Transgender Rights and Visibility

Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31 is a day dedicated to celebrating transgender people, recognizing their contributions to society, and raising awareness about the discrimination they face. In this installment of Meetup Live’s Dismantling Social Injustice (DSI) series, we’re holding a panel discussion on pressing issues within the trans community.

Hear from panelists Hope Giselle, author and activist; Mandy Giles, advocate and parent of two transgender adults; and Ryan Sallans, international speaker and author, about current anti-trans legislation and its effects as well as its historical roots. Learn about ways to advocate for trans rights and protections. Stick around for a Q&A at the end.

Agenda:

• Introductions (5 mins)
• Fireside Chat (40 mins)
• Q&A session (15 mins)

About panelists:
Hope Giselle (She/Her/Hers) is a well-known and highly respected National Organizer, Author, Artist, and Activist. While navigating through college as an LGBT student at the conservative HBCU, she courageously co-founded and governed their first LGBT organization. Giselle ultimately graduated with a master's in Fine Arts as the first openly trans woman to do so at the institution as well as acquiring certifications from both Harvard and SHRM. Post-grad Giselle hit the ground running with her modern social stance on trans and black bodies in both public and private spaces. Giselle's nearly one-decade career as an activist, master facilitator, and author was the catalyst for establishing her non-profit organization (AllowMe). Currently, Hope serves as the Training Director of Get Phluid, while in tandem working with organizations such as NASA, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Freedom for all Americans, LGBT University, ITEquality, and TransTech Social. Giselle is also a two-time best-selling author of Until I Met Black Men and Becoming Hope.

Mandy Giles (she/her) is the parent of two transgender young adults and a fierce advocate for trans kids. Leveraging more than two decades of serving children through educational nonprofits, Mandy founded Parents of Trans Youth as an impact-driven business providing learning, support, and community to parents and caregivers of transgender and gender-diverse kids.

During the 2021 Texas legislative session, Mandy testified before Texas Senate and House committees against multiple bills targeting transgender youth and spoke publicly in press conferences, town halls, panel discussions, media interviews, and rallies. Mandy is a sought-after speaker for panels and presentations, most recently at Georgetown University, Duke University, the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech University, and many more

Mandy earned her bachelor's degree from Duke University, majoring in public policy and psychology and minoring in women’s studies.

Ryan Sallans, MA is an international speaker and author who specializes in inclusion, diversity, and healthcare. In 2021, Ryan became the first person outside a lawyer to address the United States Courts for a Heritage Month Event (Pride Month).

Ryan has authored the books Second Son: Transitioning Toward My Destiny, Love and Life (Scout Publishing, 2013), Transforming Manhood: A trans man’s quest to build bridges and knock down walls (Scout Publishing, 2019), Finding Me: Finding We (forthcoming). He graduated Sigma Tau Delta Honor’s Society from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he received a Bachelor of Arts in cultural anthropology and English, a Master of Arts in English (specialized in creative writing), and a Master of Arts in educational psychology (specialized in human health behavior).

Check out the Community Matters blog for the recording, the latest updates, and stories from the Meetup community.https://www.meetup.com/blog/

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