Another Can We Talk 4 Real Show Appearance Tonight

I get the opportunity to appear on another episode of the award winning Can We Talk For Real show with Ina, Michelle, and Terry Boi for the first time since I got to see them all at CC14.  

Interestingly enough, I'll be on the CWT4R to talk about another conference, the upcoming Black Trans Advocacy one next week in Dallas ,TX April 29-May 4.

Looking forward to discussing this rapidly growing third annual conference and chatting with the CWT4R team .

To be part of the conversation, you can call 347-215-8985 at 10:30 PM Eastern time, 9:30 PM Central time, 8:30 PM Mountain time and at 7:30 PM Pacific time tonight.

Houston LGBT Radio Icon Jimmy Carper Passes Away

I posted last year about March 10 being declared by Mayor Annise Parker as Jimmy Carper Day. 

Jimmy is a radio legend and one of the beloved iconic figures in our Houston GLBT community. 
I enjoyed the time I spent sitting next to this legendary broadcaster from November 1999 to September 2001 and being able to fulfill a dream of actually being on the Houston radio airwaves.

Having a 100,000 watt FM radio platform to say what was on my mind within FCC regulations at the time was pretty cool and heady stuff, especially in the late 90's-early 2k's when not a whole lot of Black trans people here in Houston or anywhere else in the country for that matter had that history making opportunity.

Jimmy Carper on his 'After Hours' show was practicing intersectionality and inclusion during a time when it wasn't cool in some quarters of this community to do and practice that value, and for that we in Houston owe you many thanks..

When I moved from Houston , Jimmy and the gang at KPFT-FM were some of the many people I missed.  I also discovered when I was in Oakland for Creating Change 1999 just how loved and respected he was in the LGBT  radio world when I attended a Pacifica Radio panel discussion during that event.  When the panelists discovered at the conclusion of it I was from Houston and co-hosting a show with him at KPFT-FM, I wasn't allowed to leave until I assured them I would pass on their greetings and love to him when I returned home.

So it's highly ironic and sad to me that as we are gearing up to have Creating Change here in Houston, that I heard the sad news that Jimmy Carper passed away peacefully about 12:26 AM CST this morning after a long illness.  

He'd crossed my mind Thursday and I was wondering how he was doing.   Well, now I know..  The details are still to be worked out concerning a memorial service, but when I find out, I'll pass them on.  

This was the comment I posted on his Facebook page. 

Jimmy, thanks for giving me and other people in the trans community a voice at a time when we had precious few outlets to do so. The co-host time I spent at your side from November 1999 to September 2001 still ranks as some of the happiest moments of my life.

You are with the angels now, and I and everyone else whose lives you touched who tuned into 'Queer Radio With Attitude' will miss you.

According to the After Hours Facebook page, this Saturday's After Hours will be a tribute one.

***

Our show this Saturday night will be in tribute to him, three hours of stories, memories, jokes and the music that Jimmy loved so much. The doors are open at the station 419 Lovett Blvd for those who wish to share with us in person. Our phone lines will be open as well to join in the show at 713-526-KPFT (5738). We will also share emails sent to afterhours@kpft.org and any postings to our Facebook page as well. The show is Saturday night/Sunday morning Midnight Central time to 3 AM. Please join us for tribute to our friend.

Plans for a public memorial are in the works and will be announced soon. Check the After Hours Facebook or listen in for details as released. The entire crew of After Hours thank everyone for the love and support sent to Jimmy in the past weeks and we look forward to continuing serving the community for him.

***

Jimmy Carper was a beacon of hope and a lifeline to many Houston area BTLG kids and adults who tuned into 'After Hours'.  His voice and the voices of his co-hosts and guests on 90.1 FM assured his listeners that they weren't alone and gave them the courage to be out and proud about who they are.  

And with every broadcast, Jimmy Carper helped us build a better Houston TBLG community..   

Rest in power and in peace Jimmy

Transitions Radio Interview Tuesday Afternoon

You regular TransGriot readers are probably saying to yourselves "'Didn't you just do a radio interview Saturday?"

Sure did.  But new week, new opportunity to discuss trans and other issues on another show.

This time it's Mark Angelo and Jessica Lynn Cummings extending the invitation to do so on their Transitions Radio show tomorrow on blogtalkradio.

The show will start at 6:30 PM EDT, so if you can listen to it, please do so.  If you're motivated to do so you can also call in at (646) 716-6895.

Should be fun and looking forward to talking to Mark and Jessica about many of the issues that impact our community.

TransGriot Note: Transitions Radio art by Kelley Miller

Another Moni Radio Interview Later Today

Since I used to co-host a radio show on KPFT-FM, our local community radio station in Houston, I love having the opportunity to do radio interviews with folks who work or produce informational talk shows at public radio stations. 

Later this afternoon at 1 PM CDT I'm being interviewed by Sandra Meade of KKFI-FM 90.1 in Kansas City, MO during the first segment of her Trans Talk edition of the Tenth Voice show.

Yeah, I would have to go do an interview on a Kansas City based show days after my fave NFL squad lost at Arrowhead Stadium.  

Anyway focus, Moni. 

The Tenth Voice is a KKFI-FM show created in 1989 by and dedicated to the Greater Kansas City area's LGBTQIA people.  Listeners can tune in each Saturday at 1:00 PM CDT and around the world online.

Each week the Tenth Voice's team of hosts and producers present interviews, information, music, news and features of interest to Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, Transgender and Allied collective communities.   

Since its 1989 beginnings, The Tenth Voice radio show's mission has been to document history and inform the LGBTQIA Kansas City community.

The name of the show comes from the early Dr. Kinsey sex studies where he determined that 1 in 10 people are homosexual. That number has changed over time but just like the historic Stonewall name, they have kept the show name for the same reasons.

Speaking of shows, Sandra and I will discuss the long history of trans people of color in the LGBT rights movement, erasure and minimization of their contributions to said history, and the disparate challenges faced by trans people of color today.

So for my TransGriot readers in the Kansas City area, tune in to KKFI-FM at 1:00 PM CDT to hear my thoughts about that and all the topics we can cover during my segment of the show.    

As soon as Sandra lets me know the show has been archived, I'll post links to it.

Strange Fruit-Janet Mock Interview

I've talked about the WFPL-FM radio show that Niece and Nephew (Dr Kaila Story and Jaison Gardner to y'all) do in Louisville entitled Strange Fruit: Musings on Politics, Pop Culture and Black Gay Life that is produced by Laura Ellis and has been on 89.3 FM for a year now.

And yes, I've been on it twice.  By the way, congratulations and Happy 1st Anniversary for the show Niece and Nephew!  

They have had some interesting guests and discussed some thought provoking topics in the year they have graced the radio waves of Da Ville and I expect there will more of the same to come in Year Two of Strange Fruit.

For those of you who don't live in the Louisville metro area, Strange Fruit is also available via podcast. 

Speaking of interesting guests, last Saturday's Strange Fruit broadcast featured Janet Mock, who was on her way to Louisville as a keynote speaker for U of L's annual on campus Pride Festival event.

Janet's keynote speech happened Thursday night, and I heard from my friends in the area she rocked it per usual.  Heard there were some cheers for yours truly who was part of Janet's presentation when I popped up in it.

Aww, miss y'all too Louisville.  If there's video of Janet's keynote floating around I'll put it up in a future post.   

Here's Janet's Strange Fruit interview with Kaila and Jaison. 

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Tom Joyner Morning Show Team Dips Into Transphobic 'Comedy' In Garner Case

I'm a huge fan of the syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show that has a national listening audience of 11 million African-Americans. 

But right now I'm a little pissed about them dipping into transphobic comedy this morning to talk about the ongoing Tracey Lynn Garner case unfolding in Jackson, MS. 

During the 7:00 AM CDT hour of today's TJMS show Joyner started reading the story about Garner on air and seized on something that I've complained about in terms of covering trans people.  I don't like it along with many people in the trans community news outlets or reporters printing the old names of transpeople in stories when they are not germane to it because it opens the floodgates for transphobia to happen.  What I feared would happen did when Joyner read her old male name on air.  

J. Anthony Brown, Sybil Wilkes and Joyner then seized on that aspect of it to crack jokes about not only Ms  Garner but the very serious issues of silicone pumping that have cost the lives of hundreds of people inside and outside the trans community over the last decade and have Tracey Lynn Garner facing life imprisonment for performing the silicone pumping buttocks injections that resulted in the deaths of Karima Gordon and Marilyn Hale.  

TJMS, love y'all as a longtime fan on the show, haven't forgotten to your credit that Jacque Reid interviewed Laverne Cox back in March 2010, have mad respect for the 'Fly Jock' as a Black radio pioneer who also knew my late father, but got to put y'all on blast for this one.

Trans people and especially Black trans people are catching hell out there.  Back in April we had three African-American transwomen killed because elements of our community think it's okay to exterminate us for simply being who we are and far too often murderers of Black trans people have been fellow African-Americans.  Far more in our community think it's okay to make fun of or engage in transphobic rhetoric disparaging our lives.

That TJMS segment during the 7:00 AM CDT hour didn't rise to the level of what Lex and Terry recently did in actually calling on June 3 for the murder of trans people, but it's still harmful and hurtful to the transpeople of African descent who are like myself fans of your show.
 
It also give cover to the Fox News ongoing campaign to disparage the lives of American transpeople that fuels the disrespect and anti-trans violence aimed at us and disproportionately takes the lives of African-American and Latina transpeople.  

I like a good joke from time to time, enjoy some of the TJMS bits that happen on the show along with your commentators thought provoking commentary that sometimes inspires my TransGriot posts, but belittling or joking about trans peoples lives doesn't help especially when we are struggling to gain human rights coverage and have our humanity respected. 

That education on trans issues is especially needed in the African-American community and those efforts were set back this morning by the TJMS team's jokes about not only this individual transwoman who committed a crime that she (yes, she) will probably be punished for, but you reinforced a problematic pattern that it's okay to turn trans people's lives into a punchline of a joke.

TransGriot's Back On Can We Talk For Real Tonight

It was shaping up to be a busy media week and still is.   My interview on Holly's show Sunday has been rescheduled for May 13, and I'm honored to do my second appearance with Ina, Michelle, and Terri Boi, the hosts of CAN WE TALK FOR REAL

Cemia “CeCe” Acoff was another Black trans woman killed then victimized again in the media.  The Cleveland Plain Dealer leading the way with its offensive, insensitive, transphobic coverage of her death that was mimicked by the rest of the local and national media 

.CeCe sadly wasn’t the first and probably won’t be the last victim this year of anti-trans violence. Our transgender community continues to grapple with unacceptable levels of anti-trans violence, intimidation and discrimination. Trans women are disrespectfully misidentified in the media following violent attacks and trans men are often invisible in conversations about hate violence as the murder of rapper Evon 'Yung LT' Young in Milwaukee points out. 

The attacks on our transgender community aren't always by unidentified strangers in dark alleys and back streets..  It's also blatantly in their faces on a depressingly daily basis as the recent news of Arizona’s controversial SB 1045 'Transgender Bathroom Bill' is an example of.

It underscores the fact  anti-trans discrimination takes place in every area of trans people's lives in the areas of employment; housing; and public accommodations, even in our own LGB ranks. 

 

We acknowledge the “T” in our LGBT fight but unfortunately for political expediency, image, bigotry in our ranks or other unexplainable reasons when the going gets tough, the “T” has been left behind or thrown under the human rights bus. 

In 2007 LGBT advocacy organizations, most notably HRC and the LGBT community were divided over support of a modified ENDA that shadily excluded the transgender community.  As we showed our solidarity for marriage equality during the recent Supreme Court deliberations this spring, reports of exclusion of the trans pride flag ironically surfaced during the same week we celebrated transgender visibility with the unveiling of the first ever Trans 100 List

This week on CAN WE TALK FOR REAL I'm one of the two Trans 100 honorees along with , Monica Roberts, the TransGriot, and Carter Brown, director of Black Transmen, Inc. joining co-hosts Ina, Michelle and Terry Boi to talk about the “T” in the LGBT community.

We'll discuss the continued violence against our trans brothers and sisters, legislative battles facing the Trans community, and discuss why there is no room for division in our fight for equality.

 

Call 347-215-8985 at 10:30 PM Eastern time, 9:30 PM Central time, 8:30 PM Mountain time and at 7:30 PM Pacific time on Wednesday, May 8 for one dynamic conversation that I'm looking forward to.

Busy Media Week

With two radio interviews over the next three days.   Have one tomorrow with Holly Knight on her Prism Radio show starting at 5 PM CDT.   The topic will be 'Race in the TG Community' and I'll be on it along with Jaison Gardner, AKA to me as 'Nephew'.

He cohosts Strange Fruit on WFPL-FM, the public radio station in Louisville with Dr Kaila Story, AKA to me as 'Niece'. 

You can call 949-534-0761 to comment on what is sure to be a very interesting discussion..

On May 8 I've been invited to make my second appearance on the 'Can We Talk For REAL' show.   It's a Blog Talk Radio Show geared toward discussing the important issues of the LGBTQ Community including many issues that are hard to discuss within the community.   I'll be on the air along with my fellow Lone Star state Trans 100 honoree Carter Brown, the Executive Director of Black Transmen, Inc to have a chat with the Can We Talk For Real radio team of Ina, Michelle and Terri Boi.

Carter and I will be talking about recent developments in the trans community and you can join in for that lively discussion by calling 347-215-8985.

And that's not including my ongoing complaints about the jacked up Cleveland Plain Dealer report over the disrespectful reporting in the Cemia Acoff murder.


TransGriot Update: Was just advised by Holly she wants to reschedule the show for May 13

Tamala Savage Show Interview (Part 1)

Last night I taped an interview on the Tamala Savage show that got rather interesting. It originally was supposed to be a single episode.  But as with any discussion on trans issues there's a lot of ground to cover and discuss and not enough time to cover the issues, so I have been invited back on for an additional show.

We also had two fools call in that showed their anuses, and a freshly out gay teen that was being bullied and needed counseling. 

FYI peeps, if you're a trans or SGL teen that needs help, someone to talk to or are contemplating suicide, call the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386

While you're waiting for that next show, you can listen to Part 1 by clicking on this link. 

Claude 'Rick' Roberts, Jr 1941-2013

Was at the Houston hospice today when my father passed away at 12 noon CDT.

Didn't talk about it much on the blog, but my dad is a Black radio and Houston radio legend. 

He's also one of the reasons why I have the public speaking skills I do right now since everyone from my various schools to my home church had me standing at their podiums since I was age 6 MCing their programs.

Dad even had me doing a commercial promoting his morning drive time radio show when I was in second grade. 

Dad was a native Houstonian, and started his radio career at WBOK-AM in New Orleans.   He spent bulk of his radio career starting in 1967 in the Houston area at KYOK-AM as its program director and at KTSU-FM before he retired in 1993.

I had a ringside seat to much of the Houston Black radio world growing up.  KYOK had a ground breaking RV that served as a mobile broadcasting studio and I bounced around different areas of town to many of those remotes.  

There were also a few nights when he brought that vehicle to the house pre or post remote and I got to sleep in it.

I also got to see firsthand the major love and respect many people had for him inside and outside the community because he not only was a proud Black man who stood up for his beliefs and was willing to do more than just talk about them, he was a voice for the voiceless in H-town.  

And he was one heck of a play by play announcer  If ESPN had started a little earlier you probably would have heard him calling football and basketball games on that network.  As it was I did get to watch him call Texas Southern University and HISD football games from the Astrodome press box and see people like NFL Hall of Famers Walter Payton and Doug Williams play while happily sipping on my bottomless soda cup. .  

I was also constantly amazed by the people he knew on a first name basis inside and outside the Houston area in the radio, music and political arenas.  That's probably a major reason why I have the deep interest in politics and I do what I do as a human rights warrior. 

I'm comforted in the fact he didn't suffer when he passed away and his legacy in the industry will live long past the days when my family's tears have dried.

Many of his photos from his radio days are in the African American Archives of Music and Culture in their Black Radio collection housed at IU-Bloomington.  There have also been people writing tribute articles expressing how much he meant to them and their love for him..    

Speaking of love, thanks to all of you who have lifted my family and I up in prayer, kept us immersed in your positive thoughts, and have been there at various times when we needed it during this difficult period for us.  

My family still has heavy hearts and a difficult few days yet to navigate, but with your help we know we will. 

Well Dad, you're not suffering anymore.  Say hello to Grandmother Tama for me.


TransGriot Note:  First photo from the AAAMC archives is a 1974 one of Dad and Shaft's Richard Roundtree in KYOK's studio.  The second one is Dad, Michael Jackson (yep, the future King of Pop), Pluria Marshall, Jr and the teen TransGriot during a KYOK sponsored 'Meet The Jackson 5' event in August 1974.

       

A Trans Radio Show In DC-InsighT

Thanks to Consuella Lopez I was advised about another radio show you folks may wish to listen to.

If you're wondering where you've heard that name before, she's the same girl like us whose lovely visage is on one of the Washington DC Office of Human Rights anti trans discrimination campaign posters 

Consuella is now part of the broadcast team bringing you InsighT,  Washington DC's transgender talk radio show.

Consuella is joined by Wesley Garson, Kisha De'javu Allure and Sami Haidar on their show which is broadcast at 6 PM EST Sundays on WLVS Radio.

You can check InsighT out via this link at www.listenvisionlive.com
Best of luck and much success for the show.



   

'Can We Talk For Real' Show Appearance Tonight

Just a reminder that your favorite blogger along with TPOCC Executive Director Kylar Broadus and Chicago's Kokumo Kinetic will be discussing the Trans Human Rights Struggle with the 'Can We Talk for Real' broadcast team of Terry Boi, Michelle and Ina starting at 10:30 PM EST; 9:30PM CST; 8:30PM MST; 7:30PM PST. 

You can take part in the sure to be lively discussion tonight on the Can We Talk For REAL  podcast or listen to the show if you're not near your computer by calling 347-215-8985.

'Can We Talk For REAL' is a Blog Talk Radio Show geared toward discussing the important issues of the LGBTQ Community including many issues that are hard to discuss within the community

Looking forward to chatting with everyone tonight and having an informative discussion on trans issues.

WFPL-FM 'Strange Fruit' Show Premieres

I'd heard this show was in the works, but WFPL-FM 89.3, Louisville's public access radio station is kicking off a brand new podcast radio show dedicated to the issues facing the local community.

It's entitled Strange Fruit: Musings on Politics, Pop Culture and Black Gay Life  (after the Billie Holiday song) and features as its hosts two of my fave people in my other hometown in Dr. Kaila A Story and Jaison Gardner.  And yes, in the interest of journalistic integrity 'Nephew' Jaison refers to me as Auntie Monica..

But back to the post. 

The first episode is entitled, "Does Your Mama Know?" and looks at the coming out process for LGBT people of color.  They started a roundtable discussion with young people who have come out to their families, talked to some mamas about their reactions to their children coming out, then had a conversation with Lisa C. Moore, editor of Does Your Mama Know?: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories.   

You can keep up with what's happening on Strange Fruit via Facebook and Twitter, and the show's hosts  enthusiastically welcome your feedback.  They post a new podcast episode each Saturday; so stay tuned.

I know I definitely plan on doing so, and congratulations Dr. K and 'Nephew'.   May your show be a major success.

Cristan's KPFT-FM Interview About Transgender Language

One of the cool things about the Houston community is the ginormous media outlet we have in our local Pacifica station KPFT-FM and it's Queer Voices and After Hours TBLG shows

Cristan Williams was on Queer Voices Monday night and had this radio interview in which she talked about the history of transgender language.

You can click on this link to listen to the show.

Moni's On TransFM Hellidaze 2011 Tonight

Ethan's 13 days of Christmas Broadcasts on TransFM, AKA Hellidaze kicked off last night at 5:00 PM EST and will run through Christmas Day.   They will run every day from 5:00 PM - Midnight EST  and on Christmas Day will run from 10:AM to Midnight EST.  

You know I was going to be scheduled as a guest on one of those shows at some point during the 13 days of broadcasts and my turn comes up later today at 8 PM CST

TransFM founder and creator Ethan St. Pierre said in an Examiner interviews, “We have a wide variety of shows planned, with guests that will surely entertain, intrigue, and provoke emotion. We realize that the holiday season can be a lonely time for people in our community, and we would like to bring you friendly voices from people who care about our community and care about you. We will have our phone lines open 24/7 during our holiday broadcasts for those who wish to join in the conversation either on or off the air. Please give us a call at 978-518-1835.”

And yes, our allies and supporters are most welcome to join in the conversation.   


If you can't tune in live, it will be archived so you can listen to it later.  As usual I'll have a lot to say about the current state of the trans community and a lot of other subjects besides trans ones.