The boards of Transgender Detroit and Transgender Michigan are busy getting ready for the springtime events that attract transgender people and allies from all across the region. Michelle Fox-Phillips of Transgender Detroit and Rachel Crandall of Transgender Michigan recently shared information about events, which they often plan collaboratively.
Fox-Phillips is especially proud of the way last year's Visibility Day of Service came together. "Last year we did Forgotten Harvest and Greening of Detroit. They plant vegetable gardens around the city. We transplanted vegetable seedlings from one tray to a larger tray," she said. "We went because we want to get the transgender community visible to the straight community and in the LGBT community. We want to let people know that we're just like anybody else, not just like freaks you see on tv."
The expansion of Transgender Day of Empowerment is also an exciting development for the transgender community. Fox-Phillips said there will be 10-15 workshops that day, including a one-hour self-defense class and presentations about hormones, electrolysis, makeup, wigs etc, and other programs of interest to transgender people and their allies.
Social events, like the Transgender Day of Visibility Open Mic Night and the Easter Potluck give people a chance to be vocal, to have fun and to vent, in a setting among friends.
Check out the list of events below:
Thursday, March 29 – International Transgender Day of Visibility
Open Mic Night 6:00PM to 9:00PM at Five 15 (515 S. Washington, Royal Oak)
Bring your stories, songs, poems, or rants (no interpretive dance please) about your experience with transgender or gender non-conformist identities, issues, and communities. Friends and Allies welcome. No cover charge, but snacks and drinks are available for purchase.
Friday, March 30 – International Transgender Day of Visibility
Service Day
Show your visibility by serving the community. Meet at 8:30 AM at Affirmations (290 West 9 Mile Road, Ferndale), then carpool to Gleaners Community Food Bank from 9-noon, lunch from noon-2PM (to be announced), and Forgotten Harvest (21800 Greenfield, Oak Park) from 2PM to 5PM
Sunday, April 8 – Easter Potluck Dinner at Affirmations (290 W. 9 Mile, Ferndale), 4PM, bring a dish to share.
Saturday, April 14 – Transgender Day of Empowerment. This day-long series of workshops will take place at Affirmations (290 W. 9 Mile, Ferndale). The planning committee will meet soon to finalize a schedule, but for now it looks like there will be workshops on self-defense, electrolysis, makeup and wigs, and a hormone workshop by CVS Pharmacy.
