan - Mr. Mykell Price – BTMI Board
http://www.facebook.com/btmimichigan

Virginia - Mr. Charley Burton – BTMI Board
http://www.facebook.com/btmiva

Illinois - Mr Melvin Whitehead - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmiil

Pennsylvania - Mr. Mekhi Johnson - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmipa

Washington - Mr. Qayden Smith - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmiwa

Georgia - Mr. Kendall Brown - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmiga

Texas - Mr. Carter Brown – Dallas - President
Mr. Tye West – Houston - President
Mr. Jabriel Williamson – Fort Worth - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmitx

State Chapters Coming Soon: Louisiana, California & Connecticut

Black Transmen, Inc. is uplifted by the men and women who take a stand for equality through leadership commitment, serving as advocates in the trans community.

Are you eager to have a hand in creating increased positive visibility for the trans community nationwide? BTMI state chapters are currently accepting inquires from transmen and transwomen who desire to commit and serve in one of the volunteer leadership positions available. All skill sets are needed to fulfill a variety of management leadership roles: president, vice-president, secretary or treasure. Other non-management leadership opportunities are available within our outreach programs including our trans speakers bureau. The Black Transmen, Inc leadership program minimum commitment timeframe is one year; invitations are forthcoming.

The next BTMI/BTWI Leadership invitational will be issued in August and will take place online. Interested candidates should contact BTMI/BTWI at http://outreach.blacktransmen.org/ or http://outreach.blacktranswomen.org/.

Association of Transgender Professionals Statement About Allyson Robinson's OutServe/SLDN Dismissal

TransGriot Note: Told y'all we're pissed about what happened to Allyson Robinson.   Here's the statement from the Association of Transgender Professionals about it

Equality in the workplace for the transgender community was set back this week by the sudden dismissal of Allyson Robinson as Executive Director of OutServe-SLDN.


“Allyson’s role at OutServe-SLDN was a beacon to all by demonstrating that transgender was finally an equal partner in the struggle for LGBT equality,” according to ATP Executive Director Denise Norris.

There are an unknown number of Transgender men and woman proudly serving in our military forces, but they can only serve if they sacrifice the same authenticity of self that was recently granted to Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual service personal with the repeal of DADT.  Allyson’s role as Executive Director at OutServe-SLDN gave hope and inspiration all service personal who were required to remain in the military’s closet.

Autumn Sandeen, an ATP member and respected transgender military and veterans activist states, “Allyson Robinson is a strong leader that many prominent trans* veterans trust and deeply respect. I’m sure I’m not the only trans* veteran who is saddened that she’ll no longer be leading OutServe-SLDN.”   Ms Sandeen, Petty Officer First Class (retired), served twenty years in the US Navy.

Norris explains that many ATP members are veterans of military service and have expressed great concern at the loss of the strong positive role model which Ms Robinson represents.

“One cannot serve with Pride if one is commanded to do so in the closet,” Ms. Norris observed.
ATP salutes all Americans on active service during LGBT Pride Month 2013.


***

About the Association of Transgender Professionals

The Association of Transgender Professionals (ATP) is a not-for-profit organization advocating economic equality and workplace inclusion for people with non-conforming gender expressions and/or identities regardless of socioeconomic standing.

To learn more about the Association of Transgender Professionals and its vision and goals, please visit www.transgenderprofessionals.org

Its three-fold mission is:

• To promote inclusion and equality for Gender Expression Diversity in the workplace (Acceptance)
• To provide professional development services to accelerate the acquisition of workplace skills (Talent)
• To develop viable employer recruiting channels (Placement)

Introducing The TransLatin@ Coalition

One of the reasons that my home girl Arianna Inurritegui Lint was at the Black Transmen, Inc conference in Dallas was to do a presentation about the Trans Latin@ Coalition along with doing a little networking. . 

Its founding president is Bamby Salcedo, who I spent some quality time with in Philly last month.  Arianna serves on the executive board as the organization's East Co-Chair.  The other executive board members are West Co-Chair Brenda del Rio Gonzalez and Paola Coots.

The Trans Latin@ Coalition mission is to 'advocate for the specific needs of Trans Latin@ immigrants who reside in the US and plan advocacy strategies that would improve our quality of life.'

As the National Transgender Discrimination Study points out, trans Latinas are catching hell, too.  Then toss in discrimination and immigration status issues into that foul cocktail of transphobic oppression and you see the end result in the sobering NTDS stats. 

The Trans Latin@ Coalition seeks to accomplish their mission by:

*  Having a network of trans-Latin@ immigrant leaders who advocate for the advancement and development of the quality of life of trans Latin@ immigrants who reside in the US.

*  Increase societal acceptance by providing visibility to our issues

*  Advocating for laws for protection, human and civil rights, health care, social and cultural inclusion

* Emphasizing that “Our Unity is Our Development”

The Trans Latin@ Coalition is an organization that is sorely needed in our trans advocacy circles.  It's also one the Trans Persons of Color Coalition, Black Transmen, Inc and Black Transwomen, Inc are eager to work in partnership with.  We do have some common problems in terms of the unemployment underemployment issues, anti-trans violence and sexual assault aimed at non-white transwomen, and visibility in the greater trans community as common ground issues we are motivated to work intersectionally to solve.


May the TransLatin@ Coalition have abundant success in fulfilling your mission to be the voice of immigrant trans Latinas.   Judging by what I saw in terms of Bamby's and Arianna's presentations I'd say you were well on your way to fulfilling that part of your mission.  

May your voice also be heard and respected not only by the greater Latin@ community, but all the ones you intersect and interact with.  More importantly, may it be turned into governmental policy that will positively impact your lives.

TAVA Turns 10

This year also marks the 10th birthday of the Transgender American Veterans Association  which was founded in January 2003 by Monica Helms and Angela Brightfeather out of growing concerns for the fair and equal treatment of transgender veterans and active duty service members.

When the June 2010 VA directive came out, TAVA was in the position of seeing their major policy objective achieved.  Even more gratifying to the board members, the feedback they received from their constituents is that it worked.  

Now they are at a critical crossroads as to whether to build on that success or fold the organization.  

As TAVA founding president Monica Helms stated on her Facebook page:

Yesterday was TAVA's 10 year anniversary. Sadly, it may be our last. We did accomplish our primary mission when in June 2010, the VA initiated a directive that shows how to treat trans veterans properly. Two days after that came out, we received E-mails and calls from transgender veterans who said it worked. You don't know how wonderful that felt.

But, all the board members (the ones who are left) are all over 60 and we are tired. Other organizations, such as OutServe and NCTE are taking up the slack. TAVA's board is in the process of deciding how we need to "fade out," and there is some contention on how it should be done. All we ask of our friends is to understand and support our decision, whichever direction it goes. We appreciate all your support over the years. YOU are the ones who helped us fulfill our primary mission. We love you for that.

And thank you Monica and TAVA for your past and continuing service to this nation and the trans community.   But I would submit to you that TAVA's mission isn't done in terms of advocacy for fair and equal treatment of transgender veterans and active duty service members, especially since patriotic transpeople cannot join our military.

Don't Ask Don't Tell still exists for us.

Yes SLDN-OutServe has now added the issues of trans vets to their mission.  They have a transwoman in Allyson Robinson running it that I have much respect for.   But compared to TAVA, the merged SLDN-OutServe are newbies at advocating for trans veterans, understanding our issues and it's still marriage-centric in terms of its advocacy.  We are still dealing with the fallout of DADT not ending for us so GLB peeps could openly serve.  

I haven't forgotten how that organization refused to consider lifting transpeople as they climbed and made excuses for not advocating for transpeople to also be able to openly serve when Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal was being worked on during the Democratically controlled lame duck Congress in 2010 and eventually became a reality for the GLB community in September 2011.

So yes, I'm wary of SLDN-Outserve based on how military transfolks got thrown under the Humvee in the runup to DADT repeal.

I know you TAVA board members are tired after fighting this battle for so long and you want to move on to your well deserved rest and retire.  If you need to recruit younger peeps and train them to handle those issues, fine. 

But I submit TAVA needs to survive.  An organization of, by and for trans veterans is needed, especially when we have returning vets that will be coming home from service in Iraq and Afghanistan.  They will need an org that understands their needs, has the expertise to deal with trans veterans and the unique issues that crop up for them.
But thank you all for what you've done to help advance trans human rights in this arena for the last 10 years..