TDOV-A Candid Conversation With TENT

Was happy to discover that we actually have an event scheduled to happen in Houston on the 10th anniversary of TDOV.

The Transgender Education Network of Texas and Transform Houston are hosting a panel discussion tomorrow that will discuss the importance of trans and non binary visibility.

The panel will feature Atlantis Narcisse, Rylie Jefferson, Nick Arvizu and Mike Webb.  They will discuss what visibility means to them and the different types of visibility we have in the community.

This panel discussion will take place at 4212 Emancipation, at that address on Emancipation Ave in Houston's Third Ward and run from 7 - 9 PM CDT.

Hope you can attend this event and see this group of panelists .   

Modern LGBTQIA+ Trailblazers Panel This Thursday

Since it's Pride, I usually get a chance to do a panel discussion or two during this seminal historic month for the LGBTQIA+ community.

On Thursday I'm one of the participants in a panel discussion presented by the Sharpstown Democrats for their Evening Extra series.

This one is entitled Modern LGBTQIA+ Trailblazers, and features me along with Fran Watson, Mo Cortez, and Jim Kovach.   The panel is being moderated by Kris Banks and it is scheduled to run from 6:30 -9:30 PM CDT.

Thanks to Erik Manning and the Sharpstown Democrats for putting it together and inviting me to participate in it.

Location of this discussion is the Bayland Park Community Center at 6400 Bissonnet St in Southwest Houston just past Hillcroft Ave.

Hope to see you there, because it is probably going to be an interesting and informative discussion.
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'The State Of Black Women In America' Discussion At TSU Tonight

Looking forward to this conversation on the Texas Southern Campus tonight organized by Dr Carla Brailey and Dr Kimberly Brown Pellum.

It's a discussion entitled The State Of Black Women In America, it has on the panel attorney Cha' mira Keener, Tomiko Meeks, psychologist Dr. Alauna Curry,  Dr Michon Benson, TSU assistant professor of English, Kandice Webber, who organized the recent March of Black Women, and Tiffany Thomas, former board trustee from Alief ISD.

I am concerned that we're having a discussion about Black women in America on an HBCU campus without including the voices of Black trans feminine people, and it's a major reason why I'm attending this event tonight.

Kandice Webber is a ride or die accomplice for Black trans women, so I have no doubts at some point during the two hours scheduled for this conversation we will get to talk about the issues of Black trans women one way or the other

In case you live in the Houston area and wish to attend this event, it's happening from 7-9 PM in the Barbara Jordan - Mickey Leland Public Affairs Building in Room 114 on the Cleburne St. side of the TSU campus . 

Hope you'll consider attending this what is sure to be a thought provoking panel discussion 

Social Justice Discussion On TSU Campus Tonight

Our local HBCU Texas Southern University has produced a long list of distinguished graduates since its 1947 founding     One of them is trailblazing Congresswoman Barbara Jordan. 

The School of Public Affairs Building on the north side of the TSU campus is named for her and another distinguished TSU alumnus in Congressman Mickey Leland.

February 21 is her birthday, and in honor of it, a panel discussion organized by TSU professors Dr. Carla Brailey and Dr Kimberly Brown-Pellum on the topic of social justice is being held in the Walter McCoy Auditorium (room 114) in the Jordan-Leland School of Public Affairs Building.

The special guest is Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who currently represents as we sometimes call the 18th Congressional District in H-town 'Barbara's Seat'.

The other panelists will be District 146 Texas state Rep Shawn Thierry, Dr. Rockell Brown Burton of TSU's School of Communications,  Algenita Scott Davis, longtime business leader and a visiting professor in TSU's School of Business , attorney Antoinette 'Toni' Jackson who is a partner in the Jones Walker LLP firm,  the Honorable  Fredericka Phillips, Vice Chair of the Texas Democratic Party, and Rhonda Skillern-Jones, the HISD school board president.

The event is running from 7-9 PM, and with this lineup of amazing Houston women leaders, should be an interesting conversation and discussion. 

Hope people will check this discussion out since it is open to the public.

MAJOR! Screening and Panel Discussion November 20

I had the pleasure of meeting the legendary Miss Major Griffin-Gracy back in 2012 when I was the keynote speaker for the TransSaints conference in Charlotte

In addition to getting to know our trans elder and hear her tell me her stories about being a trans human rights warrior in a much more regressive time period, I've had the pleasure of seeing her at other events over the last few years including BTAC.

And I get the pleasure of having her call to check in on me from time to time as a bonus.   Even better, she's not too far away in the Little Rock, AR area..

While I've seen the film, I'm still pleased and proud to be in the house for the Houston premiere of MAJOR! at the University of Houston. from 6-9 PM CST.

The screening is sponsored by Transform Houston, and will take place in the Agnes Arnold Auditorium 2.   It will be followed by a panel discussion that includes Jessica Zyrie, Fran Watson and some blogger y'all know. 

Address is 3553 Cullen Blvd and hope to see y'all in the house for the film and the discussion afterward.

Faith and Family Dynamics Panel at Resurrection MCC Today

If you're looking for something to do on this Saturday afternoon, how about joining me and a few Houston community friends for a trans panel focusing on the intersection of faith and family and its impact on the lives of TBLGQ people.

This event will be focused on lifting up the lives and voices of the Black trans community and will include a panel discussion and a memorial to the ten people we've lost in 2017 to anti-trans violence.

The Faith and Family Dynamics event will take place at Resurrection MCC from 1-4 PM,     The church is located at 2025 W. 11th Street in Houston and hope you can join us for it.
 

Upcoming LGB and What About The T? Panel At 14 Pews

There's an interesting panel discussion that will be taking place at 14 Pews on April 19 focused on the trans community

It's entitled LGB and What About The T?   It is a panel discussion with the goal of talking about the erasure of trans people of color, and how we can create a world in which trans folks can exist freely and without drama.

It's a timely discussion at a time in which the Republican majority in the Texas Legislature is trying to unjustly legislate oppression against the Texas trans community,

Kaleb Elijah is one of the panelists, and nope I get to be a spectator on this one.  Food will also be served from 6-7 PM with the panel starting immediately after the food is served.

Kaleb is also challenging his trans brothers to show up for this event.

"I am asking Houston trans men of color to join me as I guest speak on this panel. The organizer told me today that besides me and one other he has not met any transmen of color, that is alarming." he wrote in a comment on his FB page.  .

"Instead of complaining that you are not heard or understood or your needs are never tended to in the community, show up in the spaces that are inclusive and have been created for your voice to be heard. The torch has been lit,  Please don't let those who are in leadership carry the load by themselves. Just like you needed someone, someone needs you."

He's right trans men of color,  I've said the same thing about you needing to show up for events and claim leadership roles in our community.  Can't be just trans women of color consistently carrying the community leadership torch.

14 Pews is located at 800 Aurora street in The Heights, and hope to see you trans men of color in the house on that date.

Moni's Made It To Massachusetts!

Finally made it to Boston, or to be precise, Brookline, MA.   Flight up was relatively smooth and I'm ensconced in my room, have made my usual call to Mom to let her know her eldest child is safe and had a chance to unwind for a minute and check out my room , the hotel and the nearby neighborhood.

Good to also know there's an MBTA train station nearby as well.

And year, I'm actually having to pull out my sweaters peeps since the high temp right now ins only 53 degrees F.   Way cooler than what I left this morning.

But looking forward to seeing Dr Pamela Lightsey and everyone connected with this human conference that kicks off tomorrow.   We're having dinner tonight to facilitate those intros, and I need to get out of my traveling outfit and get into dinner wear.

So let me do that so I can be ready at ^6:25 PM EDT to get picked up.

Trans*H4CK TDOV Panel 'On Being Black and Trans In The US'

March 31 is the Transgender Day of Visibility, and there are many event planned to focus on trans lives throughout the country

The Oakland based Trans*H4CK will be sponsoring a TDOV discussion moderated by Dr Kortney Ziegler entitled 'On Being Black and Trans in The US'.

The panelists are A. Dionne Stallworth,  Jevon Martin, Michael David Battle, Lynx M'Chea, Deja Sparks, Preston Martin and Lourdes Ashley Hunter.

This International Trans Day of Visibility, Trans*H4CK celebrates the lives of Black Trans Americans. In this live video panel, you will hear from black trans, black gender non conforming and black non-binary folks covering topics such as: Cross gender coalition building; Black Trans mental health; grassroots activism; ways to self-sustain as a black trans person with our current administration.

RSVP and join the discussion live on The LOFT March 31st at 10:00 AM PDT. 

The discussion will start at 10 AM PDT  (11:00 AM MDT, 12;00 PM CDT and 1:00 PM EDT)  and looking forward to hearing the discussion.

The Battle For LGBTQ Non Discrimination Policy Panel Tomorrow

I always love it when I get a chance to come back to my alma mater for panel discussions, and tomorrow I'll on the UH campus taking part in one sponsored by the University of Houston College of Social Work, Texas Rising UH/ Texas Freedom Network and the UH LGBTQ Resource Center.

It's the middle portion of a series of events focusing on LGBTQ issues and intersectionality, with a screening of the documentary The New Black closing it out on October 11.

It opened with a September 27 event discussing 'Gender Identity and Social Justice' that featured Dr Colt Keo-Meier and Becca Keo-Meier.

The panel discussion I'll be a part of is entitled 'The Battle For LGBTQ Non Discrimination Policy', and includes Houston GLBT Caucus President Fran Watson, Brad Pritchett of the ACLU of Texas, and Caucus vice president and advocate Michael Webb .

We'll be talking about the fight for LGBTQ inclusive policies, the pushback against them, and what we can expect when the 85th Texas Legislative session starts in Austin in January.

It will be in Room 110J the UH College of Social Work building next door to Agnes Arnold Hall, and I'm looking forward to seeing as many people as possible there for this discussion.

Another Busy H-town Saturday

This Saturday was a busy one, but in a good way for me.

I was invited to take part in a panel discussion for the New Leaders Council with Lura Groen and Judge Steven Kirkland about being a progressive leader in diverse communities on the fourth floor of the Legacy Health Services building in Montrose. .

The panel started a little after 11 PM, and it was a lively two way one and a half hour conversation that I hope the NLC fellows not only enjoyed but gleaned some lessons out of it.

I then went home and attempted to rest for a few hours, then get freshened up and dressed for the 19th annual Houston HRC Gala at the Hilton Americas Hotel in the downtown Convention Center District at the invitation of Lou Weaver.  .

Dee Dee was headed to Spring High School to support their GSA for an on campus event they were having that started at 7 PM, so the game plan was to bounce out of the crib at 6 PM, she drop me off, and she would continue to Spring High on the far north side.

But we ran into bumper to bumper traffic on I-45 that started past Loop 610 and was creeping along a such a snails pace that we eventually jumped ff I-45 and took side streets to the Hilton Americas.  the end result was I didn't get to the hotel until 6:50 PM, and got to the second floor ballroom moments later

Despite me not getting enough time to my liking to say hello to everyone there for what we call locally 'Houston Gay Prom', I did get to sit at Lou's table with my activist mentor Judge Phyllis Frye and her lovely wife Trish, and Mike Webb, who moderated the NLC panel I'd done that morning

The Houston human rights warriors were in the house in full effect   Got to see Januari Leo for the first time in months, Melissa Vivanco was looking fab along with Fran and Kim Watson, Crystal Solares, Jeffry Faircloth and a long list of people I managed to get conversations in with along with getting a chance to eat before i had to leave.  .  

I also got to see in the two and a half hours I was there everyone from City Councilmember Robert Gallegos to Rep Sheila Jackson-Lee to our former mayor Annise Parker.   I missed the speech that Houston homegirl Loretta Devine gave, but I was in the room for HRC president Chad Griffin's speech where i once again got an unexpected shout out along with Dee Dee Watters and Judge Frye.  

It was a busy H-town Saturday for me, but enjoyable.

Trans Attracted Men Revisited Panel

The trans attracted men panel that was rudely interrupted at Creating Change will be happening today on YouTube at 12 noon Eastern.

So if you wish to see the discussion on trans attracted men, moderated by Tona Brown and Bryanna Jenkins, and featuring Antwan Fields, Troy Kennedy and Jonathan Hayden, you can click on the link to hear that discussion

Successful TSU 50 Shades Of Me Panel

Last night I was honored to participate on a panel discussion that discussed mental health and the trans community

The panel was entitled 50 Shades Of Me: Mental Health And The Transgender Community and took place in the Jordan-Leland Public Affairs Building on the Texas Southern University campus.

In addition to some blogger y'all know about, the panel included Atlantis Capri, Marie Angel Hernandez, Jude Feng, and Dr. Natalie Walker, and moderated by Dr. Dominique Broussard, one of the organizers of it along with Dr Andrea Shelton.

It was also the first panel I've done on a HBCU campus, and it was gratifying to me it happened on a campus in which I have deep familial ties.

The 50 Shades Of Me panel was a two hour event in which after a greeting by Dr Broussard and an opening statement by Jarvis Calhoun, there was a video played about a young trans kid named Ryland before we dove into the moderated topic of mental health and the trans community.

We discussed the impact of society, the microaggressions and macroaggressions, our personal recollections about it, and other issues that transpeople face that affect them mental health wise. 

It was also enlightening to have J Feng there to not only represent the transmasculine end of it, but talk about trans issues from an Asian-American perspective.

It was also nice to have Dr Walker there to talk about it as a cis feminine therapist who has trans clients perspective.

A pleasant surprise was Dee Dee Watters showing up in the auditorium with roses to present to the panelists. 

The panel's last 30 minutes was opened to audience Q&A before it wrapped up at 8 PM.

This was the first in a series of conversations involving the trans community that will take place on the TSU campus, and Dr Shelton and Dr.Broussard are committed to keeping this dialogue going because it needs to happen.

This was just the beginning of an ongoing conversation, and looking forward to the next one that happens.

'50 Shades Of Me' Panel At TSU This Thursday

This Thursday April 23, I'll be taking part in a panel discussion on the Texas Southern University campus entitled 50 Shades of Me: Mental Health And The Transgender Community.

The scheduled panelists are J. Feng, Marie Angel Hernandez and  Atlantis Capri in addition to myself, and will take place starting at 6 PM.

I thank Dr. Dominique Broussard and Dr. Andrea Shelton for the invitation to participate in this panel discussion.

I'm looking forward to this panel because it has some personal significance to me.  It will be the first time ever I've done a panel on an HBCU campus, and it's apropos it happens to be on an HBCU campus in my hometown that I have deep family ties to. 

My mother, brother and sister all earned their degrees from TSU, and my late father was a play by play announcer for TSU football and basketball games in the 70's and 80's in addition to running KTSU-FM for five years as its general manager.

The panel will take place in the Leland-Jordan Public Affairs Building on the Tierwester and Cleburne St. side of the campus.   There is parking across the street from the PAC, and hope you'll join us for this upcoming discussion,

'Discrimination In Disguise' Event At UHD Tomorrow

With the overwhelmingly negative attention that the Indiana RFRA drew when their GOP dominated state government tried to pass it, this timely panel discussion on the University of Houston Downtown campus brings attention to our GOP dominated state government''s attempts in Texas to pass RFRA bills that are even more odious.

There are currently 20 anti-LGBTQI bills being proposed that disguise themselves as religious freedom restoration acts, and a panel sponsored by the Texas Freedom Network UHD chapter will discuss them.

It will be on the UHD campus at 1 Main Street in Room N1099 starting at 5:30 PM, so come and join the discussion, the free food, and get educated about the attempts of the Texas GOP to legislate discrimination in disguise..

Misfits Panel At TSU Featuring NBJC's Sharon Lettman-Hicks On Wednesday

Another Misfits panel will take place on the TSU campus on Wednesday, and it will feature as a special guest National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) Executive Director/CEO Sharon Lettman-Hicks.

This Misfits Series town hall discussion will tackle addressing the frequently asked question, "Are Black LGBTQ People Being Left Behind by Our Black Leaders?"

The panel will be moderated by Fran Watson, and the panelists in addition to Lettman-Hicks, Dr Carla Brailey, Jon Humphries, Councilmember Larry Green and Ruby Glass.

The panel will take place in the Tiger Room on the 3rd floor of the Sterling Student Life Center on the TSU campus at 3100 Cleburne St, and will start at 6:00 PM CDT.

UHD State Of Discrimination Panel Wednesday

After taking a few days to rest from my just completed trip to DC and prepping to leave for another one, I get to handle some Houston business on Wednesday

I'm part of a panel that will take place on the UHD campus on March 11 entitled, The State of Discrimination: from Ferguson, to HERO, to HB2, to Islan Nettles is a critical discourse that will examine the current state of discrimination in America by engaging in a dialogue about contemporary forms of oppression and modern day discrimination.
During this conversation we’ll examine issues relating to Ferguson, police brutality, disparities in the criminal justice system, Islan Nettles, the epidemic of violence against Black trans* people, the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, Roe vs. Wade, HB2, and a host of other issues that will help us understand the current state of discrimination in America.

In addition to myself, the panel will include Brad Pritchett, Shailey Gupta-Brietzke, and Durrel Douglas.

The panel will start at 4:00 PM CDT and is scheduled to run until 5:40 PM in room N-1099 on the University of Houston Downtown campus.  

UHD Challenging Intersections Panel Today

Another day, another panel discussion for me as I head this time to the University of Houston Downtown for one entitled 'Challenging Intersections: Exploring the Struggles and Triumphs of African-Americans in the LGBTQ Community(ies)'

The panel sponsored by Stand Out is another Black History Month event that will be a discussion about being Black and TBLGQ.

It will feature Fran Watson, Brandon Mack, Ashton Woods, and some blogger y'all may have heard of.

The panel will start at 3 PM and will be if you can attend it will be in room N420 on the UHD campus.

See y'all in a few hours Gators!

HCC Southeast LGBT Of Color Panel

Had the pleasure of taking part in another panel on the HCC Southeast college campus yesterday in the Angela V. Morales Building that focused during this Black History Month on the issues of LGBT People of Color.

It was moderated by Professor Marjorie Brown, and in addition to some blogger y'all know and love, it included HCC Southeast students Vickie Kight and HCC Southeast student leader Robert Loreto. 

It was an interesting 90 minutes in which we discussed coming out as a person of color in our community and the impact on family, bullying, the racism in the LGBT community ranks, invisibility, the violence aimed at the trans community having an anti-Blackness and anti-woman animus as part of it, the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, and our lives.

It was also an interactive panel in questions and comments came from the audience as well.

As usual, it was another panel that  we could have had another hour to discuss the issues that impact LGBT communities of color and answer questions about, but  the end came far too quickly.  After some final thoughts from Professor Antrece Baggett, the program conclude.

Thanks to Professor Baggett and the HCC Southeast team for the invitation and another enjoyable foray onto their campus, and looking forward to the next time I can head their way for a visit.

5th Annual TransGriot Black Trans Trivia Quiz Coming Soon

Been a little quiet during this Black History Month with the history related posts because of all the breaking news and #CC15, but that's going to end soon when I unleash my latest edition of the Black Trans History quiz upon you.

Fear not, because it's an open internet test and I'll give you a couple of days before I post the answers to it. 

It's a mix of current events and Black trans historical figures and event questions, so don't trip.

And here's what you have to look forward to.   These are the questions I asked during the first, second,  third, and fourth annual editions of it.

It's time to get your Black Trans History learn on. so be looking out for the 5th Annual Black Trans History Quiz to pop up on these TransGriot electronic pages soon.