Join us at the “How DC Works” Training

Tomorrow night, some members of DCTC are going to be attending a training called “How DC Works” presented by DC Jobs With Justice. It’s going to be a beneficial opportunity for DC residents to learn how to affect change and empower our communities to hold government accountable – especially as we head into another round of budget battles. So we encourage everyone to come out, too! Here is the information from JwJ:

Training: How DC Government Works
Tuesday, Feb. 23rd
6:30-8:30pm
St. Stephen Episcopal Church
1525 Newton St NW
Columbia Heights metro, S2/S4 bus

Learn the basics of how DC government works, including who’s who in DC politics, how a bill becomes a law, the budget cycle, and how to advocate for your issues! Part of the Gerry Brittain Education Project, is an initiative of DC Jobs with Justice designed to strengthen local organizing and build power among working people in the District of Columbia.

Pre-register online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=bdAvdFc2_2bP7TBKN2m08OLA_3d_3d
A donation of $10 is requested, but no-one is turned away.

Creating Change!

If you happen to be in Dallas for Creating Change, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force’s annual conference on LGBT Equality, someone from the DC Trans Coalition will be there helping out, so come see the following workshops:

You are encouraged to attend the day-long institute “Trans Rights Now: Building a Strong Trans Movement.” It begins tomorrow (Thursday) at 9am in Dallas Ballroom 3. We’ll be teaching and learning strategies to create strong trans leadership, develop our organizations and build cross-movement allies for social justice and trans rights.

On Saturday at 9am, come see the more general workshop “The Cutting Edge in Trans Rights” which will focus on different organizations (including DCTC) who are working on ID document issues and prison issues.

For those who can’t afford the trek to Dallas, we’ll also be leading some workshops in DC about what went down at the conference to help bring the resources, training and knowledge back to our own communities locally. Stay tuned!

TOMORROW! Stand in Solidarity with Honduran Trans and GLB Communities

Tomorrow, there will be a gathering in front of the State Department in DC to condemn the de facto government in Honduras for rampant police abuse, torture and targeted murder of LGBT people in Honduras since they came to power in a military coup d’etat last year.

Of those killed directly by the regime and the police, or due to the transphobia/homophobia fostered by the climate of violence, the vast majority have been trans women – many of whom have been grotesquely disfigured or shot by uniformed government agents. [Note: May be triggering to some people. Also, some of the external links throughout this post contain potentially offensive comments about trans women and possibly some accidental use of incorrect pronouns.] The Honduran de facto government refuses to investigate any of the 17 assassinations that have been documented by human rights observers. Activists have accused the conservative church-backed coup government of encouraging  the murder of trans women and gay men, who are already marginalized and often forced to work the streets, because they are easy targets for violence.

Most recently, a gay peace activist who had released a statement stating “we say it is NOT ACCEPTABLE that in these past 4 months, during such a short period, 9 transexual and gay friends were violently killed” was himself murdered. The United States government has a long history of complicity in injustice in Honduras; join members of the LGBT community here in DC to tell the State Department not to recognize the coup government and to condemn outright the violence targeting LGBT Hondurans.

We must defend the human rights of trans people everywhere and stand in solidarity with trans communities in Honduras!

Date: Wednesday, January 27 2010
Time: 8-9am and 1-2pm rallies; 9am-1pm vigil
Action: Picket and speak out at U.S. State Department
Location: 2201 C Street NW

More info can be found below the cut, copy-and-pasted from the PFLAG blog.

DCTC Fundraiser with The Shondes – January 9

Come down to Phase 1 to support DCTC and see The Shondes, an awesome queer + trans Jewish gothy/punkish/whatever band from Brooklyn.

All proceeds from the door go to DCTC until 10pm, so come out and have some fun!

There is a sliding scale suggested donation of $3-$10.

We’ll also hold a raffle with some amazing prizes — stay tuned for more details!

And if you’re on facebook, be sure to check out our event page.

See you on January 9!

Come See Us At Positive Youth Fest!

DCTC will have an info-table at this year’s Positive Youth Fest 6! We will also be putting on a workshop about the prison industrial complex and how policing & incarceration impact marginalized communities.

PYF is an annual celebration of Do-It-Yourself culture, music, and activism from the Washington, D.C. area. For a full list of workshops and bands that are performing, check out the PYF6 website. The Fest will take place at The Electric Maid (268 Carroll St NW Washington DC), across the street from the Takoma Park metro station on the Red Line. Doors will open at 4pm on Friday and at 2pm on Saturday, and both shows will be over by 11pm. Additionally, the fest will be $5 each day and free food will be provided. The workshop on the PIC will take place at 7:30pm on Friday.

We hope to see you there!