Pete Fosselman's Out For Pete campaign event

Tonight I went to Out For Pete -- an LGBTQ-focused event for Pete Fosselman’s campaign for Montgomery County Maryland’s Council (District 1) at Denizens Brewing Co. (where the #MoCoPrideCenter had our second Social last month, which is the first time I'd been there).

I know Pete because he’s been a fellow Visionary (founding leader) at the Center -- though of course we don’t endorse candidates -- and he would indeed be the first openly LGBTQ member of the Montgomery County MD Council; he is a cis (non-trans) gay man.

And a highlight of the event was a talk by candidate Danica Roem, who would be the first openly trans legislator in Virginia (and her election for Delegate is November 7th).  

#PeteFosselman #DanicaRoem #DenizensBrewingCo #OutForPete #MCMDCouncil

Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition -- my first meeting

Tonight I went to my first Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition (MCCRC) meeting -- their August meeting; they meet monthly, trying to move around the County each time, and they co-sponsor events. I wanted to see #MCCRC for myself, and represent the MoCo Pride Center, where I’m a Visionary (founding leader). It was also a good way to see the Islamic Center of Maryland for the first time.  MCCRC is a citizen body, not a County one -- “We are individuals and organizations organizing to protect our civil liberties and civil rights everywhere by protecting them where we live — in Montgomery County, Maryland.”

Senator William C. Smith, Jr. presented and took questions, and then we broke into committees -- I attended #PoliceAccountability, where we focused on “student resource officers” (SROs, police officers in / on call for schools). Then we regrouped for committee reports -- the others were #AntiIslamophobia, #Sanctuary / #Immigration, #Surveillance and #BystanderIntervention training.  We were joined by some County and state candidates, and invited to #IslamicCenterofMaryland’s prayer service which began during the meeting.

MCCRC is also working on forming an LGBTQ committee, and is part of the upcoming event Resisting Surveillance of MoCo Youth, which is also at and with the ICM. Special thanks to MCCRC member Lee Blinder for helping me get connected.

More about the meeting is here in MCCRC's e-mail, and on Facebook as an event and as a post.

#MoCoCivilRights #MontgomeryCounty #MoCoMD #MoCoMaryland #MoCo #civilrights #resist #MoCoPrideCenter #IslamicCenterMaryland #IslamicCenterMD

4th (Mostly) Annual Maryland Trans*Unity Potluck

Today was the 4th (Mostly) Annual Maryland Trans*Unity Potluck (we took a break in 2015, and have sometimes called it a picnic, which it also is), this time at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church (CLUUC) in Bethesda (which is where Trans*Unity lives).  

It was for all transgender, genderqueer, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people and their allies – including families of all kinds and children of all ages. We the organizers supplied some food, non-alcoholic drinks (this event is alcohol-free), paper products and games, and invited guests to bring something to share they could, but to know they were welcome if they couldn't – their presence was our present. And members of groups that serve the trans community were welcome to wear their flair and/or bring their materials.

It was co-sponsored by the Church and the new MoCo Pride Center (founded last year shortly before that Potluck and announced at it). And for the first time we had Heart To Hand with us, with their mobile testing unit and staff -- HTH "supports those infected and affected by sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, in Prince George’s County".

The Facebook event is here, and the flyers (the pictured one, and a quarter-page version) are here, though they will probably be taken down when the MoCo Trans Day Of Remembrance (TDOR) ones are put up. And here is our fabulous cake, as last year custom-colored like the trans and other community flags by Costco.