OOTH 2015-Saturday Recap

The last full day of OUT on the Hill 2015 activity, and Saturday morning I awakened to what is a familiar sight to Washingtonians but not to this Texan.

I was awakened by the roar of motorcycles and sirens and got to my seventh floor hotel room window just in time to see the presidential motorcade speeding by heading in the direction of the White House.

I went from witnessing that sight to witnessing an amazing State of the Black LGBTQ/SGL Community panel that started at 9:00 AM focused on the wellness of our community.

It was a panel moderated by the Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington featuring Valerie Spencer, Faith Cheltenham, Dr. Cleo Manago. Tim'm West, Geneva Musgrave and Rayceen Pendavis had some tell it like it T-I-S is moments and commentary about what we needed to do in a multipronged ongoing strategic way to build and continue focusing on Black LGBT community wellness.

It ended way too fast, and I stayed in that room to check out a Tim'm West moderated panel entitled Brave Education: OUT Black Educators Advancing Educational Excellence.

The panel that started at 12:15 PM discussed the issues, challenges and joys in K-12 schools for TBLGQ students of color and the out teachers and administrators seeking to prepare them for collegiate studies and the world.

There were also comments from the panelists that pointed out that the public education system need to just as concerned about producing students who are critical thinkers than their ability to take a standardized test.

It also pointed out how important it was to have out Black LGBTQ educators on these campuses representing and being possibility models for Black LGBTQ and other students.

The final plenary session was another after lunch State of the Black LGBTQ/SGL conversation that focused on Faith and Spirituality featuring the Rev Rodney McKenzie, Minister Verdell Wright, Bishop Allyson Abrams, and the Rev Dr Jamie Washington.

The conversation touched on many issues including the been for Black LGBTQ folks to forcefully push back against the loud and wrong anti-Black doctrine that has been remixed to attack us, talk about Black liberation theology from a Black LGBTQ lens, and do a much better job of integrating trans people in this mix.

After closing remarks from Sharon Lettman-Hicks, Kylar Broadus, and Venton Jones, the bittersweet moment of #OOTH 2015 coming to a close was upon us.   I also found myself in the middle of an intergenerational conversation in which I and youth with Trini, Haitian and Nigerian heritage started a fascinating conversation in which we discussed the African Diaspora, our shared connections and history, and where Black LGBT people fit in this.

And yeah, I got to destroy two more Slurpees before I called it a day and crashed from conference fatigue.    

The Air Marshal's Homeward Bound

Okay H-town, you're about to hear your fave words when it comes to one of my road trips:  Moni's headed back to Harris County.

At least until next month.

The sixth annual edition of OUT on the Hill is over and another chapter in the history books.   I had a wonderful time seeing everyone including my NBJC family and I am determined to not let three years pass before I attend another one.

‪#‎OOTH2015‬ was wonderful and a well timed booster shot to my soul. It is indescribable how important it is to have an LGBT leadership conference rooted in your culture, says emphatically to the world we're unapologetically Black, and that feels more like a family reunion than just an event to attend.

I get to head back home refreshed, renewed and more knowledgeable about the subjects we discussed during my time at OUT on the Hill while having a little fun doing so.

I hope that the people I encountered also gained a little more knowledge about their trans brothers and trans sisters

The time inside I-495 will serve me well for the upcoming HERO battle ahead.

If my flight left DCA on time, should be winging my way southwestward back to Houston and back at Hobby having my traditional post-flight meal demolishing some Pappa's BBQ

And hope the Texans are properly handling their NFL business in Charlotte.

See y`all next year, OUT on the Hill..

OOTH 2015- Friday Recap

My second full day in Washington DC was chock full of activity in addition to my OUT on the Hill business I was scheduled to handle at 12:30 PM EDT.

I ended an enjoyable two day stay with Joanna to move into the conference hotel.

The last time I was at The Beacon, there was six inches of snow on the ground and I landed at DCA thirty minutes before they shut the airport down.

This time I ended up on the seventh floor, but I had to wait two hours before that room became available after checking in at 8 AM.  I left Joanna's early and headed there in the hope that I'd be able to move my stuff in. get in diva mode for the plenary I needed to do that was scheduled at 12:30 PM, and get to handle the #OOTH2015 reporter role by live tweeting the panels before and after my session.

It was also moving day for OUT on the Hill 2015, because after having events at HRC headquarters for the last two days. we were moving to the Beacon Hotel for the afternoon session and tomorrow's events.

There's an old saying that if you want to make God laugh, plan something. The room not being ready screwed that game plan I had to move, get into diva mode and get mentally ready for the panel.

Mu main business of the day was the Valerie Spencer moderated panel entitled a Focus on the Plight of  Trans Women of Color in America that featured myself, Lourdes Hunter, and Angelica Ross..

While many of the #OOTH2015 attendees liked the panel and told me so after it was over, I wasn't happy about it.

I felt the conversation got far too focused on sex work.  I was also not happy about some drama stirred up by one of the panelists, and our panel's start being delayed not only by that drama and her shady behavior during it,by a speech from a DOJ official who stated in it that he wanted to ';learn more about the trans community', then bounced after his remarks.

I spent an hour after that panel taking with Donna Payne-Hardy, so I didn't rejoin the OOTH2015 action until it was time for the final workshops of the day.

I checked out one entitled I Just Don't Do Doctors' which was an enlightening discussion about the medical needs of aging Black lesbians that got broadened to talk about the health needs of Black LGBTQ women in general,

We then headed up to the Beacon's Sky Bar for the OOTH 2015 Partners and Sponsors reception. While I was still a little bummed about the trans panel, getting some delicious food in my system, conversation and straight up partying with a purpose helped ge get over it.

So did that free Slurpee I got a few hours later.

OUT on the Hill-Saturday Preview

Seems like it was just a few days ago OUT on the Hill was kicking off on Tuesday with a pre conference event, and now we have reached the last full day of plenary sessions and seminars for the 6th annual edition of OUT on the Hill

At 9:00 AM EDT will be the first of two The State of the Black LGBTQ/SGL Community sessions.   The first of two sessions is entitled  A Focus on the Wellness of our Community and will run for a scheduled two hours.

We will then move to the final concurrent sessions for #OOTH2015 starting at 11;15 AM before we go into the second State of the Black LGBTQ/SGL Community event focusing on faith and spirituality starting at 1:00 PM and scheduled for three hours..

Shut Up Fool Awards-Moni's At #OOTH2015 Edition

I'm currently in Washington DC for the 2015 edition of the National Black Justice Coalition's OUT on the Hill Black LGBTQ/SGL Leadership Conference.   As you peruse this post I'm participating in a plenary entitled The Plight of Trans Women of Color In America.

As I like to point out, Black trans issues are Black community and Black LGBT issues, and we are addressing what is ailing Black Trans America right now.

And yeah, I know it's Friday, and I'm going to address what fool fools or group of fools need to be called out for their crimes against common sense, decency and critical thinking.

So let's get to this week's edition of the TransGriot Shut Up Fool Awards.

Honorable mention number one is CNN, for subjecting America to the three hours of mind-numbing idiocy called the GOP debates.

Honorable mention number two is to Kendall Baker, the faux faith based sexual harasser running for Houston City Council who continues to pimp the discredited trans predator lie.

Honorable mention number three is a group award for every surviving Republican candidate on that debate stage Wednesday night.

Honorable mention number four is Ben Carson, who addition to some jacked up comments he made on the campaign trail, earned a ;pants on fire; rating for some comments he made during the GOP debate on vaccines.

Honorable mention number five is Donald Trump who unlike John McCain in 2008, failed to confront a member of his audience claiming that President Obama is a Muslim.

This week's Shut Up fool winner is Jeb Bush      

In addition to Jeb making the laughable comment that British Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher should be placed on the $10 bill, he made the logic defying comment that  his brother , the worst president of my lifetime in GW Bush, `kept our country safe`.

Seriously?  Guess you forgot about 9-11, Katrina...

 Jeb, is there NO American woman that you hink should have her portrait on our currency? And they claim in GOP World you are smarter than Dubya.  

You haven`t demonstrated that so far.     Every time you open you mouth, you prove just how unfit you are to be POTUS.

#NoBushPOTUSThreepeat

Jeb Bush, Shut up fool!