Trans Struggle, Trans Courage, Trans Pride in 2023
Channel: GLIDE sf
Date: 2023-07-14

On June 29, 2023, GLIDE's Center for Social Justice celebrated Trans Pride and the accomplishments made through courage and struggle. The trans community has led the LGBTQ movement from San Francisco’s Compton’s Cafeteria Riots in 1966 to Stone wall in 1969 in New York City. The 1960s was a pivotal period for sexual, gender, and ethnic minorities, as social movements championing civil rights and sexual liberation came to fruition. Social groups helped mobilize, and even churches, like Glide Memorial Methodist Church in San Francisco, began reaching out to the transgender community.  

Today with the world’s first Transgender Cultural District in the Tenderloin, the community still faces continued hostile rhetoric and policies. In 2018 alone, 10 states introduced 21 anti-transgender bills. Join us to hear the current state of trans life, the most important justice issues, and what we all need to do to increase freedom and equity.

Please listen to the powerful discussion. 

Host: Honey Mahogany
Honey Mahogany is a performer, small business owner, and activist who grew up in San Francisco. Honey received her Master’s in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley, and her work as an advocate, culture creator, and change maker has earned her recognition from the City of San Francisco; the State of California; Sainthood from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; and awards from numerous organizations including the Imperial Court of San Francisco; Harvey Milk Democratic Club; Trans Day of Visibility; and the Women's Foundation of California. 

Honey is a co-founder and served as the inaugural Executive Director of San Francisco's Transgender District, she is a founding queen of Drag Story Hour, a co-owner of the Stud Bar, a singer with nu-metal group Commando, and recently ran a historic campaign for District 6 Supervisor in San Francisco. Currently, Honey is working as the District Director for Assemblymember Matt Haney and serves as Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party.  

Panelists include:

Ms. Billie Cooper
Ms. Billie Cooper is a 64-year-old unapologetically black Transgender Woman. She is a long-term survivor living with HIV and a disabled United States Navy Veteran. She has lived in the Tenderloin for over 40 years where she has demonstrated and protested for her community being involved in community social justice advocacy and activism. She is a Community Stakeholder for life. 

Felanie Castro
Felanie Castro identifies as a trans-femme person, Filipino/Native, who began transitioning late in life. Felanie uses the pronouns they/them she/her and has been in San Francisco since January 2016 after being incarcerated for 22 plus years. Her first SF residence was above the old Compton's Cafeteria location at Taylor/Turk.

She is currently the Harm Reduction case manager at Glide, operating out of a van nearly every day to serve the unhoused population. She has collaborated with Lyon Martin, St James Infirmary, TGIJP to better serve our transgender folks.  She volunteers with Black and Pink, a prison abolition organization focusing on building community for our incarcerated queer and trans population.  She is also a fully professed nun with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

MoNique Campbell
Recently celebrating 18 years of service in the Public Health and Social Services field. She is celebrated as a Medical Assistant, Health Educator (specialties include diabetes, hypertension, prenatal, HIV/STDs), Medical Case Manager, HIV Prevention and Care Supervisor. She now leads a decorated team of phenomenal Medical Case Managers, Program Coordinators, Specialist and Community Liaisons throughout the LGBT community in the heart of the Tenderloin as a Program Manager with San Francisco Community Health's Trans Thrive. Currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in Sociology with the intention to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She truly enjoys both the challenge of resolving complex issues for the community and admires working amongst a team that is not only Trans-led but also has the tenacity to be trans solution focused.