RIP Tiffany Edwards

It is my sad duty to inform you about the senseless killing of another one of our transsisters

The body of 28 year old Tiffany Edwards was found shout to death in the middle of Tuxedo Place street by a sanitation worker in the Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati, OH at 8 AM EDT Thursday morning.

Tiffany is the unfortunately the fourth transwoman of color killed this month alone and the fourth in Ohio in the last 18 months 

In a conversation with emerging Ohio based trans leader Cherno Biko about our fallen sister, she said, "I want to express my condolences to Tiffany's family and all who loved her." 
Biko in that conversation with me expressed concerns about the anti-trans violence aimed at trans women of color in the Buckeye State by adding. "Genocidal violence against Trans folks of color is spreading like a virus in Ohio and needs to end." 

TransOhio also expressed their concernes about this recent murder in their state.
“The brutality and violence we see being committed against trans communities of color is real. It’s happening in our own cities, in our own state. This violence needs to end. Trans lives matter,” said Shane Morgan, founder and chair of TransOhio..


The Cincinnati Police are still looking for information in this case, are asking people to call Crimestoppers at 513-352-3040

And yeah, as you probably guessed, the local Cincinnati media not only misgendered her, but used a police mugshot in the initial coverage and added her police record, which wasn't germane to this story..   

So if those of you who know Tiffany have some photos of her that aren't a fracking mugshot, please send them to me as soon as possible so I can replace it with a more respectful picture.  

Rest in power and peace Tiffany.  We will not rest until the waste or wastes of DNA who committed this heinous crime have been brought to justice.

TransGriot Update:  Cincinnati Police are looking for Quamar Edwards in connection with the murder of Tiffany. 

Quamar Edwards is 5'10" inches and weighs 250 pounds. Edwards was last known to live in the 1000 Block of Winfield Ave Cincinnati, Ohio 45205 in West Price Hill.

Edwards should be considered Armed and Dangerous........Help Police get Edwards off the Street!

If you have information that will assist in bringing him to justice please call 513-352-3040.

USA 2014 World Cup Watch-Escaping The 'Group Of Death'

The USA went into their final Group G match with FIFA number 2 ranked Germany in pretty good shape despite the disappointing draw with Portugal.   

A win would put them atop the group, and a draw would allow them to advance.as well.  There was also conspiracy theory chatter before the game that speculated because a draw would suit both nations purposes and with all the interlocking connections both sides had, both teams would park the bus and play keep away for 90 minutes and a 0-0 draw.  

Even if they lost to the Germans, as long as Portugal beat Ghana in Brasilia and didn't score more than 5 goals the USA would advance to the knockout round that way. 

But on a soggy pitch in Recife in which torrential rain rain fell in the city and during much of the match Die Mannschaft blew that speculation out of the window.   They came out of the gate relentlessly attacking the USA who had one less day rest than they did.   Thanks to Tim Howard making some outstanding saves and Omar Gonzales doing yeoman's work to clear the crosses peppering the USA box the game went into the half drawn at 0-0.

The other thing making American fans less nervous about the game was hearing that Portugal was up 1-0 in their match with Ghana thanks to a John Boye own goal

Things changed after halftime with the insertion of Miroslav Klose into the game for Germany.   In the 55th minute Howard punched out an initial Per Mertesacker's header that unfortunately went right to Thomas Muller.

Muller blasted it past a diving Howard into the right corner for his fourth goal of the tournament.

To make things worse two minutes later word came from Brasilia that Ghana's Asamoah Gyan scored an equalizing goal to level that match at 1-1.   But Cristiano Ronaldo saved the day once again for his nation by burying a horrendous clearance in the 80th minute for what turned out to be the winning goal for Portugal and the one that sent the USA through to the knockout round. 

Meanwhile in stoppage time the USA was fighting to get on the board and had its two best scoring chances of the match.  A counter attack in which Alejandro Bedoya unleashed a laser toward the German goal but Phillipp Lahm's sliding challenge blocked it.   Then the ensuing cross fell to Dempsey at point blank range, but his header went agonizing over the crossbar to end with the Germans on top 1-0. 

Germany takes Group G as expected, but the USA for the second straight World Cup advances out of the group stage as the surprising to the soccer pundits Group G runners-up .   

They get to rest after a brutal travel schedule and prep for a short 420 mile trip for them to their knockout round date Tuesday July 1 in Salvador against Group H winner Belgium. 
 

Shut Up Fool Awards-Houston Pride Weekend Edition

In Houston and many areas around the country it's Pride Weekend.   We're celebrating the June 27, 1969 weekend that Sylvia Rivera, Miss Major and other POC folks jumped off the Stonewall Rebellion

We also have something else to celebrate in the May 28 passage of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance.

Pride Houston has over 300,000 people attend it each year, making it the second largest parade in Houston and the largest Pride Parade or LGBT gathering in the Southwestern United States. The festival and parade are part of a week-long celebration.    It also boasts the only nighttime pride parade in the nation.   

The festival in the heart of Montrose is open from 1-7 PM and the parade begins at 8:15 PM traveling through Montrose along Westheimer Blvd.    Congrats also to female parade Grand Marshal Christina Gorczynski and male parade Grand Marshal JD Doyle.

It's Friday, and that means it's time for my usual TransGriot business of finding out what fool, fools or group of fools deserve to get called out 

Honorable mention number one is Chris Brown, who turned down a plea deal in a Washington DC assault case, which foced a trial that if it goes sideways, will send him to jail.

Honorable mention number two is North Carolina state Rep Paul Stam (R-Wake) who parted his lips to say during a legislative debate tried to equate homosexuality to pedophilia.

Honorable mention number three is a joint group award to the Tea Klux Klan, the conservative media and losing Mississippi US senate candidate Chris McDaniel for the collective freakout they have engaged in for complaining about embattled Sen Thad Cochran's (R-MS) successful strategy of reaching out to African-American voters and getting them to cross over to vote in the GOP runoff that he won by 6,300 votes.   Hey, y'all can #bemad and #staymad about African-American voters doing unto you what you fools have done unto us for decades in terms of cossing over into our primaries to cause mischief  

Mississippi's Black voters just wasn't having McDaniel's racist azz become a US senator, and good for them exercising their voting power strategically on behalf of our political interests.  . 

Honorable mention number four is the Louisville Forum for planning a July 9 event discussing trans issues with ZERO trans people on the panel.   Seriously? 

Honorable mention number five is David Spondike, a Akron, OH teacher who was fired for posting racist comments on his Facebook account.     That's a problem, dude when you work at a school that is predominate comprised of POC students.   And if you have to preface your defense with 'I'm not racist', then that's a major alert that you probably are and don't need to be teaching kids. 

This week's Shut Up Fool winner is a joint award for John Baylo and his station manager Chris Lemke.
The 35 year old host of a 'Christian' radio show at anti-Gay private college Cornerstone University was busted on child molestation charges.  



And who did his manager blame for his DJ's fall from grace that the deserves a special place in Hell for? 
Give you one guess who he blamed it on after urging WCSG listeners to pray for him,.his family, co-workers and alleged victims

“We pray for John. We pray for his bride and new stepson,” he said. “Most importantly, please pray for the victims of the allegations.” Then he blamed Satan for Baylo’s criminal acts, “We can’t make sense of this. … Did you ever have any doubt Satan was loose?”

Naw but hyporisy defintely was, since Cornerstone University requires students to sign a “Lifestyle Statement” that forbids “every form of immorality, including immoral sexual behavior, homosexuality, lying, stealing and cheating.”

John Baylo and Chris Lemke, shut up fools  

'Nikki's American Dream' Premieres Tomorrow On YouTube

I've known Nikki was working on this reality show project for at least a year and had completed 9 episodes of it, but it's finally ready and debuting on YouTube tomorrow.

Nikki's American Dream is focused on the life of Nikki Araguz Loyd,as she lives, loves, runs a business  raises a family and fights for her own and the Texas trans community's marriage rights.

The brainchild behind Nikki's American Dream is Lightning Strikes Entertainment, a content creation and branded entertainment company. 

"From the first moment I saw Nikki, I knew she was something special and a force to be reckoned with. She is a symbol of the kind of groundbreaking content Lightning Strikes Entertainment creates," says creative director Federico Traeger.

Here's a sneak peek trailer of it    




Nikki's American Dream premieres tomorrow at 11 AM EDT/10 AM CDT. and you can subscribe to see it at this link.  .   

Canadian Senate STILL Stonewalling Trans Rights Bill

Today according to the posted calendar on their  website was supposed to be last scheduled legislative sitting day for the Canadian Senate before they bounced for their summer break.

But according to the journal for the Canadian Senate, their last legislative activity day was back on June 19, and the Senate adjourned until September 16, 2014 at 2 PM EDT..

So that means that once again, justice and basic human rights for our Canadian trans cousins have been delayed, denied and put on hold by the unelected and Conservative dominated Senate.

Even Stevie Wonder can see what's going on here.   The Canadian Senate is STILL stalling the passage of C-279, the Trans Rights Bill that was passed in the House of Commons back in March 2013 and they think nobody's paying attention. 

Au contraire.   I damned sure am along with trans people in Canada and around the world, especially after the reprehensible committee stunt that was pulled June 10 on C-13. 

We're waiting on the Canadian government to show the same commitment to human rights for their domestic trans population as they have traditionally done for global human rights issues. 

But is seems to me, our Canadian trans cousins and other fair minded people in Canada and around the globe that Tories for whatever reason, don't want their trans and gender variant population to have the same human rights coverage they already enjoy.

The Conservative Party needs to be called out for being the shady human rights oppressors they are, and if that doesn't get the Canadian Senate they control to do the right thing on C-279, time to retaliate on their House of Commons colleagues.   

Brava, Tona!

History was made last night as Tona Brown stepped on the Weill Recital Hall stage at New York's Carnegie Hall for her show entitled 'From Stonewall to Carnegie Hall'

The show featured the works of African-American composers and in addition to our mezzo soprano violin playing sister, featured Tammy Peay, Nathan James, and Charlie Gilmer.

While I was bummed I couldn't be there, I am hearing through my sources that my Black trans family was in the house, showed up and showed out to support our trailblazing sister.

Speaking of support, the Gofundme campaign is still in effect to help Tona with expenses incurred in putting on this event. Performing at Carnegie Hall isn't cheap, and she did so without corporate financing or support.

Brava, Tona!    Congratulations on making your lifelong dream of performing at Carnegie Hall a phenomenal success. 

B-Daht Bounced From WSSU Announcer Duties

You'll recall back in April when Chevara Orrin, Jane Vaughn and We Are Straight Allies brought to my attention the over the top bias, homophobia and transmisogyny being aimed at openly gay Winston Salem State University student Aaron McCorkle.  

He was running for Mr. WSSU at the time and photos of him dressed in feminine attire were maliciously released in an attempt to derail his campaign. 

Popular 102 Jamz DJ, WSSU alum and announcer Brian 'B-Daht' McLaughlin then poured gasoline on the situation with a series of homophobic tweets.  While McLaughlin eventually apologized for the tweets, McCorkle accepted that apology for them, the damage was done and McCorkle lost the Mr. WSSU election.

In the wake of this kerfluffle, WSSU has indicated that cultural competency training will be offered.  Orrin, Vaughn and allies continue to push WSSU to add gender identity to the school's non-discrimination policy and implement the Safe Zone program campus wide.    

As for McLaughlin, after a 10 year tenure as the PA announcer for WSSU Ram football and basketball games that started in his junior year at the school, McLaughlin was fired as the announcer for WSSU athletics.

Bigotry has a cost

Paula Sophia Makes It To Runoff For Oklahoma Legislative Seat

Paula Sophia gets a step closer to making history and becoming the first out transperson elected to a state legislative seat.

Tuesday night the Desert Storm vet and retired OKC cop advanced through the Democratic primary field in House District 88 to make it to the August 26 runoff election.

She will be competing against businessman and former pastor Jason Dunnington in that runoff election.  Because there is no Republican opponent in the HD 88 race, whoever wins the runoff will become the representative for that district.

If it's Paula, she would not only become the first transperson ever elected to the Oklahoma state legislature, she'd become the first out trans person nationally to accomplish the feat and be the first sitting trans state legislator since Althea Garrison did so in Massachusetts in 1992.

Good luck Paula, and hope you win that seat.
 

USA 2014 World Cup Watch-Missed Opportunity

Going into the USA's second Group G match in Manaus with FIFA number 3 ranked Portugal, thanks to their thrilling 2-1 win against Ghana, the USA with a win was in the unexpected position by international soccer pundits to clinch a spot into the knockout round.

But Portugal and their all-everythang player Cristiano Ronaldo were pissed off about the 4-0 buttkicking Germany handed them.   Ronaldo was even more pissed off about the criticism he was taking for not producing goals for his nation on his sports biggest stage. 

Portugal was playing for their World Cup lives.and the opening minutes of this match reflected it.  Just a mere five minutes into the match a failed clearance by Geoff Cameron was pounced on by Nani and he buried it into the upper left hand corner of the net over Tim Howard for a 1-0 Portugal lead they took into halftime.

But it wasn't for lack of trying by the USA.  In the 28th minute a Michael Bradley strike skidded agonizingly wide a few feet of the right goalpost.  

In the 55th minute came the USA's best chance to score and even the match.   A fantastic run by Fabian Johnson drew out the Portuguese keeper and Johnson crossed to a trailing Michael Bradley who had the goal and defender Ricardo Costa in front of him.   Costa got just enough of his knee out to deflect the almost sure goal to keep his side in the lead.

Then in the 64th minute came the equalizing laser from distance by Jermaine Jones to knot the score at one all and cause soccer fans across the USA to collectively exhale.



The USA kept attacking and was rewarded in the 81st minute with captain and my fellow Texan Clint Dempsey's go ahead goal off a Graham Zusi cross.   2-1 USA!

All the USA had to do was play keep away for 15 minutes and they were headed out of Arena da Amazonia with a signature win over a Top 5 ranked FIFA squad and a punched ticket to the knockout round. 

The USA successfully did so for 14:30.  Then Ronaldo proved in stoppage time why he gets $40 million to play the beautiful game.   A midfield giveaway turned into a Portuguese counterattack led by Ronaldo, a perfectly crossed ball by him into the box that Silvestre Varela headed past Tim Howard for the goal that salvaged a draw and had Americans going WTF? 




Ronaldo salvaged a tie out of the jaws of World Cup defeat and elimination.  

While the USA got a point out of the disappointing draw and can still advance out of the 'Group of Death' with a win or draw against the FIFA number 2 ranked Germans, they could have made their lives a lot easier tomorrow had they handled their World Cup business in Manaus last Sunday.

Because if they fail to get out of the group, they will be thinking about that missed opportunity and that Varela goal for the next four years. 

We'll see what happens in Recife tomorrow.

2014 Williams Watch- Off To A Great Start At 'Williams'-don

While some of you are watching World Cup 2014 action from Brazil, I also have my eye turned toward the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to watch my fave tennis playing siblings in their first week of 'Williams'-don action.

Serena served notice to the tennis world that she's  put the disappointment of Paris behind her and wants that sixth Venus Rosewater Dish. 

Number one seeded Little Sis took only 61 minutes to blitz fellow American Anna Tatishvili in straight sets 6-1, 6-2. 

And blitz was the bet way to describe a match in which Serena blasted 16 aces past her opponent who is ranked 112 spots below her.   She moves on to a second round clash with South African Chanelle Scheepers.

But it's Venus who has been making some noise and news in this edition of Wimbledon.

30th seeded Big Sis started her fortnight in search of her sixth Wimbledon title with a three set 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over Spain's Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor.    She then after a slow start beat in straight sets Japan's Kurumi Nara 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 to punch her ticket to the third round and a date with sixth seeded Czech Petra Kvitova, who won the 2011 Wimbledon singles title. 

It was the first time in 18 months that Venus has reached the third round of a Grand Slam, and we can only hope that she'll be around in the Ladies Singles past this weekend.

The eighth seeded Williams sisters play their first round doubles match at 11 AM CDT today against the duo of Oksana Kalashnikova and Olga Savchuk

TransGriot update: Little Sis blitzed Scheepers 6-0, 6-1 to join Venus in the third round of the Ladies singles tournament.   In their doubles match with Kalashnikova and Savchuk, the Williams sisters advanced after a 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 result.   

Open Letter To Tona Brown

Dear Tona,
In a few hours you will make one of your lifelong dreams come true and perform at Carnegie Hall, and I couldn't be more proud of you.   I know you went through some drama and challenging moments just to make it happen, but happen it will. 

When you step onto the stage of the Weill Recital Hall later tonight at 7:30 PM EDT, to borrow and remix the words of astronaut Neill Armstrong, it'll be one small but significant step for you, but one giant leap for transkind.

You'll also be once again, just as you did when you sang for President Obama, be making history.   It's history I wanted to be in New York to watch unfold, but unfortunately things didn't work out for me this time. 

But back to focusing this letter on you.  You have worked long and hard to make this day a reality, and I  hope and pray it turns out better than the way you dreamed it would play out.  I have no doubts your 'From Stonewall to Carnegie Hall' show featuring the works of African-American composers will be an amazing evening worthy of that hallowed stage.

You are not only a wonderful role model and advocate for our community, you are one talented musician.  The world will discover that in a few hours.  You are also a living embodiment of the power of dreams and how they can be a motivating factor for positive change personally and professionally. 

You are sending a message through your historic concert to our own African-American community that if given the opportunity and the chance to do so, we trans African-Americans can accomplish some amazing things.  You are also through this concert sending a message to the trans community for us to never give up on our own personal dreams, whatever they are. 

Now that you have made this Carnegie Hall performance dream of yours come true, you take that final bow and the bravas are reverberating around that venue as you exit the stage, can't wait to see what you accomplish next.   

I'm certain it will be even more amazing than this night will be.


Sincerely yours,
Monica  

Busy Wednesday For Moi

Will have a busy day in store for me tomorrow.  

Have a radio interview on Portland, ME based WMPG-FM with Dal Maxwell from 1-1:30 PM EDT in which I'm scheduled to talk about the HERO, the recent Philly Trans Health Conference and anything else we can squeeze into a 30 minute segment.

The station streams live,  so if you wish to hear it it, here's the link. 

Then it's off to HCC-Southeast campus at for a panel that starts at 6 PM   I know they were looking for another panelist at the time I confirmed it, but if you want to roll out to the HCC-Southeast College campus tomorrow, it's located at 6815 Rustic St just off the Gulf Freeway (I-45) near Gulfgate Mall and the Woodridge exit.   .    .   

The panel is entitled 'GLBT Pride Though Our Eyes: Black and Latin@s Speak' and will be in the Angela V. Morales Bldg in Room 102.   Hope you can make it.  

'Girl Meets World' Debuts Friday

One of my back in the 90's guilty pleasure TV shows to watch was Boy Meets World, and I was one of the many fans of the show who were ecstatic to hear that a sequel to it had been greenlighted for 21 episodes to debut in 2014.

Girl Meets World will bring back Cory and Topanga as parents of 12 year old tween Riley with her own mischievous friend in Maya Hart. 

While the show will center on Riley navigating her way through life, we already know that many of the characters from Boy Meets World will be reprising their roles and appearing on the show.

The show will also be set in New York instead of Philadelphia but what we didn't know was when the show would debut. 

Well, the wait is over BMW fans.   The first season of Girl Meets World will debut on the Disney Channel this Friday, June 27 at 9:45 PM EDT.

As to what BMW characters will show up in the new series, so far Rider Strong (Shawn Hunter), Lee Norris (Minkus), Danny McNulty (Harley), William Daniels (Mr. Feeny), and William Russ and Betsy Randle (Cory's parents) are for now.   Other BMW alums will pop up during this first season.  .




Cory is now a school teacher, and Minkus' son is in Cory's class along with his daughter Riley and Maya.  Topanga is now an entrepreneur running a popular hangout for the kids in Riley's school.

So yep, looking forward to watching Girl Meets World this Friday. 
      

Denver Trans Community, You Handling Your #CC15 Trans Business?

So as we pass the torch to you Denver trans community, we in the Houston trans community issue you a challenge.  We want you to meet or exceed our Houston trans community level of involvement as you put together next year's conference .   

We'd like to ask you to make sure that when the Denver Host Committee is formed to organize #CC15, it has significant and diverse trans representation on it like ours did.
--TransGriot, February 3, 2014, 'Denver Transpeeps, Make Sure Your #CC15 Host Committee Reps The 'T"

That was the challenge I issued to Denver as a #CC14 Houston Host committee member as we passed the torch to them as the host city for the next Creating Change Conferenec to be held in the Mile High City February 4-8. 

And while the peeps in Denver will have a tough act to follow in H-town, one of the things I hope they match or exceed us in is trans representation throughout their conference. 

At this point in the Creating Change organizing process, they have already had at least two organizing committee meetings and have selected the faces of their conference in their four Host Committee co-chairs (Leslie Herod, Krista Whipple, Rachel Chapparo and Sydney Andrews).  They have had their meetings determining who will chair and co-chair the fifteen various subcommittees. 

And yeah, TransGriot readers, I was surprised to find out I know one of the four Denver Host Committee co-chairs.  I wasn't kidding about how many people I know nationwide in this community.. 


But the Denver peeps are quite aware they are on the organizing clock for their upcoming conference.  If their process was anything like ours, the various committees and the leadership in them are just sorting things out because it is Pride Month and the primary LGBT community organizing at this time is centered around that event..

But once Pride is over, it will be time to get down to #CC15 business, and I know Courtney Gray, Host Committee Co Chair Krista Whipple and the Denver trans community took my challenge seriously.  

Challenge accepted! https://www.facebook.com/groups/446151722178870/.

Meanwhile we're just observing, fondly remembering what last summer was like for us and  waiting in Houston for another opportunity to host Creating Change and prove to LGBT World that we can exceed the high #CC14 bar we set earlier this year

Oh yeah, those of us on the Houston Host Committee haven't forgotten the alleged boasting by some of you Denver peeps while y'all were at the Hilton Americas during  #CC14 that you would break all the Creating Change records we just set.  

Sounds like someone was smoking Colorado's finest when they said that, so yeah, bring it..  Let's see if y'all topple our attendance record along with the other ones we smashed..   

When me and my Houston peeps roll up to the Mile High City in February, we would love to see transpeople involved in every facet of the Denver #CC15 Host Committee.  

And Denver trans peeps, not too late for y'all to find a #CC15 sub-committee that interests you and get busy to help plan it.  The benefit of this experiece is that you'll not only be doing your part to plan #CC15, you also foster some better networking relationships with a cross section of the Denver area TBLG community, and meet folks outside you normal influence circles you probably wouldn't have met.

There's also another perk with being on the Creating Change Host Committee I'll let your organizing committee tell y''all about.  And you may make some friends in the process.

So Denver Trans Community, are you handling you #CC15 trans business?    Just checking.

Louisville Forum, Why Are You Hosting A Trans Issues Forum With No Trans People On The Panel?

Since 1984 the influential Louisville Forum has been a nonpartisan public issues group that hosts monthly meetings to discuss and debate issues of importance to the Louisville metro area. 

From their website:  The Louisville Forum is a nonpartisan public issues group. Founded in 1984, the Forum hosts debates and discussions of contemporary and sometimes controversial public policy issues that affect the greater Louisville community. The Forum provides an arena for the presentation and analysis of different sides of vital issues affecting the Louisville Metropolitan area.

As an independent and nonprofit organization, the Forum itself never takes a position on issues. Instead, we bring together speakers who aggressively articulate their specific and often opposing viewpoints. Membership is open to the public at large, and guests are welcome at all meetings.

Since its founding, the Louisville Forum has held monthly meetings to discuss wide-ranging matters of public interest, covering economic, political, environmental, health, and social issues. Members and guests receive firsthand information from community and industry figures: business leaders, elected officials, industry experts and others deeply involved in shaping Louisville's future.

So with the July 9 forum luncheon scheduled to tackle transgender issues in the wake of what happened at Atherton HS recently, it was interesting to discover courtesy of Jaison Gardiner, one of the co-hosts along with Dr Kaila Story of the Strange Fruit radio show on WFPL-FM, that the Louisville Forum panel has no transpeople represented on it.   

Yes Louisville Forum, one of the panelists is the mother of a trans child, but the fact remains there is no transperson on it to talk about trans issues.   That is the equivalent of having a discussion on gay issues, having no gay people on the panel to discuss and debate it, and the only person there to discuss the issues pertinent to the gay community is the straight mom of a gay child. 

And that's before I even point out how monoethnic the panel is to begin with..

You mean to try to tell me that in the entire Louisville metro area, you couldn't find one trans person to sit on that panel?   Or did you even try?   All you had to do was give Chris Hartman a call at the Fairness Campaign and I'm sure he and Fairness could have easily recommended more than a few trans candidates for that panel to you. 

I lived in that city for 8.5 years.  I know for a fact there are transpeople who can eloquently talk about being trans, and one of them is Dawn Wilson, who is a current member of the Metro Louisville Human Relations Commission.  

When the country is finally paying attention to the issues that transpeople face, it is vitally important to have people who actually are trans and dealing with those issues to be talking about them in these type of forums.

It's imperative in a space in which influential policy makers gather, are in the audience, and the discussion is videotaped for future multiple broadcasts on Louisville public cable television.we transpeople are represented.

It is important for a trans person to be on that Forum panel room when there is far too much disinformation and lies being gleefully spread by our opponents in order to derail trans human rights concerns. 

It is imperative to have a trans person on that Forum panel when the Southern Baptist Church, which has a seminary on Lexington Rd, just voted on June 10 to openly oppose trans human rights laws and deny our existence as human beings. 

As Samuel Cornish and John Russworm once said in 1827, 'We wish to plead our own cause.  Too long have others spoken for us.  Our vices and degradation are ever arrayed against us, but our virtues are passed by unnoticed.'  

So yes Louisville Forum, it it time to allow transpeople to plead their own cause.  Without a trans person on that panel, your impartiality and credibility as a non partisan public issues group will be called into question when it comes to this debate on trans issues.

There is time for you to reconstitute the panel so that a trans person is present and in the room representing our community on July 9.  If you can't  (or won't) do that, at least have a trans moderator there asking the questions.

200 People Attend Yaz'min Shancez Vigil

Was glad to hear that yesterday's vigil for Yaz'min Shancez in Fort Myers was successful

The march was organized by the Southwest Florida Equality Coalition and the Center of Southwest Florida to remember 'Ms. Tee' as friends and loved ones called our fallen 31 year old sister who was found murdered on Thursday.. 

200 people began a nearly one mile march through Downtown Fort Myers and past the courthouse before arriving at Centennial Park

Her sister Laquesha Loggins remembers how Shancez loved to dance, how she was always happy, saying she "always woke up with a smile."

And she remembers the last words Shancez ever said to her: "Sis, I love you."

"It's just bad that people hate that much," Yazmin's aunt said in a FOX 4 interview. "Who has a heart like that? Who can go to sleep doing something like that? Hating something so bad."

Fort Myers police are still looking for Yazmin's killer, and once again as a reminder, i you have information to help solve this crime and bring to justice the perps or perps who did this, you are asked to please call the Fort Myers Police Department at 239-321-7700, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS or text message C-R-I-M-E-S (274637) Keyword FMPD.

And I will be keeping an eye on this story until justice is served in this case.

2014 Williams Watch-'Williams'-don Starts Today

My favorite tennis playing siblings had a forgettable trip to Stade Roland Garros and its clay courts last month as they both exited the 2014 French Open earlier than planned due to second round upsets.

But starting today through July 6 is the Grand Slam tournament at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London which the Williams sisters have so thoroughly dominated it I call it 'Williams'-don.  

Serena has won five titles here (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012) and so has big sis Venus (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008).  As a matter of fact their domination at Wimbledon is so complete that during the 2000's the only years that someone not named Williams won the women's singles title was in 2004 when Serena was upset in the final by Maria Sharapova and Amelie Mauresmo of France won it in 2006 after defending champ Venus was upset in the third round by Jelena Jankovic.  

During that stretch the Williams sisters met in the Wimbledon finals four times in 2002, 2003, 2008 and 2009 with Little Sis taking three of the four matchups.   Serena won her 2002 and 2010 Wimbledon titles without losing a set, and Venus did the same in 2008   

And yeah, can't forget to remind the Williams haters of the Olympic gold medal Serena won in the London Games and the London Olympic doubles title she and Big Sis won which was ahem, played at the All England Club.

The grass courts are well suited to their power game, and with Centre Court's retractable roof, when it's closed, they become even more lethal. 

But it's the 2014 edition of The Championships, and both are seeking rebounds from the double disappointments in Paris and Serena's shocking fourth round upset loss here last year. 

Number one ranked and number one seeded Serena starts the fortnight with an opening round match against fellow American Anna Tatishvili while 30th seeded Venus starts with an opening round match versus Spain's Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor.  

The Williams sisters are also entered in the ladies doubles tourney as they seek to capture their first Wimbledon doubles crown since 2012. 

And hopefully I'll get to see Serena holding up the Venus (Williams) Rosewater dish on July 6 

Finding KOKUMO

Our Chicago based sister KOKUMO is one innovative, gifted and talented artist and like myself an inaugural Trans 100 honoree.  I've had the pleasure of seeing her perform at the 2014 Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas, while others recently got their opportunity to see her at the recent Philadelphia Trans Health Conference or the T.G.I.F. Festival in Chicago.  

So when I received the alarming report KOKUMO went missing Thursday from her Baltimore hotel in a city that had just experienced a trans woman being murdered, the concern was obviously high amongst myself, the trans community and our allies. 

But instead of this story having a tragic ending, it turned into a moment in which our Black trans community and our allies banded together.  Using the power of social media and the determined boots on the ground of the Black Transmen, Inc.-Maryland/DC Chapter, it had a positive outcome

I received an alarming e-mail message at approximately 8:50 PM CDT from Vann Michael, one of the members of that BTMI chapter.  He  told me that she was missing and the clerk at the Motel 6 located at 110 W. North Street reported that KOKUMO left with her black suitcase.   The clerk also reported to them that she appeared distraught and confused.

That led a very concerned me to post the initial alert on my blog and Facebook page.   The blog post eventually got 3000 hits by Saturday morning and the Facebook page alert being shared 312 times.  

From my awareness about missing person cases, if you don't find the person within the first 24-72 hours after they go missing, the probability they will be found alive precipitously drops.   So time is critical in these cases, and the earlier you start the search and file the police report, the better.

By default because I have a lot of connections across the country and even in the Baltimore area, I became the national communications point person.

Centralized communications was needed in this situation, especially when it comes to a well known in our community figure like KOKUMO that suddenly goes missing.  Rumors popped up on Facebook in that frantic Friday night she had been found a mere hour after the TransGriot blogpost went up alerting everyone she was missing.   Another rumor was posted she was okay and had called various people including her mother    Those rumors weren't true because KOKUMO didn't have her cell phone. 

Meanwhile, as I was getting the word out she was missing with emphasis to my Baltimore area peeps, Vann, Brendon and the BTMI brothers were filing the missing persons police report and gearing up to begin the search for KOKUMO starting at 7 AM EDT Saturday morning . A nervous Trans Nation, our allies and all the people who love and care about her turned their attention to Charm City, prayed and sent warm thoughts that our sister would be found safe and unharmed.  

Meanwhile other Baltimore area trans community leaders like Beth Morgan and Jenna Fischetti were busy spreading the word in their influence circles

Saturday morning dawned with the BTMI search team beginning the daunting task of trying to find her in the 209 sq miles and 623,000 people that comprise the city of Baltimore.   While some members of the search team checked Johns Hopkins Hospital and a rumored sighting at a shelter,  Vann doubled back to the last known location of KOKUMO at the Motel 6 to get more information after calling me with an update as to what had transpired since our initial contact Friday evening..

Longtime Baltimore area trans leader Cydne Kimbrough e-mailed me not long after seeing the news on my Facebook page, and I was amazed to hear that she lived mere blocks form the Motel 6 in question.   I asked her if she would get the people she knew in her neighborhood and influence circles to keep their eyes open in case she was still in the area. 

The BTMI search team hit the East Baltimore streets armed with a photo of KOKUMO and the steely determination not to allow her to become another casualty of violence against transwomen of color or law enforcement insensitivity.   Vann, Brendan and the BTMI search team shared her photo with Baltimoreans at bus stops, people setting up community outdoor markets, who were attending morning rehab groups and with local community members who keep track of the pulse of the street.  

One person they talked as they shared that photo prayed at that moment with them for KOKUMO's safe return. 

The search finally began to generate leads.  The search team began to run into people that recalled spotting  the statuesque KOKUMO on Friday.   One person reported spotting her near a local market which sent the search team quickly heading in that direction.  

Once they arrived at that local market, it turned out the lead was a solid one.  More people confirmed she'd  been the area but the ironclad one turned out to be when they showed her picture to a local gypsy cab driver.   The gypsy cab driver yelled to his friend to take a look at the photo of KOKUMO, of which the friend of the cab driver and his female companion recognized her immediately.

"Yeaaa! I seen her! This morning!" he said as the woman asked," She have on a flower dress?"

Unable to confirm what she was wearing when she left the hotel, the BTMI search team member was about to dismiss it as a soft lead until the woman asked,"Did she have a black suitcase?"   At that point he definitely knew he'd picked up KOKUMO's trail, and he was instructed by the helpful pair to go to West Baltimore.
 
After calling the rest of the members of the search team with the news, buoyed with increased hope, they headed to the West Baltimore location where the couple had spotted KOKUMO.   The couple also told them before they headed off to that section of town that some police activity had  happened in that area . 

While that was a concern, they were hopeful as they drove toward the West Baltimore location this was going to be the last stop in their search for our lost sister.  But the report of the couple of police activity had them unsure and worried this was in connection with KOKUMO. 

After they arrived at the location where the couple had last spotted her,  the BTMI search team approached a crowd and showed them the picture.  One of the people in the West Baltimore crowd recognized her and said she was last seen walking "Over there," as he pointed in the direction that he'd spotted her ambling off in.  When the BTMI brothers turned their gaze in that direction, there was KOKUMO, sitting under a tree surrounded and protected by bushes. 

Success!  Against long odds she had been found, and after I got the call they found her a little after 9 AM Saturday EDT, the BTMI brothers cautiously approached her, identified themselves, scooped her up and took her to a nearby hospital to be checked out.   She was released to their care after the medical exam and was handed a phone to call some people as her mother Sandra Baker prepared to hit the road from Chicago to drive to Baltimore to retrieve her daughter.   

KOKUMO has been picked up, is enroute back to Chicago with her mother and in great spirits after spending some quality time with the BTMI brothers.  She thanks everyone along with her mother Sandra for your warm thoughts, prayers, and pulling together as a community to ensure she would be in the position to come home safely.

KOKUMO is going to get a needed rest break, and when she's ready, you know she'll come back from it refreshed and ready to amaze us with her talents. 


Thanks also to Vann Michael and Brendon for their accounts of what happened that I used as the basis for this story, and the BTMI-Maryland/DC chapter search team that did the legwork Saturday to ensure this story had a happy ending.  

Ivy Taylor's TBLG Rights NO Vote Coming Back To Haunt Her

You'll remember during that contentious summer last year that San Antonio successfully passed their non-discrimination ordinance, I wrote an open letter to Councilmember Ivy Taylor imploring her to be on the right side of history and vote for the ordinance. 

Unfortunately she was one of the three members of the San Antonio City Council that voted against it.   It was disappointing and personally offensive to me because she is the only African-American member of the council.

Now in the wake of Mayor Julian Castro's May 22 appointment by President Obama to become HUD secretary, the political maneuvering has begun in the Alamo City to appoint an interim mayor to fill out his remaining unexpired term.

Taylor has emerged as one of the front runners to replace Castro, which has alarmed San Antonio activists.

“I don’t think she’s representative of this entire city. She doesn’t support equality for LGBT people, and it’s very bothersome,” activist Daniel Graney said in a San Antonio Express-News interview. “I don’t think she should spend one day in the mayor’s office because of it.”

In response to the concerns of the San Antonio TBLG community, Taylor has pledged that if she's appointed mayor she wouldn't move to undo the ordinance that passed 8-3.  But that pledge has zero credibility in the community and with our allies because of a long list of problematic anti-LGBT statements going back to 2011  

During her 2011 city council campaign, Taylor stated that if she received the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats, she wouldn't advertise it because it would be 'too divisive'.  She made a subsequent statement that she wouldn't appear in the city's pride parade. 

Despite admitting the hateful comments of the faith-based opponents of San Antonio's ordinance made her cringe, Taylor still voted against the law based on the specious argument that the law would be used to stifle religious freedom.

“I really wanted to be able to vote yes on this ordinance because I wanted to be able to affirm that all citizens deserve protection under the law, which I do believe,” Taylor said at the time of the September 5 vote. “I know that people will say that I’m an ignorant bigot, or that I gave in to fear and prejudice, but I know my heart. I am not a coward. I am not a bigot. And I am not ignorant.”

Councilmember Taylor, you are a coward who gave in to fear and prejudice, and your NO vote is irrefutable evidence of that.  You let 'fear and smear' tactics deter you from being a drum majorette for justice. 

Now you will have to reap the karmic consequences of that decision    Your NO vote on a human rights ordinance last September may derail your chances of making history and becoming San Antonio's first African-American mayor.  

And frankly, I'm not only giddy about karmic justice asserting itself so swiftly, I won't be shedding any tears for you if that's the case.

RIP Yaz'min Shancez

Some sad news to report coming out of Florida in terms of another one of our sisters being brutally murdered.  

The burned body of 31 year old Yaz'min Shancez was found behind a dumpster off Fowler Street Thursday morning in Fort Myers, FL.  

She had been shot prior to the burning of her body.  The death has been ruled a homicide, but Fort Myers police as of yet aren't investigating it as a hate crime.

And tragically, Yaz'min died two years to the day  her 16 year old sister Cha'Riah Owens was shot and killed..

"Nobody deserves that," said Beatrice Loggins, Shancez's aunt in an interview. "Straight, gay, purple, pink, white, black. Nobody...There will never be another T, you couldn't clone her, couldn't mold her."

A vigil will be held later today starting at 7:30 PM EDT to honor the memory of Yaz'min Shancez at Centennial Park, 2000 W First St, Fort Myers, FL.       

In addition the Facebook group, there is also a fundraising page that has been set up to help the family pay for Yaz'min's burial expenses.

If you have information to help solve this crime and bring the waste or wastes of DNA who did this to justice, please call the Fort Myers Police Department at 239-321-7700, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS or text message C-R-I-M-E-S (274637) Keyword FMPD.

Rest in Power, Yaz'min.   You are another one of our sisters who was taken away from us way too soon.