Congrats Kim Coco and Kathy!

The 2011 class of David Bohnett Gay & Lesbian Leadership Fellows were recently announced by the David Bohnett Foundation and the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute.

The GLLI and the Bohnett Foundation get together to send openly TBLG people who are accomplished, mid-career professionals who are leaders in government and non-profit organizations to Harvard’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program.  

The program is renowned for its hands-on learning experience designed to help seasoned public officials meet the changing needs of their constituents and communities.

There were 14 people selected to receive scholarships to participate in this elite professional development program at the Harvard Kennedy School this June and July and two people on the list were trans.

Kim Coco Iwamoto and Kathy Padilla are among the 14 Bohnett Fellows who will receive scholarships for the program that counts among its graduates Houston mayor Annise Parker, Campbell, CA Councilman Evan Low and Arizona State Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

The 2011 Bohnett Leadership Fellows in addition to Kim and Kathy are:

Rep. Nickie J. Antonio – Lakewood, Ohio (Ohio State Representative, District 13)
A. J. Bockelman – St. Louis, Mo. (Executive Director, PROMO)
Kim Coco Iwamoto – Oahu, Hawaii (Civil Rights Attorney, former member of the Hawaii State Board of Education)
Cindy Dick – Tallahassee, Fla. (Tallahassee Fire Department Chief)
Rep. Karla Drenner – Avondale Estates, Ga. (Georgia House of Representatives, District 86)
Sen. Jolie Justus – Kansas City, Mo. (Missouri State Senate, District 10)
Leslie Katz – San Francisco, Calif.  (San Francisco Port Authority, former Supervisor)
Rev. Cynthia “Cindi” Love – Abilene, Texas  (Executive Director of Soulforce)
Councilwoman Rosie Mendez – New York, N.Y. (New York City Council , District 2)
Rep. Blake Oshiro – Honolulu, Hawaii  (Hawaii House of Representatives Majority Leader, District 33)
Kathy Padilla – Philadelphia, Pa.  (Philadelphia International Airport)
Councilman Amaad Rivera – Springfield, Mass. (Springfield City Council)
Brian Sheehan – Dublin, Ireland (Gay & Lesbian Equality Network Managing Director)
Councilman Alex Wan – Atlanta, Ga. (Atlanta City Council)

 Congratulation ladies, and I know you will represent our community well..

If You White Trans People Were Being Dissed, Would You Be Happy About It?

The Handle Our Chocolate Trans Business post I wrote is blowing up in the comment section on my FB page    The 'united we stand, divided we fall' line and the 'we're a small powerless community' talking points have predictably been deployed in this conversation.

But if that were the case, that trans unity sure isn't a concern when the invites to TBLG White House receptions and Christmas parties get dished out, transpeople are needed to testify at Congressional hearings, lead lobbying organizations,  lecture at colleges or gender conferences, talk to the media or be keynote speakers at trans themed conventions or events.

I don't hear that 'were a small, powerless community' rhetoric when it comes to policy formation and implementation and when it's time for people to get paid for advocacy on our community's issues.   


The issues of African American transpeople also aren't a concern to elements of the white trans community such as the WWBT's when they are desperately trying to reclaim the white privilege and status they lament losing. 

I and other trans people have talked about the erasure at various times since 1998.  This isn't a new issue.  Race matters in this community and as much as people cut their eyes at me for pointing it out, it does.   It damned sure does for the non-white transpeople being erased from the ongoing trans conversation. 

And don't think it's just Moni or other African American transpeople that have noticed it.   Our African American cis allies have expressed their concerns to me about it.  African-American parents of trans kids have noticed it.   Our legislators at all levels of government have noted the lack of melanin in the groups of people who come to lobby in Washington D.C. and our various state capitols.

Our chocolate GLB allies have noted it as well.   They deal with similar erasure from the white GLB community and know the frustrations we deal with firsthand.

So I ask you white trans community?    If the pumps were on the other foot and it was you who were being dismissed, disrespected, erased and ignored by a community you were supposed to be a part of, would you be happy about it?  

Hell naw you wouldn't be.   So why would you expect us to just meekly submit to treatment that you yourselves would and have found intolerable when aimed at you by Gay, Inc.?

I've said this before and will say it again.  If we assert that the trans community is a diverse bunch of people,  a diverse trans community is our best weapon and our strength against our misguided opponents inside and outside the TBLG community, then why hasn't more been done to ensure our community reflects that rainbow of diversity at all levels of it?

And no it can't be just African American transpeople meeting you halfway.   We've been there, done that and are still trying to do so.   We've repeatedly pointed out the problems in this community and told you what needs to be done to solve it.  You're the ones in the positions of power and influence to get the party started toward implementing the solution to this POC erasure issue, so the onus is on you to do something about it.