Happy Birthday Jordana!

Today happens to be the birthday of my musically gifted little sis from another mother and the reason this blog exists in Jordana LeSesne.

And you know she's getting the TransGriot birthday shout out!

I've told the story every TransGriot blogiversary about how she pushed me to set a date to start the blog until I did so on January 1, 2006.    She was also in the room in Philly when I received my IFGE Trinity award a few weeks later..

There have also been some long, thoughtful intergenerational conversations in which I've learned much from her.    She also makes sure when we're debating different subjects that I stay on point  and don't ever slip into 'lazy thought' mode.

That's an invaluable skill to have when you have 3 minutes to talk to a legislator

And best of all, my gorgeous Little Sis isn't afraid to call my azz out when I need it.  

So happy birthday Jordana!   I know my life is much better with you in it, and I hope this year and subsequent ones are filled with abundant blessings for you.

Congrats Tiq and Kim!

Had to give a TransGriot shoutout to my brother Tiq Milan and his lady Kim Katrin Crosby who are getting married today in New York.

At least it'll be easy for me to remember their May 5 wedding day.

I had the pleasure of meeting Kim during my just completed BTAC weekend in Dallas, and I wish the happy couple a long, happy and healthy marriage.

Also looking forward to the next time I see you two as husband and wife. 

It's Tona's Birthday Today

And I wasn't letting this day pass without at least giving her a TransGriot blog shoutout.

Tona Brown continues to be an inspiration to not only her generation of trans people, but mine as well.  Her talents as a classically trained professional musician and vocalist have given her a career spanning North America and Europe.   In 2011 this Virginia native became the first trans person to sing for a sitting US president.  I hope one day she realizes one of her big dreams of singing in a major concert hall. 

She's the founder of the AIDA String Ensemble, is a motivational speaker and host of the YouTube show 'Conversations With Tona Brown', of which from time to time I post her videos here. 

And the cool thing Tona is you made it through another busy year!

Happy birthday Sis!   May your birthday be filled with abundant blessings, smiles as wide as Texas and 2014 see every dream you've ever had realized.  
 

Happy Birthday Aisha!

Time for another TransGriot Birthday Shout out!

During the 2011 OUT on the Hill, I attended a panel discussion with Denise LeClair at the Congressional Visitors Center that was sponsored by the LGBT Congressional Staff Association and served as the kickoff event on the 2011 OUT on the Hill schedule. 

Not long after I arrived cards were passed out so that we could write a question that would be read and answered by the panelists.  Well, normally I carry a pen with me but forgot it.  Denise didn't have one on her either, and this stylishly dressed lady sitting in the row above and behind us in that auditorium saved the day by lending us hers for a moment to write our questions down on the index cards. 

Mine got selected, and the question I asked was: 

In light of the fact that the recent NAACP LGBT town hall had no bi or trans representation, when will African Americans inside and outside the LGBT community have that family discussion about the transgender community and our issues?

The stylishly dressed young lady who lent me her pen to write the question on that September 2011 evening that triggered a much needed discussion on the 'T' end of the community during that event was none other than Aisha Moodie-Mills.  I discovered that two days later during the OUT on the Hill event hosted at the Center For American Progress and she was one of the panelists for it.   It was a year later that I met the other half of my fave DC power couple, her spouse Danielle at the 2012 OUT on the Hill.


Anyway, I'm doing all this fangirl jibber-jabbering because today is Aisha's birthday, and I wasn't letting it pass with giving her a TransGriot birthday shoutout. 

As you guessed I have mad love and admiration for her and Danielle.  I love reading her thoughtful writing on LGBT rights and other issues in various venues, checking her and Danielle's Politini podcast out and seeing Aisha's insightful commentary from time to time on the various MSNBC shows.  


Hey, if MSNBC was smart they'd give Aisha her own show.    But that's just me talking. 

Speaking of MSNBC shows, she and Danielle will be on Melissa Harris-Perry in a few hours. 

What a nice way to spend your birthday.

Happy birthday Aisha!   May your special day be as beautiful as you are, overflowing with blessings, and you have many more of them to come! . 

Happy Birthday Dr. KRZ!

I couldn't let today pass without giving a TransGriot shoutout to one of my fave transmen. 

I  had the please of spending some quality time with back in September during the inaugural and wildly successful Trans*H4CK that he is busy working to replicate in other parts of the country.

And yeah I enjoyed meeting his significant other, too.

For those of you who know Kortney, I don't have to elaborate on just how awesome he is, and I'm proud to have him around as one of the peeps in my life.

Happy birthday Dr. Z!   May this one be full of love. smiles and abundant blessings and you have many more of them. 

And looking forward to being in your presence the next time our paths cross.

Happy Birthday Arianna!

When I went to New York for the GLAAD POC Media Institute training last year, little did I realize I was going to depart from it not only better equipped to do media appearances on behalf of our community, but I left it with a few new friends and allies.  

One of the people I met during that training was a lovely Latina from Florida via Peru named Arianna Inurritegui Lint. 

Arianna is VP of the TransLatin@ Coalition and pops up regularly on Spanish language media to talk about trans issues from a Latina perspective.  This accomplished lady was also one of the five trans people named to the inaugural Honor 41 list that spotlights the contributions of TBLG Latin@ people.  

And today is her birthday.  

Happy birthday sis, and may you celebrate many more of them!.   

Happy Milestone Birthday Mr Watts!

Had to take a moment to give a TransGriot milestone birthday shoutout to my fellow Texan on his Big 3-0 birthday.

Many of you TransGriot readers know that I've been jousting with this Navy vet for the last three seasons for NFL prognostication supremacy, but he has other interests besides beating me and Eli picking football games.   

In addition to expressing himself on his Michael's Rant blog, he is the chair of the Veteran's Caucus of the Texas Young Democrats

We have our moments of good-natured disagreement when it comes to being passionate defenders of our areas of the Lone Star State and our favorite Texas based NFL teams, but what we do agree on is that Texas deserves much better leadership than it has gotten over the last decade and a half from the Teapublicans.  

Happy milestone birthday Mr Watts!   May you have many more.

Happy Birthday Dawn!

Today happens to be the birthday of my former Louisville roomie Dawn Wilson.

She's probably celebrating it by going to the LFC to train for her annual trip up I-65 to administer saber fencing beatings at the Remenyik Open in Chicago

I used to enjoy that road trip to Chicago with her and especially the post-tournament celebration at Giordano's.

Hee hee. Lord Vader is also another year closer to leaving the Vet 40's 'Baby Vets' and having to.....

*Cough*, *Cough*, *Wheeze*

...fence in the Vet 50's with the 'Senior Mamas'.

Anyway, happy birthday Dawn!   May this one be filled with abundant blessings, lots of laughs, love, smiles and you standing on the victory podium at the Remenyik Open  . 

 

Congrats Janet Mock For Making TheGrio 100 List!

Had to take a moment to give a TransGriot shoutout and congratulate my sis Janet Mock for making TheGrio's 2012 list of 100 people making history today in the Media category .  

Here's the full list in case you wish to peruse it.

It's nice that people get to read her story and realize that African American transpeople exist in our community who are successful and are proud of being who we are.

Much love and respect for you making this list of community movers and shakers. 

Keep on being a positive role model for your generation of trans women, mine, and future generations to come.

Happy Birthday Kerry Washington!

I love actress Kerry Washington, and had fun watching her thoughtfully eviscerate conservafools in various debates in the runup to that historic 2008 election as a Obama supporter.

My respect level for her went up to stratospheric levels when in an interview she gave while promoting the movie Life Is Hot In Cracktown in which she played transwoman Marybeth she made this thought provoking point.

Because, really, what a trans woman is, is somebody who is a woman but whose biology has betrayed them in someway. For me, I take for granted my identity as a woman. I take for granted my anatomy and physiology. I don't really think about those things. What if actually I was born with my body betraying me in some way? I would think about it differently. I go to the gym four times a week to get rid of my ass but what if instead I was paying thousands of dollars on the black market in hormone therapy to have an ass? [Laughs] I might walk differently, stand differently, dress differently -- I might think about celebrating my identity as a woman in a different way.

I also discovered that in the process of filming that movie, to more authentically play Marybeth, she hired Valerie Spencer as an advisor.   Valerie and I talked about that experience she had with Kerry when I finally had the pleasure of meeting her during the 2011 Out on the Hill Conference.

Well, today is Kerry's birthday and I wasn't letting it pass without giving her a TransGriot shout out

Get Well Soon, Joy Girl!

Had to take a moment to wish Fredrikka Maxwell, one of my guest columnists  and a beloved figure in our community a speedy recovery from surgery. .  

She had the procedure done yesterday afternoon on her right eye and will let us know how she's doing once it's completed.

I'll also pass any news I hear to you TransGriot readers who know her or have had the pleasure of meeting her at various trans conventions over the years about how it turned out.

She's asked everyone who believes in the power of prayer to say a few good words for her.  

Done, Joy Girl.  

Happy Birthday Tona!

Had to give a TransGriot shoutout to my little sis Tona Brown who is having a birthday today.

As I posted to her Facebook page earlier today:

Happy birthday Little Sis!  Continue to empower and inspire yours, mire and the next generation of transwomen to greatness.  May you have a birthday filled with abundant blessings as well.

Tona has a video up on her V-log in response to the hundreds of messages she's getting.