OK! SO! BIG WEEK AHEAD
Yesterday started with my false alarm. Literally. In which I made everyone wake up at 8 am with the assumption that we’d need to be in Birmingham earlier than we were supposed to be. We didn’t need to be up until 10 am. Branson stayed asleep though. WHOOPS. We took advantage of the extra time. I showered and stretched a bit. Sah, myself, and Jonah meditated and set intentions for the day. Our intentions revolved around staying connected to our loved ones and each other as much as possible as we dredge into an incredibly intense next couple of days. We are interviewing many people and driving a lot.
After meditation, we hung out with Deli for a bit. They are really into cos play and introduced us to the SNL David S Pumpkins skit they are doing for cosplay and this sketch tickles me hard. I was even in more love with is as their costume came in the mail and Jonah wore the skeleton mask for a while and then woke Branson up by spooking them!! HAHAHA. Staying with them was amazing and I cannot express how magical and special and taken care of the team has been this whole trip. It’s really remarkable.
I drove us from Auburn to Birmingham. While driving SahLeem and I finally visited the new Jay Z. We approve. I mean Frank Ocean on it tho! After that I rocked out to Rilo Kiley and Big Thief.
When we got to Birmingham we conducted interviews at The Magic City Acceptance Center from 3- 7pm. What a special place! It’s a youth oriented LGBT center and doing some really radical and lovely work in Alabama! WOW!!! The world is changing even during such trying times. Also, we were given snacks and so much love! We probably interviewed twelve folks all together, including one elder. Jonah and SahLeem conducted some interviews on their own! It was a long but incredibly fulfilling day. I have repeatedly been touched and taught so much by trans youth and our elders. I am so grateful.
We arrived in Jackson last night. We stayed with a very sweet, funny, Mississippi native. She is a trans elder who made me coffee this morning. She was also a republican and someone very different from myself which I really appreciated. I enjoy differences. Branson and I got the “real” bed. Sah and Jonah got single air matresses. For whatever reason, the lights flcikered in a ghostly fashion and there were five large mirrors in our room which only screams: HAUNTED to me and I had ghost nightmares/ premenitions? So, I am pretty tired today. Still pumped though.
Today is Branson’s birthday! We had breakfast at Brent’s Drugs.. an amazing vintage diner and malt/milkshake shop. I sneakily got the server to bring a sundae to Branson. We got to sing them happy birthday!
We are currently sitting at The Library which is a fancy bar/restaurant space in The Fairview Inn here in Jackson, MS. We’ve conducted two interviews that went swimmingly. Kells is a cancer and Laney is a Pisces… so I was in water heaven! Two more are on the way. I think the server here is queer and is letting us know by playing Prince… but they may also just appreciate Prince as much as I do.
Tonight, we drive to Arkansas where we will meet with ARC (a advocacy group in Little Rock) tomorrow and interview folks, and then we go to Oklahoma City. There we will be working with the Oklahoma City Diversity Center and interviewing folks at a barbeque! Lots of travelling and lots of events. After that it’s TEXAS! Everything is flying by!! EVERYTHING IS GREAT!
Klie, our communications director, and Carmen, a content creator, will be taking over the blog the next two days! Very cool.
I am learning so much and connecting with so many amazing trans people. I can’t tell you how good and strange it feels to be told by many trans women I and Sah are the first trans men they’ve met! It’s time for all of us to unify and love one another.
On a side note, I’ve been dissecting my feelings around how trans people are vessels and channels for spirituality and teachings. More to come on that if and when I get more time to process.
LOVE LOVE LOVE
Basil
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