Houston Victory Fund Campaign Training Happening This Weekend

One of the important political things that is also going on in Houston this weekend that I was bummed I couldn't take part in was the Victory Institute Candidate training that started February 1 and will end today.

The Victory Institute is the training arm of the Victory Fund now headed by my former mayor Annise Parker, who is the first elected official to every head the group.   The campaign training is a nonpartisan intensive multi day course offered by the Victory Institute, and the first one for 2018 happened in my Houston backyard.

Personal circumstances kept me from participating in it, but some of my trans family is here from different parts of Texas and the country taking part in it so that they can go forth from here and do their part to #TransformPolitics.

But I do want to take part in one of these training in the near future.

So if you're wondering whether Del. Danica Roem in Virginia or Councilmembers Andrea Jenkins and Phillipe Cunningham in Minneapolis aare one hit trans political wonders, nope they aren't

The trans community is serious about being the chefs of our political destiny and not being on the right wing political menu.

Trans Latinx Leadership Institute in Houston This Weekend

Been a while since I got to spend some quality time with Jennicet Gutierrez, and when she let me know she was in Houston for a few days, I carved some time out yesterday to reconnect and hang out with her.

That three hours I was planning to hang out with her turned into ten because what I discovered after I met Jenni at her Galleria area hotel is that she was here along with the Transgender Law Center to help facilitate a Latinx Leadership Institute that started this morning at 9 AM CDT..

I also got reminders of my quasi celebrity status while I was hanging out at the Doubletree Galleria. Discovered that someone I'd done a panel discussion with at HCC Southeast a few years ago was now working as the manager at the hotel, and he thanked me for all the work I'd been doing on behalf of the community.

I also ended up demolishing a few of those delicious Doubletree chocolate chip cookies as Jennicet and I caught up about what we'd been doing since #CC15 and a few other subjects as we waited for the other people flying into Houston for the Institute arrived at the hotel and ensure they had no issues checking in while doing so.

I ended up going to the Argentine Cafe with them for dinner and chatting with many of the participants, some of who are my Facebook friends like Alexa Rodriguez, Isa Noyola and Flor Bermudez   Houston's own Ana Andrea Molina was also in the house to hang out and reconnect with the folks arriving for the Institute and to also welcome them to H-town   

I also ended with a few new friends like Reyna Ortiz, Mia Lozado Navarro, and Diego Barrera.

The Instituto Nacional de Capacitación kicked off this morning and will last through Saturday,

It has over 20 Latinx trans participants from across the United States with a focus not only on discussing the issues impacting immigrant trans Latinx people, but also building their leadership skills so they can be more effective at their grassroots level work when they return home.

Welcome to H-town Latinx Trans Fam!  Hope you have a successful and informative conference. Hope you also get to enjoy what my hometown has to offer while you're here inside Harris County.

I also hope that lifelong friendships and working relationships are being formed during your time here, and looking forward to see what amazing work you all do post conference.

   

I'm In Dallas For The Transgender Leadership Institute!

After a quick drama free flight on American Eagle up to DFW, I'm  at my hotel in the DFW area suburb of Irving, Texas near DFW Airport and destroying the chocolate chip cookie I received during at check in.

If that city name sounds vaguely familiar to you, it's where that NFL franchise north of Houston used to play until they moved to their bigger playpen in Arlington and demolished Texas Stadium.

So why am I here?  Equality Texas in conjunction with the Transgender Law Center and Freedom For All Americans is conducting a Transgender Leadership Institute.

In a few hours we'll have a welcome networking reception from 5-7 PM in which I'll get to meet other Texans from across the state and then we're on our own until the TLI starts tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM.

The TLI will be an intense all day training that runs from 8-5 PM CST with a lunch break and Texas Lege briefing at 12:30 PM, then we get right back into it Sunday morning until 11:30 AM before we head back to our various corners of the Lone Star State.

It's timely in light of the fact that the Republican controlled Texas Legislature is now in session and we're fighting the Texas Transgender Oppression Act (what the rest of the world calls SB 6) and other unjust legislation or Texas GOP majority is trying oppress us with.

So yep, I'm here to learn, meet some other advocates from around the state and once the training is over for the day, chill.   I do need to find out after I destroy these DoubleTree cookies where the nearest 7 Eleven is to the hotel.

But looking forward to the Transgender Leadership Institute, and seeing everyone who is participating in it.