OUT On The Hill-Friday Preview

Day two for me at the sixth annual NBJC  OUT on the Hill in DC and I couldn't be happier to be inside 1-495 again for #OOTH2015.

What's on the #OOTH2015 agenda for today?  Going to be an interesting one in which we have the morning events at HRC headquarters, and then after the plenary I'm participating in at 12:30 PM EDT, we shift to our venue for the rest of the conference in The Beacon Hotel for the afternoon and evening events.

It'll also be moving day for me because I'll be shifting from hanging out with Joanna Cifredo to the conference hotel.   Still nice to have trans sisters all over the country to hang out with.

After today's  9 AM EDT opening plenary session , which will be a policy discussion on the topic of Reigniting the Fight Against HIV/AIDS in the Black LGBTQ/SGL Community, the second set of three concurrent workshops  takes place before  my other business of the day.

I'll be taking part in the 12:30 PM luncheon plenary session entitled The Plight of Trans Women of Color In America.   Yeah, it's a subject I know a little something-something about.

And yes loyal TransGriot readers, I'll have the Friday Shut Up Fool post going up on schedule at noon CDT.

After we move to The Beacon Hotel, two sets of concurrent workshops before the OOTH 2015 Sponsors and Partners Reception.

And once again as a reminder. you can check out the #OOTH2015 hashtag on Twitter to catch up with what people are tweeting about this sixth annual edition of the event.

2015 TransGriot NFL Picks- Week 2

The opening weekend of the 2015 NFL season is over and I had a good news-bad news start to this year's NFL prognostication contest.  

The good news was I got off to an above .500 start.   The bad news was not only did the Texans lose, I went 9-7,   Not good enough when the defending champ jumps out to an 11-5 opening week.

Mike's bid to make TransGriot prognostication history and be the first ever repeat champ has gotten off to a great start with 2013 champ Eli right on his heels at 10-6.

But I can't be too upset.  It's way early, I got past the first week, and now we move into NFL Week Two.  Another sixteen games.   Another .opportunity to take this contest one week at a time and have no sub .500 weeks.  

Week 1 Results                2015 Season Record

TransGriot    9-7               TransGriot    9-7
Mike            11-5               Mike           11-5
Eli                10-6               Eli               10-6


NFL Week 2    (Home team in CAPS)

Thursday Night
Broncos over CHIEFS

Sunday Noon
Patriots over BILLS
Titans over BROWNS
PANTHERS over Texans
Cardinals over BEARS
BENGALS over Chargers
Lions over VIKINGS
SAINTS over Buccaneers
Falcons over GIANTS
49ers over STEELERS
Rams over WASHINGTON

Sunday Afternoon
Ravens over RAIDERS
Dolphins over JAGUARS
EAGLES over Cowboys

Sunday Night
PACKERS over Seahawks

Monday Night
COLTS over Jets

OOTH 2015-Wednesday Recap

It was a long and busy day for your fave blogger that included waking up at 4:30 AM CDT so Dee Dee could get me to Hobby for a 7:25 AM nonstop flight to Washington DC so I could get there before noon Eastern time.

My Southwest bird got me, Brandon Mack and Rep. (and hopefully future Houston mayor) Sylvester Turner here early, and after picking up our bags, we headed to the WMATA subway station to catch our DC bound train from DCA.

I met my homegirl Joanna Cifredo at the L`Enfant Plaza WMATA subway station befoore we headed to her place near the Columbia Heights station to drop off my bags, grab a bite and catch up on each others lives before I departed her place for that meeting.

The meeting was a roundtable discussion on LGBT Black women's health and wellness issues that started at 3:30 PM EDT.

And that invitation only facilitated discussion at the Beacon Hotel was a mix of 21 amazing and accomplised LGBTQ/SGL women.   Some were my old friends in the struggle like Donna Payne, June Crenshaw, Valerie Spencer, Lourdes Hunter, Earline Budd,  Stacey Long-Simmons, Samantha Master and Danielle Moodie-Mills along wih the amazing women I got to meet before and after today`s needed discussion like our moderator Dr.Linda Spooner and Bishop Allyson Abrams.

It was a fascinating and much needed intergenerational three hour conversation that covered intimate partner violence,  historical anti-Black hatred, aging and elder care issues, safety, housing , building intergenerational ssterhood and what to do to get culturally competent health care that works for all Black, SGL, bi and trans women.

After that meeting concluded, it was post discussion eats and cocktails in which the enlightening discussions and conversation continued until some of us left to go check out the National Action Network reception over at HRC headquarters across the street.

After spending twenty minutes there, I headed back to Joanna`s place so I could begin to process what I have been blessed to just witness, and marvel at the conclusion of an amazing first day at #OOTH2015.

OUT On The Hill- Thursday Preview

My first full day waking up in DC and being in the NBJC OUT on the Hill house for the first time since 2012.  .Am I excited about that and seeing my NBJC family for the first time since #CC15?   Does Beyonce have curves?

Also felt good being able to get some sleep as I try to get my body adjusted to East coast time.

My plenary isn't until Friday, so I get to spend today in reporter mode.


So what's happening today?    Hmm let's check the schedule.   The opening #OOTH2015 plenary kicks off at 9 AM EDT and is entitled A Focus on the Health and Wellness of our Community.

That's followed by the first concurrent OOTH 2015 sessions starting at 10:45 AM, two general plenary sessions at 12:30 PM and 2;45 PM followed by the welcome reception starting at 5;00 PM

All of today's OOTH 2015 plenaries, panel discussions and the welcome reception will take place at the Human Rights Campaign Headquarters   I(f you're in the DC area still not too late to get a day pass and join us.

Looking forward to spending the day getting my learn on, tweeting and writing about today's events You can check out the #OOTH2015 hashtag to follow the action.

Moni's In The Middle Of OUT On The Hill 2015

Well people, if my Southwest flight landed on time at 11:25 AM EDT, I should be clear of DCA's baggage claim picking up my luggage and inside I-495 getting ready to head to the Beacon Hotel for that roundtable discussion that starts at 3:30 PM.

And yeah, y'all know I took the opportunity to get some sleep on that flight since I got up before sunrise, and Madame Night Owl is usually not fully functioning until 10 AM CDT.

But have to suck it upm rep H-town and handle my business on behalf of the community..

In addition to being off the charts excited about being in our nation's capital again for this 2015 edition of OUT on the Hill,  I'm also looking forward to spending some quality time with Joanna Cifredo, my Latina sister who is the creative genius at the Fire Breathing T-Girl blog.

And yes, looking forward to seeing 'errbody' else I know inside the beltway who manages to get to see me between now and my Sunday morning departure from DCA.

Something else that is going to happen is that free Slurpee I earned in Dallas is going to be destroyed.

I'm also arriving in Washington DC at a time when the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference is about to jump off at the massive Walter Washington Convention Center.  That's another opportunity to connect with peeps in my community and have them recognize that #BlackTransLivesMatter.

Back to the #OOTH 2015 business at hand.

You peeps in the DC area still have time to register and check out the happenings at OUT on the Hill and hang out with some amazing Black LGBTQ/SGL leaders and some award winning Texas based blogger nobody reads.  

And looking forward to telling y'all what's happening over the next few days.

Trial Postponed For Accused Murderer Of Ty Underwood

Right on the heels of the bad news we received out of Dallas in the Tovar case comes word from Smith County east of Dallas.

Jury selection in the trial of 21 year old Carlton Ray Champion, Jr has been postponed and the trial date continued until December.  

Champion was arrested January 29 on a parole violation in Gregg County, transferred to Smith County and charged with first degree murder in the killing of 24 year old Ty Underwood.

Underwood and Champion had been dating prior to her murder

Champion's defense attorney asked the judge for more time to prepare a defense in the murder case. and the request was granted.

We'll definitely be keeping an eye on this case as it develops to see if Ty gets justice, or like Kenney, Carlton Champion gets off for killing a trans woman.

Moni's Leaving On A Jet Plane: Destination DC

The Air Marshal is taking flight again for Washington DC for the third time in 2015.

The purpose of this latest DC trip is to attend the national Black Justice Coalition's 6th annual OUT on the Hill which is cranking up today with some invite only meetings and discussions.

Because I had to handle some business in Houston, couldn't free up my schedule enough to get here on Tuesday for the pre-conference networking event they had last night at the St. Gregory Hotel..

Well, stuff happens.   Something else that is happening is I'm getting up at 4 AM CDT so I can catch the 7;25 AM nonstop out of Hobby to DCA.  

What I hope will happen is that my flight to DCA will be on time so I can be at that 3:30 PM EDT round table meeting I'm scheduled for on time as well.   It's an invitation only roundtable discussion that I'm honored to be repping the 'T' for  that will feature a conversation on Black TBLGQ/SGL Women's Health and Wellness issues,

I,also have as part of my OUT on the Hill agenda besides being in reporter mode,  a Friday 12:30 PM EDT plenary session discussing the plight of trans women of color in the US.

There's also some good news-bad news I'm dealing with concerning my technology.  This will be the first trip in which I've gotten to test out the smartphone and the tablet I received as a late birthday present back in June.  Still trying to learn how to take photos and video on it, and will get plenty of opportunities to get proficient at doing so during this event.

The bad news is that the Asus laptop I received as a late Christmas present in 2013 that has served me well since #CC14 and through more than a few conferences, blogging and road trips has finally died on me, so I won't have a laptop to carry on this trip. 

I hate that because it had a 17 inch screen that was perfect for watching video and movies full screen and I liked the feel and the setup of the keyboard layout on it  once I got used to it.

I was planning on getting a new or gently used one anyway, but after having to move twice in the span of six weeks, it will have to wait until after I get  back from this conference..

But first, Moni's gotta get some beauty sleep for the long and busy day I'm going to have that gets cranked up in a few hours.