I have to make it short. I need to get to bed, but it has been so long since I posted anything, I thought I should do it.

I fly out to DC in the morning. From what I can gather, I am supposed to give some sort of presentation on the TG program. I think I am supposed to do some soft-shoe… I might even dazzle them with my jazz-hands! Basically, I think I will be giving a presentation on TG issues and the need for both funding and adaptations of current evidence-based interventions. Additionally, I think I will probably be talking about the need to integrate free or reduced rate TG medical care into these HIV/STD interventions.

I met a few times with a representative from the CDC last week. We spoke a lot about – well, basically the same stuff I wrote about in the above paragraph. He came to the Thursday night TG social and had an opportunity to meet and speak with our local TG community.

In a meeting last Friday, it was reaffirmed that the TG shelter is a “go.” I am so happy about the way in which our grant (much of which I wrote ^ ^) did. Watching this TG program grow from one outreach position to a full-fledged program has been an amazing thing to be a part of.

Watching what Carolyn has done for the support groups – and community members alike has been amazing. Many of the Spanish-speaking clients at the TG clinic call her “mother.” I a very real way, she provides that type of parental guidance to a lot of folks in this community. She tends to take folks under her wing and guide them through this painful, fucked-up process we call transition. All I can say is that she better get one of those damn Unity awards next year of I will be eating some HTUC members for lunch!

Anyway, I digress…

I found out today that Brenda is going to Omega House. This is a hospice. I hope that everyone will take some time to see her. While she sometimes reminded me of a bristly badger, she started HTGA 16 years ago, spearheaded the only Houston study on the TG community and has been the main drive behind the Unity Committee for the past few years.

I’m glad to be flying tomorrow – it always brings back the nostalgia of my trip to Thailand.