NOLA Town Hall On Transgender Violence Today

Because of the deaths of trans women Cyna Gibson and Ciara McElvee that happened in New Orleans during Mardi Gras weekend and the disturbing video that came out in January of some wastes of DNA chasing trans women, this afternoon for those of you in the New Orleans metro area, there will be a town hall to discuss the unacceptable levels of violence being aimed at trans women in the NOLA area.

It's sponsored by Transitions Louisiana, Trans United Fund and the Foundation for Louisiana, and starts at 3;00 PM CST at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu (D), NOLA District D Councilmember Jared D. Brosset, District E Councilmember James Gray III are just some of the NOLA political leaders who have been invited to attend this town hall.

But most disturbingly, according to founding Executive Director of Transitions Louisiana Jada Mercedes Cardona, Brosset and Gray have yet to even acknowledge receipt of their invitation much less send a response whether they will attend or not.

I'm also curious to find out if anyone from US Rep Cedric Richmond's office will show up for this forum as well.

"I'm interested to see if Councilman Jared C. Brossett, District D (where Clara was killed) and James Gray, District E (where Chyna was killed) are going to show.... They didn't even give us the courtesy of a reply. 

Further proof that some elected officials still ignore us, just believe we will disappear (or die) and don't regard us as whole human beings, worthy of respect. 

I'm glad to see both the Honorable Councilman Jason Williams, Council at-Large and The Honorable Councilwoman Latoya Cantrell step up and are willing to listen and help us formulate a plan to improve relations between their constituents!!!!"

At large Councilman Jason Williams, and District B Councilwoman Latoya Cantrell are confirmed attendees for this forum scheduled to run for two hours.

If you're attending this town hall, it's taking place at the First UU Church of New Orleans, located at 2903 Jefferson Ave and Claiborne St.

Hope the event is a successful one, and I also hope to hear that the church is packed with people and NOLA political leaders and law enforcement wishing to come up with concrete steps to solve the problem of anti-trans violence in the NOLA area.

I also hope that when this forum is done, it will also begin the process in NOLA of getting people to recognize that trans lives matter, we have the right to exist, and we are worthy of respect.
 

Moni's SB 6 Opposition Testimony

As many of you TransGriot readers are aware of,  I was one of those 271 Texans who headed to Austin and spent several hours waiting in the overflow rooms in our state capitol building to express our oral opposition to SB 6, the Texas Transgender Oppression Act.

There were another 1302 Texans who expressed their distaste for SB online

Thanks to my friends at Transform Houston, I now have video of that March 7 testimony in front of the Senate State Affairs Committee for you to watch.

Enjoy

  

BTWI Statement Concerning SB 6 Senate Committee Passage

TransGriot Note:  BTWI statement concerning SB 6 passage out of the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding President
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

BTWI is saddened but not surprised as a Texas based organization.to note that the unjust SB 6 bill attacking the humanity and human rights of Texas transgender people cleared the Republican dominated Senate State Affairs Committee on a 7-1 vote in the early morning hours of March 8.

The bill now goes to the Texas senate floor despite 13 hours of testimony of Texas overwhelmingly opposed to it.  Black Transwomen, Inc proudly adds its name to the long list of organizations that are vehemently opposed to the passage of SB 6

BTWI thanks Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) for standing up for the human rights of transgender Texans with her State Affairs committee NO vote.  We also thank Senators Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston), Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso) and Borris Miles (D-Houston)  for also standing with our community against this unjust bill.  

We at BTWI hope that others in the Texas Senate and Texas House will join them in publicly opposing this misguided bill that fuels the hellfire flames of transphobic bigotry against trans Texas.

Thanks to the BTWI, BTMI and BTIPS members, our founding BTWI president Carmarion Anderson, and Black Trans Advocacy leadership team members who journeyed to Austin to take part in Trans Texas Lobby Day on March 6.

Thanks also to our BTWI board member Monica Roberts who participated in the March 6 Lobby Day and testified at the March 7 marathon State Affairs committee meeting along with other concerned Texans.

As BTWI has noted, six of the seven trans women we have lost in 2017 are Black trans women. SB 6 if passed will only raise the level of anti-trans hatred in the Lone Star State and elsewhere that feeds into the anti-trans discrimination and violence we face,  

Black Transwomen, Inc will fight to ensure that the Texas Legislature is aware Black trans Texans exist, and know that our voices matter in this SB 6 conversation.

The transphobic commentary from a Black San Antonio minister makes us painfully aware at BTWI just how much ongoing work we must do in order to eradicate transphobia from our Black community ranks.

SB 6 is not yet Texas law.  We at BTWI/along with our coalition partners will fight this unjust bill every step of the way throughout the legislative process until it is defeated.

 BTWI will also continue to fight until every Texan gets the message that trans rights are human rights.

Black Trans Women Are Leaders

"It's got to stop somewhere, and it won't unless somebody steps forward and takes a stand.  I guess that's me.  Lady Java,  October 21, 1967 

On the way back from Austin I was thinking about once again in the early morning hours of International Women's Day the comment Diamond Stylz made about all the ways that Black trans women show up for many movements, but are in many cases dissed, dismissed or ignored as we are whitewashed out of the historical narrative.  .

And that needs to stop.  'Black trans women aren't just here to entertain you, provide melanin for your photo opps or be saddled with the 'tragic transsexuals' meme that your predominately white LGBTQ equality org uses to fundraise and lobby on.

Even when talking about trans kids, far too often the issue is framed through a white cultural lens. Black trans kids exist, and their voices need to be in this ongoing cultural conversation.  

There is this problematic narrative in the Black community that being trans 'is a white thang'. The best way we Black trans people and our community allies counter and attack it is having visible Black trans leaders combined with whacking the haters saying this with historical examples of the existence of Black trans people.

It can't be just in some photo op.  It must be a targeted, sustained media effort as well.

Black cis people need to consistently see and hear Black trans people talking about trans issues.  A white spokesperson can do that all day long and the massage will just be ignored.  

But let Laverne Cox or another Black trans person say the same message and their ears will perk up. We know how to talk to our people.  

When we lobby local, state and federal legislators, there are things I can say that doesn't have quite the same context when a white trans person says them.   And let me remind you that some of those local, state and federal legislators we're trying to persuade have my ethnic background.

Note that it was Laverne Cox that came up with the perfectly succinct line to talk about the Grimm case and our lives in general.

To further illustrate my point in the importance of centering Black trans people in our work, there was an incident that happened during the SB 6 hearing yesterday in which Sen. Eddie Lucio said to Dr Colt Keo-Meier that 'you don't know what discrimination is like".

Do you think Sen Eddie Lucio would have dared say that to me?

If he had tried that with me,  I would have immediately pushed back and said, "Sen Lucio,  I'm old enough to have started my school days in a segregated HISD school.  So yeah, being Black and trans I know what discrimination is like, and SB 6 is a discriminatory bill."

And at a time when we have hostile GOP state and federal administrations, we don't have time for non-intersectional BS.  It's nation time as far as we're concerned.  We're wanting action and solutions to the problems that ail our community, because we see this as a Defcon 1 emergency level situation because our sisters are being murdered,

The bottom line is that if you wish to have lasting success in this trans rights movement, it ain't gonna happen without Black trans women being at the table helping to formulate the strategies and tactics to do so.

We have numerous examples around the country of Black trans feminine leaders like Raquel Willis, Angelica Ross, Sharron Cooks, Janet Mock, Dee Dee Watters ,Precious Brady Davis, Andrea Jenkins, Tracee McDaniel, Rev Carmarion Anderson, Jazzmun Nichala Crayton, Lourdes Hunter, Elle Hearns, Bryanna Jenkins, Kim Watson and countless others,

There are also emerging young Black trans feminine leaders like Trinity Neal.

We Black trans women have been handling our leadership business even before Stonewall when you think about Lady Java, Lucy Hicks Anderson,  and post Stonewall in the person of Miss Major, Dawn Wilson, Marisa Richmond and yeah, some Texas based blogger y'all know.

So ponder this thought during International Women's Day in that Black trans women are leaders. We have a proud legacy of Black feminine leadership to draw on from our history and build upon.

In many cases  we are making history as we blaze these leadership trails   So why wouldn't you have capable Black trans women in your organizations?

You can either reach out and have us at the table to help create a winning strategy for all of us, or you can continue to wallow in the depths of anti-Blackness and spite, not include us as equal partners, and watch us do the damned thing anyway and look fly while doing so.

Your call.

Happy International Women's Day 2017

Got back from ATX after a long day at the SB 6 hearing yesterday and then crashing into bed nanoseconds after I finally hit the house,  but now that I'm awake and in hard solid thinking and writing mode wanted to wish everyone a happy International Women's Day.

On this day I'm thinking about all the amazing women in my life cis and transgender who are amazing leaders in various fields, entrepreneurs, teachers,  moms, aunts, nieces, and just generally bad ass. in every way.  And thanks to the men, cis and trans who ain't 'scurred' to love, support and kick it with us bad ass women

Thank you sisters for being your fabulous selves in every way.   I also thank on this International Women's Day those cis women who are intelligent enough to realize that trans women are women, and just go with it from there in terms of helping us build the relationships and sisterhood we will need to challenge the issues that ail all women together

I'm also thinking about my international sisters who are also facing challenges in their various corners of the world.   I see you, I hear you, and on this day pledge to do what I can to elevate your concerns and get the discussion started with input from you in what actions we can take together to make your lives better.

On this day, it's all about honoring women across the planet for being themselves and working together to make this a better world for all of us to navigate.

Happy International Women's Day 2017!.

SB 6 Marathon Hearing Session

31 groups, over 400 people and we're into the wee hours of the morning expressing their opposition to SB 6.

Even though I testified back around 6 PM. I'm still here supporting the people who are waiting to express their opposition to the Texas Transgender Opposition Act.

The few supporters haters that are still around are still trying to throw alt facts while the army of trans people speaking in opposition are telling their heartfelt stories.

Discrimination is NOT a Texas Value .  The best way to improve SB 6 is to kill it..

The Voices Of Black Trans People Need To Be Heard At These Press Conferences & Rallies

There was a  #StopSB6 rally that Equality Texas organized starting at 11:45 AM to push back on SB 6 that I wanted to attend but after a few moments of observing it, the problem with it became glaringly apparent to me.

While I agreed with many of the comments that were expressed in the time that I did watch it, and I appreciated the fact you has a trans masculine and trans feminine person speaking it was problematic in the wake of the conclusion of a month is which we lost five Black trans women, not one Black trans person was tapped to speak at it.

And oh yeah, I was there in Austin to lobby against SB 6.

The reason I'm posting about is that I was pissed off having to watch a Black pastor from San Antonio earlier today violate several commandments while talking about the effects of their non discrimination ordinance, and thinking about the fact that so far, we haven't had anyone from my demographic group  being shown as speaking for the trans community and against SB 6.

Visibility matters.  It especially matters when we are fighting a pitched battle to educate and inform my African American community about trans issues.

It is important that we have Black TBLGIQ people and our allies vocal in this trans rights fight be seen and heard during these press conferences because there is this mistaken belief in elements of the Black community that being trans is a 'white thang' .  And why wouldn't they have that perception when the only people my people see speaking in the media in opposition to SB 6 that purport to rep all demographics of the community are overwhelmingly white?

May I also remind you that some of the people who share my ethnic background are Texas legislators that will be voting for or against this SB 6 bill.

Black trans people aren't just here to entertain you, provide melanin for your photo opps or be the 'tragic transsexuals'.  We're trans folks trying to live our lives to the best of our ability. We helped jump off Stonewall.   We're pioneers and innovative leaders in this movement.

We're also more than qualified to talk about trans human rights issues, especially when we show up for everyone's human rights fights in addition to the one our people have waged since 1619.

I'm disappointed that once again an opportunity was missed to send a message to the assembled media that Black trans people exist and their lives matter as well.

We Black trans people exist.  That message to my people, however in order to be received, sometimes has to be sent by people who look like me.

Moni's In The House For The SB 6 Hearing

I'm here in Austin waiting for my turn to testify against the Texas Transgender Oppression also known as SB 6

Right now I'm sitting next to a hate pastor and we're trading snide remarks at each other   Nope, giving the bigots no love at all on this.

Was here at 7 AM to clear security and be part of the long line of people waiting to testify for and against SB 6   I'm in Group 6 of the people who are scheduled to give oral testimony testify and gearingup for a long day here at the Capitol.

I'll also be live tweeting the hearing and commenting on my Facebook page

You can watch the hearing play out on the Texas Senate website

Headed To ATX For Trans Texas Lobby Day & SB 6 Hearing

Seems like I've been doing this ever since my first one in the 1999 session, but when I arrive at the state capitol in a few hours, this lobbying foray at the Pink Dome will be for much higher stakes.

Trans folks and our allies from across the state will be converging on Autin to make their voices heard to their state legislators.  They will be urging them to #FlushSB6 and other unjust anti-TBLGQ bills and passing pro human rights bills.

The North Capitol steps will also be busy March 6 with a TENT press conference at 11 AM and one with a coalition of business groups at 1 PM condemning SB 6 as a preventable disaster for the Texas economy.

The Trans Texas Lobby is a joint production of TENT (Transgender Education Network of Texas), Equality Texas, ACLU-TX, Texas Freedom Network and HRC and run from 9 AM -6 PM CST on March 6.

SB 6, the unjust Texas Transgender Oppression Act being pushed by Dan Patrick and Lois Kolkhorst, will have a committee hearing tomorrow starting at 8 AM,    This is a job killing bill of the highest order in addition to being one that oppresses a segment of the Texas population.

Here's the Texas state data for the 2015 US Trans Survey has also been released with 1490 Texans recording their responses as part of the largest survey to date of transgender people in the US with 27,715 respondents

Since I'm planning to attend both the Lobby Day and the hearing, that means AX I'll be chilling there and won't leave until after the SB 6 hearing is concluded.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in the ATX a few hours.

Harris County Democratic Party Chair Election Today

My home county, Harris County is the largest by population in the Lone Star State and provides 22% of the vote totals in any statewide election    It is also one of the most diverse counties in the state thanks to its county seat of Houston

We just had the pleasure of watching it turn blue in the 2016 election cycle and want to solidify those  Democratic gains in 2018 and other future elections

Despite that success in turning Harris County from purple to blue, Lane Lewis, who has served ats the HCDP chair since 2011 resigned in February and today at HCDP party headquarters the precinct chairs will gather to select his replacement

Two favorites have emerged so far in Lillie Schechter, who was endorsed by the Houston LGBT Caucus, Eartha Johnson and Dominique Davis, who is active in the HCDP leadership ranks and is garnering an increasing number of supporters for her to get the job.

One of them is me.  

Unlike some of the other candidates, Dominique actually reached out to me and asked for my support.

 I attended a listening session she held yesterday,in Southeast Houston  with a diverse group of precinct chairs and was impressed with her knowledge of the party operations, her willingness to listen to the concerns of the precinct chairs, solicit their ideas for making the HCDP better  and also after it was done, ask me what can be done to increase and have sustained representation of trans people in the Harris County Democratic Party ranks

I believe Dominique Davis would be the perfect choice to succeed Lane Lewis as HCDP chair,. I'm not only enthusiastically endorsing her for HDCP chair, I'm urging people to make that happen at today County Executive Committee meeting..

Thee meeting at HCDP headquarters is open to the general public, but only the precinct chairs will be allowed to vote for our next Harris County Democratic Party leader.

It is running from 3-6 PM and will take place at the IBEW Union hall next door to HCDP headquarters at 1445 North Loop West Fwy.

And yes, I'll be in the house to watch it..

TransGriot Update:  Lillie Schechter ended up getting elected as HCDP chair with 190 votes over Eartha Johnson with 118.   Dominique received 21 votes.

Arrest Made In Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow Murder Case

There's some good news to report in the case concerning our murdered sister Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow.

The Sioux Falls, SD police arrested 25 year old Joshua Rayvon LeClaire on January 7 in the wake  of obtaining video surveillance footage of him leaving her home and using her cell phone on January 1.

The initial arrest of LeClaire after being confronted by SFPD officers and using a false name to avoid arrest was for marijuana possession and a parole violation.  The charges got upgraded after video surveillance evidence was obtained by SFPD that showed LeClaire leaving Wounded Arrow's apartment in the early morning hours of January 1.  

LeClaire admitted he was in Wounded Arrow's apartment in the early morning hours of January 1, and he was indicted by a grand jury and charged with one count of first and second degree murder, one count of false impersonation and one count of marijuana possession.

If LeClaire is convicted, he is facing the death penalty or life in prison without parole.   He is currently being held in the Minnehaha County Jail on a $2 million bord.    

Still keeping my eye on this case along with our South Dakota trans fam to see if Jamie Lee receives justice.

A Bathroom User Speaks About The Unjust GOP Bathroom Bills

We trans women know that the GOP Bathroom Bills like Texas' SB 6 are bull feces, and don't do anything except oppress trans woman, damage a state's economy and give Republican legislators raw meat for their base to run for reelection on.  

Seriously TV has this video taking a potshot at the Republican Party for pushing these unjust bills and calls out their War on Women.

Shut Up Fool Awards- Let's Rodeo 2017 Edition

It's the first weekend of March, and that means it's time for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to kick off.   All the various trail rides converged on Houston today in time to camp out in Memorial park for tomorrow's rodeo parade.    The Rodeo Houston kickoff weekend also means that the World Championship BBQ contest is also going on over at NRG Park to see what BBQ cookoff tem will walk away with the grand prize.

But it's Friday, and that means it's also time to discover who gets the grand prize for stupidity, jaw dropping ignorance and WTF levels of hypocrisy.

It's time for this week's edition of the TransGriot Shut Up Fool Awards

Honorable mention number one if for the LugenPOTUS.   Just pick an outrage.

Honorable mention number two is a group award for every HBCU president that showed up for Trump's photo op, and then the Morehouse president basically saying what everybody in Black America knew in that you got played.

Honorable mention number three is Sec of Education Betsy DeVos, for stupidly saying HBCU's are 'pioneers in school choice'.

Betsy, Betsy Betsy.    You're not only clueless, you were asleep in history class at that private school when they covered the fact that HBCU's were founded because of Jim Crow segregation barring Black people from attending white institutions.

They were the only choice for over a century we had as a people to pursue higher education.

Honorable mention number four is Van Jones, for drinking the CNN pundit Kool Air and claiming that the speech made Trump 'look presidential'/

Dude, really?   Are you high?   Nothing will make that serial liar look presidential.

Honorable mention number five is Texas State Senator Don Huffines, who lost his cool when he got schooled by a group of Richardson ISD students about the GOP school choice scam ..

Honorable mention  number six is Franklin Graham, who got pissed off because Grack Slick donated royalties she made from Chick-Fil-A using her songs in a commercial to lambda Legal.

Condemning someone to death is so white wing KKKhristian of you.

Thou Talabaptist, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.

This week's Shut Up Fool winner is  EW Jackson, who made the ludicrous statement that men wearing earring is a white liberal plot to emasculate Black men.

EW Jackson, you are a white conservative plot to make Black men look stupid and ignorant, and you need to have several seats and a cookie.

EW Jackson, Shut Up Fool!

Roller Rink Opening At Discovery Green

One of the things that people don't know about me is I know how to ice skate and occasionally hit the ice  rink at the Galleria when my schedule allows me to do so.

During what passes for winter here in Houston, Kinder Lake in Discovery Green, the park that we have in the middle of our downtown Convention Center district has an ice rink set up for operation from Thanksgiving until late January.

While I can and love ice skating, roller skating has been more of a challenge for me.  My first foray at a now closed roller skating rink at Scott and OST in the 'hood back during my teen years in 1976 ended with the embarrassing spectacle of me at the end of a long frustrating day at a rink splitting the seat of my pants after a fall.

Fortunately I had a jacket to cover up the gaping split in the seat of my pants, but that incident is probably why I don't do much roller skating.  But even with my personal aversion to roller skating, I can get excited about this news.    

Thanks to Avenida Houston, the first ever outdoor roller skating rink in H-town will occupy that space starting today

The Rink  Rolling At Discovery Green opens today and will be in operation through the summer.  

It'll be open from 5-10 PM  Mondays-Thursdays, 5-11 PM  on Fridays, 11 AM-11 Pm on Saturdays and school holidays and 11 AM to 9 PM on Sundays.  Tickets are $12 per person onsite and $14 online.   The Cheap Skate night tickets are $6, aren't available online and are scheduled for March  6 and March 20

You can bring your own skates, either the four wheel kind or inline skates if you don't wish to rent them,  Bringing your own safety gear is encouraged.  

And because this is an outdoor rink, weather can and will affect its operations when lightning, rain or excessive heat happens

It will also be available for school and church groups, scout troop outings, daycare groups, company parties and birthdays.  There will be an event sponsored by the Houston LGBTQ Advisory Board on March 17 from 6-10 PM called Rainbow and Roll which will be a TBLGQ themed night..

And yeah, I'm going to attempt to get on roller skates again on that night.   Maybe if I do the inline ones/ roller blades, it'll be more familiar to what I'm used to and will have better results.

We'll see...

Does My Black Trans Life Matter, Pageant and Ballroom Community?

TransGriot Note: The deaths of five Black trans women during the month of February and three during the weekend without  much outcry or chatter from many of the organizations that we intersect and interact with has many of us in Black Trans World doing some hard solid thinking about our place in Black TBLGQ World.

This is a guest commentary from Erica Christian articulating her thoughts about the silence of the pageant and ballroom community about the sisters we've lost and how it's making her feel as a trans woman who has been in and repeatedly shown up for that community

It was originally on her Facebook page, but needed to be signal boosted as a example of the across the board sentiment in Black Trans Feminine World that no one gives a rat's anus about us being slaughtered.

And now,  here's our guest commentator Erica Christian
***

I have decided to be silent and see exactly what my so called LGBTQ national pageantry systems, and ball systems community are going to decide to do about our trans women of color being killed in numbers within a matter of days.

I guess we are nothing to you but a show queen for entertaining you.  An extra letter in the community acronym.  A soft skinned, natural, unclockable piece of fishy/cunty/pussy/woman

What was l thinking?   I'm so f***ing stupid for thinking my life matters in this LGB Community.
At this point, at this very moment, l'm mad as hell and l can't stop crying.  I get up every morning and report to work, advocating, outreaching, connecting, supporting and giving everything of myself to take care of and make a difference in my community that's stricken with poverty, homelessness, HIV/STD infections, without any biases or regret because l love you, and it will always be my purpose in my lifetime.

Yet still l don't matter, nor do the rest of my beautiful transgender sisters of color matter..

How am l supposed to feel? .We are being slaughtered and this is okay for you?

I guess l will continue to do what l have had to do for the past 50 years  Survive the best way possible and continue to live with no expectations, no disappointments.

If you are offended by my statements, please unfriend me.  Oh wait, like it even matters that I'm still alive for now.   Does my Black trans life even matter to you, pageant and ballroom community?
I wonder, would it matter if l was killed or slaughtered because l am a trans woman of color?

God, l ask for guidance on dealing with this pain and sadness.

***

Yes Erica, it does matter.   Your life matters to me, your trans siblings, and all who love you.  But I am interested in hearing and seeing the answer to the question you posed.  

I Repeat. NAACP, Where You At?

Their new ad slogan is 'The NAACP Is Today', but I don't see you addressing the very real issues that transgender people of African descent face today here in the States. If the NAACP is claiming to represent African-Americans, then I respectfully submit that it includes me as a transgender African-American as well. -TransGriot,  June 21, 2008

I wrote these words in 2008, and sadly, I'm still having to ask the same damned question nine years and dozens more deaths of Black trans women later

Yo NAACP, where you at?

We have had seven trans women killed in the opening two months of 2017, with six of them being African American.  The silence coming from the NAACP is not only deafening, but increasingly irritating to the Black trans community.

But if it had been cis Black men being killed at this rate by the po-po's, y'all would be making a beeline for the National Press Club, various media outlets, having town halls across the country to generate nonstop conversation about it, and standing arm in arm with Congressional Black Caucus legislators demanding that Congress act to stem the tide of the violence.

Instead, what we have here when it comes to Black trans women being murdered is cricket chirping silence from the oldest civil rights organization in our community, and that needs to stop.

Where are you NAACP when Black transpeople need you in this time of challenge and controversy to stand up for us?   Are we not Black enough for y'all?  Do our Black trans lives that are being savagely taken matter to you?   Does the fact that many of these trans women being killed are under age 40 even move you to act on our behalf?

So what's up NAACP?  Inquiring minds wanna know, especially in Black Trans World.

Black trans people are Black people.  We are also the Black men and Black women we say we are.  In many cases we fight for our very existence in the same neighborhoods cis Black people live in and we grew up as part of.  We Black trans people are also there when it comes to fighting for the causes that are important to the Black community as a whole,

Now it's past time, NAACP for you to stand with us.

We Black trans folks not only want the NAACP to talk about it, but consistently be about standing up for the humanity and human rights of Black trans folks.  We need y'all as the oldest civil rights organization repping our people being a committed partner at the table doing so like white orgs are starting to do and the National Black Justice Coalition and Transgender Law Center have been.

And if you need info, how about chatting with Black Transwomen, Inc or the Trans Persons of Color Coalition to help start your Black Trans 101 'ejumacation' to craft that message, or even better, hire some Black trans folks to handle that job?

With a hostile administration now assuming power in Washington DC and GOP controlled state legislatures aiming anti-trans legislation at us that will disproportionately harm Black trans folks, the time is now NAACP for you to step up your leadership game on behalf of Black trans people.

So I will ask again the question that many of us in Black Trans World are anxiously awaiting the answer to

When will we see the NAACP step up to the plate and call out the scourge of anti-trans violence aimed at Black trans women in the same way that we see you fearlessly speak truth to power on other issues of importance to the Black community?   .

Do Our Black Trans Lives Matter?

In the wake of the senseless murders of our trans sisters Chyna Gibson, Ciara McElveen and Jaquarrius Holland, Diamond, Dee Dee and I put on our hats as Black Transwomen, Inc board members and got together on Monday night to record a video of us discussing the question do our Black trans lives matter?  .

Yes, they most certainly do,.  Our #BlackTransLivesMatter, and here's what we all had to say about it .

 

'Star' Renewed For A Second Season

While I was more than a little shocked and pissed off to hear that Doubt has been canceled by CBS after only two episodes, I was happy to hear that the other primetime TV drama series with a major trans character in FOX's Star has been renewed for a second season.

While the show is a spinoff of Empire and focuses on an Atlanta based girl group trying to make it in the music business along with all the drama that comes with it in their personal lives, the storyline I have been focused on is the one involving Amiyah Scott's character Cotton and her mother Carlotta, played by Queen Latifah

They have a rocky relationship because of her transition and mom's reluctance to accept that her only child has become her daughter, and each week more of the backstory of both characters is revealed.

There aren't many episodes left in this initial 13 episode run, but looking forward to not only seeing how this first season ends, but picking up on all the storylines in Season 2

BTWI Statement Concerning The Murder Of Jaquarrius Holland

TransGriot Note:  BTWI statement concerning the death of Jaquarrius Holland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding President
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

***
We at Black Transwomen, Inc are once again tasked with the sad duty of announcing that we have lost another Black trans woman to anti-trans violence.  The reason we are only discovering that we lost Jaquarrius Holland now is because of media misgendering of her..

BTWI would like to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jaquarrius Holland, and may she rest in power and peace.

Local television stations KARD-TV and KTVE-TV are guilty of an ongoing problem in trans murder cases in media misgendering of trans women.   It results in not only the delayed recognition and response in the trans community of us honoring our lost trans sisters, it is disrespectful to their memory and can delay justice in these cases.

The 18 year old Holland was living in Monroe, LA, and shot to death in the 3900 block of Grammont Street back on February 19 after an altercation around 10:00 PM CST..   Holland was taken to St Francis Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

Holland is now the seventh reported homicide of a trans person in the US in 2017, the fifth in the month of February, and the sixth African American trans person

There is a suspect in this case, and a warrant for second degree murder has been issued for the arrest of Malcolm Derricktavious Harvey.   Harvey fled the scene after the February 19 shooting and the Monroe Police Department is still searching for him.

If you have an information that will lead to the arrest, conviction and incarceration of Malcolm Harvey, please call the Monroe Police Department at 318-329-2600,

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Black Transwomen,  Inc  is a national not for profit organization based in Dallas TX  that is part of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition,  a social justice alliance of the Black Transmen Inc, Black Transwomen Inc & Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations. BTA is committed to the advancement of black and trans people and the liberation of all disenfranchised people by working collaboratively to help end race and gender inequalities  

Rain Valdez Cast In The TV Land 'Lopez' Show

After the weekend we've had, we needed some good news this week in terms of another trans actress has landed a role in a TV series. .

Rain Valdez has been cast for a recurring role in Season Two of the TV Land Series Lopez, that will start airing on the network March 29.

She will play Coco, a pretty and enigmatic actress contracted to a network whose executives don't know how to cast her or even talk to her.   George basically talks to her like any other actress, and eventually offers her a role in his series.

Congrats Rain!   Hope this recurring role turns into something more substantial for you !