The 2nd Annual Transgender Leadership Summit, March 23 – 25, 2007, Los Angeles, by Lally Lacy

I attended this summit with my co-worker, Darel Ayap, Transgender (TG) Health Educator, at the University of Southern California.  Our first day seemed like an ordinary day of registration and meeting with the organizer, which was, by the way, Transgender Law Center (TLC), prominently led by Miss Cecilia Chung. There were almost 300 transgenders (TGs) coming from different cities and representing either their organizations or simply there to experience a gathering of transgenders who are leaders in their own right. The first scheduled workshop was a panel of TGs from various organizations that do impeccable work promoting wellness for our community. Although it was an opening venue that engaged most TGs in a more elaborate discussion about what issues we face and how we can make it better for all of us, my impression on the first day was that this conference would be one of the many I have experienced that end up in culminating our issues as victims and marginalized group from the mainstream society.

I felt that I was becoming less enthusiastic to attend the second day of the conference because of the first day’s lack of a more structureed program. But the overall attendance kept me on my toes to be there, and besides I ran into a friend whom I have not seen for the longest time. As we got to the conference on day two, the place was already filled with familiar faces and the air was filled with extra excitement that made me more aware of my surroundings. The morning session changed my assessment of  the first day’s openings. I heard and shared ideas that addressed how to shape leaders and integrate maturing potential leaders in our community. Lunch time was a flock of transgenders with good appetities sharing stories of their own lives and others. As I sat with Darel over lunch, an unfamiliar sight of a family caught my attention. They were a family that was happy and content and got me wondering, “What are they doing here?” My imagination did not fool me; my sensitivity over a vision of such is a gift I have as a TG. It became apparent to me that this family would be a part of the next session. As the facilitator of the session called-in to start, I made sure to be seated in the front so I would not miss anything. A young group of TGs, ranging in age from10 to 16 years old, sat on the panel of the “Shaping Our Youth as Future Leaders.” As the discussion developed, my excitement started building up to the point that I became more and more engaged in the topic these young people were sharing with us. Two of the panelists stood out  to me - Asthon, a 10 year old FTM, white, and very smart kid whose outlook in life was so refreshing .Asthon represented a community that know their rights because of the way they were raised by their parents. The other one is Angel, an 11 year old Latino FTM boy who embodies the whole generation of young TGs without a hint of victim mentality. For a while I forgot that there is still work to be done paving the way for these kids as future leaders of our community.  Also on the panel was a 16 year old MTF who was already involved in legislative work to make the coming generations of TGs be the best that they can be. Lastly, was a 16 year old FTM who identifies himself as gay and made the definition of gender as varied as it can be.  Walking away from the workshop, I know that there is a future for our community. I cannot help but to share with them, and their supportive family, my heartfelt thanks.

There is more I’m taking with me from this conference. I have learned an effective way of facilitating in which we as community can change ideas and information by opening a forum that will probe and engage everyone in “How do we communicate with each other.” It gave me an inspiration to implement what I’ve learned with our clients, peer leaders and volunteers. Knowing what this conference can offer, I shared with my supervisor that it will be great to invite our potential leaders from our program to next year’s conference. It will be an experience that will trigger their interest to be future leaders for our community here in San Francisco and the Bay Area. It is my intention to cultivate new leaders as my way of giving back to my community. They imparted to me their power to continue and be passionate with the work that I do. To their parents, especially to their Mom, all I was able to say during my meeting with them after the session was “Thank You”. I am proud to be a transgender and it made me more proud to realize that I’m one of the many advocates paving the way for them.

TG Leadership Summit at USC, LA March 23-25, 2007
By Darel Ayap

The Transgender Leadership Summit in L.A. was a learning experience for me both professionally and personally. The conference revealed for me issues within and around myself that I am very excited to acknowledge and that I am looking forward to work on.

The TG Leadership Summit was the first conference that I attended as a TG Health Educator with the Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center and as a professional. Many things were new to me: the diverse group of attendees, the many organizations they represented, various experiences, cultures that each participant brought and the conference’s own unique blend. Of course, new to me was the information communicated through the workshops, formal and informal dialogues and interactions.

I left the University of Southern California campus, the venue of the TG Summit, reinvigorated and more informed about my work and the issues faced by our own A&PI TG community. I found that many issues that we have determined to be pertinent in our community and group of clients have similarities with the larger TG communities in California and possibly in the United States.

More importantly, I left the conference optimistic about the Transgender Movement. The strides achieved by the transgender community and its advocates were celebrated during the TG Leadership Summit. These achievements were shared mostly through personal narratives of many participants. The most poignant celebratory part was during a lunch plenary. A panel of very young transgender individuals was featured. All four were all teen and pre-teen aged individuals. It was personally touching to see and hear stories coming from representatives of a younger TG cohort sharing positive experiences and exuding an empowered state of being.

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