Can We Talk for REAL

It is estimated that over 60 million families are caring for an aging or disabled person at home.  At least 80-90% of caregivers are women.  There is no question that most of the burden falls on women for the physical and financial impacts of caregiving.  As parents live longer, more women are feeling the crunch.

What does it cost women caregivers to take care of their aging parents?

On a very special CAN WE TALK FOR REAL co-hosts Teresa (Terry Boi) Jackson and Michelle E. Brown share their personal experiences caring for aging loved ones. They will be sharing the joys, challenges, stresses and supports (or lack of support) they have received as well as the unique situations they have encountered being lesbians in their caregiver roles. Joining Terry Boi and Michelle in this important discussion is Jacqueline Boyd is the owner of The Care Plan, the country's first health care management company devoted to LGBTQ individuals and communities. She is passionate about identifying personalized solutions to health and aging challenges.

The Care Plan is the brainchild of Jacqueline Boyd, a long time aging specialist and LGBTQI advocate. Jacqueline’s passion for health and aging started when she was a Certified Nursing Assistant in college. Working in nursing homes gave her a deep appreciation for the struggles many face throughout the aging process. The swift physical and cognitive changes, the lack of clear resources and advice left many families in the dark about how to best support their loved ones, and at times guilty for the choices they had made. It was here that seeds for The Care Plan were planted, in empathy for the pain and uncertainty many clients and their families experienced.

Show starts at 8:30est/:7:30cst, call in to 347-215-8985, and Press 1 to speak.

The National Black Trans Advocacy Conference & Awards Gala (BTAC) is a distinct educational and empowerment program event, home to nearly 300 plus trans and gender non-conforming individuals, our family, friends, community allies and corporate partners from across the country who are focused on advancing black trans equality.

BTAC is a unique life changing (5) day program that furthers education, provides linkage to resources, community building and organizing, leadership development and celebration of diverse identities. 5th Annual National Black Trans Advocacy Conference & Awards Gala takes place in Dallas, Texas April 25 - May 1, 2016.

 

Joining CAN WE TALK FOR REAL co-hosts Teresa (Terry Boi) Jackson and Michelle Brown on Wednesday, February 24th is Carter Brown, Executive Director of Black Transmen, Inc. (BTMI).

BTMI along with Black Transwomen, Inc. work together to bring the conference and gala to the community each year.

 

Besides discussing the challenges and threats facing trans women and men in the Black community, Carter will bring us up-to-date on the planning/programming for this year’s conference and awards gala including the featured events of Family & Fun Day, TransManifest Live, Black Trans International Pageants and the Black Diamond Ball.  The goal for attendance at this year’s BTAC is 300 attendees. Registration is now open.

Show starts at 8:30est/:7:30cst, call in to 347-215-8985, and Press 1 to speak.

CAN WE TALK FOR REAL – your award winning blog radiocast. Celebrating three years of bringing you issues, education and entertainment.

On, Wednesday February 17, 2016 CAN WE TALK FOR REAL cohosts Teresa Jackson and Michelle Brown are joined by Marcus Dargan and Zachary Frater. Both men are participating on a panel for “Shout, Sister, Shout: Seeing and Hearing African American LGBT People in Fine Art and Music” at the Center of the city College of New York on February 25, 2016. The panel complements an exhibition of artifacts, print, fine art and photographs related to the subject matter of African American LGBT writers, musicians, performers and fine artists that has been on view for the entire month of February. Free and open to the public.  Marcus Dargan is an Adjunct Lecturer of the Communication Studies Department at Baruch and Department of Speech, Communications, and Theatre Arts at Borough of Manhattan Community College, where he received an A.S. in Theatre. He also holds a B.A. in Theatre and a M.S.Ed. in Educational Theatre from City College of New York. He is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of NuAFrikan Theatre, and Editor and Contributor of Down Stage Pass. Performance artist, producer, and CCNY alum Zachary Frater will be presenting on the notorious 2013 webseries "Got 2 B Real: The Diva Variety Show" created by YouTuber @PattiLaHelle. Its all-star cast of contemporary black R&B and Pop icons reading each other down has captivated LGBT viewers since its inception and remains an intriguing work of media appropriation, meme culture, and drag humor. Zachary will be discussing the program's inherent queer sensibility and appeal to the millenial generation.

Joining CAN WE TALK FOR REAL co-hosts Teresa M. Jackson and Michelle E. Brown on Wednesday, February 10th to talk about the Obama Presidency – its place in Black history, its impact on LGBTQ rights and preserving its legacy for equal rights – is Earl Fowlkes. President/CEO of the Center For Black Equity, Inc. (formerly the International Federation of Black Pride (IFBP). Fowlkes founded the IFBP in 1999 ago as a coalition of Black Pride organizers the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and South Africa formed to promote a multinational network of LGBT Pride and community- based organizations. Earl previously served fifteen years as the Executive Director of the DC Comprehensive AIDS Resources and Education Consortium (DC CARE Consortium) and Damien Ministries, organizations that provided services to person living with HIV/AIDS in Washington, DC. Earl attended Rutgers University with degrees in history/business. Earl resides in Washington, DC however remains a devoted to his hometown Philadelphia Phillies, Eagles and Flyers, and all things Pennsylvania.Call in to 347-215-8985 to join the conversation, show starts at 8:30 est/7:30cst,, Press 1 to speak.

Joining “CAN WE TALK FOR REAL”, cohosts Teresa Jackson and Michelle E. Brown on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 to address the Asian/Pacific HIV/AIDS awareness strategy and [Prep] will be Jens Tamang from the Minnesota Aids Project who before joining MAP he provided care coordination for individuals living with HIV in adult foster care and served as a Projects Administrator for several LGBTQ youth programs funded by the Minnesota Regional Arts Council. Joining him will be also be Kayden Hoang Bui he will discuss his vision on how to expand the MAP’s work into hard-to-reach populations to promote HIV/STI education, awareness, and testing through increased outreach and media presence.In recognition of Feb.7th National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, joining CWT4R, will be Pastor Anthony Sullivan Jr. a Pastor-Leader, Preacher, Challenger, Trainer, Teacher, Resource, Initiator, Counselor, Guide and a justice advocate committed to the liberation of persons and groups who suffer from all forms of oppression. He is a graduate of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University having earned the Master of Divinity degree. He is especially concerned about those impacted and affected by the pandemic of HIV/AIDS.  He will talk about, “What does faith has to do with the mobilization initiative aimed at Blacks to help reduce the HIV/AIDS spread and to bring more awareness”.

Have you been to a workshop or conference lately and been asked what was your “preferred pronoun?” Conveners aren’t just being politically correct but acknowledging the diverse gender identities within our community. As more and more LGBTQ individuals come out and take their place at work, schools and in their communities, society is learning that the old rules simply just don’t apply anymore. Some even suggest a Gender neutrality  -  the idea that policies, language, and other social institutions should avoid distinguishing roles according to people's sex or gender, in order to avoid discrimination arising from the impression that there are social roles for which one gender is more suited than the other. Willy Wilkinson an award-winning Asian American transgender writer, public health consultant, cultural competency trainer, public speaker, and spoken word performer Willy Wilkinson. He is the author of the book Born on the Edge of Race and Gender: A Voice for Cultural Competency. We will talk about Wilkinson’s personal journey, explain cultural competency for those working in and with the LGBTQ community.

At the top of many New Year's Resolution lists each year is getting control of our finances. It can be expressed in many ways - getting a better job, making/keeping a budget, saving more, etc.

Joining CAN WE TALK FOR REAL co-hosts Teresa Jackson and Michelle E. Brown on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 is Karen Green Reynolds a regular contributor to the blog HOLLA IF YOU HEAR ME!

Reynolds began her involvement in the financial industry as a quest for personal knowledge. Now she has a securities license and works as an independent representative of an international company. She believes in people being equipped to take control of their lives. Adding in a recent blog post that "Nothing worse exists than feeling defeated, consistently, when it's your finances."

61% of adults do not keep track of their money. The median retirement savings for 55-64 years old is small. 29% of households with members 55 or older don't have retirement or pensions. Is this you?

Join us on CAN WE TALK FOR REAL for this important discussion on personally and purposefully changing our financial habits.

Join us Wednesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:30est/7:30cst pm, call into 347-215-8985 and Press 1 to speak.

Russell D. Roybal, National LGBTQ Task Force Deputy Executive Director and Mary Morton  President of Morten Group, a consulting firm specializing in social change through skills development, public policy and advocacy, will join CWT4R. This year marks the 28th year that the National LGBTQ Task Force will present Creating Change, the pre-eminent political, leadership and skills-building conference for the LGBTQ social justice movement. The event will be held in Chicago, Illinois, January 20-24, 2016. Taken from the website, “The Task Force is building a future where everyone is free to be themselves in every aspect of their lives. Today, despite all the progress we’ve made to end discrimination, millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives: in housing, employment, healthcare, retirement, and basic human rights. These barriers must go. That’s why the Task Force is training and mobilizing millions of activists across our nation to deliver a world where you can be you”. The conference is anticipated to attract around 4,000 people from all over the country this year as it has attracted thousands from previous years. Presenters and participants come from all walks of life and include members of the business community, elected officials, students, faith leaders and staff and volunteers of non-profit organizations”.  Join us Wednesday Night starting at 8:30est/7:30cst call 347-215-8985 to find out what has, what is and what creating change is educating the community on what needs to change in 2016 and beyond. Remember to Press 1 to speak, to get involved. It is not too late to get our tickets and be a part of CREATING CHANGE 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. Remember, Silence has been an Option for way to long. Now it’s time to ask “Can You Hear Us NOW”?

In the early hours of Saturday, Aug. 8, Amber Monroe of Detroit became the 12th transgender woman of color to be killed in 2015 Amber was only 20 years old and a student at Michigan's Wayne State University.  She was also a good friend of Bre Campbell a Detroit and national activists for Transgender rights. She knew Monroe from the Horizons Project, which specializes in HIV/AIDS prevention and care for adolescents at Wayne State University. The loss of Amber and the other transgender woman murdered in 2015 (22 as of October,2015 most under age 37) moved Campbell beyond grief to action with the Trans Sistas of Color Project.

Continuing to recognize leaders under 30, CAN WE TALK FOR REAL co-hosts Teresa “TerryBoi” Jackson and Michelle E. Brown welcome on Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Bre Campbell Executive Director and Ahya “Yah-Yah” Nicole and John Campbell founding members of the Trans Sistas of Color Project (TSOCP).

TSOCP was established in 2015, in response to the growing numbers of Trans murders. This group of concerned community activists endeavor to uplift, impact and influence the lives of transgender women of color in Detroit.  Executive Director Campbell explained that “TSOCP fills in the gap, creates space and influences Trans women of color through programming, resources, services and engagement in order to improve our quality of life.” TSCOP’s Trans centric programming, services and resources are built around the goal of creating a 24 hour drop in center for Trans women of color in Detroit.

Join us Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 8:30est/7:30cst pm, call into 347-215-8985 and Press 1 to speak.

CAN WE TALK FOR REAL – Your award winning blog radiocast. Celebrating three years of bringing you issues, education and entertainment.

It has become the norm that when you turn on the news before the month is over another young black person has been killed at the hands of a police officer somewhere in the country. Recently Chicago has been in the news and something different happened. Out of this a new civil rights movement has emerged and it is organized and its membership is all young people between the ages of 18-35. They have strategically gathered together and collaborated across the country showing support in states where violence has emerged against a community for years. They have been there right under our very noses. The news coming out of major cities have awaken Black Youth Project 100 (BYP 100)  an activist member-based organization of Black 18-35 year olds, dedicated to creating justice and freedom for all Black people. We do this through building a collective focused on transformative leadership development, non-violent direct action organizing, advocacy and education. BYP per their has trained young black activists in direct action grassroots organizing skills, so they can build the power we need to transform our communities. They have mobilized young Black leaders on issues including ending criminalization and dismantling the prison industrial complex, expanding and securing LGBT and women’s rights. They have and are running campaigns using on the ground and digital tactics towards the goal of ending the criminalization of Black youth, racial profiling and police brutality. Joining us will again be Matt Boykin of the Chicago Branch of BYO100. He is  a member of Black Youth Project 100 here in Chicago. Originally from the Suburbs of Atlanta, Maxx has organized for a wide arrange of issue based, political and union organizing over the last few years in Georgia, Virginia and in the last two years in Illinois around the Affordable Care Act, Fight for 15, Movement for Black Lives and fighting for those living with and communities most effected by HIV.