NCTE'S Mara Keisling Interviewed by Autumn Sandeen

National Center For Transgender Equality's Mara Keisling Interviewed by Autumn Sandeen

New media reporter and commentator Autumn Sandeen, (for National Center for Transgender Equality. The interview took place at the 4th Annual California Transgender more...Leadership Summit, held at the University of California, San Diego, on March 27th to 29th, 2009.The discussion covers Transgender Lobby Day (April 28th, 2008 in Washington, D.C.); how Mara is 28th from the top of the list of most "well paid" members of the LGBT related Non-Profit community; the upcoming 3rd Annual Transgender Religious Leaders Summit

Hey, That's The Wonderful Thing I Noticed! -- This Is How Community Is Supposed To Work! (+)

Cross posted with full permission from Autumn Sandeen from Pams House Blend. Thank you Autumn.

Hey, That's The Wonderful Thing I Noticed! -- This Is How Community Is Supposed To Work! (+)
by: Autumn Sandeen
Thu Apr 16, 2009 at 04:00:00 AM EDT
I was in a room in the courthouse today with good people from national and state organizations. We were talking about all of the organizations that have come together as a coalition to take on different responsibilities regarding the Angie Zapata Hate Crime Murder trial.
There was something that I'd noticed, and then another person in the room pointed out too. It dawned on me, and at least one other person in the room -- this is how broader community is supposed to work! Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organizations, as well as transgender specific organizations, ally organizations, anti-violence organizations, and progressive organizations are working together with all their related, but different but connected mission statements (and specific competencies) to create a unified coalition.
So, I asked for a list of local and national organizations that are working together, and folk in the room pooled their knowledge of which organizations have worked in this coalition -- so, from their collective memories I'll list these organizations alphabetically (if we missed any organization, I apologize in advance):
• Colorado Anti-Violence Program (CAVP) • Colorado State University Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Services • Dignity Denver • Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender Community Center Of Colorado • Gender Identity Center Of Colorado • Gill Foundation • Lambda Community Center • National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) • ProgressNow Colorado
This isn't even indentifying the many individual community activists who have been working in this coalition.
As y'all know, my presence here is being coordinated and funded by ProgressNow Colorado.
And, as someone working within the scope of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender media this week, I would not have been able to do my job effectively here without GLAAD's Adam Bass, as well as the rest of the GLAAD's support. (The GLAAD Online Resource Kit alone has been of tremendous value to me, and wonderful to recommend to other new and legacy media outlet reporters.)
I've seen cooperation working here at the organizational roots. I've seen the Colorado Anti-Violence Program, GLAAD, and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender Community Center Of Colorado working together to put out a single, daily press release instead of each putting out separate releases. I've seen the Gender Identity Center of Colorado and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender Community Center Of Colorado agree to have a single person filling the position of Transadvocate. I've seen ProgressNow Colorado and GLAAD work together to develop a new media strategy.
And this is just what I can see. It's obvious that I don't see all of the work that this coalition is doing, but it's very clear there is an effective coalition in place.
To me, this is a model how broader community can work together to coordinate their actions where their mission and vision statements either overlap or run parallel, or their serviced populations overlap.
I just can't help but believe this is just how broader community is supposed to work together -- It's been just amazing to watch this from the outside looking in.
I guess I can consider taking my rose colored glasses off a bit now, as I see the concept -- the idealism -- of community actually embraced and realized here in Colorado; I haven't needed my rose colored glasses to see something wonderful.
Autumn Sandeen :: Hey, That's The Wonderful Thing I Noticed! -- This Is How Community Is Supposed To Work!
Tags: Angie Zapata, Transgender, LGBT, Hate Crimes, (All Tags)

Voices From The Angie Zapata Family Vigil

Cross posted with full permision from Pams 'House Blend'

by: Autumn Sandeen
Wed Apr 15, 2009 at 09:15:00 AM EDT

I went to the Angie Zapata Family Vigil on Monday Night, and asked people why they chose to attend the event. Below is the video where about a half a dozen folk answer the question.
The video begins with me worrying aloud about whether very many trans people and their allies were going to attend -- I worried for nothing, as at least fifty trans people, allies, and members of Angie Zapata's trial family (sorry, typo) attended. Then, in sort of a "second" intro to the video (shot in my hotel room) I introduce the concept of the video, explaing that I asked people at the vigil "What motivated you personally to attend this vigil?" The video is about seven-and-a-half minutes long.

Autumn Sandeen :: Voices From The Angie Zapata Family Vigil

Susan Stryker author of 'Screaming Queens' Interview

Transgender historian and film documentarian Susan Stryker is interviewed by our own Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies member and author] Autumn Sandeen of Pam's House Blend at the 4th Annual California Transgender Leadership Summit.

Stryker is one of the two film documentarians behind the documentary Screaming Queens. The interview in it's entirety can be found at Pams House Blend

Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies